Date
12-2019
Department
Graduate School of Business
Degree
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)
Chair
Scott Quatro
Keywords
Servant Leadership, Employee Motivation, Job Satisfaction, Leadership
Disciplines
Business | Leadership Studies
Recommended Citation
Ward, Carson D., "Exploring the Relationship Between Executive Leadership Styles and Job Satisfaction Among Employees of Human Service Nonprofit Organizations in Southwest Virginia" (2019). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 2306.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/2306
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a relationship between executive servant leadership and job satisfaction in human service nonprofit organizations in southwest Virginia. The problem to be addressed was the leadership deficit in nonprofit organizations and the ability of nonprofit leaders to motivate employees to perform. This study was significant because the leadership is a critical success factor for nonprofit organizations, however, the nonprofit sector is confronting a situation of leadership deficit. There is limited research on effective leadership strategies for nonprofit organizations. This study serves as new research for effective leadership practices and their relationship to employee motivation for nonprofit organizations. The researcher applied a self-reporting questionnaire framework to measure the independent and dependent variables. The Job Satisfaction Survey was used to measure the dependent variable of employee job satisfaction and the Servant Organizational Leadership Assessment was used to measure the independent variable of servant leadership present in an organization. A random sample of 83 full time employees of human service nonprofit organizations in southwest Virginia participated in the study. The results of this study found a moderate-strong positive statistically significant relationship between servant leadership present in an organization and employee job satisfaction. The results of this study contribute to nonprofit leadership practices as the results indicate servant leadership does lead to increased employee job satisfaction and nonprofit leaders should seek to understand how implementing servant leadership practices into their own leadership will benefit their employees. Biblically, just as man is created with a purpose to serve others through Jesus Christ, business leaders also exist with a purpose to serve.
