The Delegative Leadership Features of Service Managers: A Quantitative Research on Managers Form Different Sectors in East Marmara

Abstract

Leadership is crucial concept in any industry for the success of a business. Each business within their own industry conditions and operating conditions are determined the effects of leadership and its domains. Thus, leadership is a value or resources for the business, and it may also occur in different efficiency levels from person to person, from business to business and also from industry to industry. The delegative feature of leaders appears as a necessity to effectively use human resources. This study aims to assess the leadership attitudes of service firms? managers by the context of delegative leadership as one of three leadership styles identified by Lewin, and the differentiations of delegative features by the demographics. Data has gathered by using the survey technique from the managers from fourdifferent sub-industries (hotels, restaurants, banks, hospitals). Research has implemented in Kocaeli and Sakarya provinces as two major trade and tourism center of the eastern Marmara region. The responses received from the top and middle managers were analyzed with statistical methods. This study included a total 231 executives. These are found that men are more delegative than women; while the manager's age increases, delegative properties also increased; educational status has no effect on delegative leadership attitudes; delegative leadership attitudes increased by experience; restaurant and hotel managers were displayed higher delegative attitude than hospital administrators. Findings showed that delegative feature is supported in service enterprises by time and experience, and the importance of being delegative also understood by experience. In addition to this, the higher delegative attitudes showed in restaurant and hotel properties must be a proof of the importance of decision-support and power-support provided for employees in this type of service-intensive companies. To produce results for only a single type of leadership and to focus on executives only from two provinces should be stated as the most important limitations.