Identification of Transformational Leadership Components and Determination of Their Importance in Universities of Medical Science

Subject Areas :

fatmeh boskabadi ¹ , Mohammad Mohammadi ² , Hamid Rezaiefar ³ , Mehdi Mahmoodzadeh ⁴

1 - Doctoral student of Public Administration, Human Resources, Birjand Branch, Islamic Azad University, Birjand, Iran, [e-mail], mobile number 09933008405
2 - Assistant professor of Public Administration, Department of Management, Human Science Faculty, Islamic Azad University, Birjand Branch, Birjand, Iran
3 - Corresponding Author: Assistant Professor, Department of Management, Birjand Branch, Islamic Azad University, Birjand, Iran.
4 - دانشیار گروه مدیریت، دانشکده مدیریت، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، واحد بیرجند، بیرجند، ایران.

Received: 2023-09-20 Accepted : 2024-01-07 Published : 2024-08-17

Keywords: leadership, transformational leadership, Universities of Medical Sciences ,

Abstract :

The purpose of the research was to identify the components of transformational leadership and determine the significance of each component in universities of medical sciences. The research method was applied in its purpose and in terms of the method of data collection, it was a mixed type of research; the research strategy in the qualitative part was sequential exploratory and in the quantitative part descriptive and survey-based. In the qualitative phase, 14 experts were interviewed. For the quantitative phase, the population consisted of managers from medical science universities, with a sample of 400 selected based on the Krejcie and Morgan table. The qualitative sampling method was purposive and snowball sampling, with theoretical saturation guiding the sample size. For the quantitative phase, convenient sampling was used. Data collection tools included semi-structured interviews for the qualitative phase and a 61-item researcher-developed questionnaire for the quantitative phase, using a Likert scale from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5). Qualitative data analysis employed grounded theory techniques to analyze interview texts and extract three levels of codes: open codes, axial codes, and selective codes. This analysis identified 61 open codes, 15 axial codes (sub-components), and 3 selective codes (main components): personal competence, managerial competence, and interpersonal competence. Quantitative data were analyzed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) with LISREL 8.8. The CFA results indicated that the components of transcendent personality (factor loading of 0.91), goal orientation (0.90), and ethics (0.88) were the most significant in explaining transformational leadership, ranking first to third. The component of legalism (0.57) ranked last. To enhance transformational leadership, high-ranking officials and managers in universities of medical sciences should strengthen eight components: transcendent personality, strategic thinking, excellence, superior treatment of staff, appreciation of staff, transcendental communication, and goal orientation among their managers.