This thesis established a research model and research hypothesis to verify the relationship between variables by analyzing previous studies to analyze how authentic leadership affects the organizational effectiveness, such as job satisfaction and orga...
This thesis established a research model and research hypothesis to verify the relationship between variables by analyzing previous studies to analyze how authentic leadership affects the organizational effectiveness, such as job satisfaction and organizational commitment, focusing on the mediating effect of fairness and the moderating effect of MZㆍolder generations.
To achieve this research purpose, 489 military officials from Staff Sergeant through Colonel serving in the Republic of Korea Army across the nation were recruited for a Google-based online survey based on a Likert 5-point scale. After excluding 9 participants with technical issues in the measurement, a total of 489 participants’ data were used for the study.
The data analysis was conducted using statistical analysis programs, such as SPSS Version 21.0 and AMOS Version 22.0. First, descriptive statistical analysis was computed to investigate the demographic characteristics of the sample, and a correlation matrix analysis was conducted via exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to assess the reliability and validity of the measurements. Then, to verify the research hypothesis and investigate the mediating effect, a causal relationship was investigated by employing a structural equation modeling approach. Further, a multigroup structural equation model analysis was conducted to analyze the moderating effect between the MZ generation and the older generation. The following summarizes the findings.
First, the relationship between leaders’ authentic leadership and the organizational effectiveness revealed that authentic leadership has a statistically significant effect on soldiers’ environmental satisfaction, psychological satisfaction, and emotional commitment.
Second, the relationship between leaders’ authentic leadership and the organizational fairness showed that authentic leadership has a positive (+) effect on the distributive fairness and interactive fairness.
Third, the relationship between leaders’ organizational fairness and organizational effectiveness indicated that the interactive fairness has a statistically significant positive (+) effect on soldiers’ environmental satisfaction, psychological satisfaction, and emotional commitment.
Fourth, in terms of the mediation role of the organizational fairness in the relationship between authentic leadership and organizational effectiveness, it was found that the distributive fairness played a partial mediating role in the impact of authentic leadership on the organizational effectiveness as authentic leadership has both direct and indirect effects on environmental satisfaction, psychological satisfaction, and emotional commitment. Also, it was found that the interactive fairness played a complete mediating role in the effect of authentic leadership on the organizational effectiveness as authentic leadership has only indirect effects on environmental satisfaction, psychological satisfaction, and emotional commitment.
Fifth, with respect to the moderation effects of the generation gap between the MZ generation and the older generation in the relationship between authentic leadership, organizational fairness, and organizational effectiveness, it was found that ① the impact of authentic leadership on the organizational effectiveness (environmental satisfaction, psychological satisfaction) was statistically significant both for the MZ generation and the older generation; ② the impact of authentic leadership on the organizational fairness was statistically significant both for the MZ generation and the older generation; ③ in regard to the impact of the distributive fairness on organizational effectiveness, a significant moderation effect was found, such that the impact had statistical significance across all aspects, such as environmental satisfaction, psychological satisfaction, and emotional satisfaction, for the MZ generation, while the impact was not statistically significant on the emotional satisfaction for the older generation; and ④ the impact of the interactive fairness on the organizational effectiveness was statistically significant both the MZ generation and the older generation.
The implications of the findings are summarized as follows.
First, it is of great significance that the relationship between authentic leadership and organizational effectiveness in the military organization was investigated for the first time by empirically verifying that leaders’ authentic leadership has a direct impact on soldiers’ job satisfaction and organizational commitment in the military, that the distributive and interactive fairness do not only have considerable influence on organizational effectiveness but also play a significant mediating role between authentic leadership and organizational effectiveness, across all generations.
Second, since it has been empirically confirmed that authentic leadership has a positive effect on enhancing the organizational effectiveness of subordinates, such as environmental and psychological job satisfaction and emotional organizational commitment, it is necessary to continue to develop leadership that increases subordinates’ environmental and psychological satisfaction in the military.
Third, as the present study has shown that authentic leadership has a significant impact on the distributive and interactive fairness and that this fairness plays an important mediating role between authentic leadership and organizational effectiveness, leaders, including commanders and staffs at various military levels, must exercise command fairly and reasonably to ensure that the results of their subordinates’ performance, such as reward and punishment, evaluation, commanders’ recommendation, and promotion, can be fairly compensated for their efforts based on objective standards and procedures. Also, the decision process that determines this should be transparently disclosed so that subordinates do not recognize any unfairness from the process of distribution and procedure.
Fourth, as it has been confirmed that there were no difference between the older generation and the MZ generation in recognizing the importance of authentic leadership and organizational fairness, leaders in the military should make more efforts to develop and demonstrate such leadership.