Compare and contrast the Theory X and Theory Y leadership styles and the new transformational leadership style including the different approaches used by Theory X managers and by Theory Y and transformational managers, and identify the person who developed the leadership style that came to be known as Theory X and the person who coined the Theory X and Y leadership styles

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Answer will include that one of the earliest attempts to improve worker efficiency was made in 1923 by Frederick Taylor, an engineer. To speed up production, Taylor standardized work routines and stressed careful planning, control, and orderliness. Today, versions of Taylor's approach are called scientific management, or Theory X leadership. Scientific management uses time-and-motion studies, task analysis, job specialization, assembly lines, pay schedules, and the like to increase productivity. Thus, Theory X leaders are task-oriented rather than person-oriented and tend to assume that people have to be goaded or guided into being productive. They are concerned with work efficiency, or maximum output at lowest cost, and they try to improve work efficiency by changing work schedules, work quotas, and using bonuses. The term Theory X was coined by psychologist Douglas McGregor as a way to distinguish the leadership style associated with scientific management from Theory Y, a newer approach, which emphasizes human relations at work. Theory Y leaders are more concerned with psychological efficiency and are concerned with maintaining good morale, labor relations, and employee satisfaction. They assume that workers enjoy autonomy and are willing to accept responsibility. Today's harsh economic realities often require more of leaders than a person-oriented Theory Y style. Transformational leadership seeks to transform employees to exceed expectations and look beyond self-interest to help the organization better compete. The transformational leader achieves these goals through: (1) Idealized influence: Employees are encouraged to work ethically, emphasizing values such as trust; (2) Inspirational motivation: Employees are inspired to see their work as meaningful and challenging; (3)Intellectual stimulation: Employees are empowered to "think outside the box" to find new solutions to problems; and (4) Individualized consideration: Employee's individual needs, goals, and abilities are valued with appropriate professional development being available as required. Theory Y and transformational leadership managers utilize such management strategies as (1) participative management or shared leadership, in which employees at all levels are directly involved in decision making; (2) management by objectives in which workers are free to choose (within limits) how they will achieve their goals working in self-managed teams, and