Leadership Behaviour

A STUDY ON THE LEADERSHIP BEHAVIOUR AND

LEADERSHIP EFFECTIVENESS OF

MALAYSIAN MANAGERS:

THE MODERATING EFFECT OF GENDER

MOEY YOKE CHENG

FACULTY OF BUSINESS AND ACCOUNTANCY

UNIVERSITY OF MALAYA

JULY 2008

A Study on the Leadership Behaviour and Leadership

Effectiveness of Malaysian Managers:

The Moderating Effect of Gender

Moey Yoke Cheng

The Institute Chartered Secretaries & Administrators, Graduate

The Malaysian Association of The Institute of

Chartered Secretaries & Administrators

2002

Submitted to the Graduate School of Business

Faculty of Business and Accountancy

University of Malaya, in partial fulfillment

of the requirements of the Degree of

Master of Management

July 2008

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between leadership behaviour

and leadership effectiveness. Second, it endeavours to determine if the gender of a

manager moderates the relationship between leadership behaviour and perception of

leadership effectiveness. A survey method was employed and the data was drawn

from subordinates who were working in private and public sectors in the Klang

Valley area. Out of the 400 questionnaires that were distributed, only 269

questionnaires were collected. Almost an equal percentage of the genders of the

superiors were 55.8% male and 44.2% female.

The study illuminated that Nurturant Task-Participative is recognized by Malaysians

as the best leadership practice in the Malaysian context. On the other hand, the result

also indicated that there was no relationship between autocratic leadership and

effectiveness. Autocratic indeed is perceived as part and parcel of the Malaysian

cultural system. Nevertheless, it is anticipated that there will be a transformation of

leadership in future where autocratic leadership behaviour no longer attributes to

effectiveness. Gender equality was found in this study whereby Malaysians had set

aside gender stereotypes and acknowledged the...