Master's Theses

Document Type

Thesis

Date of Award

Spring 2012

Degree Name

Master of Liberal Studies (MLS)

Department

Political Science

Advisor

Dr. Jian Sun

Abstract

This article examines the relationship between leader-follower friendships and the innovative environment in organizations. The results of the study reveal that leader-follower friendships are positively related to the measurements of innovative environment. Organizations with an innovative environment exhibit strong overall leader-follower friendships. Measures of leader-follower friendships are obtained from Boyd and Taylor's developmental approach to the examination of friendships between leaders and followers. In order to find out the determinations of an innovative environment, this paper reviews the work of Van der Sluis, Baldridge, Burnham, Bharadwaj, Menon, McLean, and others. The article synthesizes the literature, and lists the factors that influence the creation of an innovative environment in organizations. Using data from a Chinese electronics manufacturing firm, the support for the hypothesis is found. The results indicate that in innovative groups, the friendships between leaders and followers are considered as strong. Implications of the findings to practices are discussed.

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Rights

© 2012 Xiaojuan Xia

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