Date of Award

12-1991

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

Dr. Patrick M. Jenlink

Second Advisor

Dr. Charles C. Warfield

Third Advisor

Dr. Lawrence Ziring

Fourth Advisor

Dr. Bradley Hayden

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the power bases and conflict management styles of Indonesia’s formal leaders. French and Raven’s (1959) theory of power was used to define the power bases. Thomas and Kilmann’s (1974) theory of conflict management was used to define the conflict management styles. The study assumed that Indonesia’s formal leaders used certain kinds of power bases and conflict management styles in their leadership, and their cultural background influenced their leadership behavior.

Three null hypotheses were proposed to guide the research: (1) that there was no correlation between power bases and conflict management styles of Indonesia’s formal leaders, (2) that there was no significant difference among the means of Indonesia’s formal leaders’ power bases, and (3) that there was no significant difference among the means of Indonesia’s formal leaders’ conflict management styles.

Thom as’ (1985) Power Base Inventory was used to measure the power base variables. Thomas and Kilmann’s (1974) Conflict Mode Instrument was used to assess conflict management style. A demographic instrument was also used to measure demographic variables viewed as important to the study. The sample consisted of 200 Indonesian private company and government organization managers.

A Pearson product moment correlation test was utilized to test Hypothesis 1 at alpha level .05. The result indicated that there was no correlation between power bases and conflict management styles of Indonesia’s formal leaders.

A one-way analysis of variance test was applied to test Hypotheses 2 and 3 at alpha level .05. Results indicated that the range of Indonesia’s formal leaders power bases included authority, discipline, information, expertise, goodwill, and reward. Formal leaders’ range of conflict management styles included avoiding, compromising, collaborating, accommodating, and competing.

Findings indicated that the power bases and conflict management styles of Indonesia’s formal leaders reflected bureaucratic and conflict avoidance characteristics of the Indonesian society.

Access Setting

Dissertation-Open Access

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