Evaluation of different styles of leadership at hierarchical levels: by the example of Akhmet Yassawi University

Abstract

Although there are many studies in the literature on leadership styles and behaviors,
few studies have been found that show how leadership behaviors are perceived according to
hierarchical levels. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine how lower, middle and
upper-level managers perceive superior leadership behaviors in educational institutions and
whether their perception of leadership behavior differs according to hierarchical levels. In this
study, while measuring leadership behaviors, we did not ask managers to evaluate their behavior;
but we tried to determine how the employees perceive the behaviors of their closest superior.
We have determined our working universe as upper, middle, and lower-level managers working
at Akhmet Yassawi University. The research data were collected from 101 managers with the
survey technique. Managers were asked questions about vision determination, environmental
sensitivity, exhibiting extraordinary behaviors, taking personal risks, showing sensitivity to
member needs and maintaining the status quo, and analyzes were made based on the responses
given by the senior, middle and lower management levels. Besides, all the variables used in the
questionnaire were measured with 5-point Likert type scales between 1-Strongly disagree and
5-Strongly agree. To measure the leadership behavior of managers, the CEO Leadership Behavior
Measurement Survey developed by Tsui et al. (2006: 120) and Kabacoff (1998: 18-20) and the
Leadership Effectiveness Analysis (LEA) study of the Management Research Group were used.