Leader structure and subordinate satisfaction for two hospital administrative levels: A path analysis approach

Abstract

Examined the path-goal theory of leadership by investigating relationships between leader initiating structure and subordinate satisfaction at 2 hospital administrative levels. It was hypothesized that at the higher occupational level, for 20 female associate directors, initiating structure would be negatively related to role ambiguity, and positively related to expectancy II (i.e., the perception of the probability of obtaining a reward given a certain performance) and subordinate satisfaction. However, at the lower occupational level, for 20 female head nurses, it was hypothesized that initiating structure would be negatively related to subordinate satisfaction and unrelated to expectancy II. Ss completed the Supervisory Behavior Description, an instrument adapted to measuring ambiguity, an instrument adapted to measuring expectancy II, and the Job Descriptive Index. The hypotheses were substantiated. A path analysis model was confirmed for associate directors, but not for head nurses, indicating initiating structure was a more important source of role clarification and subordinate satisfaction at the higher occupational level. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)