A second-order factor structure of the leadership behaviour inventory

Abstract

A need for a South African leadership-unit performance structural model, created from the performance index and second-order factor structure of the Leadership Behaviour Inventory was established. This study focuses on the creation of such a second-order factor structure.

Theron and Spangenberg (2005) identified three plausible models and highlighted two for further analysis. Theoretical scrutiny supported the two proposed models. The two-factor model was created from the multifactor leadership questionnaire's transformational and transactional second-order factors (Avolio, Bass & Jung, 1999) and the three-factor model comprised the general leadership, management behaviour and supervisory leadership second-order factors of House (1995).

Factor analysis, exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted on the proposed models. Results indicated average-fitting models. The five-factor model proposed by Theron and Spangenberg (2005) comparatively has an improved fit and is viewed as the most plausible model for the creation of the leadership-unit performance structural model.