Dissertation: Leadership Effectiveness in Nature Landscapes, Singapore

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Thesis and Dissertation
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This dissertation investigates the impact of effective leadership on Nature Landscapes, a Singaporean company. It examines how leadership influences social and circumstantial factors, staff and organizational behaviors, decision-making, and stakeholder viewpoints. The research employs a positivism philosophy, deductive approach, and exploratory design, utilizing both surveys and interviews with middle and senior management leaders. The dissertation reviews leadership concepts, ideologies, determinants, styles, and theories, highlighting their effectiveness and challenges. The study aims to identify leadership gaps within Nature Landscapes and provide recommendations for improvement, such as understanding employee needs, developing a clear vision, and providing regular feedback. The findings emphasize the crucial role of effective leadership in enhancing the company's competitive advantage and overall success in the market.
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Running head: DISSERTATION
An investigation into enhancing leadership effectiveness in Nature Landscapes
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:
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1DISSERTATION
Acknowledgement
Thank you to all of those who have helped listened and encouraged me throughout this study. I
am indebted to my supervisor ……………………. whose guidance, advice and patience have
been immeasurable. My sincere thanks to all members of the…………… [Mention your
university/college name], both staff and students, whose continuous support have made this
thesis possible.
I would like to thank all of the participants in the study: students, teachers and Local Education
Authorities, for the time and help given throughout. Without their participation, this research
would not have been possible. In this context, I am also thankful to them, whose research work
helped me to execute this paper well.
Finally, I thank my family, without whom this thesis would not have been started or completed!
Your encouragement and support have never faltered; thank you.
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2DISSERTATION
Abstract
Investigating the impact of effective leadership is important as this will help in improving the
social factors, circumstantial factors, staff behavior, organizational behavior, decision-making
and viewpoint of the stakeholders. The overall success of the business organizations is highly
dependent on the social factors, circumstantial factors, staff behavior, organizational behavior,
decision-making and viewpoint of the stakeholders. Thus, it can be said that effective leadership
style provides an opportunity for the business organizations to achieve excellence both in terms
of the employees and firm. Effective leadership facilitates motivation, inspiration, dedication,
commitment and management within the business organizations thereby, influencing the social
factors, circumstantial factors, staff behavior, organizational behavior, decision-making and
viewpoint of the stakeholders. In addition to, the research is important because this will help in
identifying the potential gaps identified in Nature Landscape as well as provide suitable
recommendations for mitigating the leadership issues. This will help Nature Landscape to gain
competitive advantage and survive in the fierce and tough market of Singapore.
The researcher discusses the concept of leadership along with the ideologies that promote
leadership. In addition to, the researcher mentions and discusses the various determinants of
leadership. The various leadership styles along with their effectiveness and challenges are also
discussed along with the different leadership theories that provide a framework for the business
organizations to follow thereby, ensuring effective leadership.
The researcher has selected positivism philosophy, deductive approach and exploratory research
design along with the use of selected both survey and interview as the research strategy. The
researcher has used cluster probability sampling technique for selecting 50 leaders of middle
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management and 8 senior level leaders of Nature Landscape. Both primary and secondary data
collection technique has been used for the researcher thereby, allowing gathering data from both
primary and secondary resources and incorporating more data. As a result, both quantitative and
qualitative data analysis technique has been used by the researcher.
Upon completion of the above chapters, it can be concluded that effective leadership is important
for Nature Landscape. Leadership is crucial for the business organizations to survive. From the
data and information collected from the literature review, it can be concluded that the ability of
the leaders to visualize the need for the business organizations in the future is absolutely crucial.
Based on the aforementioned issues, the suitable recommendations that can be used by Nature
Landscape for improving the effectiveness of leadership understand the impact of situation of
people, understanding the feelings, thoughts and concerns of other individuals, understanding the
needs and goals of the followers, developing a clear vision and giving regular feedback to the
employees.
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction....................................................................................................................9
1.0 Overview...........................................................................................................................9
1.1 Problem statement...............................................................................................................10
1.2 Research aim........................................................................................................................11
1.3 Research objectives.............................................................................................................11
1.4 Research questions...............................................................................................................12
1.5 Research hypothesis.............................................................................................................12
1.6 Research rationale................................................................................................................13
1.7 Structure of the research......................................................................................................13
1.8 Summary..............................................................................................................................15
Chapter 2: Literature review..........................................................................................................16
2.0 Introduction..........................................................................................................................16
2.1 Conceptual framework.........................................................................................................16
2.2 Understanding the commitments of leadership...................................................................17
2.3 Ideologies of leadership.......................................................................................................17
2.4 Factors affecting leadership.................................................................................................19
2.4.1 Organizational environment.........................................................................................19
2.4.2 Organizational resources..............................................................................................20
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2.4.3 Personality traits...........................................................................................................20
2.4.4 Technology...................................................................................................................21
2.4.5 Level of control.............................................................................................................22
2.4.6 Experience....................................................................................................................22
2.5 Leadership styles.................................................................................................................23
2.5.1 Autocratic leadership....................................................................................................23
2.5.2 Democratic leadership..................................................................................................23
2.5.3 Transformational leadership.........................................................................................24
2.5.4 Transactional leadership...............................................................................................26
2.5.5 Charismatic leadership..................................................................................................26
2.5.6 Bureaucratic leadership................................................................................................27
2.5.7 Servant leadership.........................................................................................................28
2.5.8 Laissez-faire leadership................................................................................................28
2.6 Theories of leadership..........................................................................................................29
2.6.1 The Great Man theory...................................................................................................29
2.6.2 Trait theory...................................................................................................................29
2.6.3 Fiedler’s contingency theory........................................................................................30
2.6.4 Hersey and Blanchard’s situational leadership theory..................................................30
2.7 Benefits of effective leadership...........................................................................................31
2.8 Challenges in ensuring effective leadership........................................................................31
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2.9 Summary..............................................................................................................................32
Chapter 3: Research methodology.................................................................................................33
3.0 Introduction..........................................................................................................................33
3.1 Research outline...................................................................................................................33
3.2 Research philosophy............................................................................................................34
3.2.1 Giving reasons for favoring positivism philosophy......................................................34
3.3 Research approach...............................................................................................................34
3.3.1 Giving reasons for favoring deductive approach..........................................................35
3.4 Research design...................................................................................................................35
3.4.1 Giving reasons for favoring exploratory design...........................................................36
3.5 Research strategy.................................................................................................................36
3.5.1 Giving reasons for favoring survey and interview strategy..........................................36
3.6 Sampling technique and sampling size................................................................................37
3.6.1 Giving reasons for favoring cluster probability sampling technique............................37
3.7 Data collection process........................................................................................................37
3.7.1 Giving reasons for favoring primary and secondary data collection technique...........38
3.8 Data analysis technique.......................................................................................................38
3.8.1 Giving reasons for favoring qualitative and quantitative data analysis technique.......38
3.9 Ethical considerations..........................................................................................................39
3.10 Research limitations...........................................................................................................39
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3.11 Summary............................................................................................................................40
Chapter 4: Data Analysis...............................................................................................................41
4.0 Survey analysis....................................................................................................................41
4.1 Interview questions..............................................................................................................77
Chapter 5: Conclusion...................................................................................................................83
5.0 Conclusion...........................................................................................................................83
5.1 Linking with objectives.......................................................................................................85
Chapter 6: Recommendations........................................................................................................89
References......................................................................................................................................95
Appendices..................................................................................................................................103
Appendix 1...............................................................................................................................103
Survey questionnaire...........................................................................................................103
Appendix 2...............................................................................................................................109
Interview questionnaire.......................................................................................................109
Appendix 3...............................................................................................................................110
Reflective Log.....................................................................................................................110
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List of Figures
Figure 1: Conceptual Framework..................................................................................................17
Figure 2: Leadership......................................................................................................................18
Figure 3: Leadership styles............................................................................................................24
Figure 4: Leadership traits.............................................................................................................26
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Chapter 1: Introduction
1.0 Overview
The overall success of the business organizations is highly dependent on the social factors,
circumstantial factors, staff behavior, organizational behavior, decision-making and viewpoint of
the stakeholders. As mentioned by Batool (2013), the involvement and cooperation of the leaders
allows the business organizations to gain competitive advantage. Thus, it can be said that
effective leadership style provides an opportunity for the business organizations to achieve
excellence both in terms of the employees and firm. Effective leadership facilitates motivation,
inspiration, dedication, commitment and management within the business organizations thereby,
influencing the social factors, circumstantial factors, staff behavior, organizational behavior,
decision-making and viewpoint of the stakeholders (Goleman 2017).
As opined by Wang et al., (2014), leaders are defined as the individuals with vision and the
ability to achieve the vision by associating and guiding the other individuals. In addition to, the
leaders also have the ability to convince others to be associated with the vision by showing the
significance of the vision. Leadership is an outstanding feature and a skill that is highly
appreciated. Effective leadership helps in guiding the other individuals for being a part of the
change that is brought in the organization. The head of the business organizations has to undergo
several experiments and changes in order to sustain in the competitive market (Delmatoff &
Lazarus, 2014).
Absence of effective leadership costs the business organizations negatively, as the business
organizations lose competitive advantage. As mentioned by Martin, Liao & Campbell (2013),
lack of effective leadership results in lack of vision, cooperation, support and enthusiasm among
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the individuals thereby, issues in achieving the organizational aims and objectives. Rise of
increased number of similar business organizations has resulted in tough and fierce competition
in the market. Thus, lack of effective leadership results in lack of vision and experiments for the
business organizations thereby, threatening their survival. The business organizations lose the
ability visualize things differently and convince others to be a part of the change (Men & Stacks,
2013).
Nature Landscape is an incorporated company in Singapore that has been established in 1981
that aim towards bringing nature closer to the people in the urban area. Over the past three
decades, the company has been providing service in Singapore by beautifying the concretes that
are built by including flora within the structures. In addition to, Natural Landscape aim towards
developing gardens artificially as a living piece of art thereby, ensuring rejuvenation and retreat
to the customers. The concept of including nature in the concrete structures has gained popularity
in Singapore thereby, giving rise of tough competition for Nature Landscape ("Nature
Landscapes – Landscape Services", 2018).
1.1 Problem statement
Issues in terms of effective leadership has been noticed in Nature Landscape that has
affected the social factors, circumstantial factors, staff behavior, organizational behavior,
decision-making and viewpoint of the stakeholders of Nature Landscape. Lack of effective
leadership in Nature Landscape has resulted in inadequate competitive advantage for the
company. Lack of effective leadership In Nature Landscape resulted in lack of vision,
cooperation, support and enthusiasm among the individuals thereby, issues in achieving the
organizational aims and objectives (McFadden, Stock & Gowen, 2015). Rise of increased
number of similar business organizations has resulted in tough and fierce competition in the
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market for Nature Landscape. Thus, lack of effective leadership in Nature Landscape resulted in
lack of vision and experiments thereby, threatening their survival. In addition to, Nature
Landscape has lost the ability visualize things differently and convince others to be a part of the
change (Bolden, 2016).
Lack of effective leadership results in decreased productivity, as the employees or the
individuals associated with the vision lack guidance, enthusiasm, motivation and dedication for
achieving the organizational goals and objectives. As a result, the individuals and the business
organizations are unable to survive and succeed under pressure (Bolman & Deal, 2017). Thus,
the aforementioned impacts of ineffective leadership highlight the significance of conducting the
research.
1.2 Research aim
The aim of this research is to conduct a detailed investigation of the impact of improving
leadership effectiveness at Nature Landscapes in Singapore.
1.3 Research objectives
The research objectives are:
Critically review the implication of leadership on the social and circumstantial factors
Assessing the effects of leadership on staff and organizational behaviors with reference
to joint effort
Critically assess the feasible characteristics of leadership that generates sterile effect on
the events of “decision making” plans
Rationally examine the desired features for the range of options for confirming value-
added leadership of Natural Landscape from the viewpoint of fundamental stakeholders
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