Exploring the Influence of Leadership Style and Organizational Culture on Employee Job Satisfaction Within a Large Manufacturing Facility

Abstract

As global markets drive stiffer competition, manufacturing organizations need to find an edge that drives efficiencies and quality into their workforce. Dula and Tang (2021) believed empowered employees who adopt organizational vision can be a competitive advantage. Employees are empowered and inspired by a positive leadership style, which drives a positive organizational culture. Leaders in an organization are the principal engineers of culture and must model expected behaviors. The purpose of the current quantitative study was to examine the relationship between leadership style and organizational culture and the effect of both on employee satisfaction in a large manufacturing facility. Results from the current study found there was a positive correlation between a transformational leadership style and a constructive organizational culture, with transformational leadership as the dependent variable. The relationship was not causal, and I believe the same results would be found if constructive culture was the dependent variable. Participants did not perceive a correlation between transformational leadership style and job satisfaction; however, labor union participants perceived less intrinsic job satisfaction than nonunion participants. Union employees feeling less satisfaction than a nonunion employee was supported by significant research. Bryson et al. (2004) believed there is a reverse causal relationship as unsatisfied employees join unions; therefore, union employees are unsatisfied. Finally, there was a moderate positive correlation between a constructive organizational culture and the perception of job satisfaction. Cooke and Lafferty (1994) stated positive causal factors must be in place to drive a constructive culture with job satisfaction being a vital factor.