Conceptualization and determinants of followership in work organizations: Toward the development of effective followership

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K04282
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Social psychology
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: IKEDA Hiroshi 九州大学, 人間環境学研究院, 准教授 (80454700)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: フォロワーシップ / サーバント・リーダーシップ / 感謝の表明

Outline of Final Research Achievements

It is well known that followers and followership are essential to leadership. However, despite there being a tremendous amount of research on leadership (Bass, 2008), until recently little attention has been paid to followership. Furthermore, less is known that how dose subordinates follow their managers. The purpose of this research was to clarify the concepts of followership and to empirically examine the factors that influence followership. The findings show that authoritative leadership produces only dependent followership, whereas servant leadership which support followers improves effective followership with critical thinking and active engagement. Furthermore, it was suggested that leaders' appreciation for followers' activities and achievements promote followers' proactive behavior.

Free Research Field

社会心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

従来のフォロワーシップはリーダーの指示に忠実に従う存在として取られられてきた。しかし、「受動/依存」的なフォロワーシップを脱して、新たに「能動/積極」性を備えた「フォロワーシップ」のあり方を明確化するとともに、それを引き出すうえでフォロワーを奉仕するサーバント・リーダーシップの効果を明らかにした。
さらに、トップダウン的リーダーシップとサーバント・リーダーシップの機能を対比させながら、2つがどのようなフォロワーシップを引き出すかを理論的かつ実証的に明らかにした知見は、実社会においても適用可能なものであり、実践的な示唆に富むものである。