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Top1. Introduction
In these modern times, there is a need for procedures and ideas that are innovative so as to improve the quality of project performance. Project managers have to quickly act in response to frequently and quickly varying contradict expectations that clients have. They also have to remain competitive in the current era of the cruel economic environment and therefore as a result, they constantly search for innovative approaches to upgrading their quality performance of projects (Zhao et al., 2016). When the project manager applies a particular leadership trait or behavior, it can have an impact that is positive on the performance and outcome of the project and on innovation too. Several times the results of a project are calculated based on the quality of performance, financial plan, monetary and economic value. The styles of leadership have an impact on the traditions, culture, climate, and manner of making use of skills in a firm and therefore have an effect on organizational outcomes such as the performance quality of a project. Figure 1 shows the leadership model; and the arrows in Figure 1 are bidirectional. The bidirectional arrows in Figure 1 shows that leadership styles should adapt to: (1) traditions of firms, (2) culture of firms, (3) climate of projects, (4) skills in the firms, (5) promote deliverance of projects product, (6) organizational outcomes, and performance quality. Research has revealed that the role of a leader influences the construction of the climate of the project which encourages and promotes a deliverance of a project product that is innovative in a flourishing way (Tabassi et al., 2017). Hassan et al. (2016) conducted a study whereby they explored the impact of Laissez-fair, transactional and transformational styles of leadership on project quality performance. However, in their research perspective, they made use of three innovative projects that were coming from different clients. This could mean that the projects were different in nature and even unrelated. The current research, therefore, attempts to bridge this gap. This study will complete the gap by reexamining the impact of the Laissez-fair, transactional and transformational styles of leadership on project quality performance in the software industry. In addition, the studies which have been done on project performance incorporate the impact of transactional and transformational styles of leadership or even transformational leadership only and do not consider the style of leadership of laissez-fair. It is recommended to explore the effects of all three styles of leadership and at industry level.
1.1 Statement of the Problem
To explore project managers’ styles of leadership and additionally evaluate their effect on project quality performance in the software industry.
1.2 Objectives of the Study
The following are the objectives that the study will emphasize:
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To determine the direct impact of the transformational leadership style of project managers on project quality performance.
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To determine the direct impact of the transactional leadership style of project managers on project quality performance.
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To determine the direct impact of laissez-fair leadership style of project managers on project quality performance.
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To determine the direct impact of the three leadership styles at the level of a project manager on project quality performance to facilitate managers to adopt and make use of the most appropriate style of leadership.