The Mediating Role of Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction Between Transformational Leadership and Work Motivation of Predoctoral Researchers at German Professorships
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33423/jhetp.v24i8.7204Keywords:
higher education, self-determination theory, work motivation, predoctoral researchers, transformational leadership, basic psychological needs, professorships, GermanyAbstract
This study examines the relationship between predoctoral researchers’ perceptions of transformational leadership and their autonomous work motivation, with basic psychological need satisfaction (autonomy, relatedness, and competence) as a mediator. Based on the full range leadership model and self-determination theory, hypotheses are tested using an online survey (n=1,969) conducted from March to May 2022 among professors and their academic staff at German research universities in the fields of business administration, biology, mechanical engineering, and sociology. For the subsample of predoctoral researchers (n=1,005), the structural equation model reveals that transformational leadership increases autonomous work motivation through perceived autonomy and competence, whereas perceived relatedness has a negative effect. In addition, academic career aspirations positively influence autonomous work motivation, while gender has no significant effect. These findings highlight the role of transformational leadership in promoting basic psychological needs satisfaction among emerging scientists.
References
Aboagye, E., Jensen, I., Bergström, G., Brämberg, E.B., Pico-Espinosa, O.J., & Björklund, C. (2021). Investigating the association between publication performance and the work environment of university research academics: A systematic review. Scientometrics, 126(4), 3283–3301. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-020-03820-y
Ahrne, G., & Brunsson, N. (2011). Organization outside organizations: The significance of partial organization. Organization, 18(1), 83–104. https://doi.org/10.1177/1350508410376256
Autin, K.L., Herdt, M.E., Garcia, R.G., & Ezema, G.N. (2022). Basic psychological need satisfaction, autonomous motivation, and meaningful work: a self-determination theory perspective. Journal of Career Assessment, 30(1), 78–93. https://doi.org/10.1177/10690727211018647
Avolio, B.J., Walumbwa, F.O., & Weber, T.J. (2009). Leadership: Current theories, research, and future directions. Annual Review of Psychology, 60(1), 421–449. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.60.110707.163621
Bass, B.M., & Avolio, B.J. (1994). transformational leadership and organizational culture. International Journal of Public Administration, 17(3–4), 541–554. https://doi.org/10.1080/01900699408524907
Bass, B.M., & Riggio, R.E. (2006). Transformational Leadership. Psychology Press. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781410617095
Bloch, R. (2018). Stratification without producing elites? The emergence of a new field of doctoral education in Germany. In R. Bloch, A. Mitterle, C. Paradeise, & T. Peter (Eds.), Universities and the Production of Elites (pp. 299–324). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-53970-6_13
Bono, J.E., & Judge, T.A. (2003). Self-Concordance at work: Toward Understanding the Motivational Effects of Transformational Leaders. Academy of Management Journal, 46(5), 554–571. https://doi.org/10.2307/30040649
Braun, S., Peus, C., Weisweiler, S., & Frey, D. (2013). Transformational leadership, job satisfaction, and team performance: A multilevel mediation model of trust. The Leadership Quarterly, 24(1), 270–283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2012.11.006
Brechelmacher, A., Park, E., Ates, G., & Campbell, D.F.J. (2015). The rocky road to tenure–career paths in Academia. In T. Fumasoli, G. Goastellec, & B.M. Kehm (Eds.), Academic Work and Careers in Europe: Trends, Challenges, Perspectives (pp. 13–40). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-10720-2_2
Chua, J., & Ayoko, O.B. (2021). Employees’ self-determined motivation, transformational leadership and work engagement. Journal of Management & Organization, 27(3), 523–543. https://doi.org/10.1017/jmo.2018.74
Clark, B.R. (1983). The higher education system: Academic organization in cross-national perspective. University of California Press.
Cornér, S., Löfström, E., & Pyhältö, K. (2017). The relationships between doctoral students’ perceptions of supervision and burnout. International Journal of Doctoral Studies, 12, 091–106. https://doi.org/10.28945/3754
Daumiller, M., Stupnisky, R., & Janke, S. (2020). Motivation of higher education faculty: Theoretical approaches, empirical evidence, and future directions. International Journal of Educational Research, 99, 101502. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2019.101502
De Vogel, S. (2020). Individuelle und strukturierte Formen der Promotion: Zugang, Lernumweltbedingungen und beruflicher Übergang [Individual and structured forms of doctoral studies: Access, learning environment conditions and professional transition]. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-29508-0
Deci, E.L., Olafsen, A.H., & Ryan, R.M. (2017b). Self-Determination Theory in work organizations: The State of a Science. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 4(1), 19–43. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-032516-113108
Destatis. (2022a). Personal an Hochschulen [Staff at universities]. Retrieved from https://www.destatis.de/DE/Themen/Gesellschaft-Umwelt/Bildung-Forschung-Kultur/Hochschulen/Publikationen/Downloads-Hochschulen/personal-hochschulen-2110440217004.pdf?__blob=publicationFile
Destatis. (2022b). Statistik der Promovierenden [Statistics on doctoral students]. Retrieved from https://www.destatis.de/DE/Themen/Gesellschaft-Umwelt/Bildung-Forschung-Kultur/Hochschulen/Publikationen/Downloads-Hochschulen/promovierendenstatistik-5213501217004.pdf?__blob=publicationFile
Diebig, M., & Rowold, J. (2015). Aktuelle Gütekriterien und Normen der Selbst- und Fremdversion des Transformational Leadership Inventories (TLI) [Current quality criteria and norms of the self- and third-party version of the Transformational Leadership Inventory]. Retrieved from https://pvm.zhb.tu-dortmund.de/storages/pvm-zhb/r/Formulare/Informationsseite_TLI_Neu.pdf
Douglas, A.S. (2022). Dimensions of fit for doctoral candidates: Supporting an academic identity. Research Papers in Education, 37(6), 954–974. https://doi.org/10.1080/02671522.2021.1905704
Enders, J. (2001). A chair system in transition: Appointments, promotions, and gate-keeping in German higher education. Higher Education, 41(1–2), 3–25. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026790026117
Evans, L. (2015). A changing role for university professors? Professorial academic leadership as it is perceived by ‘the led’. British Educational Research Journal, 41(4), 666–685. https://doi.org/10.1002/berj.3163
Eyal, O., & Roth, G. (2011). Principals’ leadership and teachers’ motivation: Self‐determination theory analysis. Journal of Educational Administration, 49(3), 256–275. https://doi.org/10.1108/09578231111129055
Freidson, E. (2011). Professionalism: The third logic. Polity Press.
Fumasoli, T., Goastellec, G., & Kehm, B.M. (2015). Academic careers and work in Europe: Trends, challenges, perspectives. In T. Fumasoli, G. Goastellec, & B.M. Kehm (Eds.), Academic work and careers in Europe: Trends, challenges, perspectives (pp. 201–214). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-10720-2
Gagné, M., & Deci, E.L. (2005). Self‐determination theory and work motivation. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 26(4), 331–362. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.322
Gassmann, F. (2018). Wissenschaft als Leidenschaft? Ü̈ber die Arbeits- und Beschäftigungsbedingungen wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter [Science as a passion? On the working and employment conditions of scientific staff]. Campus Verlag.
Heinitz, K., & Rowold, J. (2007). Gütekriterien einer deutschen Adaptation des Transformational Leadership Inventory (TLI) von Podsakoff [Quality criteria for a German adaptation of Podsakoff’s Transformational Leadership Inventory (TLI)]. Zeitschrift für Arbeits- und Organisationspsychologie A&O, 51(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1026/0932-4089.51.1.1
Hetland, H., Hetland, J., Schou Andreassen, C., Pallesen, S., & Notelaers, G. (2011). Leadership and fulfillment of the three basic psychological needs at work. Career Development International, 16(5), 507–523. https://doi.org/10.1108/13620431111168903
Hetland, J., Hetland, H., Bakker, A.B., Demerouti, E., Andreassen, C.S., & Pallesen, S. (2015). Psychological need fulfillment as a mediator of the relationship between transformational leadership and positive job attitudes. Career Development International, 20(5), 464–481. https://doi.org/10.1108/CDI-10-2014-0136
Höhle, E.A. (2015). Hierarchie in Lehrstuhl und Department: Ein empirischer Vergleich in Europa. In U. Banscherus, O. Engel, A. Mindt, A. Spexard, & A. Wolter (Eds.), Differenzierung des Hochschulsystems in Deutschland und im internationalen Vergleich (pp. 199–220). Waxmann.
Hüther, O., & Krücken, G. (2018). Higher Education in Germany–Recent Developments in an International Perspective (Vol. 49). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61479-3
Jaffe, A. (2017). Differentiated eliteness: Socialization for academic leadership. Social Semiotics, 27(3), 370–381. https://doi.org/10.1080/10350330.2017.1301801
Jensen, I., Bjorklund, C., Hagberg, J., Aboagye, E., & Bodin, L. (2021). An overlooked key to excellence in research: A longitudinal cohort study on the association between the psycho-social work environment and research performance. Studies in Higher Education, 46(12), 2610–2628. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2020.1744127
Jensen, U.T., & Bro, L.L. (2018). How transformational leadership supports intrinsic motivation and public service motivation: The mediating role of basic need satisfaction. The American Review of Public Administration, 48(6), 535–549. https://doi.org/10.1177/0275074017699470
Kanat-Maymon, Y., Elimelech, M., & Roth, G. (2020). Work motivations as antecedents and outcomes of leadership: Integrating self-determination theory and the full range leadership theory. European Management Journal, 38(4), 555–564. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emj.2020.01.003
Kovjanic, S., Schuh, S.C., & Jonas, K. (2013). Transformational leadership and performance: An experimental investigation of the mediating effects of basic needs satisfaction and work engagement. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 86(4), 543–555. https://doi.org/10.1111/joop.12022
Kovjanic, S., Schuh, S.C., Jonas, K., Quaquebeke, N.V., & Van Dick, R. (2012). How do transformational leaders foster positive employee outcomes? A self-determination-based analysis of employees’ needs as mediating links: TFL and Basic Need Satisfaction. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 33(8), 1031–1052. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.1771
Krüger, C., Rowold, J., Borgmann, L., Staufenbiel, K., & Heinitz, K. (2011). the discriminant validity of transformational and transactional leadership: A multitrait-multimethod analysis of and norms for the German Transformational Leadership Inventory (TLI). Journal of Personnel Psychology, 10(2), 49–60. https://doi.org/10.1027/1866-5888/a000032
Machovcova, K., Mudrak, J., Cidlinska, K., & Zabrodska, K. (2023). Early career researchers as active followers: Perceived demands of supervisory interventions in academic workplaces. Higher Education Research & Development, 42(1), 171–185. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2022.2040447
Messmann, G., Evers, A., & Kreijns, K. (2022). The role of basic psychological needs satisfaction in the relationship between transformational leadership and innovative work behavior. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 33(1), 29–45. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrdq.21451
Meuleners, J.S., Neuhaus, B.J., & Eberle, J. (2023). The role of scholarly identity and basic needs support during doctoral studies on career aspirations of early career scientists. Studies in Higher Education, 48(12), 1952–1965. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2023.2217726
Mîndrilă, D. (2010). Maximum Likelihood (ML) and Diagonally Weighted Least Squares (DWLS) Estimation Procedures: A Comparison of Estimation Bias with Ordinal and Multivariate Non-Normal Data. International Journal for Digital Society, 1(1), 60–66. https://doi.org/10.20533/ijds.2040.2570.2010.0010
Moll, J., & Kretzschmar, L. (2017). An investigation of the suitability of a Servant Leadership model for academic Group Leaders at German universities. Journal of Leadership Education, 16(2), 166–182. https://doi.org/10.12806/V16/I2/T1
Neave, G., & Rhoades, G. (1987). The academic estate in Western Europe. In B.R. Clark (Ed.), The Academic Profession: National, Disciplinary, and Institutional Settings (pp. 211–270). University of California Press.
Podsakoff, P. (1996). Transformational leader behaviors and substitutes for leadership as determinants of employee satisfaction, commitment, trust, and organizational citizenship. Journal of Management, 22(2), 259–298. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0149-2063(96)90049-5
Podsakoff, P.M., MacKenzie, S.B., Moorman, R.H., & Fetter, R. (1990). Transformational leader behaviors and their effects on followers’ trust in leader, satisfaction, and organizational citizenship behaviors. The Leadership Quarterly, 1(2), 107–142. https://doi.org/10.1016/1048-9843(90)90009-7
Roth, G., Assor, A., Kanat-Maymon, Y., & Kaplan, H. (2007). Autonomous motivation for teaching: How self-determined teaching may lead to self-determined learning. Journal of Educational Psychology, 99(4), 761–774. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.99.4.761
Rowold, J. (2014). Instrumental leadership: Extending the transformational-transactional leadership paradigm. German Journal of Human Resource Management: Zeitschrift Für Personalforschung, 28(3), 367–390. https://doi.org/10.1177/239700221402800304
Ryan, R.M., & Deci, E.L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68–78. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.68
Ryan, R.M., & Deci, E.L. (2013). Toward a social psychology of assimilation: Self-determination theory in cognitive development and education. In B.W. Sokol, F.M.E. Grouzet, & U. Müller (Eds.), Self-Regulation and Autonomy (pp. 191–207). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139152198.014
Ryan, R.M., & Deci, E.L. (2020). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation from a self-determination theory perspective: Definitions, theory, practices, and future directions. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 61, 101860. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2020.101860
Schmidt, B., & Richter, A. (2009). Zwischen laissez-faire, Autokratie und Kooperation: Führungsstile von Professorinnen und Professoren [Between laissez-faire, autocracy and cooperation: Professors’ leadership styles]. Beiträge zur Hochschulforschung, 31(4), 8–35.
Schneijderberg, C., & Teichler, U. (2018). Doctoral education, training and work in Germany. In J.C. Shin, B.M. Kehm, & G.A. Jones (Eds.), Doctoral Education for the Knowledge Society (pp. 13–34). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-89713-4_2
Tang, M., Wang, D., & Guerrien, A. (2020). A systematic review and meta‐analysis on basic psychological need satisfaction, motivation, and well‐being in later life: Contributions of self‐determination theory. PsyCh Journal, 9(1), 5–33. https://doi.org/10.1002/pchj.293
Teichler, U., & Höhle, E.A. (Eds.). (2013). The Work Situation of the Academic Profession in Europe: Findings of a Survey in Twelve Countries. Netherlands: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5977-0
Van Den Broeck, A., Ferris, D.L., Chang, C.-H., & Rosen, C.C. (2016). A Review of Self-Determination Theory’s Basic Psychological Needs at Work. Journal of Management, 42(5), 1195–1229. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206316632058
Wilkesmann, U. (2023). The organizational transformation of universities: Using motivation theories to explain the micro–macro link. In L. Leišytė, J.R. Dee, & B.J.R. Van Der Meulen (Eds.), Research Handbook on the Transformation of Higher Education (pp. 317–332). Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781800378216.00031
Wilkesmann, U., & Lauer, S. (2020). The influence of teaching motivation and New Public Management on academic teaching. Studies in Higher Education, 45(2), 434–451. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2018.1539960
Wilkesmann, U., & Schmid, C.J. (2014). Intrinsic and internalized modes of teaching motivation. Evidence-Based HRM: A Global Forum for Empirical Scholarship, 2(1), 6–27. https://doi.org/10.1108/EBHRM-07-2013-0022
Wilkesmann, U., & Wagner, O. (2024). Theoretical and empirical approach to how a professorship is organized in the German higher education system and how the organizational process works. Higher Education. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-023-01178-7
Wuchty, S., Jones, B.F., & Uzzi, B. (2007). The increasing dominance of teams in production of knowledge. Science, 316(5827), 1036–1039. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1136099
Yasué, M., Jeno, L., & Langdon, J. (2019). Are autonomously motivated university instructors more autonomy-supportive teachers? International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 13(2). https://doi.org/10.20429/ijsotl.2019.130205
