The Connection Between Trust and Leadership Styles in Slovene Organizations*

Zusammenfassung

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In leadership, trust between superiors and subordinates plays a very important role. This article presents the results of empirical research covering the connection between the level of trust within an organization and leadership styles, which were defined in a dichotomous way (democratic vs. non-democratic). In order to understand the mutual connection between trust and leadership on a deeper level, we selected delegation, communication and control as important elements in the leadership process. The results obtained in the analyses indicate the connection between the level of democracy in leadership styles and the level of formalisation in delegation, communication and the control of the tasks of one's subordinates, as well as the democracy in leadership and the level of trust.

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Auszug

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The Connection Between Trust and Leadership Styles in Slovene Organizations*

(ProQuest: ... denotes formulae omitted.)

1. Introduction

In the previous decade, there has been a considerable increase in researching trust at the organizational level. There are several reasons for this. Zeffane and Connell wrote "that researchers and practitioners continue to recognise trust as an important factor in determining organizational success, organizational stability and the well-being of employees" (Zeffane/Connell 2003:1). In addition, trust within an organisation is gaining in importance due to new organisational forms such as network organisations and knowledge organisations. Thus, an author like Bleicher, who developed the concept of the "organization of trust" (Vertauensorganistaion) (Bleicher 1991:72), defines the "organization of trust" in his latest observations as the foundation stone of a modern organisation. Bleicher considers "an intelligent company" where trust is "the glue that holds organizations together" to be the organisational form of the future (Bleicher 2009:73).

Research into the role and significance of trust in organisations is not a recent innovation. In its function within an organisation, trust is related through elements such as power, control and other limitations, including intimidation as well as statutory and hierarchical authority. Studies in this field provide the following forms of trust established (between members of organisation) within an organisation: trust based on intimidation (this produces very fragile relations); trust based on expertise; and trust emerging from the overlapping of interests. The types of trust between members of an organisation certainly depend on individual situational factors (Robbins/DeCenzo 2001:368; Schweer/Thies 2003).

One will look in vain trying to find a uniform view in the expert literature of the role and importance of trust in an organization. Individual representatives of the different "schools" have vastly differing views on the role and importance of trust. The author of the theory on transac...

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