Journal of Management Research

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The Multi-dimensional Nature of Power Bases in a Non-western Context


Affiliations
1 Faculty of Economics and Business Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300 Sarawak
2 Operations Management Section School of Management Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11900 Penang
     

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Past researches have observed a shift in the dimensions of power bases behavior. Power bases possessed by the managers have often been known as the essence of leaders' behavior which is the major driving force behind this continuous recognition of power in the management literatures. The purpose of the research reported here is to test empirically and to validate a conceptualization of bases of power that consists of five dimensions developed by French and Raven (1959). Data was gathered through a survey using a structured questionnaire to employees working in 61 large manufacturing companies in Malaysia with a total of 276 respondents. A series of tests such as factor analysis, correlation, and reliability analysis was conducted to confirm that the instrument is valid (content, construct, convergent, discriminant and nomological) as well as reliable. Implications regarding the value of conducting validity and reliability test for practitioners and researchers are discussed.

Keywords

Power Bases, Goodness of Measure, Validity, Reliability, Multicultural Society, Manufacturing
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  • The Multi-dimensional Nature of Power Bases in a Non-western Context

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Authors

Lo May-Chiun
Faculty of Economics and Business Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300 Sarawak
T Ramayah
Operations Management Section School of Management Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11900 Penang

Abstract


Past researches have observed a shift in the dimensions of power bases behavior. Power bases possessed by the managers have often been known as the essence of leaders' behavior which is the major driving force behind this continuous recognition of power in the management literatures. The purpose of the research reported here is to test empirically and to validate a conceptualization of bases of power that consists of five dimensions developed by French and Raven (1959). Data was gathered through a survey using a structured questionnaire to employees working in 61 large manufacturing companies in Malaysia with a total of 276 respondents. A series of tests such as factor analysis, correlation, and reliability analysis was conducted to confirm that the instrument is valid (content, construct, convergent, discriminant and nomological) as well as reliable. Implications regarding the value of conducting validity and reliability test for practitioners and researchers are discussed.

Keywords


Power Bases, Goodness of Measure, Validity, Reliability, Multicultural Society, Manufacturing

References