A multidisciplinary program of leadership research was initiated at Ohio State in 1945. Leader behavior in organizations was the principal thrust with relationships shown to other sets of variables. The program had its roots in occupational research performed on a wide scale in the U.S. Department of Labor and the War Manpower Commission beginning in 1934.

has undertaken a series of studies under the title "Leadership in a Democracy " One phase of these studies includes an investigation of executive positions and organization structures in industrial, military, educational, and civilian governmental organizations. The aims of this research are to develop improved methodology for studying leadership, to establish criteria for judging it, and to prepare information and techniques which may be useful m selecting and training persons who may occupy leadership positions in various types of organization structures.The studies are interdisciplinary in character, involving the points of view of various sciences, particularly economics, psychology, and sociology lThe objectives to be accomplished, and the postulates which determine the methods employed in this research, have been formulated in broad, general terms so as to provide scope for investigation. A preliminary survey 2 of the experimental literature suggests that leadership is not a unitary human trait, but is rather a function of a complex of individual, group, and organizational factors in interaction. Leadership resides in individuals, but only by virtue of their interaction with other persons. Leadership must, therefore, be studied as a relationship between persons, and as an aspect of organizational activities, structures, and goals. A comprehensive formulation of the problem is required in order to take these factors into account.The methods being developed for these studies represent a rather marked departure from those usually employed for the investigation of

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Leader BEHAVIOR in Jobs om STUDIES of jobs and occupations have M emphasized technical work performance and the physical working conditions rather than the social factors, such as leadership, human relations, and the social environmcnt. In recent years, however, there has been an increase in the number of occupational studies which deal specifically with the social factors.At Ohio State University, for example, a IO-year series of studies was begun in 1945. The studies are entitled "Leadership in a Democracy" and involve research on occupational behavior in industry, education, and government. The studies are interdisciplinary. Several sciences contribute to the research design and its execution.Although most of the Ohio State studies have been made in work situations, the research is not limited to occupational behavior. Laboratory observations, for example, are being used.In studying supervisors and executives in industry, school and college administrators, and officers in the Armed Forces, the studies are concerned principally with three things : 0 The behavior of the supervisor or administrator, particularly in regard to the leadcrship aspects. Dimensions of leader behavior have been developed with methods for measwin them. 0 T i c behavior of the sta@ or grou of which the so-called leader is a part. fcchniqucs have becn developed for measuring the dimensions of group behavior. Sociometric measures have also been ap lied. economic environment in which the lcadcr and the oup work. Methods have been dcocloJ to measure status pcrccptions and status attitudes as related to eadcr behavior.In this brief article one approach to studying the behavior of persons assumed to be in leadership roles will be summarized.The staff of the Ohio State studies has de-0 Data regarding the broa B er cultural and veloped a number of dimensions of leader behavior. In one study' it collected 1,800 specific statements of leader behavior. On the basis of an analysis of leader performance and what staff members considered important to know about it, nine dimensions of leader behavior were set up a prim.. These were as follows :Initiation-the frequency with which a leader originates, facilitates, or resists new ideas and new practices.Membcrrhip-the frequency with which a leader mixes with the group, stresses informal interaction between himself and members, or interchanges personal services with members. Keprcscntation-thc frquency with which a leader defends his group against attack, advances the interests of his group, and acts in behalf of Integration-the frquency with which , a leader subordinates individual behavior, encourages pleasant group atmosphere, reduces conflicts between mcmbm, or promotes individual adjustment to the group. Organi