This is an exploratory study that examines how leadership potential may initially develop in adolescent children through specific parenting practices. It investigates whether adolescent children raised in an authoritative parenting environment can be linked to transformational leadership. Additionally, this study looks at the healthy parent-child interaction that promotes emotional autonomy and mastery orientation. These important psychological dispositions may form the basis for transformational leadership thinking and behavior, especially in young nascent leaders.Through the use of survey instruments, data from 245 adolescent boys and a few girls were collected. The results obtained help explain the possible interactions between parenting and leadership development in adolescents. The study revealed a positive relationship between authoritative parenting practices, emotional autonomy, mastery orientation, and transformational leadership.

The majority of research on groups and organizations has focused on the negative consequences of organizational life, but few studies have focused on how positive traits and qualities, such as hope, may impact groups. In this study we examined the relationship between hope, organizational cynicism and global job performance. All full-time employees (n = 95) of an educational institution were surveyed using existing scales for organizational cynicism (alpha = 0.94), hope (alpha = 0.87), and global job satisfaction (alpha = 0.87). Hierarchical regression confirmed existing research and suggested a negative relationship between organizational cynicism and job satisfaction (p < 0.001), and also provided evidence of a positive relationship between hope and job satisfaction (p < 0.05). Follow-up analysis showed hope partially mediated the negative relationship between organizational cynicism and global job satisfaction (p < 0.01). This study contributes to the existing literature by discovering a positive relationship between hope and job satisfaction, as well as evidence of partial mediation in regards to organizational cynicism. Hope, which has been characterized as both a state of mind and a personal trait, appears to counter the negative effects of organizational cynicism. This suggests hope may allow individuals a means to address negative workplace attitudes and conditions.

Purpose – Recently all major stock exchanges issued a requirement that listed companies have 100 percent independence on audit committees of the board of directors but now the focus has turned to compensation committees. Does 100 percent independence on compensation committees make a difference in firm performance? The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Only 1 percent of the S & P 1,500 firms are not in compliance with the new 100 percent independence requirement for compensation committees. This presents an opportunity to examine characteristics of these firms and if this noncompliance may harm firm performance. Industry-adjusted ROA and Tobin’s Q measures are collected as well as firm size, debt ratios, and the presence of a classified board. Findings – Findings are as follows: S & P 500 firms with lower levels of debt, have classified board, but do not perform significantly worse than firms in compliance in the same industry; mid-cap firms with debt levels similar to complying firms, have classified boards, and perform significantly worse, and lastly, small-cap firms with lower levels of debt, have classified boards, and perform significantly worse. Research limitations/implications – Results imply that non-complying mid-cap and small-cap firms may be protecting under-performing management through maintaining classified boards, low levels of debt to avoid scrutiny of the debt markets, and less objectivity (i.e. overall and committee independence) on boards. Originality/value – Existing corporate governance literature provides evidence that overall board independence may promote shareholder wealth maximization. The latest focus regarding independence has recently been on compensation committees. Should independence on compensation committees matter to shareholders? It is appears that noncompliance should matter in the case of small- and mid-cap firms.