The Link Between Transformational and Servant Leadership in DevOps-Oriented Organizations

Abstract

DevOps is a set of agile and lean practices and principles in the context of software product development aiming to decrease mean time-to-market and mean time-to-recover-from-failure through a shift in organizational mindset-skillset-toolset. There is literature to suggest that adopting DevOps has been challenging in practice and that a particular leadership style is necessary to lead DevOps adoption. There are studies to suggest that DevOps leadership is mainly related to transformational leadership characteristics. In this research, a mixed methods approach is used. Initially, semistructured interviews are conducted with 30 EMEA (Europe, Middle-East and Africa) agile and lean practitioners holding more than 10 years of practitioner experience (81%) from the private and public sectors. The contribution also includes an analysis and evaluation of a survey completed by 250 participants of which 93% works in Europe and Middle East and 76% has held previous leadership positions. By looking to recent literature we identified agile, lean and DevOps practices and principles. In addition, we identify benefits and inhibitors to DevOps adoption and its leadership. Our results suggest that deep rooted organizational culture and lack of DevOps definition clarity are usually considered impediments to DevOps adoption followed by poor communication and collaboration. Our results also show that certain DevOps adoption leadership characteristics are relevant to transformational leadership and servant leadership. The research results also indicate that the DevOps adoption leadership role is linked to certain metrics.

The role of transformational leadership, servant leadership, digital transformation on organizational performance and work innovation capabilities in digital era

“…Performance. This result is not in line with research conducted by Maroukian (2020), Gandolfi (2018) that Servant Leadership has a positive and significant effect on Organizational Performance.…”

“…Based on the results of data analysis using SmartPLS obtained p value of 0.345 > 0.050 so that it is concluded that Digital Transformation has no significant effect on Organizational Performance, an increase in the Digital Transformation variable will have an insignificant effect on increasing the Organizational Performance variable and a decrease in the Digital Transformation variable will have an insignificant effect on decrease in Organizational Performance variables. This result is not in line with research conducted by Maroukian (2020), Gandolfi (2018), Burawat (2019) that Digital Transformation has a positive and significant effect on Organizational Performance.…”

“…Moreover, currently many MSMEs are experiencing various problems such as declining sales, capital, hampered distribution, difficulty in raw materials, declining production and the occurrence of many layoffs for workers and workers which then become a threat to the national economy. According to Maroukian (2020) MSMEs as drivers of the domestic economy and absorber of labor are facing a decline in productivity which results in a significant decrease in profits. Even based on a survey by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) regarding the impact of the pandemic on MSMEs in Indonesia, 88% of micro-enterprises have run out of cash or savings, and more than 60% of these micro-small businesses have reduced their workforce.…”

DevOps as a culture of interaction and deployment in an insurance company.

“…DevOps-based implementations are adopted and implemented according to the realities and needs of each organization, since there is no single formula or process standard for replication, as each organization is differentiated in terms of its culture and philosophy by its own organizational rules and strategies [17]. For others, DevOps can be understood as a framework [18]. It can also be defined as a set of technologies and practices associated with an organized and collaborative work culture and philosophy [19].…”

The role of transformational leadership, leader member exchange, digital transformation on organizational citizenship behaviour and work innovation capabilities in during Covid-19 pandemic

“…. According to research conducted by Maroukian (2020), Gandolfi (2018) states that Digital Transformation has a significant influence on the variable Organizational Citizenship Behavior through Work Innovation Capabilities. Based on theoretical studies and previous studies, the following hypotheses are formulated:…”