Validity of the Human System Audit Transformational Leadership Short Scale (HSA-TFL) in four european countries

Abstract

This study aimed to clarify the validity of the short scale of Transformational Leadership used by the Human System Audit (short HSA-TFL). The need of today’s enterprises for combined assessment of transformational leadership and quality-related performance in wider contexts requires short instruments based on scientific research. Convergent, construct and criterion validity of the short HSA-TFL were analyzed. Comparison of the short HSA-TFL with the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ-5X) showed high convergent validity. Exploratory factor analysis with hospital workers in Spain (N=625) showed the single factor structure of the Spanish version of the HSA-TFL. Confirmatory factor analysis using three further samples of hospital workers (N= 776) from different european countries confirmed a single factor. As regards criterion validity, the results indicated that the short HSA-TFL is positively related in all four countries to subjective performance. In sum, the results provide empirical evidence for the validity of the short HSA-TFL scale.

Psychometric properties of the human system audit-transformational leadership short scale in Germany and Philippines: A cross-cultural study

“…It evaluates employees' perceptions of their direct supervisors' TFL. Based on these previous findings concerning the factor structure of the HSA-TFL short-scale and psychometric properties (Berger et al, 2011(Berger et al, , 2012 we expect: H1: The construct validity of the HSA-TFL short-scale is similar in the German and Philippines' samples.…”

“…It consists of four dimensions, the so called "Four I's". Research shows that all four transformational dimensions have a more positive relationship with employees' wellbeing (Breevaart & Bakker, 2018) and with subjective (Dumdum et al, 2002;Kranabetter & Niessen, 2017) and objective (Geyer & Steyrer, 1998) performance at all levels (Bass et al 2003) and across cultures (Berger et al 2011) than transactional scales (Lowe et al 1996). Inspirational motivation (IM) refers to a leader that is able to create a common vision.…”

“…Idealized influence (II) measures attributed impact (Yukl, 2010) of positive values and attitudes (Bass et al 2003) on followers. There is disagreement on the TFL factor structure evidencing a four-factor structure in Singapore, a representative of southeastern culture like Philippines (Bass, 1997) as well as a one-dimensional structure for the MLQ-5X-TFL short version (16 items) in Hong Kong (Sheer, 2010) and in several other cultures (Berger, et al, 2011;Den Hartog, Van Muijen, & Koopman, 1997;Goodwin, Wofford, & Whittington, 2011; HSA-TFL Short-scale in Germany and Philippines Tejeda et al, 2001). This shows that more research is needed to clear the factor structure cross-culturally (Goodwin et al, 2011) as both perspectives are considered relevant for academic and practical contexts (Antonakis, Avolio, & Sivasubramaniam, 2003;Bass et al, 2003).…”

“…The HSA-TFL short-scale, that is based on Bass' (1985) TFL concept answers the above-mentioned requirements (Carless, 1998;Felfe, 2006;Quijano, Navarro, Yepes, Berger, & Romeo, 2008) for short screening instruments with its practical advantages for the implementation of intervention showing consistently good psychometric characteristics for samples in diverse sectors (Berger, Romeo, Guardia, Yepes, & Soria, 2012). The 8-item HSA-TFL short-scale was developed in the frame of the Human Systems Audit (HSA) (Quijano et al 2008), first in Spanish, then translated into English, Portuguese, Polish (Berger et al, 2011) and German (Kolbe, 2009) confirming always a one-dimensional factor structure (Berger et al, 2012). It evaluates employees' perceptions of their direct supervisors' TFL.…”

“…Taking the above-mentioned aspects into account, a short valid and reliable instrument to measure TFL in further Asian economically growing countries, based on scientific studies and usable for combined quality-related company assessment is necessary (Berger, Yepes, Gómez-Benito, Quijano, & Brodbeck, 2011). In our research, Germany and Philippines were chosen as they are representatives of western and eastern culture.…”