Introduction
This paper will provide a critique of the article “An empirical study of the relationship between transformational leadership, empowerment and organizational commitment” by Asman Ismail et al. to determine its value and validity. The authors recognize the problem with the lack of in-depth examination of the stated relationship and narrow it down by exploring past studies on the transformational leadership (Ismail et al., 2011). While the popularity of this management style continues to grow, there are some aspects that lack proper analysis, and additional research was needed, judging from the previous studies.
Main body
A well-defined literature review is used to describe each of the examined aspects of the study. These studies refer to the relevant subjects and are conducted in a similar manner. However, the past studies did not unite three variables from this study into a single framework, which warranted further exploration of the topic (Ismail et al., 2011). From this review, the authors construct a proposed link between all variables with the intention to describe the analyzed issue. A conceptual framework is created to define the relationships between variables.
The authors define dependent, independent, and mediating variables in their study. There is no confounding variable used for this research that related to both cause and its effect. The authors clearly determine three hypotheses that are drawn from past studies that have been conducted in regards to these topics, albeit they reviewed these notions separately (Ismail et al., 2011). The tested hypotheses predict the relationship between three variables correctly.
The authors declare that their sampling size is sufficient for the proposed research and roughly represents the defined population. The authors admit that there were issues with the random distribution of the survey questionnaires. While the authors’ intention was to use a randomized survey, the company did not allow this method (Ismail et al., 2011). The criteria for sampling were selected by the company’s managers and could have lead to bias, which is acknowledged in the paper.
Ismail et al. describe how these results will be used to determine the existence of the proposed relationship. The design takes into consideration many aspects of the examined variables, although the authors admit that leadership styles might require further examination. The method of the questionnaire is well-defined within the paper and appears to cover all three topics evenly. The standard measurement tools are used to assess the results of the tests, which are organized into several tables for better readability. Findings are clearly presented in tables that show all the required information. The statistical test, despite some potential issues with bias, is a viable source of data for the research question.
The authors correctly interpret the findings by using the data they have received and comparing it with the previous studies from two different sources. The results are appropriately based on the research results and are not mixed with the referenced material. Implications of the study draw three valuable conclusions that broaden past research and create a foundation for further examination. Ismail et al. identify the limitations as the following: their study does not explain developmental issues, each indicator of the independent variable, problems with the narrow focus of the research, and sampling bias (Ismail et al., 2011). The work identifies how future studies can expand the topic and expand upon this study.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the article by Ismail et al. has a solid foundation for the study conducted by the authors and provides statistically significant findings that confirm the proposed hypotheses. While there are issues with some parts of the research process, namely, sampling, an in-depth interview and comparison with external sources, provide sufficient credibility to the results and their analysis. The authors use valid methods of research for their paper, identify all necessary aspects of the assessed notions, and draw proper conclusions from the received results.
Reference
Ismail, A., Mohamed, H. A., Sulaiman, A. Z., Mohamad, M. H., & Yusuf, M. H. (2011). An empirical study of the relationship between transformational leadership, empowerment and organizational commitment. Business and Economics Research Journal, 2(1), 89-107. Web.