4. Results and limitations - pilot

4. Results and limitations - pilot study
What was aimed at along the whole scientific approach was the continuity of ideas and the identification of those variables that bear relevant implications on the research issues. When speaking of leadership, at the empirical level, one may not consider a pure style based on only one concept defined theoretically, and especially when considering a larger number of leaders for the analytical approach. For this reason, and adding the characteristics defined theoretically, three similar but with distinguishing characteristics leadership styles have been selected in order to characterize current management styles in multinational companies in Romania.
The preliminary data that were obtained come in support of the theoretical aspects that had already been highlighted, the two similar leadership styles (Servant leadership and transformational leadership), which at the same time tend to complement each other in everyday practice, with very close scores.
Although servant leadership scored little significantly more than transformational leadership (as shown in Figure 2), one of the items defining the concept – the leader sacrificing himself for his disciples – recorded the lowest score.
Hence one may draw the conclusion that either the item needs further explaining because it may not have been fully understood by respondents, or that the preliminary results are not representative in terms of positioning the servant leadership style in a centralizing scale.
A drawback of the research approach is the lack of an analysis of the Romanian cultural environment. Studies such as those of Hofstede, Trompenaars and Globe are seen as losing relevance when applying the instrument within multinational companies in a period of great economic change with a globalization effect that cannot be neglected. Obviously one may not speak anymore about a pure national or organizational culture. The organization's base rests on management's philosophy, values, vision and goals. This in turn drives the organizational culture which is composed of the formal organization, informal organization, and the social environment. The culture determines the type of leadership, communication, and group dynamics within the organization. The workers perceive this as the quality of work life which directs their degree of motivation. (Nicolescu, Androniceanu & Năstase, 2004 in Androniceanu, 2011)