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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol. 8, No. 8
Publication Date: August 25, 2021
DOI:10.14738/assrj.88.10641. Fan, C., & Hsieh, W. (2021). A Study on the Relationships between Elementary School Principal's Positive Leadership and Teacher's
Organizational Citizenship Behavior in Remote Area in Taiwan. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8(8). 240-250.
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
A Study on the Relationships between Elementary School
Principal's Positive Leadership and Teacher's Organizational
Citizenship Behavior in Remote Area in Taiwan
Chih-Wen FAN
Wu-Mei Hsieh
ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to investigate the current state and related situations of
the relationship between principal’s positive leadership and teacher’s
organizational citizenship behavior of elementary schools in Hualien County. This
study adopted questionnaire survey, using stratified random sampling to select 347
public elementary teachers in Hualien County. The research tool was the
“Questionnaire of the Relationship between principal’s positive leadership and
Teacher’s organizational citizenship behavior of elementary schools” adapted by
the study. A total of 326 valid questionnaires were collected, with the effective
recovery rate 93.9%. The data obtained were analyzed and tested with descriptive
statistics, t-tests, one-way analysis of variance, product moment correlation, and
multiple regression analysis. The following conclusions were reached. 1.The overall
current situation of principal’s positive leadership and teache’s organizational
citizenship behavior of elementary schools was good. 2.Principal’s Positive
Leadership and Teacher’s organizational citizenship behavior of elementary
schools was significantly positively related. 3. Principal’s Positive Leadership of
elementary schools could effectively predict Teacher’s Organizational Citizenship
Behavior. Finally, based on those findings, the study suggests some implications of
administrative authorities, elementary school principals, teachers, and further
studies as well
Keywords: Principal’s Positive Leadership, Teacher’s Organizational Citizenship
Behavior
INTRODUCTION
Principals govern school affairs. They are the key people that determine the effectiveness of
schools. Principals play a vital role in setting the direction for successful schools that are
positive and productive workplaces for teachers and vibrant learning environments for
children. Effective school principals shows that successful school leaders influence student
achievement through two important pathways — the support and development of effective
teachers and the implementation of effective organizational processes (Davis, Darling- Hammond, LaPointe, & Meyerson, 2005). Successful principals guide the faculty, create a
harmonious school climate, and accomplish goals through the spirit of teamwork, thus, their
importance is evident (Wu, 2013; Hsieh, 2011a, b, c; Tseng and Fan, 2019). While there is
increasing research on how principals influence school effectiveness, less is known about how
to help principals develop the capacities that make a difference in how schools function and
what students learn (Davis, Darling-Hammond, LaPointe, & Meyerson, 2005). In order to fulfill
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241
Fan, C., & Hsieh, W. (2021). A Study on the Relationships between Elementary School Principal's Positive Leadership and Teacher's Organizational
Citizenship Behavior in Remote Area in Taiwan. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8(8). 240-250.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.88.10641
operational goals, all organizations rely on effective leaders, and positive leadership is an
important and valued issue in the new theories of leadership in recent years (Cameron, 2008,
2012, 2013; Seligmanm, & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000). An important function of positive
leadership, therefore, is to demonstrate tools, techniques, and practices that can overcome the
effects of the negative. When positive practices are given greater emphasis than negative
practices, individuals and organizations tend to flourish (Cameron,2013). The application of
positive leadership includes positive organization, positive psychology (Seligmanm &
Csikszentmihalyi, 2000), and positive reform theory. Positive leadership introduces new
thoughts and actions to leaders (Wu, 2013; Hsieh, 2014), stimulates members’ positive
thinking, values members’ positive emotions, recognizes teachers’ contributions to the
organizations, allows teachers to develop positive educational attitudes (Youssef-Morgan, &
Luthans, 2013), and triggers teachers’ potential. The purpose of positive leadership is to assist
organizations and individuals to result in outstanding achievements.
Why do some individuals voluntarily help or assist others in the workplace, promoting the
excellence of their employer without either an explicit or implicit promise of reward for the
behavior? The concept of Organizational Citizenship Behaviors was mentioned by Bateman and
Organ (1983) for the first time. This conduct, known as organizational citizenship behavior
(OCB), is a complex phenomenon now emerging as an important aspect of human behavior at
work(Organ ,1988). Many researchers have paid attention to organizational citizenship
behavior (OCB). Organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) are commonly studied in the
organizational and occupational health literature. It helps to create awareness of the necessity
of matching key resources with appropriate behavior to improve organizations’ competitive
advantages. In addition, according to Organ (1988), as the design of any organizational system
cannot be perfect, it must rely on members’ active execution. The active and non-compulsory
extra role behavior is the organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), which is a kind of extra
role and altruistic behavior that spontaneously benefits other members and the whole
organization (Randhawa, & Kaur, 2015; Shanker, 2018).
Eastern Taiwan tends to be called a remote and vulnerable area, thus, from the perspective of
a remote area, Hsu and Yeh (2015) argued that assistance for vulnerable students particularly
depends on principals’ leadership and members’ cooperation, as it stimulates the teachers’ and
students’ responsibility for students’ learning intention. However, there is a lack of literature
addressing the relevant theories and studies on principals’ positive leadership and principals’
positive leadership. Thus, will introducing principals’ positive leadership in the school
workplace enhance teachers’ Organizational Citizenship Behavior? What is their connection?
This research topic refers to academic innovation and the guidance of policy. Based on previous
motives, the purposes of this study are as follows:
1. To explore the current situation of elementary school principals’ positive leadership and
teachers’ Organizational Citizenship Behavior.
2. To explore the relation between elementary school principals’ positive leadership and
teachers’ Organizational Citizenship Behavior.
3. To explore the predictability of elementary school principals’ positive leadership on
teachers’ Organizational Citizenship Behavior.
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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 8, Issue 8, August-2021
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
LITERATURE REVIEW
Meaning and dimensions of positive leadership
Reviews of research suggest that successful school leaders influence student achievement in
several important ways, both through their influence on other people or features of their
organizations, and through their influence on school processes (Davis, Darling-Hammond,
LaPointe, & Meyerson, 2005). Leithwood, Seashore-Louis, Anderson, and Wahlstrom (2004)
pointed that successful school leaders influence teachers and other staff to do their jobs
effectively, offering intellectual support and stimulation to improve the work, and providing
models of practice and support. Therefore, leaders must address multiple constituencies. Pro
cesses, routines, and structures must be considered. Cultures, embedded values, and traditions
must be respected. Employee preferences and relationships must be taken into account
(Cameron, 2013 ).
The application of positive leadership includes positive organization, positive psychology, and
the positive reform theory (Cameron, 2008). Positive leadership means promoting outcomes
such as thriving at work, interpersonal flourishing, virtuous behaviors, positive emotions, and
energizing networks. In this book, the focus is primarily on the role of positive leaders in
enabling positively deviant performance (Cameron, 2012). Cameron (2008, 2012) argued that
positive leadership is a kind of measure that enhances effective interaction and leads to
individuals’ virtuous behavior, emphasizes the reinforcement of individuals’ and organizations’
achievements, and results in the positive and outstanding performances of individuals and
organizations. This study reviews the perspectives of Hsieh (2011a, b, c) and Cameron (2008,
2012) as follows:
(1)Positive climate
Institutional climate is a term that organizational theorists use to describe the current common
patterns of important dimensions of organizational life or its members’ perceptions of and
attitudes towards those dimensions (Peterson & Spencer, 1990) .A positive climate means the
state of a workplace when positive emotion surpasses negative emotion; for example,
organizational members in a typical positive climate show an optimistic attitude and pleasure.
(2) Positive relationship
that promotes positive student behavior and
social competency (Sugai et al., 2000).
that promotes positive student behavior and
social competency (Sugai et al., 2000).
that promotes positive student behavior and
social competency (Sugai et al., 2000).
that promotes positive student behavior and
social competency (Sugai et al., 2000).
Positive relationship have emerged as potentially effective frameworks for addressing student
needs and improving student outcomes. Positive relationships refer to interpersonal relations,
which lead to physical, psychological, emotional, and organizational positive and outstanding
outcomes.