A theoretical model of
transformational leadership’s
role in diverse teams
Rebecca J. Mitchell and Brendan Boyle
Faculty of Business and Law, School of Business and Management,
The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a theoretical model of leadership and knowledge
creation by drawing on two contrasting diversity perspectives. The model argues a moderating role
for leadership in explaining the influence of diverse composition on team knowledge creation.
Design/methodology/approach – A model of leadership’s impact on knowledge creation is
developed based on an interdisciplinary review of literature spanning the creativity, innovation and
learning literature, diversity management, top management team demography and upper echelons
literature and learning from transformational leadership research.
Findings – The main contribution of this paper is the development of a model of transformational
leadership’s impact on knowledge creation in diverse teams based on a series of propositions. Focusing
on the information/decision-making perspective, our model depicts the role of leadership in facilitating
constructive cognitive effects on knowledge creation. From the social categorisation perspective our
model depicts the role of leadership in mitigating against destructive emotional barriers to group
effectiveness.
Research limitations/implications – This paper’s review and model indicate significant
implications for future research and practice. The model provides a better understanding of the
effects of transformational leadership on knowledge creation. The paper present justification for two
pathways, cognitive and affective, through which leadership moderates the impact of diversity on
team outcomes. By examining the model and its proposed relationships, we believe that it will enable
researchers to shed new light on these issues for further investigations.
Originality/value – This review is among the first to address the role of transformational leadership
in diverse teams, and one of the only papers to connect leadership, diversity and knowledge creation.
Keywords Knowledge creation, Transformational leadership, Modelling
Paper type Research paper
According to the knowledge-based view of the firm, an organization’s ability to create
knowledge is a source of competitive advantage (Conner and Prahalad, 1996; Grant,
1996; Kogut and Zander, 1992; Spender, 1996; Tsoukas, 1996). Unlike knowledge,
which is often rare for a limited period (Peteraf and Barney, 2003; Zollo and Winter,
2002), as organisations develop and implement routines to create new knowledge their
expertise becomes increasingly rare, socially complex and causally ambiguous (Coff,
2003; Lado and Zhang, 1998; Lippman and Rumelt, 1982). In view of the potential
benefits from developing knowledge creating capabilities, the numerous failed
attempts by organizations to do so (Dachler, 1992), and the relatively limited research
published (Hargadon, 2002; Un and Cuervo-Cazurra, 2004) knowledge creation
continues to be an area of research focus that warrants investigation (Corti and Storto,
2000; Liedtka, 1999; Zollo and Winter, 2002). This paper responds to this research need
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Transformational
leadership
455
Received June 2008
Revised November 2008
Accepted November 2008
Leadership & Organization
Development Journal
Vol. 30 No. 5, 2009
pp. 455-474
q Emerald Group Publishing Limited
0143-7739
DOI 10.1108/01437730910968714