Debre Birhan University

Collage of business and economics

MBA program
Leader ship and change management

Assignment one (B): - article review

Article title reviewed: - The effect of authentic leadership on employee trust and
Employee engagement

By: - Anwar Muhammed ID-PGR (P)/025/12

Submitted to:-Bekele M (PHD
Wang, D.-S., & Hsieh, C.-C. (2013). The effect of authentic leadership on
employee trust and employee engagement. Social Behavior and Personality: An
International Journal, 41(4), 613–624.

The article “The effect of authentic leadership on employee trust and employee
engagement”, by Wang, D.-S., & Hsieh, C.-C seeks to address how authentic
leadership can affect employee trust and employee engagement. The researchers
submitted four hypotheses. The first hypothesis was that Supervisors consistency
between words, and actions, moral perceptions will be positively related to employee
engagement. The second hypothesis was that Supervisors’ consistency between
words and actions, moral perceptions will be positively related to employee trust.
The third hypothesis was that Employee trust will be positively related to employee
engagement. The fourth hypothesis was that Employee trust will mediate the
relationship between authentic leadership and employee engagement.

For the study the researchers distributed 915 questioners with 386 valid response
obtained. The participants involved in researcher’s study were employees from
companies on the ‘Top 1,000 manufacturing companies and top 500 service
companies in Taiwan. Managers from 37 firms agreed to support their study.within
the researchers samples: 60.9% of participants were from service industries and
39.1% from manufacturing industries; 56.5% were male; 6.0%were aged under 24
years, 30.8% were 25-29 years old, 24.4% were 30-34 years old, 20.7% were 35-39
years old, 7.3% were 40-44 years old, 10.9% were aged over 45 years; 52.6% were
married and 47.4% were not married .21.2% had obtained a high school degree,
31.1% a college degree, 35% an undergraduate university degree, and 12.7% a post
graduate qualification; 64.5% were general employees, 25.1% primary supervisors,
and10.4% operators; 42.7% worked in the sales sector, 36.3% in the administrative
management sector, 12.7% in the production line sector, and 8.3% worked in the
R&D sector; and 5.4% had a job tenure of less than 1 year, 16.3% between 1 and3
years, 21.0% between 3 and 5 years, 23.3% between 5 and 10 years, 14.0%between
10 and 15 years, 13.0% between 15 and 20 years, and 7.0% more than 20 years.

Hierarchical multiple regression was employed to test the hypotheses. Responses

for all scales were made on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 =strongly disagree
to 5 = strongly agree.

16-item scale developed by Walumbwa et al. (2008) was used for measuring
authentic leadership.

The researcher’s use McAllister’s (1995) 11-item scale to measure employee trust.
It included a 5-item “affect-based trust” subscale and a 6-item“cognition-based
trust” subscale.

For the study the researchers adopted the 17-item scale (UWES) of Schaufeliet al.
(2002) to assess employee engagement. It included a 6-item “vigor”subscale, a 5-
item “dedication” subscale, and a 6-item “absorption” subscale.

Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used by the researchers to examine

“employee engagement”.

According to the researchers result all variables were positively and significantly
correlated with employee engagement. In addition, authentic leadership was
positively and significantly correlated with employee trust and employee
engagement, and employee trust was positively and significantly correlated with
employee engagement.
 Comments on the article

1. Abstract

There was no clear abstract given. It is not acceptable for journal articles to be
published without an abstract. Abstract provides the reader with information about
what to expect in the paper. Going through the abstract help a reader to know if the
article contains information he or she wanted or not. Therefore, an abstract is
essential and required in this study.

2. Introduction

The introduction was not clearly shown on the article. The researchers need to have
a clear well defined introduction about their study.

3. Problem statement

The problem was not clearly visible to the reader, and it required several readings to
establish why the researchers felt this study needed to be done. It was limited to the
researchers’ capabilities and resources. This study needs a well-defined problem
statement.
 4. Literature review

The author’s review of literature was not enough for their title; however, several
appropriate references were used.

5. Hypothesis

The purpose was clearly and concisely stated and agreed with the title. It was limited
to the researchers’ capabilities and resources.

6. Objectives

The author’s objectives were not well defined, and they chose to obtain them by
testing null hypotheses. These hypotheses were testable and served to help explain
the problem. This study should have a clear and well defined objectives.

7. Methodology

The methods used to gather the data for this article were clearly explained. The
instruments and development were not explained well, and the reliability
coefficients of all possible tests were given. The population used was adequate. No
discussion of the statistical techniques was given in this particular section. A better
analysis method could have been chosen based on the nature of the data collected.
The results indicated no significant interactions. The researchers mention that the
scales were given in a variety of settings. This could present a threat to the internal
validity in that participants might not have been entirely focused on completing the
scale, but instead on coordinating practice, completing paperwork, etc.
 8. Results and findings and implication

The results findings were well organized, sectioned, and reported objectively. The
tables were well organized but, due to the difficulty of the statistical tests employed,
would not stand alone to the average reader.

9. Conclusion

No clear conclusion was giver in the study. A conclusion is the most important
element of a study. It is the very last part a person reads in a study or research paper.
Therefore, it is extremely important to make it sound effective. At the end of study
the researchers should provide an overview of main parameters summarizing
positive aspects described in articles.

Overall critique

This study was for the most part, it was more or less written well and organized .The
literature is very short and it needs introduction and abstract in a clear and separate
form so that all reader can understand it. The article did get a little complicated in
the reporting data due to lack of statistical procedures used. Overall, it was
interesting, significant contribution to the field of research.