Parzinger, Examining the Effect of the Transformational Leader on Software Quality

Software Quality Journal, 9, 253–267, 2001 © 2002 Kluwer Academic Publishers, Manufactured in The Netherlands Examining the Effect of the Transformational Leader on Software Quality MONICA J PARZINGER mparzin@alvin.stmarytx.edu St Mary’s University, School of Business and Administration, One Camino Santa Maria, San Antonio, Texas 78228 RAVI NATH http://ecommerce.creighton.edu College of Business Administration, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska 68178 MARY A LEMONS mlemons@utm.edu The University of Tennessee at Martin, School of Business Administration, S.B.A 131, Martin, Tennessee 38238 Abstract Developing and maintaining quality software is paramount in the information-intensive society A myriad of concepts, tools and techniques exist that can be employed to improve the quality of software and at the same time increase developmental efficiencies Approaches used by many software development units include: Capability Maturity Model (CMM), Total Quality Management (TQM), and ISO 9000-3 Implementation of these approaches without appropriate management oversight does not guarantee success This study examines the role of the manager vis-à-vis “leadership style” with software quality Data collected using a questionnaire administered to members of the American Society for Quality (ASQ) - Software Division, suggest that the Transformational leadership style of the manager has a significant positive relationship with the quality of the software developed Keywords: leadership, organizational change, total quality management, software development, capability maturity model, ISO 9000-3 Introduction Enhancing the quality of software is a topic of importance to both researchers and practitioners Software quality, often measured by factors such as program errors, customer approval, meeting user needs, reusable code, and easy expandability, directly affects the resources needed for system development and maintenance Minimizing time and labor resources while producing a quality product is essential for many organizations in today’s highly competitive environment Often tools and techniques like prototyping, computer-aided software engineering tools, and structured development approaches such as the Systems Development Life Cycle are not sufficient for meeting software development quality goals Software organizations have turned toward an analysis of the development process in order to improve product quality Some have approached quality through the process guidelines provided in ISO 9000-3 Another approach for improving quality in the software development process is the application of the Capability Maturity 254 PARZINGER, NATH AND LEMONS Model (CMM) Total Quality Management (TQM) is yet another approach that addresses not only process analysis but organizational culture Cultural change, in turn, requires highly committed top management leadership (Huge, 1990) However, the manner or style of even committed management can take various forms Management pundits consider “leadership style” of the manager a proxy for management effectiveness Leadership style is often categorized as Transformational or Transactional A Transformational leader is thought to be more effective in implementing organizational change Though change management depends on leadership to be enacted, there has been very little integration of these issues (Eisenback et al., 1999) Empirical research addressing leadership styles and their affect on TQM implementation success has not been explored in the context of IS development Thus, it is worth considering whether the Transformational leadership style of managers leads to higher quality of software than the Transactional style during organizational change such as TQM implementation The purpose of this paper is twofold First, the characteristics of the Transformational and Transactional leadership styles are examined in the context of TQM in software development Secondly, the effect of the Transformational leadership style on software quality is investigated Literature review Problems such as poor system quality, long development lead times, user dissatisfaction, and high costs of software development are indicative of the need for change in IS processes (Ravichandran and Rai, 2000) Organizations have turned to TQM concepts for solutions TQM is defined by Merlin and Parkinson (1994) as “the integration of quality management methods, concepts, and beliefs into the culture of the organization to bring about continuous improvement.” The implementation of TQM within an organization or individual department can be difficult Because it involves an intangible philosophy, as well as tools and techniques, a major change in organizational culture may be required This cultural change has ramifications for the software developer For example, the focus is no longer on immediate users of information systems (IS) but upon customers, both internal and external Control is not administered by management but shifted to employees and teams Proactive measures are used to discover potential problem areas rather than waiting for a system to fail (Zahedi, 1995) TQM is a philosophy that, if properly implemented, can enhance the quality of products and services However, some organizations adopting the philosophy have reported success while others have obtained less than desirable results (Eskildson, 1994; Cao et al., 2000) Observers of quality programs typically blame implementation processes for failure rather than the underlying concepts (Reger et al., 1994) Past research has emphasized software quality characteristics, software metrics, and quality control techniques and tools (Ravichandran and Rai, 2000) While the technical and engineering aspects of quality control have been stressed, research gaps remain in the organizational aspects of quality management Just recently, attention has turned to organizational factors that impact TQM implementation in EXAMINING THE EFFECT OF THE TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADER 255 IS development For example, factors deemed critical for successful TQM implementation in the IS arena have been identified (Parzinger and Nath, 1998; Ravichandran and Rai, 2000), and the influences these factors have had on software quality have also been examined (Parzinger and Nath, 2000) Yet much of the current TQM literature surrounding systems development is anecdotal and prescriptive However, a common thread in all TQM studies is the importance of management’s role in the implementation of a quality program The lack of success of TQM implementation is often attributed to management’s disregard for the human aspects of implementation (Harris and Purdy, 1998) The attributes of managers are changing In an organization where the manager controls processes, not people, attributes required are team-working, high interpersonal skills, negotiating, consensus management and the ability to handle several issues or projects at a time The leader must develop competence and trust in the employees to make their own decisions (Macdonald, 1998) However, in many IS organizations, inherent distrust presents a barrier to successful employee empowerment Many managers make all the decisions and blame employees when problems arise (Pearson et al., 1997; Ward, 1997) Leadership style, while not recognized as a major factor of TQM, may have a significant influence on the contributions of TQM tools and techniques (Bass et al., 1987b; Howell and Avolio, 1993; Niehoff et al., 1990; Waldman, 1994) Two forms of leadership often discussed in the literature are Transformational and Transactional The Transformational leader possesses charisma and is able to simply be supportive rather than directive when the situation allows (Hersey and Blanchard, 1969; Hersey and Blanchard, 1977; Hersey and Blanchard, 1984) There is a religious-like motivation that the leader is able to instill in the employees, whereas, the Transactional leader appeals to employees’ self-interest rather than raise the levels of morality and motivation (Burns, 1978) Transformational leadership processes may align followers’ work-oriented values with those of the greater group or organization (Bass et al., 1987a; Burns, 1978; Conger and Kanungo, 1988) The empathetic, facilitative characteristics of the Transformational leader may be necessary for persistent efforts such as required of continuous process improvement (Waldman, 1994) Leadership studies often focus on a top ranking corporate officer However, Francis J Yammarino notes, “Transformational leaders need not occupy the highest or most prominent positions to influence others Transformational leaders can occupy a variety of positions at various levels of organizations and be formal or informal leaders.” Leadership qualities can trickle down through layers of the hierarchy In fact, the relationship between the leadership style of the person in charge of the quality effort and the operating employees may be irrelevant It may be the immediate supervisor’s leadership behavior that influences success rather than the person in charge of the project (Bass and Avolio, 1994) Leadership style, though not considered a factor of TQM, may have a significant relationship with the success of the quality program In the realm of software development, the success of the TQM program can be measured in terms of customer satisfaction, the Capability Maturity Model level, and the extent of compliance with 256 PARZINGER, NATH AND LEMONS ISO 9000-3 This research examines the following propositions: Proposition The leadership style utilized during TQM implementation in the software development arena will affect the quality of software produced Proposition The degree of Transformational characteristics displayed by the leader will directly affect the level of software quality during TQM implementation Measures of software quality In order to measure the success of TQM in the software development arena, it is necessary to define software quality Reeves and Bednar (1994) conclude that a global definition of quality does not exist, but that different definitions of quality are appropriate under different circumstances In measuring software quality, specific characteristics of a system are typically addressed These include flexibility, maintainability, reusability, integration, consistency, usability, reliability, salability, functionality, efficiency, and portability (Dunn, 1990; Arthur, 1993; Yourdon, 1992; Humphrey, 1989; Sanders and Curran, 1994; Budgen, 1994) These characteristics tend to focus on the engineering aspects of software development that ultimately affect user (customer) satisfaction Software quality is multi-dimensional and existing attempts at measurement have many weaknesses (Budgen, 1994) Recently, a threefold approach focusing on the user, the technologies, and the purpose of the software has been suggested for performance measures (Prahalad and Krishnan 1999) In light of these facts, this study employs multiple methods to measure software quality Customer satisfaction The relationship between users and IS personnel is typically viewed as pivotal to the success of systems development projects (Beath and Orlikowski, 1994) It is often the views of customers that dictate the degree of quality in the product However, obtaining a potential customer’s software requirements in the initial stages of development is often an obstacle affecting the quality of the final product Difficulties in communication with customers can result in late deliveries, budget overruns, and undiscovered defects To heighten the problem, software development personnel not always recognize its key customers who deserve the most attention (Merlyn and Parkinson, 1994) With TQM’s emphasis on customer satisfaction, it is reasonable to acquire the customer’s perspective through questionnaires or interviews Capability Maturity Model The Capability Maturity Model (CMM) for Software is founded upon works of Humphrey (1988, 1989) The first release was in two technical reports of 1991 but these were revised during 1992 and are entitled “Capability Maturity Model for EXAMINING THE EFFECT OF THE TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADER 257 Software, Version 1.1” (Paulk et al., 1993a) and “Key Practices of the Capability Maturity Model, Version 1.1” (Paulk et al., 1993b) The underlying premise of the model is that continuous improvement can occur only through focused and sustained effort towards building a process infrastructure of effective software engineering and management practices This is essentially seen in a mature software organization as compared to an immature organization that generally improvises during the course of a project In a mature organization, managers monitor the quality of software products and customer satisfaction The CMM can be used to understand the key practices that are part of effective processes for developing and maintaining software and to identify those key practices needed to achieve the next maturity level in the CMM There are five levels of software process maturity: initial, repeatable, defined, managed, and optimizing Each is described below: • Initial—The software process is characterized as ad hoc, and occasionally even chaotic Few processes are defined, and success depends on individual effort • Repeatable—Basic project management processes are established to track costs, schedules, and functionality The necessary process discipline is in place to repeat earlier successes on projects with similar applications • Defined—The software process for both management and engineering activities is documented, standardized, and integrated into a standard software process for the organization All projects use an approved, tailored version of the organization’s standard software process for developing and maintaining software • Managed—Detailed measures of the software process and product quality are collected Both the software process and products are quantitatively understood and controlled • Optimizing—Continuous process improvement is enabled by quantitative feedback from the process and from piloting innovative ideas and technologies (Paulk et al., 1993a) To assess the software development process, a team is selected which administers and evaluates the maturity questionnaire This questionnaire was designed by the SEI and addresses key practices grouped into (1) commitment to perform, (2) ability to perform, (3) activities performed, (4) measurement and analysis, and (5) verifying implementation The team also visits the sites being assessed and produces a list of strengths and weaknesses The final step involves the preparation of a key process area profile This profile highlights the areas where the organization has, or has not, satisfied goals determined in prior steps Prior studies reflect the relationship between the various CMM levels and software quality (Krishnan, 1996; Harter et al., 2000; Anthes and Vihayan, 2001) For example, statistical analysis of data from a large Fortune 100 software development laboratory found that process maturity significantly increased quality (Krishnan, 1996) There is also reason to believe that TQM can influence the CMM level Hollenbach, et al (1997) depicts how TQM approaches allowed a business unit to move from Level to Level on the CMM 258 PARZINGER, NATH AND LEMONS ISO 9000-3 The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has developed a series of standards for TQM (Tenner and DeToro, 1992) ISO 9000-3 (1991) is the guideline for the application of ISO 9001 to the development, supply, and maintenance of software (ISO 9001 is the Model for Quality Assurance in Design, Development, Production, Installation and Servicing) Because the process of development and maintenance of software is different from that of most other types of industrial products, ISO considered it necessary to provide additional guidance for quality systems via ISO 9000-3 The guidelines are intended to describe controls and methods for producing software that meet a purchaser’s requirements Many organizations are finding it necessary to be in compliance with ISO 9000 standards in order to conduct business with potential customers ISO 9000-3: 1991 (E) provides a framework describing responsibility, documentation, audits, and corrective action for software development in order to meet the requirements of ISO 9000 Empirical evidence of the relationship between ISO 9000-3 compliance and software quality is not prevalent Registration for this certification does not guarantee that a product is certified for quality Certification does give a foundation for achieving quality (Ashrafi et al., 1995) There is, however, a strong correlation between ISO 9001 and the CMM although the level of abstraction is different Both the ISO quality guidelines and the CMM emphasize documented procedures (Paulk, 1995) Methodology Data for this research were collected using a questionnaire The results reported in this paper are based on a subset of the data gathered To measure the dominating leadership, Bass’s (1985) instrument was adapted Bass’s (1985) research resulted in five dimensions or factors of leadership Charisma, individualized consideration, and intellectual consideration are three active dimensions of the Transformational leader Contingent reward is one active dimension of the Transactional leader and management by exception one passive dimension of the Transactional leader From each of these five dimensions, two items with the highest loadings were chosen and included in the instrument This resulted in the following 10 items: TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP STYLE • • • • • • Makes everyone around him/her enthusiastic about assignments I have complete faith in him/her Enables me to think about old problems in new ways Gives personal attention to members who seem neglected Finds out what I want and tries to help me get it His/her ideas have forced me to rethink some of my own ideas which I had never questioned before EXAMINING THE EFFECT OF THE TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADER 259 TRANSACTIONAL LEADERSHIP STYLE • Tells me what to if I want to be rewarded for my efforts • There is a close agreement between what I am expected to put into the group effort and what I can get out of it • As long as the old ways work, he/she is satisfied with my performance • He/she is content to let me continue doing my job in the same way as always Each item is rated in a 5-point scale (1 = Not at All, = Once in a While, = Sometimes, = Fairly Often, = Frequently, If Not Always) While a leader may have some characteristics of either style, a dominating mode usually surfaces The mean of the items indicative of Transformational leadership style was compared with the mean of the items describing Transactional leadership style Data was acquired by requesting the respondent to judge how frequently the respondent’s current immediate supervisor or the supervisor during the Quality program implementation had displayed behavior indicative of transactional and transformational styles of leadership Thus, responses were based on the manager’s style during the implementation phase This eliminated the probability that the respondent was basing the answers on a new supervisor rather than the person in charge during the implementation The respondent’s manager was assigned to the leadership style with the higher mean If the two means were identical, no style was assigned In addition, respondents were asked to rate the success of their TQM effort in software development using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = very unsuccessful; = very successful) Overall program success and three other measures of software quality were used in this study: Change in customer satisfaction, CMM level, and the Extent of ISO 9000-3 compliance Change in customer satisfaction used a 5-point scale (1 = significant decrease; = significant increase) The Extent of Compliance with ISO 9000-3 also utilized a 5-point scale (1 = not implemented; = complete compliance) Also, each respondent was requested to identify where his/her organization stood with respect to the five stages described in the Capability Maturity Model The initial draft of the instrument was presented to a panel of MIS doctoral students and faculty members Modifications were made based upon their discussion and recommendations The revised questionnaire was then distributed to 20 individuals, primarily practitioners, for pilot testing This group was chosen from volunteers who subscribe to the QUALITY listserv on the Internet, a bulletin board service provided through Princeton University for the purpose of discussing any facet of quality A hard copy of the questionnaire was mailed to each volunteer along with a self-addressed stamped envelope The 20 returned responses were evaluated and comments reviewed This feedback led to further clarifications of some items Members of the American Society for Quality (ASQ)—Software Division, were used to collect data The questionnaire was mailed to 1,990 ASQ members A postage-paid envelope and a cover letter explaining the purpose of the study were included with the questionnaire 260 PARZINGER, NATH AND LEMONS Results Of the 1,990 questionnaires mailed, 247 completed questionnaires were returned, resulting in a response rate of 12% Of these 247 questionnaires, 145 respondents indicated implementation of a formal quality program and were used in the analysis This section reports the results of the study Profile of the respondents Table reports the profile of the responding organizations One hundred forty-five (59%) reported having a formal quality program in place; 14% were considering it; 25% did not have one, and 2% did not report this information Of those having a formal quality program, nearly 83% had implemented it throughout the organization and the rest had incorporated it only in the software development process Nearly 34 of the organizations with TQM implementation were manufacturing, software development, or service Each represented about 25% of the total Only those organizations indicating a significant commitment to Total Quality Management or a similar Quality program were included in the analysis To determine the average Transactional leadership score, the items indicative of this style were averaged Due to the option of a ‘not applicable’ response to an item, it is possible for the average to be less than The mean score is 2.6 with a standard deviation of 0.74 See Figure for the Frequency Distribution of these scores The same procedure was performed to determine the average Transformational leadership score The items reflecting the Transformational style were averaged and the Frequency Distribution of the results is displayed in Figure The mean score for Transformational behavior is 3.1 with a standard deviation of 1.00 Table Profile of respondents and organizations Existence of a formal quality program? Yes Considering No Missing Implementation scope Organization wide Software development only n = 247 % 145 34 63 59 14 25 n = 145 %∗ 121 22 83 15 Organizational type n = 145 % Manufacturing Software Service Telecommunications other 42 35 31 31 29 24 22 21 ∗ Percentage may not add to 100 because of missing data 261 EXAMINING THE EFFECT OF THE TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADER 50 40 30 Frequency 20 10 Std De v = 74 Me an = 2.6 N = 143.00 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 Figure Frequency Distribution—average Transactional Score 30 Frequency 20 10 Std Dev = 1.00 Mean = 3.1 N = 143.00 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 Figure Frequency Distribution—average Transformational Score Typically, individuals can display characteristics of both leadership styles However, the frequency of behaviors indicates a dominant style reflected in subordinates’ perceptions Table shows the dominant leadership style of the managers as determined by comparing the means of the two dimensions: Transformational and Transactional The mean of the items indicative of Transformational leadTable Dominant leadership style Style Transformational Transactional No dominant Missing data Total n = 145 % 94 44 145 65 31 100 262 PARZINGER, NATH AND LEMONS ership style was compared with the mean of the items describing Transactional leadership style A manager is assigned to the category with the higher score Out of the 145 respondents, 65% reported their manager having dominant traits of a Transformational leader and 31% reported their manager showing dominant Transactional leadership characteristics In 3% of the cases, the means were identical and no dominant leadership style could be determined To determine whether organizations with Transformational leadership had statistically significantly higher mean scores than those for organizations with Transactional leadership, two-sample t-tests were performed Table shows the mean, standard deviation and the results of the t-test Note that at the 01 level, significant differences were found for all measures except Extent of Compliance with ISO 9000-3 That is, organizations with a Transformational leader exhibited a significantly higher degree of success compared to organizations with a Transactional leader Table Descriptive measures of success by leadership style Transformational Mean∗ Std Overall success Change in level of customer satisfaction Capability maturity model level Extent of compliance with ISO 9000-3 ∗ 11 51 25 18 Transactional Mean∗ Std 97 69 90 52 34 02 74 26 10 70 88 38 t p-value 14 23 34 23 000 009 005 224 Scale of to Correlations between the level of Transactional leadership characteristics and measures of quality in software development were insignificant However, the level of Transformational leadership characteristics was found to be significantly correlated with Overall Success of the TQM program, Level of Customer Satisfaction, and CMM level at alpha = 01 In essence, the more frequent the leader behaved in a manor characteristic of the Transformational style, the greater the level of success (see Table 4) Table Transformational leadership style and success correlations Success measure Overall success Change in level of customer satisfaction Capability maturity model level Extent of compliance with ISO 9000-1 Kendall Tau B 322 000 278 001 212 003 052 429 Note: Numbers in parentheses represent the level of significance Spearman’s Rao 394 001 344 001 394 000 073 403 EXAMINING THE EFFECT OF THE TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADER 263 Discussion, limitations, and future research This study examines Transformational and Transactional leadership characteristics in the context of organizational change within software development and their effect on software quality While leaders may possess characteristics of both styles, employees often perceive dominant characteristics of one style The literature has suggested that during times of organizational change, Transformational leadership qualities will lead to greater success than those possessed by the Transactional leader This study proposes that the leadership style used during TQM implementation in the software development arena will indeed affect the quality of software produced The results support this proposition The results show a significant positive increase in the success of a TQM program for software development when the leader’s style is predominantly Transformational Leaders displaying charisma and offering support and motivation will have greater success in the implementation of quality programs than those leaders who define expectations and reward employees based upon the accomplishment of these goals The results of our study are in line with other management studies Waldman (1994), Bass et al (1987a), and Howell and Avolio (1993) have reported that the Transformational leadership style is significantly and positively related to business-unit performance, and that the leaders of world-class organizations possess Transformational attitudes This same conclusion can be drawn for two of the three specific measures of software quality, namely Customer Satisfaction and the Capability Maturity Model level Customers often determine the degree of success of a software project and have become the focus of development efforts High levels of customer satisfaction reflect quality in the software product Transformational leadership behavior is associated with this measure of quality In addition, the Transformational style is associated with higher levels of the CMM Software development organizations strive to attain the highest level reflected in this model signifying continuous improvement and innovative ideas Attainment of the Optimizing level reflects high quality software Again, the Transformational leadership style is associated with higher levels of the model than when the Transactional leadership style is exerted The leadership style does not appear to influence the third measure of software quality, Extent of Compliance with ISO 9000-3 The ISO 9000-3 guidelines describe controls and methods for software development in order to meet a purchaser’s requirements While these requirements may be associated with Customer Satisfaction and the methods may be similar to the CMM’s key practices, the results are dissimilar Though no distinct reason surfaced for the lack of correlation between this measure of software quality and leadership style, speculation might be directed toward the implementation process Compliance with the guidelines may be mandatory In order to comply, managerial emphasis may be placed on the final documentation rather than the evaluation of software processes Further research into ISO 9000-3 compliance and its relationship to quality software is warranted The results also support the second proposition The degree of Transformational characteristics displayed by the leader is positively correlated with the level of software quality during TQM implementation The more frequent the leader or supervisor encourages innovation and provides intellectual stimulation, the greater the 264 PARZINGER, NATH AND LEMONS degree of software quality The results of this study not only encourage adoption of behaviors exemplified by the Transformational leader, but also suggest that frequent display of these characteristics will be reflected in greater Customer Satisfaction and higher levels of the CMM Most research on transformational leadership has used the multifactor leadership questionnaire (MLQ) developed by Bass (Hinkin and Tracey, 1999) However, this study utilized a portion of the instrument based on factor loadings of previous studies in order to reduce the survey to a realistic length while still obtaining meaningful data The elimination of items may have caused some distortion in the dimensions of Bass’ Transformational leader The MLQ has come under criticism itself Hinkin and Tracey (1999) suggest that Bass and his colleagues may have developed a good theory of Transformational leadership, but failed to design adequate measures for assessment Future studies may consider alternatives to the measurement of leadership style Future research to test the consistency of our results under various forms of organizational change is recommended Introduction of Enterprise Resource Planning systems, Data Warehouses, and Web-Based Commerce are all examples of organizational change that rely on IS personnel for success Research into leadership styles and their influence on successful implementation of these systems and others will provide insight into the current theory of organizational change and leadership Future research into IS leadership styles and its affect on individuals is also warranted For example, past research suggests that Transformational leadership actions such as encouraging innovativeness, supporting employee efforts and allowing employees to have a voice in their job content can relate to employee commitment and job satisfaction This information could prove quite useful to an organization facing retention issues in today’s information age where the demand for qualified IS personnel far exceeds the supply Summary Enhancing quality within software development may increase productivity and promote customer satisfaction However, simply implementing development tools and techniques remains insufficient Organizations have turned toward process evaluation approaches such as the CMM, ISO 9000-3 and TQM to improve product quality and customer relations The scope of TQM sets itself apart from other programs It is a philosophy that requires change not only in processes but also in organizational values The TQM implementation process itself can influence the success of such an organizational change Strong leadership is a requirement and the Transformational leadership style is preferred for effective TQM implementation in software development If done right, these practices will lead to high quality software products, 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management to a theory of work performance, Academy of Manag Review 19(3): 510–536 Ward, J.A 1997 Implementing employee empowerment, Information Systems Manag Winter: 62–65 Yammarino, F.J 1994 Improving Organizational Effectiveness Through Transformational Leadership, Chap 3, B.M Bass and B.J Avolio, (eds.), Thousand Oaks, CA, Sage Publication Yourdon, E 1992 Decline and Fall of the American Programmer, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, Yourdon Press Zahedi, F 1995 Quality Information Systems, Danvers, Boyd & Fraser Publishing Company Monica Parzinger is an Assistant Professor of Information Systems at St Mary’s University, San Antonio, Texas Her primary research interests are in IT leadership, eBusiness strategy, and software quality Works have been published in various academic journals including Journal of Information Technology Management, E-Service Journal, Information Systems Management, Total Quality Management, and the Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering She received her doctorate in Information Systems from the University of Memphis Prior to graduate work she was employed by the F.D.I.C as a bank examiner specializing in technology evaluations EXAMINING THE EFFECT OF THE TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADER 267 Ravi Nath is Jack and Joan Endowed Professor of Information Systems and the founding Director of the Joe Ricketts Center in Electronic Commerce and, Chair of the Department of Information Systems and Technology in the College of Business Administration at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska Recently Dr Nath was named the “Technology Professor of the Year” in the state of Nebraska, by the Applied Information Management (AIM) Institute Before joining Creighton University, he was on the faculty of the College of Business Administration at the University of Memphis where he served as the Associate Dean for Academic Programs and Director of the Ph.D program in Management Information Systems During the 1991–1992 academic year, Dr Nath lectured and conducted research in Africa as a Fulbright Scholar He has published over 80 research papers in the area of Electronic Commerce and Information Systems in various national and international publications Dr Nath teaches in the areas of Information Systems, Electronic Commerce, and Data Mining He is a frequent speaker at various local and national events He is the Past-President of the Southwest Decision Sciences institute and has served on the Board of Directors of DSI Dr Nath has a Masters degree from Wichita State University and a Ph.D from Texas Tech University Mary A Lemons graduated in 1996 with a Ph.D in Business Administration from The University of Memphis Her major areas included Human Resource Management and Organizational Behavior She also holds a M.B.A and a B.B.A from Memphis State University Currently employed by the University of Tennessee-Martin as an Associate Professor of Management, her recent publications include a book chapter in Advances in Interdisciplinary Studies of Work Teams as well as various journal articles Dr Lemons’ research focuses on human resource management, organizational justice, organizational commitment, and cultural diversity  ... in the context of TQM in software development Secondly, the effect of the Transformational leadership style on software quality is investigated Literature review Problems such as poor system quality, ... the software development arena will affect the quality of software produced Proposition The degree of Transformational characteristics displayed by the leader will directly affect the level of. .. individualized consideration, and intellectual consideration are three active dimensions of the Transformational leader Contingent reward is one active dimension of the Transactional leader and management