THE CONTINGENCY-MODEL OF LEADERSHIP EFFECTIVENESS - ITS LEVELS OF ANALYSIS

The contingency model of leadership effectiveness (Fiedler, 1978) has been the basis for an extensive body of research. During the last thre e decades, numerous studies have supported its propositions (Peters, H artke, and Pohlmann, 1985; Strube and Garcia, 1981), but the model has also elicited strong criticisms. This article argues that the conting ency model was one of the first models in leadership research that was theoretically multi-level and methodologically multi-source. New evid ence and alternative perspectives are offered to address the issues co ncerning the conceptual definitions of the model's components, which h ave often been the subject of debate. The discussion concludes with pr oductive avenues for future research in the paradigm and its potential contributions to leadership training and development within a multi-l evel framework.