TOP EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP AND ORGANIZATIONAL INNOVATION - AN EMPIRICAL-INVESTIGATION OF NONPROFIT HUMAN-SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS (HSOS)

The authors investigated the relationship between executive leadership style and organizational innovation in nonprofit human service organi zations (HSOs). Four distinctive leadership styles were operationalize d as independent variables and the combined frequency of seven sub-typ es of organizational innovation served as the dependent variable. The results showed that, of the four leadership styles investigated, the ' 'Vision Setter Style'' revealed a strong relationship with the innovat ion frequency. The remaining leadership styles showed no meaningful, r elationship with organizational innovation. The results suggest that t he chief executives who als most likely to make innovation happen are those who have a cleat vision of the future operation and direction of organizational change and creativity.