Abstract
This study explores the influence of
supervisor police officers’ leadership styles and conflict handling on their
work and their relationship with subordinates. A two-stage data analysis method
is adopted. In the first stage, in-depth interviews are conducted to analyse
local police chiefs’ views on leadership styles and conflict handling. In the
second stage, questionnaires describing leadership and conflicts are
distributed to subordinate police officers for statistical analysis. Conflicts
emerge in the operation of government agencies because members within the
organisations have different views on their respective positions,
responsibilities and goals, mostly for reasons related to the leadership style
of their direct supervisors. The study results reveal that transformational and
transactional leadership styles positively influence subordinate police
officers and negatively influence several sub-dimensions of leadership styles,
consistent with cross-comparison findings. Furthermore, the results indicate
that conflict handling has an insignificant influence, which significantly
differs from the leaders’ perceptions of handling as found in their interviews.
Accordingly, the findings of cross-analysis are reasonable. The study results
can be used as a reference for future supervisors to handle and manage practical
conflicts.
JEL classification numbers: C12, D74.
Keywords: Police, Transformational leadership (TFL), Transactional
leadership (TSL), Leadership effectiveness, Conflict handling.