Title: Transformational leadership and work engagement: exploring the black boxes by looking into the lense of intentional change theory

Authors: Muhammad Waqas; Raheema Zubair; Atif Mahmood; Farooq Anwar

Addresses: COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, Pakistan; Department of Management Sciences, The University of Lahore, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan ' Lahore Business School, The University of Lahore, Lahore, 1-Km Raiwind Road, Near Chowk 'Defence Road', Lahore, Pakistan ' Lahore Business School, The University of Lahore, Lahore, 1-Km Raiwind Road, Near Chowk 'Defence Road', Lahore, Pakistan ' Lahore Business School, The University of Lahore, Lahore, 1-Km Raiwind Road, Near Chowk 'Defence Road', Lahore, Pakistan

Abstract: Purpose: This study was conducted to determine the effect of transformational leadership (TL) on work engagement (WE) of nurses in Lahore-Pakistan. Previous studies showed that some job demands had positive connection with WE while some reviews declared negative influence of job demands on WE. This study intended to find out the role of leadership in defining job demands as challenges and their further relationship with WE. Design/methodology/approach: Primary data and snowball sampling technique was used. Data was analysed on Smart PLS3. Findings: Test analysis showed that TL has significant relationship with WE. Practical implications: In hospitals, transformational leaders reduced the stress of nurses which lead to self-confidence and caused them to perceive job demands as a challenge. Originality/value: This study obtained TL as positive leadership style in hospitals as there was more risk involved regarding human health, and nurses must ask from their leaders before giving any treatments to the patients.

Keywords: job demands; job resources; transformational leadership; job challenges; work engagement.

DOI: 10.1504/MEJM.2019.097814

Middle East Journal of Management, 2019 Vol.6 No.2, pp.154 - 169

Received: 06 Dec 2017
Accepted: 01 Feb 2018
Published online: 12 Feb 2019 *

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