본 연구는 이슈리더십의 측정도구를 재개정(MIRACLE 3.0: Measuring Issue-Related ACtivities for LEaders)하는 <연구 1>과 이슈리더십의 세 차원(이슈창안, 오디언스몰입, 이슈실행)과 역할내/역할외 성과 간의 관계에 대한 심리적 임파워먼트의 매개효과를 검증하는 <연구 2>로 이루어져 있다. <연구 1>에서는 백기복(2004), 신명용(2005)이 제시한 이슈리더십 측정도구(각각 MIRACLE 1.0, 2.0)를 과학적 절차에 따라 재개정(3.0)하였다. 전문가 패널을 이용한 5단계 프로세스를 통하여 기존의 이슈리더십 설문들을 개정한 21개 문항의 MIRACLE 3.0을 개발하고 2차에 걸쳐 수집한 데이터를 가지고 타당성과 신뢰도를 검증하였다. 검증결과, 안정적 요인구조와 높은 신뢰도를 보여 향후 이슈리더십 연구에 많은 도움이 될 것으로 결론지었다. <연구 2>에서는 <연구 1>을 통해 타당성과 신뢰도가 검증된 MIRACLE 3.0을 이용한 설문조사 데이터를 통해 이슈리더십과 성과 변수 간의 관계를 검증하였다. 리더 1명, 부하 A 2명, 부하 B 2명을 하나의 세트(set)로 구성하여 총 322부(161쌍)의 데이터를 분석한 결과, 이슈리더십은 역할내/역할외 성과에 유의한 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났고 심리적 임파워먼트가 이슈리더십 3차원 각각과 두 가지 형태의 성과 간의 관계를 매개한다는 결과를 얻었다. 연구의 함의와 한계, 그리고 향후의 연구방향을 논의하였다.
The purposes of this study were twofold. One was to revise a measure of issue leadership (Miracle 3.0) and the other was to test the mediation effect of empowerment between three dimensions of issue leadership and in-role/extra-role performance.
In the first part of the study, an issue leadership scale was revised. Strict scientific procedures were followed in the development of preliminary items, two-time panel reviews of the items, a pilot test, and a major survey to test the construct validity and reliability of the scale. Through the process, a 21-item measure of issue leadership was established, with solid construct validity and reliability.
A second phase of the study was then conducted to test the mediating effects of psychological empowerment between three dimensions of issue leadership and in-role/extra-role performance with multi-source survey sources of data.
The results of the second phase of the study show that psychological empowerment partly mediates the relationships between the three issue leadership dimensions of issue creation, audience involvement, and issue implementation and in-role/extra-role performance. Specific results of the study are as follows. First, issue leadership was found to have a significant positive relationship with both in-role performance and extra-role performance. Secondly, it was verified that psychological empowerment has a mediating effect on the relationship between the three dimensions of issue leadership and in-role/extra-role performance. Such results can contribute to issue leadership theory and concepts of conventional leadership. The study confirmed clear, independent explanations for the performance of issue leadership, supporting the importance of Issue Leadership Theory within the broader field of leadership theory. In addition, the study reinforced notions of leadership media. Leadership is a means of simultaneously explaining a leader and his/her followers. It was deduced that the influence that the three aspects of issue leadership (issue creation, audience involvement and issue implementation) exert on performance can lead to the recognition of the effective value of the issue. The scope of understanding was also widened by identifying the mediating effect of psychological empowerment on issue leadership and performance. In addition, this study was the first attempt to verify issue leadership by separating ‘in-role performance’ and ‘extra-role performance.’ The study’s findings identified a stronger connection with in-role performance rather than extra-role performance. The results also have a significant meaning at the working-level: those who want to exercise leadership effectively should not remain in prescribed roles. They should be more enthusiastic, ready for a challenge, and committed to finding original issues and presenting them to workers. It is also crucial that they form confidential relationships with workers so that the workers can readily accept the new issues. Moreover, it is necessary to educate and train leaders and workers in the specific mechanisms of an advisable method for issue creation, a way to join audience members by persuading them and carrying out an issue effectively.
Despite these findings, this empirical study has several limitations. First, a thorough verification of the revised validity of Miracle 3.0 was not carried out, with improvements needed for the verification of convergent validity and judgment validity. A second limitation is that the data were collected cross-sectionally. This cross-sectional study was conducted through a survey investigating the relationship between issue leadership and performance with a single perspective. However, research variables such as issue leadership, psychological empowerment and performance tend to mature by sharing and exchanging incidents over a certain period of time. A third limitation is that the study depended exclusively on the results of a survey. Through further research, a higher level of validity will be established by applying scenario approach methods. Finally, this study included only seniors and subordinates in the audience group, whereas the concept of audience, generally includes seniors, co-workers and subordinates.