Transformational Leadership and Team Performance: A Study in the Hospitality Industry

Previous studies in the hospitality industry have attempted to demonstrate the positive effect of dual-level transformational leadership (TFL) on team and individual service innovation (Yang et al., 2021; Yang, 2021). However, limited studies have linked dual-level TFL with team performance or work motivation in the hospitality industry. This PhD thesis aims to fill the gap by studying the dual effects of TFL. It is valuable to the industry because there is a mutual dependence between team performance and individual work motivation (Karas & Williams, 2001; Latham & Locke, 2002). In other words, the more motivated a team member is, the more likely they are to exceed expected performance, and the better the team performs, the more motivated team members will be. Thus, understanding the indicators of team performance and individual work motivation will help hospitality supervisors establish a virtuous cycle balancing a high-performance team and motivated individuals simultaneously.