The Validity of Fiedler's Contingency Logic

Summary

Two studies with Lebanese subjects examined Fiedler's style/situational-match logic and the relationship between situational control and students' achievement in high and low least-preferred co-worker (LPC) schools. Findings in the first study refuted Fiedler's contingency logic and indicated a positive relationship between high LPC scores and school outcomes regardless of the favorableness of the situation; low LPC related negatively to school outcomes in favorable and moderately favorable situations. In the second study, findings refuted Fiedler's contention that low LPC principals with a favorable situation are effective and also showed that the situational control variables, task structure, and position power are more important than the leader-member relations in influencing students' achievement, especially outside the school.