Exploration of Followership Behaviors in the Workplace: A Phenomenological Study

Exploration of Followership Behaviors in the Workplace: A Phenomenological Study

Vicki S Bonner | 2018

Abstract

Kelley (1998) acknowledged that the success of an organization depends on both the leadership and the degree of follower engagement. Baker (2007) noted that the scholarly research on followership is limited when compared to research on leadership. This phenomenological study presents the lived experience of followers in their work environments. This study addressed the following questions: How do employees view their followership role within their workplace and how does an employee’s perception of their followership behaviors influence their job satisfaction and job commitment in the workplace? The theoretical framework guiding this study includes self-concept, identity theory, followership behaviors, and job attitudes. The review of the literature contributed to the development of 11 open-ended questions to conduct in-depth interviews of 16 higher education employees representing various institution structures within the United States. This study used in vivo and pattern coding strategies to identify themes. The research questions were addressed from interpretations drawn from the data.