The impact of transformational leadership on challenging influence strategies: an approach using structural equation models

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study is to identify the impact that transformational leadership has on challenging influence strategies in business leaders of the micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) of the state of Guanajuato, Mexico. Design/methodology/approach The methodological design was quantitative, explanatory, observational and cross-sectional, where a sample of 343 leaders from the business sector of the MSMEs of the state of Guanajuato, Mexico was obtained. To check the hypotheses, a structural equation model (SEM) was developed using the AMOS v.21 statistical software. For the analysis of the data, SPSS v.21 was used. Regarding the goodness and fit indexes of the SEM (χ2 = 595,133 df = 244; CFI = 0.914 and TLI = 0.903; RMSEA = 0.06), which were acceptable (Jöreskog and Sörbom, 1981; López-Lemus and Zavala, 2019; Rigdon, 1996; Tucker and Lewis, 1973). Findings The results obtained through the present study, it is shown that leadership and transformational influences positively and significantly on challenging influence strategies: rational (β1 = 0.53, p < 0.01), inspiring (β2 = 0.65, p < 0.01) as well as the strategy of participatory influence (β3 = 0.62, p < 0.01) of the business leaders of the MSMEs of the state of Guanajuato, Mexico. Originality/value The findings are relevant and of great value because there is currently not enough research that focuses on the variables analysed on the leadership and influence strategies of business leaders of the MSMEs in the context of the state of Guanajuato, Mexico.