The Reciprocity Between (organizational) Structure and the Agents (leaders and followers): a study on relational leadership from Giddens structuration theory

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the reciprocal influence among the organizational structure, leaders and followers, these as agents in relation to the structure, according to Giddens structuration theory and relational leadership theory. The theoretical framework highlights the four constructs of structuration theory (un/premeditated actions; recursiveness between human action and social structure; structure duality; routines and rules) and relational leadership (the one that most closely approximates structuration theory). Qualitative research performed semi-structured interviews with all 32 employees of a company in the infrastructure sector. Results show that the success of the organization was due to the reciprocal influence of leader-follower-structure, both in Giddens and in relational leadership, resulting from the capacities to: bring about change; use available rules and resources; face unintended consequences; treat each individual as possessing a single entity. This article contributes with a gap in the literature of leadership when resorting to the theory of structuring.

Keywords

• liderança rrelacional
• teoria da estruturação
• recursividade
• organização-líderes-liderados