Associations between transformational leadership and quality management practices in Spanish hotels

Abstract

This study analyses the associations between transformational leadership and quality management practices (measured through the enablers of the EFQM -European Foundation for Quality Management- model). It is based on 102 five-star and five-star luxury hotels in Spain. First, a cluster analysis is performed with transformational leadership variables to examine the significant differences between the groups created regarding the development of quality management practices. Second, another cluster analysis is carried out with quality management practices and significant differences between the groups created are tested regarding transformational leadership. The results show that hotels with a higher level of transformational leadership are more highly developed in terms of their quality management practices. Similarly, hotels that have a more advanced level of quality management practices have higher levels of transformational leadership. This research supplements studies on transformational leadership and quality management by including the two-way association between both variables in the same study.