Characteristics of Crisis and Decision Making Styles: The Mediating Role of Leadership Styles

This paper investigates the mediating role of leadership styles on the relationship between characteristics of crisis and decision making styles. Whereas previous literature has linked decision making to crisis, there is a dearth of research linking characteristics of crisis and decision making styles and the role of leadership styles in this relationship. This study of 847 Jordanian Civil Defense officers found that both transformational and transactional leadership styles have partial mediation effects on the relationship between characteristics of crisis and decision making styles. The findings of this study challenge the notion that during crisis, transformational leaders are more effective than their transactional counterparts and calls for future studies on the integration between the two leadership styles.