The Role of Path-Goal Theory in Healthcare Leadership Improving Employee Motivation and Performance Outcomes
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14419/v9rttb85Keywords:
Path-Goal Theory; Healthcare Leadership; Employee Motivation; Performance Outcomes; Leadership Styles; Organizational EfficiencyAbstract
Effective leadership in health care is important to ensure high-level patient care, improve operational efficiency, and evaluate an induced task force. Path-laying theory provides a structured approach to lead through the alignment of the leader's needs and conditions in the workplace for better inspiration and an increase in performance. The paper checks the application of the path-target theory in the field of healthcare leadership and how the instructions, assistants, participants, and achievement-oriented leadership styles will affect employee engagement, job satisfaction, demographics, and overall performance. In this study, compared to a leadership approach, the effect was established on the workforce productivity, decision making, and patient care results. The findings led to the recommendations that the leadership styles, especially the path-target theory, should be dynamic and adapt their strategic approach according to the wide variety of health professionals when it comes to motivation and performance. Health care leaders are provided with practical recommendations to establish an atmosphere of cooperation and efficiency, to maximize the implementation of path-target theory. Future instructions for research are also proposed to pay attention to how the developed landscape of leadership will be within the adaptive healthcare settings.
References
- Avolio, B. J., Walumbwa, F. O., & Weber, T. J. (2009). Leadership: Current theories, research, and future directions. Annual Review of Psychology, 60(1), 421–449.
- Nwosu, P. O., &Adeloye, F. C. (2023). Transformation Leader Strategies for Successful Digital Adaptation. Global Perspectives in Management, 1(1), 1–16.
- Nandkeolyar, R. (2025). Neuromorphic processor design for ultra-low-power embedded vision applications. Electronics, Communications, and Computing Summit, 3(1), 61–70.
- Bass, B. M., &Riggio, R. E. (2006). Transformational Leadership. Psychology Press.
- Das, B. K., &Rajini, G. (2024). An analysis of organizational citizenship behavior and its impact on employee well being and task performance among library employees. Indian Journal of Information Sources and Services, 14(2), 133–138. https://doi.org/10.51983/ijiss-2024.14.2.19
- Cummings, G. G., Tate, K., Lee, S., Wong, C. A., Paananen, T., Micaroni, S. P., & Chatterjee, G. E. (2018). Leadership styles and outcome pat-terns for the nursing workforce and work environment: A systematic review. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 85, 19–60.
- Danapour, M. (2018). The relationship between leadership styles and burnout of aquatics coaches in Tehran, Iran. International Academic Journal of Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management, 5(2), 99–109. https://doi.org/10.9756/IAJOBHRM/V5I2/1810018
- Al-Yateem, N., Ismail, L., & Ahmad, M. (2024). A comprehensive analysis on semiconductor devices and circuits. Progress in Electronics and Communication Engineering, 2(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.31838/PECE/02.01.01
- Garman, A. N., Butler, P., &Brinkmeyer, L. (2011). Leadership development in healthcare: A qualitative study. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 32(1), 37–53.
- Bennett, D. (2017). The relationship between transactional/transformational leadership attributes and best workplace organizations. International Academic Journal of Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management, 4(1), 22–31.
- Surendar, A. (2024). Internet of medical things (IoMT): Challenges and innovations in embedded system design. SCCTS Journal of Embedded Systems Design and Applications, 1(1), 43-48. https://doi.org/10.31838/ESA/01.01.08
- Gilmartin, M. J., &D’Aunno, T. A. (2007). Leadership research in healthcare: A review and roadmap. Academy of Management Annals, 1(1), 387–438.
- Hosseinisadr, E. (2018). A study of the relationship between the knowledge management model of Nonaka and Takeuchi with the components of leadership style. International Academic Journal of Business Management, 5(1), 18–25.
- Rahim, R. (2024). Scalable architectures for real-time data processing in IoT-enabled wireless sensor networks. Journal of Wireless Sensor Networks and IoT, 1(1), 44-49. https://doi.org/10.31838/WSNIOT/01.01.07
- Hoch, J. E., Bommer, W. H., Dulebohn, J. H., & Wu, D. (2018). Do ethical, authentic, and servant leadership explain variance above and beyond transformational leadership? Journal of Management, 44(2), 501–529.
- Hisham, R. R. I. R., Palil, M. R., Hamid, M. A., &Nowalid, W. A. W. M. (2018). The influence of leadership behaviours on fairness practice: An empirical investigation of Takaful institutions. International Academic Journal of Business Management, 5(1), 148–161.
- House, R. J. (1971). A path-goal theory of leader effectiveness. Administrative Science Quarterly, 16(3), 321–339.
- Surendar, A. (2024). Survey and future directions on fault tolerance mechanisms in reconfigurable computing. SCCTS Transactions on Reconfigu-rable Computing, 1(1), 26-30. https://doi.org/10.31838/RCC/01.01.06
- Kimeu, &Kioko, F. (2018). Effects of employee motivation on employee performance at Machakos County Government, Kenya. International Ac-ademic Journal of Humanities, 5(1), 32–38.
- House, R. J., & Mitchell, T. R. (1974). Path–goal theory of leadership. Journal of Contemporary Business, 3(1), 81–97.
- Ardestani, S. S. (2017). A project report on employee satisfaction in private hospitals in Hyderabad-India. International Academic Journal of Inno-vative Research, 4(2), 47–60.
- Arthur, L., & Ethan, L. (2025). A review of biodegradable biomaterials for medical device applications. Innovative Reviews in Engineering and Science, 3(1), 9–18. https://doi.org/10.31838/INES/03.01.02
- Laschinger, H. K. S., Wong, C. A., &Grau, A. L. (2016). The influence of authentic leadership on newly graduated nurses’ experiences of work-place bullying, burnout, and retention outcomes: A cross-sectional study. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 57, 28–38.
- Zainal, S. R. M., & Hassan, S. H. (2018). Understanding the individual motivations and barriers of Malaysian Mutawwif. International Academic Journal of Social Sciences, 5(2), 68–75. https://doi.org/10.9756/IAJSS/V5I2/18100027
- Northouse, P. G. (2021). Leadership: Theory and practice (9thed.). SAGE.
- Abdul, A. M., & Nelakuditi, U. R. (2021). A New Blind Zone Free PFD in Fractional-N PLL for Bluetooth Applications. Journal of VLSI Circuits and Systems, 3(1), 19–24. https://doi.org/10.31838/jvcs/03.01.04
- Shanafelt, T. D., Boone, S., Tan, L., Dyrbye, L. N., Sotile, W., Satele, D., & Sloan, J. (2019). Burnout and satisfaction with work–life balance among US physicians. Archives of Internal Medicine, 172(18), 1377–1385.
- Wong, C. A., Cummings, G. G., &Ducharme, L. (2013). The relationship between nursing leadership and patient outcomes: A systematic review update. Journal of Nursing Management, 21(5), 709–724.
- Yukl, G. (2013). Leadership in organizations (8thed.). Pearson.
Downloads
How to Cite
Received date: May 15, 2025
Accepted date: June 7, 2025
Published date: August 28, 2025