Boundary behavior of leaders in organizations: Definition and scale development An important function of leaders in organizations is the management of boundaries. Boundaries can be both spatial and psychological in nature. Recognizable boundaries are necessary to the orderly function of organizations, however, they can also discourage cooperation, impede the timely flow of information and inhibit innovation. Leaders need to be able to recognize and manage boundaries. The functions that a leader engages in when managing boundaries can be labeled leader boundary behavior and described as the activities and accompanying strategies through which a leader defines, protects and spans the boundaries which differentiate his/her unit from the environment. There is a need to develop and test a theoretical model of the antecedents and outcomes of boundary-related activities performed by leaders in organizations. This study provides construct development and theoretical validation of the concept of leader boundary behavior as a pattern of behavior distinct from other leader behaviors. It also empirically examines a theoretical framework that incorporates social-structural antecedents, behavioral outcomes, and situational factors which can enhance or inhibit the effectiveness of boundary-related activities by organizational leaders. This dissertation describes an empirical study of boundary activities of university department heads and the effects of these activities on the trust, satisfaction, group cohesion and organizational commitment of faculty. The study combines scale development of leader boundary behaviors and the use of the scales in a questionnaire completed by faculty in a medium-sized state university in the Southwestern United States. The study examines whether the boundary-related behaviors of leaders in this organization have an impact on employee outcomes. A three dimensional conceptualization of leader boundary behavior is developed based on a review of the organizational studies literature. The three dimensional conceptualization is then incorporated into a theoretical model of the antecedents, outcomes and moderators of leader boundary behavior. This model is based on a review of evidence of social-structural antecedents, behavioral outcomes, and situational factors which can enhance or inhibit the effectiveness of this type of behavior by organizational leaders. The research design used to empirically examine the theoretical model is detailed and results of the analyses are discussed along with the implications for theory and management practice, and directions for future research. [TABLE="class: citation"] [TR] [TH]Format:[/TH] [TD]Dissertation[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TH]Author(s):[/TH] [TD]Villa, Jennifer R[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TH]Published:[/TH] [TD]2000[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TH]Language:[/TH] [TD]English[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE]