Führung in der Schweizer Bundesverwaltung: Transformationale und Transaktionale Führung unter Sklerose

This thesis investigates how management in Switzerland's Federal Administration is behaving in the face of digitalisation, given the sclerosis of hesitant adjustment to structural change within a dual organisation. In this hierarchical organisation that has witnessed strong growth, management, in which Generation X is particularly well represented, is increasingly required to embrace change.

The investigation focuses on leadership style aimed at getting tasks done when faced with sclerotic conditions, taking into account age and openness to change ("resilience") in a static or dynamic organisational structure within the Federal Department of Finance (FDF).

The empirical study is based on design-oriented research, while the data survey uses a qualitative research method with semi-structured interviews. A quantitative method was used to verify the qualitative findings on leadership style and resilience.

The data survey's findings on change-oriented leadership, consisting of transformational leadership and transactional leadership, yielded varying results. Unlike transactional leadership, transformational leadership is not actively applied at the FDF. Contrary to the theory, merely applying transformational leadership does not increase resilience or alleviate the sclerosis as regards hesitant attitudes to change. This is because sclerosis in a static or dynamic organisational structure is influenced by the task topics, although research suggests that sclerosis is more prevalent in static organisations.

Management's resilience does not grow after the age of 50, due to age-related factors. However, resilience can be increased through greater leadership experience. Thus, appropriate additional management training is required as managers grow older.

The evaluation of the artefact of the leadership model in the empirical study, combined with the theoretical results, yields a model for practical application. Thanks to the haptic, three-dimensional leadership model as a cube, management's performance should be improved.

It has been empirically determined and demonstrated that transformational leadership is needed for change in the Federal Administration, which makes associated training of middle management over 50 years of age necessary. Resilience should be established as a new competency, in order to minimise sclerosis.