The evolution of worker autonomy in the modern and postmodern eras of business management

The relation between worker autonomy, transformational leadership, and cultural intelligence has rapidly increased in importance in recent years (e.g., Earley and Ang, 2003; Harris et al., 2004; Hofstede and Hofstede, 2005; Mead, 2005; Peterson, 2004). The ability to work effectively with members of an organisation from different cultural backgrounds has become indispensable in a growing number of organisations (Harris et al., 2004; Mead, 2005; Schmidt et al., 2007). The current trend towards transformational leadership, increasing worker autonomy, and cross-cultural adaptability is the latest stage of a continuous, historic process. The promotion of worker autonomy has developed into a significant element of management practices in the postmodern era of leadership (Drucker, 2006; Senge, 2006). An understanding of the evolution of worker autonomy may assist managers in predicting future trends in the structure and function of increasingly interdependent organisations in the global economy.