Organizational Culture as a Moderator of Transformational Leadership Effectiveness in Public-Sector Universities

Abstract

This paper examines the role of organizational culture in shaping the effectiveness of transformational leadership within public universities. Drawing upon transformational leadership theory and organizational culture literature, the study investigates whether organizational culture moderates the relationship between transformational leadership and two important faculty attitudes: job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Data was collected through a survey of 314 faculty members working in public sector universities in Islamabad and data was analyzed using PLS-SEM. The findings indicate that TL has significant positive effects on both JS and OCo among faculty members. Furthermore, OC is a significant moderator between TL and JS, suggesting that leadership behaviors are more effective in institutions characterized by supportive and collaborative cultures. However, the moderating effect of OC on the relationship between TL and OCo was not statistically significant. These findings highlight the importance of organizational context in understanding leadership effectiveness in higher education institutions. The study provides practical insights for university administrators seeking to strengthen faculty engagement by aligning leadership practices with supportive institutional cultures.