ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT AND PERCEIVED LEADERSHIP STYLE AMONG PUBLIC SERVANTS

Abstract

Pakistan is experiencing a political and economic crisis that has never been seen before. For this reason, to improve the performance of the public sector and limit the crisis' repercussions, public managers who are dedicated and successful are needed. Also, no work has been done yet from the perspective of Pakistan's public servants’ perceptions to enhance the value of “leadership” in establishing “organizational commitment”. This study uses the “Leader-Member Exchange (LMX)” function as a mediator to examine the correlation between ‘leadership styles’ and ‘organizational commitment’ in the workplace. A sample of 100 middle managers from six public administrations in Pakistan, including “Capital Development Authority (CDA), Islamabad Electric Supply Company Limited (IESCO), Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL), National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), and Capital Hospital”, were surveyed online. Leadership styles were examined using multiple regression analysis and linear regression. The results showed a positive relationship exists between commitment to one’s organization and both Bass styles. Aside from that, the results also revealed that LMX, as a mediator, did not show the correlation between ‘transformational leadership’ and one’s commitment to the organization, yet it mediated between ‘transactional leadership’ and ‘organizational commitment’. Therefore, developing organizational commitment depends on leadership styles, and this research helps organizations understand those mechanisms. It also has ramifications for recruitment and training programs in the public service.