Transformational Leadership and Teacher's organisational commitment: A sequential mediating effect of teacher self efficacy and job satisfaction

• In Event: A South Asia exploration of shadow education, decolonization concepts in libraries and curriculum, and transformational leadership

Proposal

Teachers are essential assets, and their role, attitude, and commitment are significant for school success. Kiplagat et al. (2012) identified that success of school passed through teacher's commitment. Teacher’s commitment defines as individual attachment, motivation (Morrow, 2011), and loyalty toward the school (Nobile, 2017). There are various factors that affect teachers commitment such as age (Scott & McClellan, 1990), education (Rosenblatt & Shirom, 2006), school climate, job satisfaction (Olanrewaju & Ibiyemi, 2014), teacher self-efficacy (Hallinger et al., 2018) and leadership (Cansoy et al., 2022). Low commitment among teachers leads to poor work engagement (Hakanen et al., 2006), absenteeism (Gaziel, 2004), and poor performance. Leadership is important factors that affect teacher’s commitment (Aydin et al. 2013). Prior research has consistently shown a positive relationship between transformational leadership and organisational commitment (Khasawneh et al., 2012). However, scholars argue that there are various underlying factors that influence relationship between leadership and commitment (Caprara et al., 2003; Judge & Bono, 2001; Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2017).
Anchored into leader-member exchange theory, Leader-member exchange theory helps to measure leader-subordinate relationships (Gerstner & Day, 1997). Effective relationships lead to positive organisational and individual outcomes. This study measuring sequential mediating effect of self-efficacy and job satisfaction between transformational leadership and teachers organisational commitment.
Hypothesis development
Teacher self-efficacy as mediator
According to social cognitive theory, an individual's self-efficacy beliefs influence their behaviour and motivation in various settings, including the workplace. Research has shown that when teachers have high levels of self-efficacy, they are more likely to display organisational commitment (Tschannen-Moran & Woolfolk Hoy, 2001). Transformational leaders have been found to enhance teacher self-efficacy by providing support, guidance, and opportunities for professional growth that in turn influence teacher’s organisational commitment (Ross & Gray, 2006). In conclusion, teacher self-efficacy plays a critical role between transformational leadership and teacher commitment. Hence, we hypothesis:
H1: Teacher self-efficacy mediates the relationship between the transformational leadership and teachers’ commitment.
Teacher self-efficacy and job satisfaction as sequential mediator
Teacher self-efficacy serve as a mediator between transformational leadership and commitment (Ross & Gray, 2006). Lili & Man (2020) also observed that transformational leadership positively associated with teachers’ self-efficacy and commitment. However, it is important to note that teacher self-efficacy is not the only mediator, there are other variables that also play important role in this relationship. Previous studies have found that job satisfaction is positively related to teachers’ commitment, as individuals satisfied with their jobs tend to be committed to their organisation (Purwanto, 2020). Research has shown that transformational leadership is positively related to both teacher self-efficacy and job satisfaction (Tesfaw, 2014) and positively associated with teachers’ commitment (Shofiyuddin et al., 2021). It shows that transformational leaders create a positive environment that improve teacher self-efficacy and job satisfaction, which in turn enhance teachers’ commitment. Hence, we hypothesise that,
H2: Job satisfaction mediates the relationship between transformational leadership and job satisfaction.
H3: Teacher self-efficacy and job satisfaction sequentially mediates the relationship between transformational leadership and teachers’ commitment.
Methods
Sampling and data collection
The study was conducted with the help of State Council of Educational Research and Training, New Delhi. Online survey was conducted with primary school teachers working under MCD, New Delhi. The cross-sectional data were collected on four themes, transformational leadership, organisational commitment, job satisfaction, teacher self-efficacy along with control variables. Online survey was forwarded to 430 and 320 teachers participated; completion rate is 74%.
Measures
Transformational leadership was measured though Bass and Avolio (1995) scale; teacher self-efficacy was measured by Tschannen-Moran and Hoy (2001) scale, Job satisfaction was measured through Mohrman et al. (1977) scale and organisational commitment was measured through Allen and Mayer (1987) scale.
Next, for reliability, we calculated Cronbach's α and composite reliability, and both values were above threshold .70 (Hair et al., 2006). The convergent and discriminant validity also above threshold criteria (Fornell & Larcker, 1981). To check common method bias, Herman's single factor test was conducted, and result turned out to be 22.254%., which satisfies acceptability criteria, which is <50% (Podsakoff et al., 2012).
Data Analysis
We used AMOS 22.0 for measurement model and PROCESS function in SPSS V.22 ( Model 6) to measure sequential mediating effect model, using a sample of 5000 bootstrapped observations. Fit indices were used to evaluate the model fit, including comparative fit index (CFI), normed chi-square (CMIN/DF), root mean squareerror of approximation (RMSEA), and Turker Lewis Index (TLI) (Hair Jr et al., 1998). The threshold values for these indices are CMIN/DF < 5, SRMR, RMSEA > 0.08, TLI, GFI and CFI > 0.09.
Results
Pearson product-moment correlation was calculated for all key variables. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed by using the AMOS 22.0 for all latent variables separately and the result shows best fit of data.
Next, PROCESS function in SPSS V.22 was used to measure indirect effects of hypothesis model by using 5000 bootstrap sampling. The indirect effect via teacher self-efficacy was significant (indirect effect = 0.02, 95% CI [0.008, 0.047) and indirect effect via job satisfaction was significant (indirect effect = 0.02, 95% CI [0.008, 0.056]). We also found that sequential mediation via teaching efficacy and job satisfaction was significant (p < 0.00), while the 95% confidence interval (indirect effect = 0.004, 95% CI [0.001, 0.011]) excluded 0 between the transformational leadership and organisational commitment.
Discussion and Significance
To the best of our knowledge there is no empirical study that measuring sequential mediating effect of teacher self-efficacy and job satisfaction between transformational leadership and organisational commitment. We found that self-efficacy and job satisfaction sequentially mediates the relationship between the transformational leadership and organisational commitment. Our study is the pioneer study that measured sequential mediating relationship among these constructs. This study provides evidence that leader improve the teacher self-efficacy and higher self-efficacy affects teacher job satisfaction that in turn affect teacher’s commitment.
The study results have significant theoretical and practical implications specifically in those contexts where teachers have limited autonomy, no performance incentives. The school principal and school management must need to work on individual and organisational factors to improve teachers’ commitment.

Author

• Furkan khan, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad