The link between leadership style and institutional culture in the Public Universities of Ethiopia

Abstract

This study examined the links between leadership style and institutional culture in the public universities of Ethiopia using a correlational research design. A total of 616 academic staff was selected from five public universities with the help of multi-stage
and simple random sampling techniques. Data were collected using two standardized questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Finally, the results unveiled that transformational leadership style had strong and significant linkages to the four institutional culture types, while transactional leadership had a moderate and significant relationship with only hierarchy culture; and finally, laissez-faire leadership style had low but significant relationship with hierarchy and market cultures. It was concluded that the presence of change-oriented cultures of adhocracy and clan are opportunities, but the domination of the laissez-faire leadership style could be a problem to achieve the objectives of these universities.

Key words: leadership style, leadership behavior, transformational leadership, transactional leadership, institutional culture, organizational culture