ARSU Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies (AJIS)

The Impact of Authentic Leadership on Organizational Commitment: Evidence from Bichena City Administration

2026-06-23T17:10:31+00:00

This study examines how authentic leadership dimensions influence employee organizational commitment in the Bichena City Administration, Ethiopia. To address public-sector bureaucratic inefficiencies and low morale, the study used a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design. Primary quantitative survey data were collected from a stratified random sample of public servants, supplemented by qualitative insights from semi-structured interviews with purposively selected municipal key informants. The findings show a significant, positive relationship between authentic leadership behaviors and overall employee commitment. Multiple linear regression indicates that relational transparency is the strongest predictor, significantly enhancing affective commitment by fostering institutional trust. Balanced processing directly supports continuance commitment, while an internalized moral perspective and self-awareness strengthen normative commitment through heightened ethical responsibility. Qualitative insights reinforce that transparent, trustworthy leadership cultivates a psychologically safe workforce. Ultimately, the study concludes that authentic leadership drives public-sector performance. The researchers recommend targeted leadership development frameworks and institutionalized ethical training to sustain organizational commitment and improve municipal service delivery.

The Influence of Transformational Leadership on Service Quality in Public Institutions of the Amhara Region, Ethiopia

2026-06-02T13:52:28+00:00

The study examined the effects of transformational leadership on service quality. It used a mixed-methods research approach of an explanatory sequential design. Data were collected from124 and 8 individuals for quantitative and qualitative strands, respectively. Closed-ended questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were used to gather data. In the quantitative analysis, one-sample T-test, Pearson correlation and stepwise regression were used. Thematic analysis was used for the qualitative strand. Hence, the computed mean values showed ‘poor’ practices for the variables of transformational leadership and service quality. Pearson’s Correlation result indicated statistically significant and strong positive relationships between transformational leadership components and service quality. The coefficient of determination result showed a statistically significant explaining power of transformational leadership on the variance of service quality. Therefore, theoretically, the study implies that all transformational leadership dimensions have significant relationships with service quality. Practically, the outputs of this research can be utilized as a guide by organizational leaders to enhance the effectiveness of their leadership practice. To become effective in practice and to act as a role model, leaders in public organizations are recommended to utilize transformational leadership. This is to equip them with the intended knowledge and skills of such leadership philosophy and to enforce practices of service quality.

Determinants of Non-Performing Loans: A Case Study of the Development Bank of Ethiopia

2026-05-19T17:08:25+00:00

This study investigates the determinants of non-performing loans (NPLs) in the Development Bank of Ethiopia (DBE). Using a mixed-methods approach, the research collected primary data from 114 loan officers at DBE’s head office and secondary data from bank records. Explanatory and descriptive research designs were employed, with data analyzed via descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression. The study identified poor credit assessment, poor collateral strength, high interest rates, large credit size, and poor credit monitoring as significant bank-specific factors contributing to NPLs. Loan diversion and weak borrower credit culture were found to be statistically insignificant. The model explained 67.6% of NPL variation. The findings underscore the need for DBE to strengthen credit appraisal, monitoring, collateral evaluation, and interest rate policies to mitigate NPL risks and enhance financial stability.This research contributes to the existing body of knowledge by providing empirical evidence on the specific drivers of NPLs within a development finance institution in the Ethiopian context, an area where limited research exists. The identification of important bank-specific characteristics has practical significance for DBE management in order to enhance loan portfolio quality and improve credit risk management techniques. Future studies should look into how macroeconomic factors affect non-performing loans (NPLs) at DBE, how well various NPL resolution techniques work, and how regulatory oversight helps reduce NPL risks in Ethiopia's banking industry. Furthermore, qualitative studies could provide deeper insights into the behavioral aspects of borrowers and loan officers that contribute to NPLs

Challenges of National Youth Policy Implementation in Northwestern Ethiopia

2026-05-19T17:14:42+00:00

This study examined the challenges affecting the implementation of the National Youth Policy in Bahir Dar City, Ethiopia. A concurrent nested mixed methods was employed by integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches. Quantitative data were collected from 363 respondents drawn from youth and social affairs offices, youth associations, and youth leagues using structured questionnaires. Qualitative data were generated through 15 key informant interviews and two focus group discussions involving regional and city-level stakeholders. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were analyzed through thematic content analysis. The findings revealed that youth policy implementation is hindered by interconnected institutional, organizational, financial, and governance-related challenges. The most significant barriers include weak leadership commitment, poor organizational structure, inadequate budget allocation, unclear practical task assignment, weak coordination among policy actors, and limited institutional capacity. The study further found that inadequate dissemination, limited policy training, and weak inter-sectoral collaboration have constrained its effective translation into practice. The study concludes that effective youth policy implementation requires strengthened institutional arrangements, sustained political commitment, enhanced coordination mechanisms, improved human and financial resource allocation, and continuous policy revision aligned with the evolving needs of young people. The findings contribute to broader policy implementation debates in developing countries, particularly regarding cross-sectorial governance and institutional effectiveness.

The Untapped Social Capital: Top-Down Policies, Grassroots Marginalization, and the Paradox of Conservation in Lake Tana

2026-05-19T21:04:30+00:00

Lake Tana, Ethiopia’s largest freshwater ecosystem, is facing severe ecological degradation. While national environmental policies exist, local implementation is hindered by fragmented, top-down governance. This study explores a critical conservation paradox at Lake Tana: the presence of immense, untapped community social capital juxtaposed against systematic grassroots marginalization. Employing a pragmatist mixed-methods design, we analyzed quantitative data from 391 shoreline households using Item Response Theory (IRT) and the Graded Response Model (GRM), triangulating the results with qualitative stakeholder narratives. The findings reveal a severe attitude-practice gap. While an overwhelming 93% of the community expressed a willingness to financially support conservation—demonstrating exceptionally high pro-environmental attitudes (α = 0.89)—actual participation is stifled by structural exclusion and poor policy awareness. Notably, 78% of respondents reported they are never consulted by state institutions prior to project implementation. IRT difficulty parameters indicate that while residents easily grasp basic conservation needs, systemic exclusion prevents them from engaging in formalized environmental practices. The study concludes that Environmental Policy Integration (EPI) in developing nations cannot rely solely on bureaucratic alignment between ministries; it demands participatory co-management. Reversing Lake Tana's ecological collapse requires a shift toward inclusive governance that resolves institutional fragmentation and formally integrates the social capital of local communities into actionable environmental stewardship.