African Journal of Leadership and Development

Ethical Leadership and Normative Commitment: Drivers of Urban Land Service Quality in Bahir Dar City-Ethiopia

Belay Sintie Zegeye, Matebe Tafere Gedifew — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Urban land service delivery is becoming a key source of public discontent in developing countries despite that it is the driving engine of the urban economy. This study aims at examining the influence of ethical leadership on the perceived quality of urban land service quality through the link of normative organizational commitment in Bahir Dar City. The study followed the positivist research paradigm in a quantitative research approach with a correlational research design. Participants of the study were urban land customers who are seeking urban land for residential house and business buildings. Perceived Leader Integrity Scale was adapted to measure ethical leadership. Normative commitment was measured using the Meyer and colleagues tool. Perceived service quality was measured employing the service quality scale, excluding customer expectations. Data were collected from convenience sample involving 346 customers. Structured questionnaires were employed using the five point Likert scale. SEM-AMOS software was used to carry out the analysis. Findings indicated that ethical leadership has significant and positive influence on the Perceived service quality (β=0.476, R²=0.227) and the Employees’ normative commitment (β=0.499, R2= 0.249), partially mediated the relationship between ethical leadership and the perceived service quality (β=0.391, R²=0.15). The indirect effect (β=0.195, R²=0.038) supports the strong direct effect, yielding a total impact of β=0.671 (R²=0.450). This implies that appropriate ethical leadership practices and normative commitment contribute to improve urban land service quality. The study suggests that urban land administration organizations need to adopt ethical leadership and normative commitment practices to improve the ever-increasing challenges of urban land services in the study area.

Driving Public Sector Environmental Citizenship Behavior through Green Human Resource Management and Employee Commitment

Getachew Chebsi, Zerihun Kinde Alemu, Gebre Sorsa — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The role of public sector organizations in promoting employee eco-friendly behavior remains underexplored in developing countries. To address this gap, the study examined effect of bundle green human resource management practices (GHRMPs) on organizational citizenship behavior for the environments (OCBEs), with employee environmental commitment (EEC) operating as a mediating pathway. Data were collected via self-reported questionnaires from 382 employees of Ethiopian ministries. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the proposed hypotheses. The finding revealed that GHRMPs has significant and positive influence on employee environmental commitment and discretionary sustainable behavior. Moreover, bundled GHRMPs synergistically enhance employee commitment, fostering discretionary sustainable behaviors. Beside, EEC serves as a complementary partial mediator, explaining 34.6% of the variance accounted for (VAF) in this relationship. The novelty of the study lies in applying social exchange theory to the environmental context by recognizing employees’ commitment as an intrinsic motivator, linking organizational green practices to voluntary behaviors. The results underscore strategic importance of integrating GHRMPs in Ethiopia’s ministries to foster employee commitment and pro-environmental behavior, providing guidance for managers, policymakers and advancing Sustainable Development Goals 12 and 13 through efficient resource use and climate action.

The Moderating Effect of Gender on Leaders Emotional Intelligence and workplace Engagement of Employees: in Amhara State Public Service Bureau, Ethiopia

Mulugeta Alema Alemu, Melaku Mengistu Gebremeskel — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study examined the moderating role of gender on the emotional intelligence of leaders and workplace engagement of employees in Amhara State Public Service Bureaus in Ethiopia. Leaders’ emotional intelligence is suggested as a multidimensional constructs self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, social awareness, and relationship management. Employee engagement measured in cognitive, emotional, and physical engagement dimensions. To achieve this objective, a correlational survey design was used. Quantitative data were collected from 358 valid employee responses selected through stratified random sampling from twenty-two public sector bureaus. Data were collected using questionnaires by using primary and secondary instrument. The collected data was analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results showed that employee’ engagement was significantly practiced at low level. Similarly, leaders’ emotional intelligence was practiced significantly at low level. The structural equation model results showed that gender moderates leaders’ emotional intelligence and employees’ workplace engagement significantly. This study concluded that gender significantly moderates leaders emotional intelligent and employees’ engagement. Thus, the findings have key implications. For practically, leadership development programs should be designed with sensitive to gender dynamics to maximize their effectiveness. From a policy perspective, policy makers should consider gender responsiveness approaches inhuman resource management strategies. From theoretically, they strengthen the link between gender, leaders’ emotional intelligence and employee engagement providing a basis for future research.

The conditional Indirect Effect of Leadership Styles on Employee Performance: The Moderator Role of Employees’ Educational Level

Meseret Engida Tesemma, Tesfaye Debela Woddo, Deribe Assefa Aga — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The purpose of this study is to test a moderated mediation model in which transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire leadership styles independently predict employee performance through the mediating role of public service motivation. Furthermore, this study examines whether educational level moderates the indirect relationship between leadership styles and employee performance via public service motivation. Using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and data from a survey of employees working in public institutions in Ethiopia's Oromia region, the results show that transformational leadership has a strong positive impact on public service motivation and a significant direct effect on employee performance, whereas transactional leadership exhibits smaller positive effects and laissez-faire leadership shows negligible influence. While transformational and transactional leadership enhance performance through public service motivation across the workforce, this process is not uniform among employees. The findings show that employees with bachelor's degrees have a stronger motivational relationship than their postgraduate counterparts. The study contributes to leadership and public administration literature by demonstrating that leadership effectiveness functions through a conditional motivational process. Consequently, these results suggest that organizations must move beyond "one-size-fits-all" development programs.

The Effect of Employee Retention Strategies in Mitigating Employees Turnover in Ethiopian Public Sector

Warkaw Legesse Abate, Semira Hassen, Adinew Desale — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

In today’s world the type of retention strategies is the main reason of high turnover rate in the public sector. Employees always are looking for a better opportunity, better compensation, better working condition and succession in the organizations. Therefore, it is the responsibility of organizations that they maintain these employees through better retention strategies is vibrant. The purpose of the study was to assess the effect of staff retention strategies in mitigating employee turnover in public sector of Ethiopia. This study employed explanatory designed and quantitative approach. Primary data were gathered from 1,139 randomly selected public sector employees. Quantitative data were analyzed using a descriptive and inferential statistics was using SPSS software. The finding revealed that all independent variables have a positive and statistically significant relationship with dependent variables includes improvement in training and development, psychological needs, reward and recognition, and organizational justice were related with reduced employee turnover or increased employee retention. Moreover, regression results psychological needs, training and development found that do not have a statistically significant effect on employee retention. On the other hand, the coefficient of reward and recognition and organizational justice is positive and substantial, with a p-value 0.000 and positively and significantly affect employee turnover. Therefore, the public sector could benefit from strategies that employee recognition and promote fairness and justice in organizational practices to effectively reduce the employee turnover.

The Effect of Authentic Leadership on Employee Retention in Ethiopian Federal Police Commission: Mediating Role of Organizational Commitment

Menker Aklilu, Ojulu Okock , Simret Gebretsadik Araya — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study examines the effects of authentic leadership on employee retention in Ethiopian Federal Police Commission with organizational commitment as a mediator. Quantitative approach and explanatory design were used. Data were collected, from 380 operational and staff officers, identified from the commission using the Krejcie and Morgan formula. SmartPLS4 software employed to analyze PLS-SEM. The findings specified that authentic leadership is a strong predictor of organizational commitment (β = 0.526, p < 0.001), which is a robust predictor of employee retention (β = 0.479, p < 0.001). The effect of authentic leadership on retention is also direct (β = 0.425, p = 0.001) although an organizational commitment mediates this effect (β = 0.252, p = 0.001). These results demonstrate the theoretical significance of organizational commitment in retention and the practical significance of authentic leadership in law enforcement. Authentic leadership enhances commitment, reduce turnover and the continuation of policing services through transparency, ethics and effective communication. The report highlights the importance of leadership development initiatives that entrench authentic leadership concepts to increase the stability of the workforce, effectiveness of its operations, and societal confidence in policing.

Culturally Responsive School Leadership in Practice: The Role of Community Elders and School-Community Relationships in Primary Schools of Hadiya Zone, Central Ethiopia

Nega Ababora Woldehana, Mesfin Molla Demissie, Temesgen Lerebo Dobbo — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study aimed to investigate the application of culturally responsive school leadership in the Hadiya Zone of the Central Ethiopian Region, focusing on the roles of community elders and school-community relationships. Semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions were exploited to gather data. Participants were chosen by purposive sampling techniques who were knowledgeable community leaders, educational experts, supervisors, school principals, and Parent-Teacher-Student Association members. Atlas.ti7 helped in the data analysis that included systematic coding and thematic organization. The findings of the study revealed that leaders of primary schools in Hadiya zone are not aware of culturally responsive school leadership implementation, which was also observed to be associated with the improvement of community participation, student involvement, and academic success in the event of its implementation. Furthermore, the research revealed that the role of community elders in introducing culturally responsive school leadership in the school management is very important. Thus, the study has practical implications in creating a culturally pertinent school climate with beneficial academic performance of students. Therefore, the research advised that policymakers ought to come up with clear policies and guidelines, and training on the structure of culturally responsive school leadership for the school heads to enhance the implementation.

Quest for Apolitical Civil Service in Ethiopia: Regimes in Spotlight

Alemayehu Debebe Mekonnen — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Efficient, transparent, responsive, accountable and non-partisan civil service is essential to nurture and sustain democratic governance. Ethiopia’s bold move towards transforming the country and introduction of modern government structure goes back to the dawn of 20^th century. Yet, public service delivery system of the country increasingly lags behind achieving its desired end despite its considerable chronological age of inception. This study examines paths of the Ethiopian civil service structure since its emergence to the present. The analyses cover significant changes that took place from the time by when Emperor Menelik II established the first ever Council of Ministers in 1908. Historical research design is employed to make a meaningful sense of the past, informing the present and casting insight into the future. Exploring into practices of different regimes in promoting political neutrality of the civil service is the central theme of this inquiry. Despite legislative provisions that claim for neutrality, political partisanship prevails all across the regimes of the past and the present alike. It is common among politicians to promise de-politicization of the civil service system particularly during their election campaigns. Afterwards, regimes usually drag the civil service system into partisanship than neutrality in an attempt to safeguarding their ideological orientation and power consolidation. This study reveals that all subsequent governments of Ethiopia fall short of institutionalizing apolitical system of the public service and work towards encroaching meritocratic space, of course with varying extent. Adoption of ethnic politics, by and large, exacerbates partisanship all across the system. In effect, the system is characterized by growing loss of public trust, inefficiency, poor quality service delivery, ineffective redress mechanisms, corruption, and breaching the essence of accountability.

Leadership Skills and Workplace Engagement among Academic Staff: Evidence from Public Universities in the Amhara Region, Ethiopia.

Yenew Dagnew, Melaku Mengistu Gebremeskel — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This‌ study investigates the relationship between university leader’s' skills and‌ academic staff workplace engagement within Ethiopian public universities. An explanatory‍ sequential mixed- method design, grounded in the pragmatism paradigm was employed. The quantitative data were collected from 488 academic staff among four public universities in the state of Amhara, Ethiopia,⁠ selected via multistage stratified sampling‌. Participants were completed validated surveys measuringg leadership skills and workplace engagement. The quantitative data were analysed using inferential statistics and Structural⁠ Equation Modelling (SEM‍), and the qualitative data were analysed through thematic analysis. The SEM results showed a solid, positive link between leadership skills and how engaged people are at work, with a coefficient of β=0.51. On the qualitative side, we found that support from leaders tends to be more reactive and sporadic, rather than being a consistent and proactive approach. This study makes a unique contribution by examining the leadership- engagement relationship in under-researched African higher Education context, employing a rigorous explanatory sequential design that integrates statistical testing with contextual qualitative insights. The study concludes with evidence-based recommendations for institutional transformation, including structured leadership development programs focused on consistent skill application, distributed leadership model, systematic support and recognition systems, and institutionalized continuous monitoring of engagement metrics.