The role of transformational leadership in citizenship behavior

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships among transformational leadership, organizational learning, interpersonal trust and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). Design/methodology/approach The authors collected data from the manufacturing sector in South Korea. A total of 208 responses were analyzed by employing the structural equation modeling method. Findings The findings showed that transformational leadership directly affected organizational learning, interpersonal trust and OCB; interpersonal trust positively and significantly influenced organizational learning and OCB; organizational learning had direct and significant effects on OCB; and organizational learning mediated the relationship between transformational leadership and OCB. Research limitations/implications This study highlights the value of empirically establishing how employee citizenship behaviors are affected by transformational leadership as an integrative construct bringing together organizational learning and trust. Originality/value The study intends to encourage future research by assessing whether organizational learning and interpersonal trust mediates the link between leaders’ behavior and employees’ behavior.