Explaining Employees’ Moral Identity Based on Transformational Leadership and Autonomy-Supportive Environment with the Mediating Role of Organizational Commitment in Educational Environments
Keywords:
Autonomy-supportive environment, Educational employees, Moral identity, Organizational commitment, Transformational leadershipAbstract
This study aimed to explain employees’ moral identity based on transformational leadership and an autonomy-supportive environment, with particular emphasis on the mediating role of organizational commitment in educational settings. This applied study employed a descriptive-correlational design using structural equation modeling. The statistical population consisted of 468 administrative employees working in the four educational districts of Shiraz during the 2025–2026 academic year. Using simple random sampling, 246 employees were recruited, and after excluding incomplete questionnaires, data from 231 participants were included in the final analyses. Data were collected using the Bass and Avolio Transformational Leadership Questionnaire, Assor’s Autonomy-Supportive Environment Scale, Allen and Meyer’s Organizational Commitment Questionnaire, and the Black and Reynolds Moral Identity Questionnaire. Pearson correlation analysis and structural equation modeling were conducted using SPSS-27 and AMOS-27. Transformational leadership had significant positive effects on organizational commitment (β=0.35, p=0.001) and moral identity (β=0.22, p=0.001). An autonomy-supportive environment also significantly and positively predicted organizational commitment (β=0.37, p=0.001) and moral identity (β=0.25, p=0.001). Organizational commitment exerted a significant positive effect on moral identity (β=0.41, p=0.001). Furthermore, the indirect effect of transformational leadership on moral identity through organizational commitment was significant (β=0.14, p=0.001), as was the indirect effect of an autonomy-supportive environment on moral identity (β=0.15, p=0.001). The predictor variables explained 36% of the variance in organizational commitment and 41% of the variance in employees’ moral identity. Transformational leadership and an autonomy-supportive environment contribute to strengthening employees’ moral identity both directly and indirectly through enhanced organizational commitment. Accordingly, promoting transformational leadership practices and creating work environments that support employee autonomy may represent effective organizational strategies for reinforcing commitment and facilitating the internalization of ethical values among employees in educational organizations.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Fatemeh Dadvand, Reza Manzaritavakoli (Author); Gholamhossein Maktabi (Corresponding author)
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