The Impact of Transformational Leadership, Work Motivation, and Organizational Culture on Civil Servant Performance: An Empirical Study in Indonesian Local Government
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24256/kharaj.v8i2.9886Keywords:
transformational leadership, work motivation, organizational culture, civil servant performance, Indonesian local governmentAbstract
This study analyzes the influence of transformational leadership, work motivation, and organizational culture on Civil Servant (ASN) performance at the Department of Youth and Sports, Luwu Regency, Indonesia. Four hypotheses were tested: transformational leadership, work motivation, and organizational culture each positively affect ASN performance, and all three variables simultaneously affect performance. A quantitative explanatory approach with cross-sectional survey design was employed. Using a census technique, all 31 ASN at the agency served as respondents. Data were collected via a structured 48-item Likert-scale questionnaire adapted from established instruments, including the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire, Perry public service motivation scale, Denison Organizational Culture Survey, and Pradhan and Jena performance scale. Multiple linear regression with SPSS was used for analysis, preceded by classical assumption tests. Results show that transformational leadership, work motivation, and organizational culture each have a positive and significant effect on ASN performance, and all three variables jointly explain a substantial proportion of performance variance, confirming all four hypotheses. Transformational leadership emerged as the strongest predictor, underscoring the critical role of inspirational and individually considerate leadership in public sector performance. These findings suggest that agency leaders should prioritize transformational leadership development, strengthen intrinsic and public service motivation, and foster an organizational culture centered on involvement, adaptability, and clear mission. Future research should explore mediating variables such as employee engagement or job satisfaction, and apply structural equation modeling for deeper causal analysis.
References
Aga, D. A., Noorderhaven, N., & Vallejo, B. (2016). Transformational leadership and project success: The mediating role of team-building. International Journal of Project Management, 34(5), 806–818. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijproman.2016.02.012
Akob, M., Arianty, R., & Putra, A. H. P. K. (2020). The mediating role of distribution Kahn’s engagement: An empirical evidence of salesperson performance. Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, 7(2), 249–260. https://doi.org/10.13106/jafeb.2020.vol7.no2.249
Ali, B. J., & Anwar, G. (2021). An empirical study of employees’ motivation and its influence job satisfaction. International Journal of Engineering, Business and Management, 5(2), 21–30. https://doi.org/10.22161/ijebm.5.2.3
Alrowwad, A., Abualoush, S. H., & Masa'deh, R. (2020). Innovation and intellectual capital as intermediary variables among transformational leadership, transactional leadership, and organizational performance. Journal of Management Development, 39(2), 196–222. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMD-02-2019-0062
Andersen, L. B., Jørgensen, T. B., Kjeldsen, A. M., Pedersen, L. H., & Vrangbæk, K. (2013). Public values and public service motivation: Conceptual and empirical relationships. The American Review of Public Administration, 43(3), 292–311. https://doi.org/10.1177/0275074012440031
Astuti, S. D., Shodikin, A., & Ud-Din, M. (2020). Islamic leadership, Islamic work culture, and employee performance: The mediating role of work motivation and job satisfaction. Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, 7(11), 1059–1068. https://doi.org/10.13106/jafeb.2020.vol7.no11.1059
Avolio, B. J., & Bass, B. M. (2004). Multifactor leadership questionnaire: Manual and sampler set (3rd ed.). Mind Garden.
Basinska, B. A., & Daderman, A. M. (2019). Work values of police officers and their relationship with job burnout and work engagement. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, Article 442. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00442
Bass, B. M. (1985). Leadership and performance beyond expectations. Free Press.
Bass, B. M., & Avolio, B. J. (1994). Improving organizational effectiveness through transformational leadership. Sage.
Bass, B. M., & Riggio, R. E. (2006). Transformational leadership (2nd ed.). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Bellé, N. (2013). Experimental evidence on the relationship between public service motivation and job performance. Public Administration Review, 73(1), 143–153. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6210.2012.02621.x
Berson, Y., Oreg, S., & Dvir, T. (2008). CEO values, organizational culture and firm outcomes. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 29(5), 615–633. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.499
Borst, R. T., Kruyen, P. M., Lako, C. J., & de Vries, M. S. (2020). The attitudinal, behavioral, and performance outcomes of work engagement: A comparative meta-analysis across the public, semipublic, and private sector. Review of Public Personnel Administration, 40(4), 613–640. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734371X19840399
Buil, I., Martínez, E., & Matute, J. (2019). Transformational leadership and employee performance: The role of identification, engagement and proactive personality. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 77, 64–75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2018.06.014
Burns, J. M. (1978). Leadership. Harper & Row.
Cameron, K. S., & Quinn, R. E. (2011). Diagnosing and changing organizational culture: Based on the competing values framework (3rd ed.). Jossey-Bass.
Chiang, J.-T., Chen, X.-P., Liu, H., Akutsu, S., & Wang, Z. (2021). We have emotions but cannot show them! Authoritarian leadership, emotion suppression climate, and team performance. Human Relations, 74(7), 1082–1111. https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726720908649
Chien, G. C. L., Mao, I., Nergui, E., & Chang, W. (2020). The effect of work motivation on employee performance: Empirical evidence from 4-star hotels in Mongolia. Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality & Tourism, 19(4), 473–495. https://doi.org/10.1080/15332845.2020.1763766
Colquitt, J. A., LePine, J. A., & Wesson, M. J. (2019). Organizational behavior: Improving performance and commitment in the workplace (6th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The ‘what’ and ‘why’ of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227–268. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327965PLI1104_01
Denison, D. R., Haaland, S., & Goelzer, P. (2004). Corporate culture and organizational effectiveness: Is Asia different from the rest of the world? Organizational Dynamics, 33(1), 98–109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orgdyn.2003.11.008
Dwivedi, P., Chaturvedi, V., & Vashist, J. K. (2020). Transformational leadership and employee efficiency: Knowledge sharing as mediator. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 27(4), 1571–1590. https://doi.org/10.1108/BIJ-08-2019-0356
Eliyana, A., Ma’arif, S., & Muzakki. (2019). Job satisfaction and organizational commitment effect in the transformational leadership towards employee performance. European Research on Management and Business Economics, 25(3), 144–150. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iedeen.2019.05.001
Gregory, B. T., Harris, S. G., Armenakis, A. A., & Shook, C. L. (2009). Organizational culture and effectiveness: A study of values, attitudes, and organizational outcomes. Journal of Business Research, 62(7), 673–679. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2008.05.021
Haerani, S., Sumardi, Hakim, W., Hartini, & Putra, A. H. P. K. (2020). Structural model of developing human resources performance: Empirical study of Indonesia states owned enterprises. Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, 7(3), 211–221. https://doi.org/10.13106/jafeb.2020.vol7.no3.211
Hameduddin, T., & Engbers, T. (2022). Leadership and public service motivation: A systematic synthesis. International Public Management Journal, 25(1), 86–119. https://doi.org/10.1080/10967494.2021.1884150
Han, S. H., Sung, M., & Suh, B. (2020). Linking meaningfulness to work outcomes through job characteristics and work engagement. Human Resource Development International, 24(1), 3–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/13678868.2020.1744999
Han, Y., & Stieha, V. (2020). Growth mindset for human resource development: A scoping review of the literature with recommended interventions. Human Resource Development Review, 19(3), 309–331. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534484320939739
Hanaysha, J. (2016). Testing the effects of employee engagement, work environment, and organizational learning on organizational commitment. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 229, 289–297. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2016.07.139
Hartnell, C. A., Ou, A. Y., & Kinicki, A. (2011). Organizational culture and organizational effectiveness: A meta-analytic investigation of the competing values framework’s theoretical suppositions. Journal of Applied Psychology, 96(4), 677–694. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0021987
Hayati, K., & Caniago, I. (2012). Islamic work ethic: The role of intrinsic motivation, job satisfaction, organizational commitment and job performance. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 65, 272–277. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.11.122
Herzberg, F. (1959). The motivation to work (2nd ed.). John Wiley & Sons.
Indahingwati, A., Launtu, A., Tamsah, H., Firman, A., Putra, A. H. P. K., & Aswari, A. (2019). How digital technology driven millennial consumer behaviour in Indonesia. Journal of Distribution Science, 17(8), 25–34. https://doi.org/10.15722/jds.17.8.201908.25
Jensen, U. T., & Bro, L. L. (2018). How transformational leadership supports intrinsic motivation and public service motivation: The mediating role of basic need satisfaction. The American Review of Public Administration, 48(6), 535–549. https://doi.org/10.1177/0275074017699470
Jiatong, W., Wang, Z., Alam, M., Murad, M., Gul, F., & Gill, S. A. (2022). The impact of transformational leadership on affective organizational commitment and job performance: The mediating role of employee engagement. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 831060. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.831060
Khan, H., Rehmat, M., Butt, T. H., Farooqi, S., & Asim, J. (2020). Impact of transformational leadership on work performance, burnout and social loafing: A mediation model. Future Business Journal, 6(1), Article 40. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43093-020-00043-8
Lai, F.-Y., Tang, H.-C., Lu, S.-C., Lee, Y.-C., & Lin, C.-C. (2020). Transformational leadership and job performance: The mediating role of work engagement. SAGE Open, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244019899085
Le, P. B., & Lei, H. (2019). Determinants of innovation capability: The roles of transformational leadership, knowledge sharing and perceived organizational support. Journal of Knowledge Management, 23(3), 527–547. https://doi.org/10.1108/JKM-09-2018-0568
Lee, J. C., Shiue, Y. C., & Chen, C. Y. (2016). Examining the impacts of organizational culture and top management support of knowledge sharing on the success of software process improvement. Computers in Human Behavior, 54, 462–474. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2015.08.030
Luthans, F. (2011). Organizational behavior: An evidence-based approach (12th ed.). McGraw-Hill/Irwin.
Mahmood, M., Uddin, M. A., & Fan, L. (2019). The influence of transformational leadership on employees’ creative process engagement. Management Decision, 57(3), 741–764. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-07-2017-0707
Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4), 370–396. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0054346
Miao, Q., Newman, A., Schwarz, G., & Cooper, B. (2018). How leadership and public service motivation enhance innovative behavior in public organizations. Public Administration Review, 78(1), 71–81. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.12839
Miao, Q., Newman, A., Schwarz, G., & Xu, L. (2014). Servant leadership, trust, and the organizational commitment of public sector employees in China. Public Administration, 92(3), 727–743. https://doi.org/10.1111/padm.12091
Naranjo-Valencia, J. C., Jiménez-Jiménez, D., & Sanz-Valle, R. (2016). Studying the links between organizational culture, innovation, and performance in Spanish companies. Revista Latinoamericana de Psicología, 48(1), 30–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rlp.2015.09.009
Nasir, J., Ibrahim, R. M., Sarwar, M. A., Sarwar, B., Al-Rahmi, W. M., Alturise, F., Al-Adwan, A. S., & Uddin, M. (2022). The effects of transformational leadership, organizational innovation, work stressors, and creativity on employee performance in SMEs. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 772104. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.772104
Northouse, P. G. (2021). Leadership: Theory and practice (9th ed.). Sage.
Paais, M., & Pattiruhu, J. R. (2020). Effect of motivation, leadership, and organizational culture on satisfaction and employee performance. Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, 7(8), 577–588. https://doi.org/10.13106/jafeb.2020.vol7.no8.577
Pancasila, I., Haryono, S., & Sulistyo, B. A. (2020). Effects of work motivation and leadership toward work satisfaction and employee performance: Evidence from Indonesia. Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, 7(6), 387–397. https://doi.org/10.13106/jafeb.2020.vol7.no6.387
Pang, K., & Lu, C.-S. (2018). Organizational motivation, employee job satisfaction and organizational performance: An empirical study of container shipping companies in Taiwan. Maritime Business Review, 3(1), 36–52. https://doi.org/10.1108/MABR-03-2018-0007
Perry, J. L. (1996). Measuring public service motivation: An assessment of construct reliability and validity. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 6(1), 5–22. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.jpart.a024303
Perry, J. L., & Wise, L. R. (1990). The motivational bases of public service. Public Administration Review, 50(3), 367–373. https://doi.org/10.2307/976618
Pinder, C. C. (2008). Work motivation in organizational behavior (2nd ed.). Psychology Press.
Pradhan, R. K., & Jena, L. K. (2017). Employee performance at workplace: Conceptual model and empirical validation. Business Perspectives and Research, 5(1), 69–85. https://doi.org/10.1177/2278533716671630
Qi, F., & Wang, W. (2018). Employee involvement, public service motivation, and perceived organizational performance: Testing a new model. International Review of Administrative Sciences, 84(4), 746–764. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020852316662531
Rampa, R., & Agogué, M. (2021). Developing radical innovation capabilities: Exploring the effects of training employees for creativity and innovation in R&D. Creativity and Innovation Management, 30(1), 211–227. https://doi.org/10.1111/caim.12423
Ritz, A., Brewer, G. A., & Neumann, O. (2016). Public service motivation: A systematic literature review and outlook. Public Administration Review, 76(3), 414–426. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.12505
Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2017). Organizational behavior (17th ed.). Pearson Education.
Schein, E. H. (2010). Organizational culture and leadership (4th ed.). Jossey-Bass.
Sugiyono. (2019). Metode penelitian kuantitatif, kualitatif, dan R&D (2nd ed.). Alfabeta.
Suong, H. T. T., Thanh, D. D., & Dao, T. T. X. (2019). The impact of leadership styles on the engagement of cadres, lecturers and staff at public universities: Evidence from Vietnam. Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, 6(1), 273–280. https://doi.org/10.13106/jafeb.2019.vol6.no1.273
Van Loon, N. M., Kjeldsen, A. M., Andersen, L. B., Vandenabeele, W., & Leisink, P. (2018). Only when the societal impact potential is high? A panel study of the relationship between public service motivation and perceived performance. Review of Public Personnel Administration, 38(2), 139–166. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734371X16639111
Vandenabeele, W. (2009). The mediating effect of job satisfaction and organizational commitment on self-reported performance: More robust evidence of the PSM-performance relationship. International Review of Administrative Sciences, 75(1), 11–34. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020852308099504
Warrick, D. D. (2017). What leaders need to know about organizational culture. Business Horizons, 60(3), 395–404. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2017.01.011
Yesil, S., & Kaya, A. (2013). The effect of organizational culture on firm financial performance: Evidence from a developing country. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 81, 428–437. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.06.455
Yukl, G. (2013). Leadership in organizations (8th ed.). Pearson Education
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Citation Check
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Hairun Zainuddin
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. In line with the license, authors are allowed to share and adapt the material. In addition, the material must be given appropriate credit, provided with a link to the license, and indicated if changes were made. If authors remix, transform or build upon the material, authors must distribute their contributions under the same license as the original.
