Employees’ perceptions of Malaysian managers’ leadership styles and organizational commitment

Abstract

Using Bass’ (1990) framework of transactional and transformational leadership, this research investigated the
employees’ perceptions of the prevalent leadership style among Malaysian managers and its impact on
organizational commitment. The Malaysian society with its social complexity has much to offer to the
understanding of culture’s effect on leadership style and organizational commitment. Data were collected in a
survey on a sample of 40 respondents chosen among employees working in cargo companies. Results showed
that leadership tends to be more transformational than transactional. Evidence supporting a positive relation
between transformational and transactional leadership and organizational commitment has been found.