The Different Mechanisms of Transformational and Transactional Leadership: The Role of Organizational Commitment

The purpose of this paper is to explore the different mechanisms of the effect of transformational leadership and transactional leadership on the followers' behaviors and leadership effectiveness. 197 top managers' leadership style, leadership effectiveness, their direct subordinates' work effort are collected from both self-assessment and subordinates' assessment. Their subordinates' organizational commitments are also assessed. Affective commitment and normative commitment are hypothesized to be the mediator of the relationship between transformational leadership and outcome variables while continuance commitment is hypothesized to be the mediator of the relationship between transactional leadership and outcome variables. Hierarchical regression and Sobel's mediating effect testing are used to test the mediation effect. The results show that the mediation effect of affective commitment and normative are approved while continuance commitment does not act as a mediator. The findings suggest that work-related emotion may play a fundamental role in the leadership influence on subordinates' behaviors and leadership effectiveness. Also the practical implication of the study is discussed.