The influence of transformational leadership, human resource development and readiness for change on job performance of employees in Thai autonomous universities

Abstract

The major objectives of this study were 1) to ascertain the level of transformational leadership behaviors, human resource development activities, employee’s readiness for change, and job performance of employees in Thai autonomous universities 2) to identify the direct and indirect influences of studied factors that have the most, moderate, or no effect on job performance of employees in Thai autonomous universities, and 3) to find out interrelations among transformational leadership, human resource development, readiness for change, and job performance including relation pattern among sub-variables of these key factors.

Research methodology in this study used an integration of quantitative and qualitative research. The main research method was conducted through quantitative analysis by using a cross-sectional survey study. In-depth interviews of key informants in Thai autonomous universities were conducted for qualitative research to confirm the findings from quantitative study. The sample of 400 full-time employees was selected from the total population in the scoped autonomous universities by using the quota sampling method. A self-administered questionnaire and structured interviews were used as the data collection instrument. The usable data were received from 334 respondents, representing 83.5 percent of the target.

The data were processed by Statistic Package for Social Science (SPSS) program. The statistics for data analysis were percentage, mean, standard deviation, maximum and minimum values, Simple Correlation analysis, Multiple Regression analysis, and Path analysis.

The research results indicated that 1) the respondents perceived that their supervisors had a moderate level of transformational leadership. Human resource development activities in their universities and their readiness for change were perceived at a medium level. Their average job performance level was good. 2) Most of components of transformational leadership, human resource development, and readiness for change, except education, had direct positive influence on job performance of employees in Thai autonomous universities at the .05 statistic level when Multiple Regression coefficient was calculated. 3) Individual consideration, a sub-variable of transformational leadership, had the highest direct positive influence on job performance of employees, while organization development, had highest indirect positive effect on job performance. However, individual development had the highest total casual effect (both direct and indirect influence) on job performance of employees. 4) Transformational leadership and human resource development had positively indirect influence on employees’ job performance through readiness for change. Additionally, transformational leadership also had direct positive influence on human resource development and readiness for change.

The research’s proposed conceptual model could explain 72.9 percent (R2 =0.729) of employees’ job performance in Thai autonomous universities. This can be claimed that three key determinants; transformational leadership, human resource development, and readiness for change had high correlation with job performance of employees. Therefore, this study recommends that transformational leadership behaviors, human resource development activities, and employee’s readiness for change should be greatly taken into consideration of management and related sections of Thai autonomous universities in formulation of applicable strategies to develop their employees. This will lead to better personal and organizational job performance and consequently improved services to the public and country.