Exploring Corporate Social Responsibility: The Role of Transformational Leadership, Innovative Work Behavior, and Organizational Culture in Public Universities of Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone possesses distinct educational, economic, and social characteristics. Public universities in the country, funded by the government, are mandated to promote sustainable development, ethical conduct, and social welfare, aligning with national development strategies such as the Midterm National Development Plan and the Education Sector Plan, which emphasize leadership, diversity, and ethical standards to advance sustainable development practices. This study applies Transformational Leadership Theory to investigate the influence of transformational leadership on corporate social responsibility, exploring the mediating role of innovative work behavior and the moderating effect of organizational culture on this relationship. Using a stratified sampling technique, data were collected from 367 employees across six public universities in Sierra Leone and analyzed with SMART PLS software 4.1.1.2. The findings revealed that transformational leadership positively and significantly impacts corporate social responsibility and innovative work behavior, with innovative work behavior partially mediating the relationship between transformational leadership and corporate social responsibility, while organizational culture positively and significantly moderates this relationship. Based on these findings, the study recommends that public universities in Sierra Leone integrate transformational leadership principles into their institutional frameworks to improve organizational outcomes and leadership effectiveness. This can be achieved through leadership development programs emphasizing transformational attributes such as inspirational motivation, individualized consideration, and vision-sharing, alongside mentorship programs for leaders at all levels to strengthen leadership skills and foster an organizational culture aligned with institutional goals.