Situational Leadership Practices of Higher Education in China as Correlates to Organizational Commitment

This study delves into the relationship between situational leadership practices and the organizational commitment of faculty members within Chinese higher education institutions. Through a survey and in-depth interviews with 352 in-service teachers from three universities in Jiangxi Province, this research collected data on situational leadership practices and organizational commitment. The findings indicate that the seven dimensions of situational leadership practices—supportive behavior, leadership behavior, members' maturity level, teaching guidance behavior, academic exchange and collaboration, personal growth and self-management, and technology application—are significantly and positively correlated with the organizational commitment of faculty members. Specifically, supportive behavior and leadership behavior play a crucial role in enhancing the affective commitment, continuance commitment, and normative commitment of faculty members. Additionally, the study discovered significant differences in the situational leadership practices related to academic exchange and collaboration among teachers from different academic backgrounds. This research underscores the pivotal role of situational leadership in enhancing the organizational commitment of faculty members and the effectiveness of higher education institutions, and it offers targeted suggestions for improvement.