This study investigates the impact of value-based leadership practices on performance outcomes in Ethiopian public universities, with affective commitment serving as a mediating variable. Drawing on a sample of 641 full-time employees across four universities, we employed a two-step structural equation modelling process that included confirmatory factor analysis and path analysis. Our findings revealed significant direct and indirect effects of value-based leadership practices, decision-making and communication on institutional performance. Affective commitment partially mediated these relationships. The model showed acceptable fit indices (RMSEA = 0.089, CFI = 0.942, TLI = 0.931), with high path coefficients (e.g., leadership to performance, β = 0.47; R ² = 0.56 for performance). The results underscore the importance of embedding ethical and communicative leadership practices to drive performance in higher education institutions.
Tadesse et al. (Thu,) studied this question.