Transformational Leadership and Employees’ Helping Behavior in Public Organizations: Does Organizational Structure Matter?

Although transformational leadership (TFL) has been recognized as a significant predictor of follower work behaviors, open questions remain concerning whether its effectiveness is universally valid or contingent on context. Building on social exchange theory and leadership contingency theory, we propose that TFL affects employees’ helping behavior, and this relationship depends on centralized and formalized structural contexts. The results show that TFL is positively associated with employees’ helping behavior; however, when moderated by centralization and formalization, TFL is negatively associated with employees’ helping behavior. The results recognize that organizations’ structural characteristics should not be ignored in TFL literature and practice.