Exploring paternalistic leadership and its application to the Indonesian public sector

Purpose This present work aims to report on a study that examines the applicability of Paternalistic Leadership (PL) to public sector organisations in Indonesia. The paper seeks to discuss whether the construct of PL is perceived the same way across different cultures on the basis of an empirically‐based profile of Indonesian public sector leadership developed on the basis of a large‐scale survey carried out in Indonesian government agencies. Design/methodology/approach The study sample consisted of 1,000 civil servants in the East Java and Jogyakarta Special Region Provinces of Indonesia. Data were collected using simple random sampling techniques. The 42 items in the PL instrument were subjected to explanatory factor analysis (EFA) with variamax rotation. EFA was used to test the degree to which the model of PL proposed by Cheng applied to the Indonesian sample. Findings Using confirmatory factor analysis the results showed that there are core similarities with the Cheng et al. model which has been tested in Taiwan. The Indonesian benevolent, moral‐leadership behaviour is substantially confirmed with the model adopted for this study. According to civil servants' perception, it seems likely that Indonesian leaders are visible and authoritarian. Research limitations/implications The findings are based on a relatively small proportion of the total number of Indonesian civil servants, and focuses on those who are most likely to still uphold Javanese values. Another limitation is in the design of the study, broader focus on PL will allow the study to explain in any detail what the actual impact of PL is on management practices. Practical implications This research suggests that people teaching leadership or acting in leadership roles in Indonesia need to develop a clear understanding of the particular values of that country, rather than assuming that all Asian cultures are exactly alike. Originality/value The paper adds insight into the applicability of PL in Indonesian public sector organizations.