When culture meets citizenship: The moderating role of instructional leadership

This study aims to analyze the role of organizational culture and instructional leadership in shaping the organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) of high school teachers, as well as to explain the social mechanisms underlying this relationship. Specifically, this study answers questions regarding the extent to which organizational culture influences teachers' OCB, the role of instructional leadership in this relationship, and why statistically significant patterns emerge in the context of school organizations. The study uses a sequential explanatory mixed methods design, with the quantitative stage conducted through a survey of 285 public and private high school teachers in Gresik Regency, analyzed using AMOS-based Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The qualitative stage was carried out through semi structured interviews to deepen and explain the quantitative findings. The results show that organizational culture has a significant effect on teachers' OCB, while instructional leadership has no significant direct or moderating effect. This indicates that cultural factors play a more dominant role than formal leadership practices in influencing teachers’ discretionary behaviors.Qualitative findings explain that teachers' OCB develops as a result of the internalization of collective values, trust, and peer relationships that are deeply rooted in school culture, while instructional leadership is perceived more as an administrative practice than an empowering pedagogical relationship. This study makes a theoretical contribution by repositioning organizational culture as the main mechanism of social exchange in the formation of teachers' OCB, as well as emphasizing the contextual and contingent nature of instructional leadership in educational organizations. In addition, the study highlights the importance of strengthening value-based school culture to sustain teachers’ professional commitment and collaboration. These findings enrich the study of OCB and instructional leadership through the epistemological integration of quantitative and qualitative approaches.