A model of transformational leadership and organisational performance in state-owned enterprises in Zimbabwe

A lack of leadership skills was cited as one of the reasons for poor performance in Zimbabwe’s state-owned enterprises (SOEs). In response to the highlighted leadership skills gap and poor performance in the state-owned enterprises, the present study sought to address this by developing a transformational leadership and organisational performance model. In pursuit of this aim, specific objectives set at the onset are: to develop a conceptual leadership and an organisational performance model for state-owned enterprises in Zimbabwe, to theoretically explain the relationships between variables in the proposed transformational leadership and organisational performance model using previous literature, and to determine the predictive validity of the proposed transformational leadership and organisational performance model in State-Owned Enterprises in Zimbabwe. A quantitative research approach was selected, with predictive research design being adopted. The study made use of four standard questionnaires, namely the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire-5X (MLQ-5X) to assess transformational leadership, the Influence Behaviour Questionnaire (IBQ-G) to assess proactive influence tactics; the Leader-Member-Exchange Questionnaire (LMX-7) to assess the quality of leader follower relationships; and finally the Competing Values Questionnaire (CVQ) to assess organisational performance. The data was collected from managerial and nonmanagerial staff members representing 12 State Owned Enterprises (SOEs), as well as government officials from line Ministries in Zimbabwe using these questionnaires. A total of 302 respondents participated in the study, representing a 78% response rate. All four instruments used in the study demonstrated good reliability and validity. In the analysis of the data, descriptive statistics and inferential statistics are provided from SPSS and SmartPLS. The analysis was in the form of correlations, stepwise multiple regression and structural equation modelli