A Study of the Relationship between the Perceived Transformational Leadership Style and Organizational Commitment of UNRWA Staff

This research aimed at investigating the effect of transformational leadership style on organizational commitment, as a multidimensional construct (affective, continuance and normative commitment). 589 UNRWA local staff, in Gaza, West Bank, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon, completed a questionnaire of leadership style, based on Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire, developed by (Avolio and Bass, 1995 & 1997), and Organizational Commitment Questionnaire, based on (Meyer and Allen, 1997) model.

The study concluded that transformational leadership style was not dominant among UNRWA supervisors, as perceived by their subordinates; the organizational commitment was mild, where affective commitment goes slightly over normative and continuance commitment; and there was a positive relationship between the perceived transformational leadership style and organizational commitment. Also, the study found that there were varied patterns of differences, at a=0.05 level, among  the respondents’ perception of leadership style and organizational commitment, due to their  demographic characteristics (place of work, gender, age, marital status, family size, academic qualifications, experience, job grade and number of training courses).