Organizational Commitment and the Role of Relations-Oriented or Task-Oriented Leadership Behaviors: A Research Examining Employee Perception in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between organizational commitment and leadership behaviors in Saudi Arabia, focusing on relations-oriented and task-oriented styles. Using Meyer and Allen’s Organizational Commitment Questionnaire and Bass and Avolio’s Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ Form 5X), quantitative data were collected from fifty employees across various industries to assess how leadership, training, task allocation, and managerial motivation influence employee loyalty. Findings supported the first hypothesis, showing a significant positive link between organizational commitment and relations-oriented leadership, with committed employees perceiving leaders as collaborative, supportive, and trustworthy. The second hypothesis was also confirmed, revealing a negative relationship between task-oriented leadership and commitment, as authoritative, goal-focused leaders tended to lower employees’ attachment to organizational goals. The results underscore the importance of culturally aligned leadership in Saudi Arabia, recommending the adoption of relational leadership practices to strengthen commitment, and suggesting future longitudinal studies to explore how changes in leadership behaviors over time affect organizational commitment.