Servant Leadership: Influence of Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment

Nikolina Vrcelj; Vuk Bevanda; Nevena Bevanda

doi:10.7595/management.fon.2022.0009

Nikolina Vrcelj Association of Economists and Managers of the Balkans, Belgrade, Serbia http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6409-4005
Vuk Bevanda Faculty of Social Sciences, Belgrade, University Business Academy in Novi Sad, Serbia http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8629-6719
Nevena Bevanda Association of Economists and Managers of the Balkans, Belgrade, Serbia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.7595/management.fon.2022.0009

Abstract

Research Question: The research objective of this study was to use empirical research to investigate the impact of servant leadership on job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Motivation: Despite the growing scholarly interest in servant leadership (Adiguzel, Ozcinar, & Karadal, 2020; Karatepe, Ozturk, & Terry Kim, 2019; Kozak, 2020), the area still lacks coherence and clarity. Although most improvements have been published in top-tier management journals, servant leadership research has also been published in other fields such as nursing, tourism, and education (Eva, Robin, Sendjaya, van Dierendonck, & Liden, 2019). These studies, however, are mainly focused on developed market economies whereas research in transition economies is limited. It is for this reason that we wanted to examine servant leadership and its relationship with job satisfaction and organizational commitment in the Republic of Serbia. Idea: Our main goal was to put the theory to the empirical test through known and validated questionnaires about whether servant leadership has a positive statistically significant impact on organizational commitment and whether servant leadership has a positive statistically significant effect on job satisfaction. Data: The quantitative data for the analysis were collected from February 5, 2020, until February 15, 2020, based on the results of a survey of 102 online participants. The basic sampling criterion was that the respondents were employed. Tools: Primary data were collected through a questionnaire. Servant leadership was measured by questionnaires compiled by Fields & Winston (2010) and Van Dierendonck & Nuijten (2011), job satisfaction was measured by an adjusted questionnaire developed by Spector (1994), and organizational commitment by a questionnaire developed by Mowday, Steers & Porter (1979). Descriptive statistics, correlation, and simple regression analysis were used in the data analysis. Findings: The results show the statistically significant positive impact of servant leadership on job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Moreover, servant leadership has a stronger impact on job satisfaction than on organizational commitment. The obtained research results are in the accordance with the results pointed out by Hamideh & Mahmood Zare (2012); West & Bocârnea (2008); Mohammad, Hussein, & Mohammad (2011); Ebener & O'Connell (2010); Hu & Liden (2011) and Liden, Wayne, Zhao, & Henderson (2008). Contribution: The results of the study may serve as guidance that organizations can use as inputs in the process of making future decisions and strategies in the human resource management (HRM) practice.

Author Biographies

Nikolina Vrcelj, Association of Economists and Managers of the Balkans, Belgrade, Serbia

Nikolina Vrcelj is the executive director of the Association of Economists and Managers of the Balkans headquartered in Belgrade, Serbia, and a managing editor of the Balkans Journal of Emerging Trends in Social Sciences. During the years she has been a scholar/researcher of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia and engaged in scientific projects financed by the Ministry. Nikolina has more than eight years of work experience at the university in different positions (teaching and administrative). Since the beginning of her scientific research career, in collaboration with colleagues and independently, she has published more than 50 scientific, professional, and review papers.

Vuk Bevanda, Faculty of Social Sciences, Belgrade, University Business Academy in Novi Sad, Serbia

Vuk Bevanda, PhD, is an associate professor at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Belgrade, University Business Academy in Novi Sad. He is the author and co-author of a large number of scientific papers of various categories published in domestic and foreign journals, proceedings and thematic monographs, textbooks, etc. Also, he is a reviewer of a large number of scientific papers. Vuk is a member of program and editorial boards of a number of international scientific conferences, and editor-in-chief of an international thematic monograph "Modern Management Tools and Economy of the Tourism Sector in Present Era" indexed in Web of Science, as well as of a scientific journal Balkans Journal of Emerging Trends in Social Sciences, and several proceedings of international scientific conferences.

Nevena Bevanda, Association of Economists and Managers of the Balkans, Belgrade, Serbia

Nevena Bevanda, MSc, graduated from the Faculty of Organisational Sciences, University of Belgrade. She has published several scientific papers and participated in domestic and international scientific conferences. She is an Event Manager and one of the founders of the Association of Economists and Managers of the Balkans. Nevena speaks English and Chinese.