The effect of leadership support on commitment to change and turnover intention in Omani higher education

Abstract

ABSTRACT Empirical evidence increasingly suggests that supervisors’ support significantly impacts employees’ commitment to change and possibly diminishes their turnover intention. This study, conducted at a government university in Oman, investigated a mediated-effects model of leadership support and faculty turnover intention. The model proposes leadership support (supervisor support) as an antecedent of faculty turnover intention and commitment to accreditation-related change as a mediator in the leadership support–faculty turnover intention relationship. Survey data were collected from faculty members (n = 221) and analysed using structural equation modelling. Findings showed that leadership support greatly contributes to low faculty turnover intention and improves faculty’s commitment to accreditation, which has a significant and direct impact on their turnover intention. Therefore, university-level leadership support, both directly and indirectly, shapes faculty’s commitment to change. These results have significant implications for practice as well as for future research related to leadership support for academic accreditation in higher education institutions.