The Relationship Between Participative Leadership Style and Employee Performance in a South African University
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51137/wrp.ijarbm.729Keywords:
Participative Leadership Style, Performance, Sustainability, University, South AfricaAbstract
Participative leadership is increasingly recognized as an effective approach in universities, where collaboration, shared decision-making, and employee empowerment are crucial for organizational success. This study examines the relationship between participative leadership style and employee performance within a South African university. It explores how leaders who actively involve employees in decision-making processes influence motivation, job satisfaction, commitment, and overall work performance. Using a quantitative research approach, data were collected from academic and administrative staff through structured questionnaires that measured perceptions of participative leadership practices and various indicators of employee performance. A convenient sample of n=400 was considered for the study. Statistical analyses were then conducted to assess the strength and significance of the relationship between participative leadership behaviors and employee outcomes. The findings indicate a positive and significant relationship between participative leadership and employee performance. The results further suggest that participative leadership fosters a sense of ownership and accountability among employees, thereby enhancing their performance. This study contributes to the literature on leadership and organizational behavior within the higher education sector in South Africa by highlighting the importance of leadership practices that promote collaboration and shared responsibility.
References
Aguinis, H., & Burgi-Tian, J. (2023). Performance management around the world: solving the standardization vs adaptation dilemma. IIM Ranchi journal of management studies, 2(2), 159-170.
Al Khajeh, E. H. (2018). Impact of leadership styles on organizational performance. Journal of human resources management research, 2018(2018), 1-10.
Chimbunde, P., & Brown, B. (2026). Towards a Decolonised University in South Africa: Filling the Blanks: P. Chimbunde and B. Brown. Higher Education Policy, 1-17.
Dudycz, T. (2025). Legal form affects the performance of a company. European Journal of Law and Economics, 60(1), 81-143.
Fatoki, O. (2024). Inclusive leadership and employee voice behaviour: Serial mediating effects of psychological safety and affective commitment. Administrative Sciences, 14(9), 199.
Haricharan, S.J., 2023. Leadership, management and organisational implications for public service employee well-being and performance. SA Journal of Human Resource Management, 21, a2080.
Keino, D. & Eng’airo, P., 2025. The influence of participative leadership on organizational performance metrics. African Journal of Emerging Issues, 7(19), pp.48–63.
Khassawneh, O., & Elrehail, H. (2022). The effect of participative leadership style on employees’ performance: The contingent role of institutional theory. Administrative Sciences, 12(4), 195.
Mardianah, L., Hidayat, S., & Hamidah, H. (2020). Empirical study of the impact of work from home (WFH) policy and top management support on employee performance. Journal of Research in Business, Economics, and Education, 2(5), 1039-1045.
Mpuangnan, K.N., Govender, S., Mhlongo, H.R. & Osei, F.S., 2024. Impact of motivation and participative leadership style on employee performance: Mediating the role of job satisfaction. International Journal of Innovative Research and Scientific Studies, 7(3), pp.1088–1098.
Mtilwa, O. (2022). The influence of participative leadership on worker performance in a hybrid social enterprise in Cape Town (Doctoral dissertation, Cape Peninsula University of Technology).
Mukwawaya, O. Z., Proches, C., & Green, P. (2025). Examining the Application of Talent Management Practices Employed at a Tertiary Institution in South Africa. Journal of Applied Business Research, 41(3).
Mukwawaya, O. Z., Proches, C., & Green, P. (2025). Talent Management for Academics Within the South African Higher Education Landscape-A Conceptual Framework. International Journal of Applied Research in Business and Management, 6(4).
Mukwawaya, O. Z., Seeletse, S. M., & Mutambara, E. (2026). Integrated Talent Management Framework Development for Sustainable Human Capital Development in a South African University. International Journal of Sustainability in Business and Economics, 2(1).
Ngo, J.D. & Van der Westhuizen, J., 2023. Participative decision making: Implications on organisational citizenship behaviour in a public higher education institution. EUREKA: Social and Humanities.
Ogunbayo, S. B., & Mhlanga, N. (2022). Effects of training on teachers’ job performance in Nigeria's public secondary schools. Asian Journal of Assessment in Teaching and Learning, 12(1), 44-51.
Samodien, M., Du Plessis, M., & Van Vuuren, C. J. (2024). Enhancing higher education performance: Transformational, transactional and agile leadership. SA Journal of Human Resource Management, 22, 1-13.
Sengendo, D., & Eduan, W. (2024). Headteachers' Transformational Leadership and its Influence on Academic Performance: A Case of Public Secondary Schools in Uganda.
Smit, P.F., 2022. The enhancement of employee performance through leadership and individual level variables in South African municipalities. University of the Free State.
Smit, I., Bam, L. & Zincume, P.N., 2023. Participative management for team effectiveness and innovation. South African Journal of Industrial Engineering, 34(1), pp.28–41.
Smit, I., Bam, L. & Zincume, P.N., 2023. Participative management for team effectiveness and innovation. South African Journal of Industrial Engineering, 34(1), pp.28–41.
Venter, B. G., du Plessis, M., & Stander, M. W. (2024). Insights into leadership practices in South African higher education. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 50, 2173.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Owen Zivanai Mukwawaya (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
