The Impact of Transformational Leadership and Transparent Communication on Employees' Openness to Change by Explaining the Mediating Role of Organizational Trust

In recent years, as a result change of the transformational leadership of higher education, which has been done in order to face global changes and challenges, there has been a growing interest in the jobs of leaders in the field of higher education institutions. Selection of expert leaders; It affects the growth and development of higher education centers and is considered a key factor in achieving university standards and strengthening performance. The main purpose of this researcher was to investigate the effect of transformational leadership and transparent communication on employees' openness to change, by explaining the mediating role of organizational trust in the Kerman police force. Present study is an applied descriptive survey in terms of purpose and data gathering way. The statistical population of this research is 220 police officers in Kerman, the sample size of which was randomly selected based on Cochran's formula equal to 140 people. A standard questionnaire with appropriate validity and reliability was used to collect data. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 16 and Smart PLS software and descriptive and inferential statistics and structural equation modeling were used. The results showed that organizational trust has a significant positive effect on employees' openness to change. Transformational leadership has a significant positive effect on organizational trust, employee openness to change, and transparent communication. On the other hand, transparent communication has a significant positive effect on organizational trust and employee openness to change. Organizational trust also plays a mediating role in influencing transformational leadership and transparent communication with employees' openness to change. In short, the emergence of different leadership behaviors by university leaders is important, but transformational leadership allows them to play their role more competently in the current dynamic environment.