Relation between leadership style and organizational culture and commitment in military forces

Efficient human resource, due to its value is a matter of concern of reliable organizations and institutions, and recruitment of human resource requires competent leaders and the use of effective leadership styles, in order to enhance the organizational commitment and creating a desirable organizational culture. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between leadership style and organizational culture and commitment. The present study is a cross-sectional one and was conducted by correlation method on 237 employees of a military force using random sampling method. The leadership style was analyzed based on multi-factorial leadership questionnaire (MLQ), organizational culture based on the Queen & Garrett model and organizational commitment based on the Meyer & Allen model. Data were analyzed using the SPSS 11 software and one-way ANOVA test and Pearson correlation coefficient. From the staffs’ point of view, the leadership style used by the commanders was interactive or exchange style. The dominant organizational culture was rational culture. The highest mean score of organizational commitment was attributed to obligating commitment. There was significant and positive relationship between the exchange and change-inducing leadership style and organizational culture and commitment. There was a significant and inverse relationship between the laissez-faire leadership style (free) and organizational culture and commitment. Leadership style used in military forces is associated with organizational culture and commitment of forces that can be direct or inverse.