The Influence of Strategic Leadership on Institutional Reputation: A Perspective of Social Exchange Theory in HEIs of Pakistan
Keywords:
Strategic leadership, institutional reputation, organizational trust, perceived organizational support, Social Exchange Theory, HEIsAbstract
The study is conducted in the light of Social Exchange Theory (SET) that deals
with the impact of strategic leadership on reputation of higher education
institutions (HEIs). It explores organizational trust as a mediator between
leadership practices and institutional reputation along with moderation by
perceived organizational support (POS). This is a quantitative and cross sectional
study; survey questionnaire was used for data collection from 220 faculty members
of public and private sector universities of Pakistan. Structural Equation Modeling
(SEM) is used to test the projected associations including mediation and
moderation effects. The results demonstrate that institutional reputation and
organizational trust are significantly impacted by strategic leadership. The
relationship between strategic leadership and institutional reputation is partially
mediated by organizational trust. The findings reveal that attaining favorable
reputational outcomes at HEIs require upholding trustworthy connections and
fostering pleasant institutional climates. The study emphasizes to rejuvenate
leadership development program, participative governance and faculty support
systems to build trust within the institutions.
