The Effects of Transformational Leadership, Organizational Culture, and Readiness for Change on Teacher Performance Through Innovative Work Behavior

Abstract

Teacher performance is an important factor in improving the quality of education, particularly amid increasingly dynamic demands for change and innovation. Although transformational leadership, organisational culture, and readiness to change have been widely studied as determinants of teacher performance, the findings of previous research remain inconsistent. Furthermore, research that positions innovative work behaviour as a mediating mechanism in explaining the relationship between these factors and teacher performance is still relatively limited, especially in the context of private schools operating under educational foundations. This study therefore aims to examine the influence of transformational leadership, organisational culture, and readiness to change on teacher performance, with innovative work behaviour as a mediating variable. The novelty of this research lies in its examination of innovative work behaviour as a mechanism through which leadership, organisational, and individual readiness factors influence teacher performance in the context of private schools. This study employs a quantitative approach with a survey method involving 131 teachers from six senior high schools under the auspices of the Prayoga Riau Foundation. Data were analysed using Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) with a bootstrapping technique of 5,000 resamples. The results show that transformational leadership does not have a significant effect on innovative work behaviour or teacher performance. Organisational culture and readiness to change, by contrast, have a positive and significant effect on innovative work behaviour, while organisational culture also has a direct effect on teacher performance. Innovative work behaviour is proven to have a positive effect on teacher performance and mediates the influence of both organisational culture and readiness to change on teacher performance. These findings indicate that improving teacher performance is more effectively achieved through strengthening an organisational culture that supports innovation and increasing readiness to face change, thereby fostering the development of innovative work behaviours. The practical implications of this study highlight the importance of developing school policies oriented toward innovation, collaboration, and adaptability as a strategy for improving teacher performance.