Exploring the Relationships Between Perceived Leadership Style, Job Satisfaction, and Academic Service Quality Among Cambodian Public University Staff
Keywords:
Academic Service Quality, Job Satisfaction, Public University, Public University Staff, Transformational Leadership
Abstract
Purpose of the Study: This study aims to investigate the current self-perceptions of public university staff in Cambodia regarding transformational leadership components, job satisfaction, and academic service quality.
Methodology: This study employs the quantitative research design. A sample of 336 staff from three selected public universities located in Phnom Penh completed the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) to measure transformational leadership (TRL) dimensions, the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) to measure the level of job satisfaction (JOS), the Service Quality (SERVPERF) to measure academic service quality (ASQ), and a demographic survey. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.
Main Findings: The study found that public university staff in Cambodia perceived TRL, JOS, and ASQ were at high levels. Ranking from the highest to the lowest mean scores were TRL, JOS, and ASQ, respectively. It was also revealed that there were favorable correlations between TRL dimensions, JOS, and ASQ. This indicates that the TRL dimensions exhibited stronger positive relationships. Every correlation was statistically significant at the 0.01 level.
Novelty/Originality of this Study: Through this study, the significance of transformative leadership behavior and its connection to job satisfaction and academic service quality were better understood. The findings of this study offer empirical research on this subject in higher education, which advances the field of leadership studies.
References
[1] B. Naser, Z. Esmaeil, J. Masood, and S. Mahmood, "The relationship between internal service quality and physical education faculty members’ job satisfaction in Dist. 10 of Islamic Azad University, Iran," European Journal of Experimental Biology, vol. 3, pp. 379–382, 2013. [Online]. Available: http://pelagiaresearchlibrary.com/european-journal-of-experimental-biology/
[2] C. N. Hang, Education Management Reform Strategies for Enhancing the Quality of Citizenship in Cambodia, Doctoral dissertation, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, 2017.
[3] S. Lim, Impact of School Directors’ Leadership Behaviors on Teachers’ Morale: A Case Study of Secondary Resource Schools in Cambodia, Doctoral dissertation, Beltei International University, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 2023.
[4] R. Hallowell, L. A. Schlesinger, and J. Zornitsky, "Internal service quality, customer and job satisfaction: Linkages and implications for managers," 1999. [Online]. Available: http://edtech2.tennessee.edu/projects/USDA/isq.pdf
[5] I. McRoy and P. Gibbs, "Leading change in higher education," Educational Management Administration & Leadership, vol. 37, pp. 687–704, 2009. doi:10.1177/1741143209339655
[6] V. A. Zeithaml and M. J. Bitner, Services Marketing: Integrating Customer Focus Across the Firm, Madison, WI: McGraw-Hill, 2000.
[7] C. Grönroos, "A service quality model and its marketing implications," European Journal of Marketing, vol. 18, no. 4, pp. 36–44, 1984. doi:10.1108/EUM0000000004784.
[8] A. Parasuraman, V. A. Zeithaml, and L. L. Berry, "A conceptual model of service quality and its implications for further research," Journal of Marketing, vol. 49, no. 3, pp. 41–50, 1985. doi:10.2307/1251430.
[9] Royal Government of Cambodia, Pentagonal Strategy – Phase 1 for Growth, Employment, Equity, Efficiency and Sustainability: Building the Foundation Towards Realizing the Cambodia Vision 2050, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 2023.
[10] Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, Education Congress: The Education, Youth and Sport Performance in the Academic Year 2023-2024 and Goals for the Academic Year 2024-2025, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 2025.
[11] W. Omar and F. Hussein, "Transformational leadership style and job satisfaction relationship: A study of structural equation modeling (SEM)," International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, vol. 2, no. 3, 2013. [Online]. Available: http://hrmars.com/index.php/pages/detail/IJARBSS
[12] P. G. Northouse, Leadership: Theory and Practice, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2010.
[13] B. M. Bass, Leadership and Performance Beyond Expectations, New York, NY: Free Press, 1985.
[14] M. Horner, "Leadership theory: Past, present and future," Team Performance Management, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 270–287, 1997. doi:10.1108/13527599710195402
[15] B. J. Avolio and B. M. Bass, Developing Potential Across a Full Range of Leadership, Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum, 2002.
[16] B. M. Bass and B. J. Avolio, Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire: Manual Leader Form, Rater, and Scoring Key for MLQ, Form 5x-Short, Redwood City, CA: Mind Garden, 1995.
[17] F. Herzberg, The Managerial Choice: To Be Efficient and to Be Human, Homewood, IL: Dow Jones-Irwin, 1976.
[18] A. H. Maslow, "A theory of human motivation," Psychological Review, vol. 50, pp. 370–396, 1943. doi:10.1037/h0054346
[19] F. Herzberg, B. Mausner, and B. Snyderman, The Motivation to Work, New York, NY: Wiley, 1959.
[20] D. J. Weiss, R. V. Dawis, G. W. England, and L. H. Lofquist, Manual of the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire, Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 1976.
[21] A. Parasuraman, V. A. Zeithaml, and L. L. Berry, "SERVQUAL: A multiple-item scale for measuring consumer perceptions of service quality," Journal of Retailing, vol. 64, pp. 12–40, 1988. [Online]. Available: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-retailing
[22] A. Koni, K. Zainal, and M. Ibrahim, "An assessment of the services quality of Palestine Higher Education," International Education Studies, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 34–35, 2013. [Online]. Available: http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/ies
[23] R. N. Bolton and J. H. Drew, "A longitudinal analysis of the impact of service changes on customer attitudes," Journal of Marketing, vol. 55, pp. 1–10, 1991. doi:10.2307/1252199
[24] J. Cronin and S. Taylor, "Measuring service quality: A re-examination and extension," Journal of Marketing, vol. 56, no. 3, pp. 55–68, 1992. doi:10.2307/1252296
[25] M. Saunders, P. Lewis, and A. Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students (3rd ed.), Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2003.
[26] J. W. Creswell, Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches, Los Angeles, CA: Sage, 2009.
[27] R. W. Brislin, W. J. Lonner, and R. M. Thorndike, Cross-Cultural Research Methods, New York: John Wiley, 1986.
[28] J. L. Harrison, "Instructor transformational leadership and student outcomes," Emerging Leadership Journeys, vol. 4, pp. 91–119, 2011. [Online]. Available: http://www.regent.edu/acad/global/publications/elj/home.htm
[29] M. Erdem, A. İlğan, and H. Uçar, "Relationship between learning organization and job satisfaction of primary school teachers," International Online Journal of Educational Science, vol. 6, pp. 8–20, 2014. doi:10.15345/iojes.2014.01.002
[30] N. Jabnoun and A. Al Rasasi, "Transformational leadership and service quality in UAE hospitals," Managing Service Quality: An International Journal, vol. 15, pp. 70–81, 2024. doi:10.1108/09604520510575272
[31] S. M. Ibraheem, A. A. Hussein, and E. B. Ayat Mohammad, "The relationship between transformational leadership and employees’ satisfaction at Jordanian private hospitals," Business and Economic Horizons, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 35–46, 2011. doi:10.15208/beh.2011.13
[32] T. A. Tesfaw and R. H. Hofman, "Relationship between instructional supervision and professional development," International Education Journal: Comparative Perspectives, vol. 13, pp. 82–99, 2014. [Online]. Available: http://www.iejcomparative.org/
[33] Z. Dehaghani, H. Najafi, and M. Mahdavipur, "A study on the relation between service quality and job satisfaction (Case study: Single branch private banks in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province)," Academie Royale des Sciences d’Outre-Mer Bulletin Des Seances, vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 134–139, 2015. [Online]. Available: http://ardsj.com/index.php/archive/
[34] S. Em, S. Mok, and R. Sam, "Perspectives on directors' transformational leadership: Insights from Cambodian high school teachers," Journal of General Education and Humanities, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 411–432, 2024. doi: 10.58421/gehu.v3i4.328.
[35] S. Em, S. Mok, and R. Sam, "Exploring Cambodian teachers' views on transformational leadership of school directors," Journal of Social Knowledge Education (JSKE), vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 76–89, 2025. doi: 10.37251/jske.v6i1.1364.
[36] S. Em, Effectiveness of school directors’ transformational leadership on teachers’ self-efficacy and job performance in Cambodia, Doctoral dissertation, The University of Cambodia, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://ejournal.educationalfields.com/index.php/CJESSOL/article/view/63
[2] C. N. Hang, Education Management Reform Strategies for Enhancing the Quality of Citizenship in Cambodia, Doctoral dissertation, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, 2017.
[3] S. Lim, Impact of School Directors’ Leadership Behaviors on Teachers’ Morale: A Case Study of Secondary Resource Schools in Cambodia, Doctoral dissertation, Beltei International University, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 2023.
[4] R. Hallowell, L. A. Schlesinger, and J. Zornitsky, "Internal service quality, customer and job satisfaction: Linkages and implications for managers," 1999. [Online]. Available: http://edtech2.tennessee.edu/projects/USDA/isq.pdf
[5] I. McRoy and P. Gibbs, "Leading change in higher education," Educational Management Administration & Leadership, vol. 37, pp. 687–704, 2009. doi:10.1177/1741143209339655
[6] V. A. Zeithaml and M. J. Bitner, Services Marketing: Integrating Customer Focus Across the Firm, Madison, WI: McGraw-Hill, 2000.
[7] C. Grönroos, "A service quality model and its marketing implications," European Journal of Marketing, vol. 18, no. 4, pp. 36–44, 1984. doi:10.1108/EUM0000000004784.
[8] A. Parasuraman, V. A. Zeithaml, and L. L. Berry, "A conceptual model of service quality and its implications for further research," Journal of Marketing, vol. 49, no. 3, pp. 41–50, 1985. doi:10.2307/1251430.
[9] Royal Government of Cambodia, Pentagonal Strategy – Phase 1 for Growth, Employment, Equity, Efficiency and Sustainability: Building the Foundation Towards Realizing the Cambodia Vision 2050, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 2023.
[10] Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, Education Congress: The Education, Youth and Sport Performance in the Academic Year 2023-2024 and Goals for the Academic Year 2024-2025, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 2025.
[11] W. Omar and F. Hussein, "Transformational leadership style and job satisfaction relationship: A study of structural equation modeling (SEM)," International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, vol. 2, no. 3, 2013. [Online]. Available: http://hrmars.com/index.php/pages/detail/IJARBSS
[12] P. G. Northouse, Leadership: Theory and Practice, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2010.
[13] B. M. Bass, Leadership and Performance Beyond Expectations, New York, NY: Free Press, 1985.
[14] M. Horner, "Leadership theory: Past, present and future," Team Performance Management, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 270–287, 1997. doi:10.1108/13527599710195402
[15] B. J. Avolio and B. M. Bass, Developing Potential Across a Full Range of Leadership, Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum, 2002.
[16] B. M. Bass and B. J. Avolio, Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire: Manual Leader Form, Rater, and Scoring Key for MLQ, Form 5x-Short, Redwood City, CA: Mind Garden, 1995.
[17] F. Herzberg, The Managerial Choice: To Be Efficient and to Be Human, Homewood, IL: Dow Jones-Irwin, 1976.
[18] A. H. Maslow, "A theory of human motivation," Psychological Review, vol. 50, pp. 370–396, 1943. doi:10.1037/h0054346
[19] F. Herzberg, B. Mausner, and B. Snyderman, The Motivation to Work, New York, NY: Wiley, 1959.
[20] D. J. Weiss, R. V. Dawis, G. W. England, and L. H. Lofquist, Manual of the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire, Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 1976.
[21] A. Parasuraman, V. A. Zeithaml, and L. L. Berry, "SERVQUAL: A multiple-item scale for measuring consumer perceptions of service quality," Journal of Retailing, vol. 64, pp. 12–40, 1988. [Online]. Available: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-retailing
[22] A. Koni, K. Zainal, and M. Ibrahim, "An assessment of the services quality of Palestine Higher Education," International Education Studies, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 34–35, 2013. [Online]. Available: http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/ies
[23] R. N. Bolton and J. H. Drew, "A longitudinal analysis of the impact of service changes on customer attitudes," Journal of Marketing, vol. 55, pp. 1–10, 1991. doi:10.2307/1252199
[24] J. Cronin and S. Taylor, "Measuring service quality: A re-examination and extension," Journal of Marketing, vol. 56, no. 3, pp. 55–68, 1992. doi:10.2307/1252296
[25] M. Saunders, P. Lewis, and A. Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students (3rd ed.), Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2003.
[26] J. W. Creswell, Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches, Los Angeles, CA: Sage, 2009.
[27] R. W. Brislin, W. J. Lonner, and R. M. Thorndike, Cross-Cultural Research Methods, New York: John Wiley, 1986.
[28] J. L. Harrison, "Instructor transformational leadership and student outcomes," Emerging Leadership Journeys, vol. 4, pp. 91–119, 2011. [Online]. Available: http://www.regent.edu/acad/global/publications/elj/home.htm
[29] M. Erdem, A. İlğan, and H. Uçar, "Relationship between learning organization and job satisfaction of primary school teachers," International Online Journal of Educational Science, vol. 6, pp. 8–20, 2014. doi:10.15345/iojes.2014.01.002
[30] N. Jabnoun and A. Al Rasasi, "Transformational leadership and service quality in UAE hospitals," Managing Service Quality: An International Journal, vol. 15, pp. 70–81, 2024. doi:10.1108/09604520510575272
[31] S. M. Ibraheem, A. A. Hussein, and E. B. Ayat Mohammad, "The relationship between transformational leadership and employees’ satisfaction at Jordanian private hospitals," Business and Economic Horizons, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 35–46, 2011. doi:10.15208/beh.2011.13
[32] T. A. Tesfaw and R. H. Hofman, "Relationship between instructional supervision and professional development," International Education Journal: Comparative Perspectives, vol. 13, pp. 82–99, 2014. [Online]. Available: http://www.iejcomparative.org/
[33] Z. Dehaghani, H. Najafi, and M. Mahdavipur, "A study on the relation between service quality and job satisfaction (Case study: Single branch private banks in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province)," Academie Royale des Sciences d’Outre-Mer Bulletin Des Seances, vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 134–139, 2015. [Online]. Available: http://ardsj.com/index.php/archive/
[34] S. Em, S. Mok, and R. Sam, "Perspectives on directors' transformational leadership: Insights from Cambodian high school teachers," Journal of General Education and Humanities, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 411–432, 2024. doi: 10.58421/gehu.v3i4.328.
[35] S. Em, S. Mok, and R. Sam, "Exploring Cambodian teachers' views on transformational leadership of school directors," Journal of Social Knowledge Education (JSKE), vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 76–89, 2025. doi: 10.37251/jske.v6i1.1364.
[36] S. Em, Effectiveness of school directors’ transformational leadership on teachers’ self-efficacy and job performance in Cambodia, Doctoral dissertation, The University of Cambodia, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://ejournal.educationalfields.com/index.php/CJESSOL/article/view/63
Published
2025-09-07
How to Cite
[1]
S. Menh, S. Kouy, V. Pok, S. Mok, and S. Em, “Exploring the Relationships Between Perceived Leadership Style, Job Satisfaction, and Academic Service Quality Among Cambodian Public University Staff”, J. Bs. Edu. R, vol. 6, no. 3, Sep. 2025.
Section
Articles
Copyright (c) 2025 Sophea Menh, Sokean Kouy, Visalbot Pok, Sarom Mok, Sereyrath Em
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and acknowledge that the Journal of Basic Education Research is the first publisher licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges and earlier and greater citation of published work.
.png)
.png)
.png)
