Leadership in a Unique Cultural Context: Transformational Leadership, Values, and Commitment in Palestinian Arab High Schools in Israel

Abstract

The study explores the relationship between principals’ leadership styles and teachers’ organizational commitment, focusing on the moderating role of cultural values in Palestinian Arab high schools in Israel. Data were collected from 1,416 Palestinian Arab teachers across 33 schools using validated instruments and tailored items. Analysis employed descriptive statistics and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to ensure methodological rigor. Findings reveal that cultural values significantly moderate the link between leadership style and commitment, enhancing the model’s explanatory power. Transformational leadership emerged as the strongest predictor of teacher commitment, particularly in traditional cultural contexts. These results highlight the importance of culturally responsive leadership for fostering engagement, professional growth, and institutional performance. The study offers practical insights for policymakers and school leaders seeking strategies to strengthen teacher commitment in culturally diverse educational environments.

Presenters

Ismael Abu-Saad
Professor, Education, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel

Details

Presentation Type

Paper Presentation in a Themed Session

Theme

Educational Studies

KEYWORDS

TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP, CULTURAL VALUES, ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT, PALESTINIAN ARAB SCHOOLS, ARABS, ISRAEL