Relationship of Multi-dimensional Leadership with Lecturers Work Commitment: A Study on Malaysian Heads of Polytechnic’s Academic Departments

Abstract. The purpose of this study was to determine if Malaysian polytechnic’s heads of department multidimensionalleadership orientation affects the lecturer commitment, and mediating effects in leadershipeffectiveness as perceived by the lecturers. The department heads leadership orientations was determined by thestructural, human resource, political, cultural, and educational frame used based on Bolman and Deal’s reframingthe organization perspective and Sergiovanni’s leadership model. Eight hundred forty-one lecturers and 76department heads from 24 polytechnics participated in this study. Hierarchical Linear Modeling was used todetermine the department head’s multi-dimensional leadership effect on lecturers commitment. The study provesthat polytechnic’s heads of departments practiced multi-dimensional leadership, with human resource frame as thepredominant frame. There is a significant relationship between human resource and cultural frames and lecturerscommitment. The department head’s leadership effectiveness as perceived by the lecturers mediates therelationship between department head’s multi-dimensional leadership and lecturers commitment.