The Interplay of Servant and Exploitative Leadership on Job Performance Mediated By Self-Efficacy and Moderated By Perceived Organizational Support: An Empirical Evidence from Telecom Sector

Abstract

In the dynamic and competitive landscape of the telecommunications sector, effective leadership plays a crucial role in driving employee performance and organizational success. This study investigates the contrasting impacts of two leadership approaches: servant leadership related to serving employees first and exploitative leadership related to self-serving and pressuring employees. Drawing upon the theoretical frameworks of Social Cognitive Theory and Social Exchange Theory, this research work investigates how these contrasting leadership styles influence employee job performance with the mediating role of self-efficacy and moderating role of perceived organizational support. Data was collected from 368 employees working across diverse telecom organizations like Ufone, Zong, Telenor, PTA and PTCL through questionnaires distributed via Google Forms. Software like, Smart PLS and SPSS were used for analysis, Different tests were performed, including demographic profiling, descriptive statistics, correlations and assessments of measurement and structural models. The research findings provide empirical evidence contributing to the theoretical understanding. Servant leadership positively correlated with both job performance and self-efficacy. Conversely, exploitative leadership negatively impacted job performance and self-efficacy. Self-efficacy significantly mediated the relationship between leadership styles and job performance. Interestingly, perceived organizational support negatively moderated between exploitative leadership and self-efficacy, suggesting its buffering effect. This research offers valuable insights for organizational practice and highlights limitations and recommendations for future research endeavors.