Effects of strategic leadership on change management: examining the mediating roles of accountability, knowledge management, and organizational culture in public organizations: a study in Central Gondar, Ethiopia

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of strategic leadership on change management within public organizations, mediated by organizational culture, knowledge management, and accountability. The study applied an explanatory design and a quantitative approach through a structured questionnaire survey (n = 366) with randomly sampled respondents in public organizations in Central Gondar, Ethiopia. The reliability and validity of scale items were tested. The data were analyzed using SEM-PLS version 4. The results revealed that strategic leadership, organizational culture, knowledge management, and accountability had a direct effect on change management. Additionally, the study demonstrated a partial mediation of organizational culture, knowledge management, and accountability, shaping the relationship between strategic leadership and change management. This study fills a gap in the literature on how strategic leadership determines leading and managing change in public organizations. Moreover, it reveals valuable insights into multifaceted dynamics and multiple mediating factors. The study’s unique interdisciplinary approach and multiple mediation explorations within public organizations are deemed original, laying the groundwork for future research on challenges in public service contexts. Finally, it is recommended that government officials and policymakers prioritize local context, adaptive leadership, accountability mechanisms, cultural integration, and contextualized knowledge for change in public organizations.