The Role of Organizational Culture Between Leadership Style and Human Resource Management Practices

Several dynamics influencing organizational performance in private universities, including increasing challenges such as competitiveness, limited resources, and accreditation pressures. This paper aims to explore the relationship between leadership styles and human resource management practices, focusing on the role of organizational culture as a mediator. The study adopted a literature review methodology to analyze the relationship among the three variables (leadership styles, human resource management practices, and organizational culture). Recent studies published between 2021 and 2024 were collected and analyzed using reliable databases. The findings reveal that organizational culture plays a crucial mediating role in strengthening the relationship between leadership and human resource management practices. Transformational and democratic leadership styles were found to improve organizational performance by enhancing employee commitment and fostering a flexible organizational culture. Additionally, human resource management practices such as training, continuous evaluation, and motivation positively impact the development of a supportive organizational culture; however, they require integration with leadership styles to achieve a broader effect. Nevertheless, this paper contributes by providing a comprehensive theoretical framework to understand the dynamic relationship among leadership, human resources, and organizational culture, highlighting the central role of organizational culture in improving organizational performance. The academic implications include adding new knowledge to the literature on leadership, human resource management, and organizational culture, while the practical implications offer actionable insights for private universities in Jordan to improve performance by building a sustainable and supportive organizational culture. University administrations can benefit from practical solutions to enhance organizational performance through the integration of leadership and human resource management. Moreover, the study provides policymakers with insights on how to foster organizational culture to support innovation and sustainability in higher education, creating a motivating work environment that enhances employee commitment and satisfaction.