Impact of transformational leadership on university brand performance: the moderating role of academic buoyancy and the mediating role of academic performance and satisfaction

Purpose This study examines the effect of teacher transformational leadership on university brand performance through student academic performance and student satisfaction toward the university. Further, this research examines the moderating role of student academic buoyancy in the relationship between transformational leadership and academic performance in a developing country context. Design/methodology/approach The research model was examined using survey data from 411 students of higher education institutions in Bangladesh. Drawing on the transformational leadership theory and the consumer–brand identification (CBI) theory, a research model was developed and hypotheses were tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings The empirical analyses show that student academic performance and student satisfaction toward the university mediate the effect of transformational leadership on university brand performance. Academic buoyancy positively moderates the effect of transformational leadership on academic performance, such that the effect is stronger for students with a high perceived academic buoyancy than for students with a low perceived academic buoyancy. Originality/value This study adopts a student-centric approach to advance the understanding of how teacher transformational leadership and student academic buoyancy influence brand performance in higher education. Focusing on a developing country context, this research underscores the integrative role of these constructs in shaping students’ identification with the university brand, offering valuable theoretical insights and practical implications for internal branding strategies.