The Impact of University Executive Leadership Style on Organizational Citizenship Behavior: The Mediating Role of Organizational Commitment and the Moderating Effect of Organizational Culture

Objective: This study aims to explore the impact of university executive leadership styles (transformational, transactional, charismatic) and emotional labor (surface/deep acting) on organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), examining the mediating role of organizational commitment (effort, value, retention) and moderating effect of organizational culture (bureaucratic, innovative, supportive) in the context of SDG. It also investigates demographic differences in OCB among faculty, addressing how leadership dynamics influence faculty engagement critical for sustaining educational excellence. Theoretical Framework: Drawing on leadership theories and organizational behavior models, the research integrates constructs of leadership styles, emotional labor, organizational commitment, and culture to analyze their interrelations with OCB in higher education contexts, where quality education of SDG delivery relies on faculty proactive behaviors. Method: Adopting a mixed-method design, the study uses questionnaires to collect data from 377 faculty members across three Chinese universities (Zhejiang, Jilin, Jiangsu), spanning diverse regional educational ecosystems committed to quality education initiatives. Quantitative analysis employs SEM, correlation, and regression tests, while qualitative insights from deep interviews validate how leadership practices shape faculty contributions to SDG through OCB. Results and Discussion: Preliminary findings suggest leadership styles significantly influence OCB, with transformational leadership demonstrating the strongest positive effect in fostering faculty behaviors that align with quality education of SDG’ objectives. Organizational commitment mediates these relationships, and innovative/supportive cultures enhance OCB by moderating leadership impacts, highlighting their role in cultivating environments conducive to SDG. Emotional labor shows complex effects, with deep acting positively correlating with OCB, indicating its potential to reinforce faculty dedication to educational quality. Research Implications: The study enriches educational management theories by highlighting the mediating-moderating mechanisms through which leadership enhances OCB, providing practical strategies for universities to optimize leadership, foster commitment, and promote faculty behaviors essential for delivering quality education of SDG. Originality/Value: This research innovatively integrates emotional labor and organizational culture into the leadership-OCB framework, offering a comprehensive model for understanding faculty contributions to quality education of SDG agendas in Chinese higher education institutions.