The emergence of servant leadership and its effectiveness in bureaucratic organizations

Purpose: By following the leadership theory, social exchange theory and social learning theory, we aimed to examine the conditions under which servant leadership (SL) develops in bureaucratic organizations and explore its influences on organizational culture and member behavior. Design/methodology/approach: Based on a survey of the South Korean Army, this study conducted the hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) analysis to investigate the research model. Findings: We found that SL was positively associated with formalized organizational structure and negatively associated with centralized organizational structure. Additionally, SL created a relation-oriented organizational culture (ROOC) and significantly enhanced battalion members' organizational commitment (OC). Furthermore, ROOC significantly mediated the relationship between SL and OC. Originality/value: These results suggest that SL could emerge in both formalized and decentralized bureaucratic organizations. Moreover, SL appears to create an organizational culture that promotes collaboration, and such a ROOC seems to mediate the positive influence of SL on followers' OC.