Direct and configurational paths of servant leadership to career and life satisfaction in higher education: Cross-cultural study of Spain, China, and Pakistan

ABSTRACT

This study investigates how academic staff achieves career satisfaction (CS) and life satisfaction (LS) under direct and different configurations of servant leadership (SL) dimensions. Using a survey of academics in Spain, China, and Pakistan, this study uses Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to test the direct relationship, and fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) to find configurations of SL dimensions that lead to career and LS. Direct relationships revealed that in each country, almost all dimensions failed to create any individual impact on CS and LS. The fsQCA results revealed an asymmetric relationship between the different SL dimensions and outcomes. Prior SL, CS, and LS research has primarily relied on symmetrical correlational methods. This is one of the first studies to use fsQCA in SL, CS, and LS in higher education literature. Furthermore, there is significantly limited research on SL in a cross-country setting.

KEYWORDS:

• Servant leadership
• career satisfaction
• life satisfaction
• complexity theory
• fsQCA

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethical statement

(1) This material is the authors’ own original work, which has not been previously published elsewhere. (2) The paper is not currently being considered for publication elsewhere. (3) The paper reflects the authors’ own research and analysis in a truthful and complete manner.

Supplemental data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/10911359.2023.2218439