Leadership Styles And Student Government Effectiveness: A Cross-Country Structural Model AmongStudent Leaders In The Philippines And India
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
This study examined leadership styles and student government effectiveness among student leaders in private higher education institutions in the Philippines and India. Using a cross-sectional design, purposive sampling, and a structured survey, data from 200 student leaders were analyzed through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and Multi-Group Analysis (MGA). Results showed that transactional leadership was the most prominent leadership style, while laissez-faire leadership was the least evident. The measurement model demonstrated strong internal consistency, with composite reliability values ranging from 0.923 to 0.980. Transactional leadership was the strongest predictor of student government effectiveness (β = 0.613, t = 7.979, p < .001), while transformational leadership also showed a significant positive relationship; laissez-faire leadership had a weaker and less significant association. No significant cross-country differences were observed, suggesting similar leadership–effectiveness patterns in the Philippines and India. The findings highlight the importance of effective leadership styles, particularly transactional leadership, in strengthening student government effectiveness in higher education.
Article Details
Section
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright © 2024 APJETPS, its licensors, and contributors. All rights are reserved. For all open access content, the Creative Commons (CC) Attribution 4.0 International Public License terms apply.
How to Cite
References
Alemu, D. S. (2023). Views of African higher education scholars about effective leadership. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 16(3), 934–947. https://doi.org/10.1108/jarhe-01-2023-0046
Alviento, S. (2018). Effectiveness of the performance of the student government of North Luzon Philippines State College. Research in Pedagogy, 8(2), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.17810/2015.67
Assefa, Y., Fetene, G. T., & Wolle, G. S. (2025). Revitalising a student-centred leadership: Modelling the influence of teacher leadership behaviours on student engagement in higher education. International Journal of Educational Management, 39(7), 1810–1829. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijem-08-2025-0649
Astin, A. W., & Astin, H. S. (2000). Leadership reconsidered: Engaging higher education in social change. W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
Batang, B., Villa, F., Natividad, A., Gonzales, A., Cabansag, J., & Bangayan, O. (2025). Culturally-informed leadership and management practices in Philippine state universities and colleges: Navigating institutional excellence through localized governance and academic culture. International Journal on Culture, History, and Religion, 7(SI2), 751–770. https://doi.org/10.63931/ijchr.v7isi2.243
Bass, B. M., & Avolio, B. J. (1994). Improving organizational effectiveness through transformational leadership. Sage.
Bellibaş, M. Ş., Karaferye, F., & Walker, A. (2025). How cultural context shapes school leadership and its effectiveness: A systematic review. Educational Management Administration & Leadership. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/17411432251396683
Bou, D., Sam, R., & Kheuy, S. (2024). Transformational leadership style in higher education: Scoping literature review. Journal of General Education and Humanities, 4(1), 13–34. https://doi.org/10.58421/gehu.v4i1.313
Cai, Y. (2025). Student government management in Guangzhou Institute of Science Technology. The Light Explorer. https://doi.org/10.57180/sgqx6990
Capito, M. J. M. (2025). A systematic review of student-centered leadership in university. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 9(3S), 3842–3848. https://doi.org/10.47772/ijriss.2025.903sedu0276
Chhom, C., Vy, S., Chheav, R., Bou, D., Kheuy, S., & Sam, R. (2024). The laissez-faire leadership style in higher education institutions: A systematic literature review. European Journal of Contemporary Education and E-Learning, 2(6), 140–168. https://doi.org/10.59324/ejceel.2024.2(6).09
Crawford, J., Lewis, G., & Kelder, J. (2024). Authentic student leadership development: Structural equation model testing differences among student leader populations. The Educational and Developmental Psychologist, 41(2), 191–201. https://doi.org/10.1080/20590776.2024.2365846
De Souza Sant’Anna, A. (2025). Leadership styles across cultures: A comparative study of Western and Asian contexts through Hofstede and Deleuzian lenses. Millennial Asia. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/09763996251370804
Dhingra, D., Srivastava, S., & Srivastava, N. (2024). The impact of leadership styles, cultural dimensions and values on academic leaders. International Journal of Experimental Research and Review, 44(Spl.), 76–90. https://doi.org/10.52756/ijerr.2024.v44spl.007
Dimmock, C. (2019). Connecting research and knowledge on educational leadership in the West and Asia: Adopting a cross-cultural comparative perspective. Comparative Education, 56, 257–277. https://doi.org/10.1080/03050068.2019.1703393
Din, Q. M. U., Tahir, A., Xiaojuan, Y., Alqahtani, S., & Gul, N. (2025). Ethical climate in higher education: The interplay of leadership, moral efficacy, and team cohesion in diverse cultural contexts. Acta Psychologica, 255, Article 104986. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.104986
Dussault, M., Frenette, É., & Fernet, C. (2013). Leadership: Validation of a self-report scale. Psychological Reports, 112(2), 419–436. https://doi.org/10.2466/01.08.PR0.112.2.419-436
Ethno-leadership and values development: Examining cultural identity and student governance among Supreme Pupils’ Government officers in Glan, Sarangani Province. (2025). International Journal of Open-Access, Interdisciplinary and New Educational Discoveries of ETCOR Educational Research Center (iJOINED ETCOR). https://doi.org/10.63498/etcor404
Fernandez, M. D., & Tagadiad, C. L. (2024). Instructional leadership, work engagement, self-efficacy of school heads: A structural equation model. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 8(9), 3350–3367. https://doi.org/10.47772/ijriss.2024.8090282
Görgülü, D., Coşkun, F., Sipahioğlu, M., & Demir, M. (2024). Classification of student leadership profiles in diverse governance settings: Insights from PISA 2022. Behavioral Sciences, 14(8), Article 718. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14080718
Haibo, Z. (2022). The organizational performance of higher educational institutions in China: The role of leadership style. Journal of Digitainability, Realism & Mastery (DREAM), 1(4), 80–90. https://doi.org/10.56982/dream.v1i04.40
Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., Sarstedt, M., Danks, N. P., & Ray, S. (2021). Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) using R. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-80519-7
Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2022). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) (3rd ed.). Sage.
Heinzl, P. (2022). The full range leadership model in action: A case study of the German aircraft producing company H3 GROB Aircraft SE. De Securitate et Defensione: O Bezpieczeństwie i Obronności, 8(1), 143–164. https://doi.org/10.34739/dsd.2022.01.10
Henkel, T. G., & Ade, A. M. (2025). Higher education in turbulence: A need for transformational leadership. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Leadership Studies, 6(1), 152–167. https://doi.org/10.61186/johepal.6.1.152
Henseler, J., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2015). A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based SEM. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 43(1), 115–135.
Hieng, S., Hum, C., Seoung, S., Sam, R., Phorn, P., & Vy, S. (2024). Transactional leadership style in higher educations: A systematic literature review. Scientia: Technology, Science and Society, 1(3), 126–144. https://doi.org/10.59324/stss.2024.1(3).08
Holl, P., & Ali, D. A. (2025). The influence of democratic leadership style on student academic performance: Perspectives from university lecturers. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science. https://doi.org/10.47772/ijriss.2025.908000065
Hu, L. T., & Bentler, P. M. (1999). Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis. Structural Equation Modeling, 6(1), 1–55.
Huang, W., Yao, P., Li, F., & Liao, X. (2021). Student governments in Chinese higher education: Reflection on college students’ and student cadres’ political trust. Higher Education, 82(2), 387–409. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-021-00721-8
Hussain, T. (2025). Higher education governance in Jammu and Kashmir: Assessing leadership and institutional effectiveness. Journal of Humanities and Social Thought, 1(12), 34–42. https://doi.org/10.21474/jnhst01/129
Jamali, A. R., Bhutto, A., Khaskhely, M., & Sethar, W. (2021). Impact of leadership styles on faculty performance: Moderating role of organizational culture in higher education. Management Science Letters, 12(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.5267/j.msl.2021.8.005
Judge, T. A., & Piccolo, R. F. (2004). Transformational and transactional leadership: A meta-analytic test. Journal of Applied Psychology, 89(5), 755–768.
Kamal, F., Ridwan, R., & Kesuma, T. A. R. P. (2024). Laissez-faire leadership: A comprehensive systematic review for effective education practices. Journal of Education and Learning (EduLearn), 18(4), 1460–1467. https://doi.org/10.11591/edulearn.v18i4.21407
Khan, K. E., Bhatti, O. K., & Kashif, S. (2021). Eyeing at Eastern philosophy for business leadership model. International Journal of Organizational Leadership, 10(3), 278–298. https://doi.org/10.33844/ijol.2021.60540
Kim, J., & Holyoke, L. (2022). The contribution of collegiate activity experiences on student leadership development. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Leadership Studies, 3(4), 66–81. https://doi.org/10.52547/johepal.3.4.66
Kim, S. (2024). Examining 35 years of individualism-collectivism research in Asia: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 100, Article 101988. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2024.101988
Kızıloğlu, M. (2021). The impact of school principal’s leadership styles on organizational learning: Mediating effect of organizational culture. Business and Management Studies: An International Journal, 9(3), 822–834. https://doi.org/10.15295/bmij.v9i3.1814
Komives, S. R., Wagner, W., & Associates. (2013). Leadership for a better world (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass.
Kondur, O., Koturbash, N., & Mykhaylyshyn, G. (2021). The role of student self-government in ensuring the quality of higher education. Journal of Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, 8(1), 65–71. https://doi.org/10.15330/jpnu.8.1.65-71
Leskaj, E., Lipi, R., & Gjelaj, Z. (2025). The impact of student participation in university decision-making: Insights from the University of Tirana. Journal of Educational and Social Research, 15(4), 175. https://doi.org/10.36941/jesr-2025-0130
Lo, W. Y. W. (2025). Trust and tension: Shared governance in higher education amid student activism. Studies in Higher Education, 50(12), 3016–3031. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2024.2449243
Lpt, R. V. M. E. R. R., Lpt, S. G. D. Z. M., Mpa, A. O. C. M., & Lpt, J. D. (2024). Leadership styles and the level of skills awareness among student leaders at a state university. International Journal of Social Science and Human Research, 7(12). https://doi.org/10.47191/ijsshr/v7-i12-78
Mahmoud, R. S., Kamil, S. A., Mohammed, M., & Madhi, Z. J. (2024). Cross-cultural leadership approaches for managing diverse workforces globally. Journal of Ecohumanism, 3(5), 682–699. https://doi.org/10.62754/joe.v3i5.3931
Maqbool, S., Zafeer, H. M. I., Maqbool, S., Zeng, P.-F., Draissi, Z., & Javed, S. (2024). Stance of numerous leadership styles and their effect on teaching to sustain academic performance at the high school level. Heliyon, 10(17), Article e36438. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e36438
Mohammad, A., Abdullah, Z., Omar, M. K., & Ismail, M. K. (2025). Exploring the effect of laissez-faire leadership in public sector: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Management Practices, 8(32), 208. https://doi.org/10.35631/ijemp.832014
Munando, E., & Chingwanangwana, B. (2025). Developing effective student leadership in higher learning institutions for creating sustainable futures in Zimbabwe. Kuveza neKuumba: The Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University Journal of Design, Innovative Thinking and Practice. https://doi.org/10.71458/k15vrd52
Murage, L. (2024). Influence of shared leadership on student leaders’ effectiveness in public universities in Kenya. Research Journal of Education, Teaching and Curriculum Studies. https://doi.org/10.58721/rjetcs.v2i2.873
Musni, R. V., Zapanta, S. G. D., Mamarinta, A. O. C., & Delegencia, J. (2024). Leadership styles and the level of skills awareness among student leaders at a state university. International Journal of Social Science and Human Research, 7(12), 9443–9453. https://doi.org/10.47191/IJSSHR/v7-i12-78
Mutya, R., Sapanta, M. M. S., Tagud, J. M., Tondo, R. C., Recopelacion, J., & Pogoy, A. M. (2026). Modeling the relationship between leadership styles and good governance practices in predicting effective leadership among youth government officials. Frontiers in Political Science. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpos.2026.1817178
Niță, V., & Guțu, I. (2023). The role of leadership and digital transformation in higher education students’ work engagement. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(6), Article 5124. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20065124
Norizan, N. S., Arham, A. F., Idrus, S., Rahim, H. A., & Maharida, M. (2025). Leadership preferences and academic performance: A visit to a Malaysian university. International Journal of Organizational Leadership. https://doi.org/10.33844/ijol.2025.60520
Northouse, P. G. (2022). Leadership: Theory and practice (9th ed.). Sage.
Perpék, É., Győri, Á., & Lengyel, G. (2021). Preferred leadership style, managerial and entrepreneurial inclination among Hungarian students. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13731-021-00174-4
Rasid, A. R. A., Fahrulnizam, R. F. R., Radzuwan, R., & Shafie, M. S. (2023). Effectiveness of leadership styles towards group assignment satisfaction among university students. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 13(9). https://doi.org/10.6007/ijarbss/v13-i9/17992
Ren, X., & Kuai, D. (2023). Sino-India difference in collectivism and its association with cultural heritage concerning argumentation. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 1027599. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1027599
Ruth, M., & Rosemarie, W. (2025). Effect of laissez-faire leadership on organizational performance: A case of PZ Cussons East Africa Limited. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 9(3), 4180–4187. https://doi.org/10.47772/ijriss.2025.90300333
Safitri, A., Fandholi, A. F., & Qolbi, M. Z. (2024). Cross-cultural leadership in higher education: An analysis of university leaders’ perspectives. International Journal of Studies in International Education, 1(1), 7–13. https://doi.org/10.62951/ijsie.v1i1.106
Samodien, M., Du Plessis, M., & Van Vuuren, C. J. (2024). Enhancing higher education performance: Transformational, transactional and agile leadership. SA Journal of Human Resource Management, 22. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajhrm.v22i0.2768
Selvaratnam, N., & Holmes, B. (2022). Understanding South Asian collegiate experiences: Facilitating campus leadership self-efficacy. Eagan Journal of Contemporary Research, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.61495/ejcr.v1.1.2
Skogstad, A., Einarsen, S., Torsheim, T., Aasland, M. S., & Hetland, H. (2007). The destructiveness of laissez-faire leadership. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 12(1), 80–92.
Skyba, Y., Chervona, L., & Palamarchuk, O. (2022). Student self-government and its role in ensuring the quality of higher education. International Scientific Journal of Universities and Leadership, 14, 127–138. https://doi.org/10.31874/2520-6702-2022-14-127-138
Suhaimi, S., Ghani, M. F. A., Radzi, N. M., Saad, A. I. B. M., & Muhith, A. (2026). Reconceptualising student-centred leadership in Southeast Asian schools: A systematic review of practices, mediating mechanisms, and student outcomes. Journal of Islamic Education Research. https://doi.org/10.35719/jier.v7i1.546
Sulistiani, D., Hasanah, M., & Cholifah, N. (2024). Transactional leadership for implementing a green campus: Driving sustainable change through effective leadership strategies. Proceeding of International Conference on Islamic Education (ICIED), 9(1), 363. https://doi.org/10.18860/icied.v9i1.3165
Syahrizal, I. (2026). Educational leadership and Asian culture: Culturally sensitive leadership practice. Journal of Teaching and Learning, 20(2). https://doi.org/10.22329/jtl.v20i2.9799
Tan, C. Y. (2022). Influence of cultural values on Singapore school leadership. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 52, 280–303. https://doi.org/10.1177/17411432211073414
Taqwiem, A., Arpianto, Y., Faradina, Luthfiyanti, L., & Susanti, P. A. (2024). Cross-cultural leadership models in global education systems: Implications for policy and practice. International Journal of Religion, 5(11), 7343–7353. https://doi.org/10.61707/1zwc2a56
Turyahikayo, W., Mugizi, W., & Kasule, G. W. (2023). Leadership styles and organisational effectiveness in selected public universities in Uganda. Uganda Higher Education Review, 11(1), 179–194. https://doi.org/10.58653/nche.v11i1.14
U, A. N. (2025). Cross-cultural leadership practices in education. IAA Journal of Arts and Humanities. https://doi.org/10.59298/iaajah/2025/12197103
Ulanday, M. L., Samiento, L. N. L., Santiago, C., & Centerno, Z. J. R. (2024). Assessing student leaders’ leadership styles and conflict management. Diversitas Journal, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.48017/dj.v9i1.2802
Van Der Meer, J., Skalicky, J., Speed, H., & Young, D. (2022). Focusing on the development of the whole student: An international comparative study of the perceived benefits of peer leadership in higher education. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 10(3). https://doi.org/10.4236/jss.2022.103002
Vaughn, L., & Burns, J. (2025). Pathways to involvement: The role of graduate student government in leadership learning. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Leadership Studies, 6(2), 93–108. https://doi.org/10.61882/johepal.6.2.93
Wang, G., Oh, I. S., Courtright, S. H., & Colbert, A. E. (2011). Transformational leadership and performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 96(5), 1138–1154.
Webber, C. F. (2021). The need for cross-cultural exploration of teacher leadership. Research in Educational Administration & Leadership, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.30828/real/2021.1.2
Wiyono, B. B., & Wu, H. (2022). Investigating the structural effect of achievement motivation and achievement on leadership and entrepreneurial spirit of students in higher education. Administrative Sciences, 12(3), Article 99. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci12030099