Transformational leadership, job performance, self-efficacy, and leader support: testing a moderated mediation model

Purpose This article aims to examine the relationship between transformational leadership and job performance on the basis of social exchange theory and perceived organizational support theory. The article also attempts to examine the mediating role of self-efficacy and the moderated mediation role of leader support in this relationship. Design/methodology/approach In this article, a self-report survey was collected from 524 employees and Process Macro to SPSS-23 was used to test the hypotheses. Findings The article found that transformational leadership has a positive effect on job performance and that self-efficacy plays a mediating role in this relationship. The article also determined that leader support has a moderated mediation role on the effect of transformational leadership on job performance through self-efficacy. Originality/value The research findings broaden the existing literature on transformational leadership and job performance by proposing an alternative model of how and under what conditions transformational leadership can affect job performance, and enrich the understanding of the conditions in which transformational leadership affects job performance. Although previous research provides a theoretical framework that connects the variables included in the research, there is no study in the literature that empirically confirms the proposed model. Thus, the authors' research is a pioneering attempt to test that relationship.