Organizational culture and teacher leadership in educational organizations:Mediation role of leader-member exchange

The aim of this study is to examine mediation effect of leader-member exchange in relationship between organisational culture and teacher leadership in educational organisations. At the same time it has been aimed to study the views of school principals' and teachers' views about organisational culture, teacher leadership and leader member exchange. The research has been carried out in sequential mixed model at which quantitative and qualitative techniques have been used together. The sample of quantitative part of the study consists of 502 teachers working in primary and secondary schools in district of Gaziantep, Şahinbey in 2014-2015 academic year. Quantitative data of the study has been gathered through "Organisational Culture Scale" developed by Glaser, Zamanou and Hacker (1987), "Teacher Leadership Scale" developed by Beycioğlu (2009) and "Leader-member Exchange Scale" developed by Liden and Maslyn (1998). Participants of qualitative part consist of three school principals and 15 teachers working at schools that Quantitative data of the study has been collected. Qualitative data has been collected as a result of semi-structured interviews conducted with school principals and teachers. In quantitative part of the study, structural equation model, regression and correlation analyses have been used, in qualitative part of the study content analysis have been used. The main results of the research are as follows: There is a high level relationship between organisational culture and teacher leadership – leader-member exchange. There is a moderate, positive and significant relationship between - leader member exchange and teacher leadership. Organisational culture is a significant predictor of both teacher leadership and - leader member exchange. According to teachers' perceptions, interaction of schools' organisational culture and - leader member exchange is at moderate level. Teachers often demonstrate teacher leadership. Teachers' leader-member exchange perceptions was found to be partial mediator role in the relationship between organizational culture and teacher leadership. As a result of interviews hold with teachers and school principals, it has been revealed that teachers are not participants in school decisions, teachers' meetings hold at school are not effective and efficient, teachers are eager for professional development but in this respect, they are not given opportunity . By the way, it has been found out that relationship among teachers at school at a sufficient level and teachers are willing for institutional development.