THE INFLUENCE OF ETHICAL LEADERSHIP STYLE ON ORGANIZATIONAL CITIZENSHIP BEHAVIOR FROM AN ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE IN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS IN THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA

Abstract

The present study aimed to examine the effect of ethical leadership on organizational citizenship behavior from an Islamic perspective (OCBIP) within international schools in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The significance of the study stems from the research problem of reconciling the requirements of global education with Islamic values in a multicultural environment, where promoting ethical leadership and organizational citizenship behavior from an Islamic perspective is critical for ensuring school stability and achieving educational goals. Although many studies have explored the relationship between ethical leadership and OCB in economic and healthcare sectors, little attention has been given to this topic within Islamic educational contexts, leaving a clear knowledge gap that this study seeks to address. The study employed a quantitative descriptive design using a structured questionnaire consisting of 33 items, administered to a purposive sample of 381 teachers and administrative staff in international schools with an Islamic orientation. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS, Version 30), with descriptive analyses and linear regression applied to test the hypotheses. The findings revealed that both ethical leadership and organizational citizenship behavior from an Islamic perspective were practiced at high levels among participants. Furthermore, ethical leadership had a significant positive effect on all dimensions of OCB from an Islamic perspective, with the strongest impact observed on advocacy of ethical values and alleviation of hardship. This study contributes to the literature by integrating Western frameworks of ethical leadership with Islamic principles derived from the Qur’an, Sunnah, and Maqasid al-Shariah, thereby developing a conceptual model that reflects the distinctiveness of the Saudi educational context. It also provides theoretical support for the concept of organizational citizenship behavior from an Islamic perspective and practical recommendations for international schools to enhance ethical climates and embed Islamic values in their institutional culture.