A leadership approach to the transformation of institutional culture: a case of the South African National Defence Force.

Abstract

This article raises the question of the critical need for the South African Public Service to change from a transactional to a transformational leadership approach in order to accelerate the transformation of public institutions. This article examines why the transactional leadership approach has not succeeded in transforming the institutional culture of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in reflecting the shared assumptions, beliefs and values of all constituent armed forces. The results of this empirical research have revealed that the transactional leadership approach has maintained the status quo of the former South African Defence Force (SADF), which has prohibited the SANDF from transforming its institutional culture to one that is inclusive of all constituent armed forces. It is argued that a transformational leadership approach would expedite the transformation of the SANDF’s institutional culture.