Transformational Leadership as a Strategy for Addressing Organisational Inertia

Abstract

The main aim of the study was to critically evaluate whether transformational leadership can be a strategy to address organisational inertia in South African Private Higher Education Institutions (PHEIs). In recent years, globalisation, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and the increasing demand for digital competencies have significantly reshaped the higher education landscape, requiring institutions to foster innovation and adaptability. Many institutions continue to experience organisational inertia, manifested through resistance to change, high staff turnover, and reduced motivation, which are often associated with transactional leadership styles that prioritise stability over innovation. Adopting a qualitative approach, the study employed unobtrusive research methods through documentary analysis, complemented by semi-structured interviews with selected participants from a South African PHEI. Data were analysed using ATLAS.ti (version 2023) to generate and refine themes through the code-and-retrieve function. The findings confirmed that transformational leadership, characterised by inspiration, intellectual stimulation and individual consideration, plays a critical role in mitigating organisational inertia by enhancing employee engagement and fostering adaptability. The study concluded that developing transformational leadership capacity is essential for PHEIs to remain competitive, responsive, and future-focused within an increasingly complex educational landscape. All literature cited was published between 2019 and 2024.