The Causal Model of Teachers’ Organizational Commitment in Universities: Evidence from Yantai, China

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This article aimed to examine the causal relationships among distributed leadership, school climate, teacher efficacy, individual  haracteristics, and organizational commitment of university teachers in Yantai, China, and to propose evidence-based guidelines for enhancing faculty commitment. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was employed, in which qualitative findings were used to explain and extend the quantitative structural equation modeling (SEM) results. The quantitative component involved a sample of 402 faculty members drawn from six universities in Yantai through stratified random sampling. Data were collected via a structured questionnaire and analyzed using SEM, while qualitative data were gathered through in-depth interviews with 24 participants and analyzed using content analysis. The qualitative phase specifically explored the underlying mechanisms behind statistically significant relationships identified in the SEM model, thereby explaining the “why” behind the causal pathways. Results indicated that distributed leadership (β=0.187, p<0.001), school climate (β=0.144, p=0.003), and teacher individual characteristics (β=0.255, p<0.001) exerted significant direct effects on organizational commitment, while teacher efficacy also played a critical mediating role linking institutional and individual factors to organizational commitment. The structural model explained 34.9% of the variance in organizational commitment (R²=0.349), Indicating moderate predictive power and suggesting that additional contextual variables might further enhance explanatory capacity. Qualitative findings further revealed that teachers’ retention and commitment were driven primarily by emotional attachment to their institutions and a strong sense of professional responsibility, rather than by external incentives such as financial rewards or promotion opportunities. This divergence suggested that leadership and organizational climate were perceived not merely as external incentives but as relational and psychological support mechanisms that reinforced intrinsic motivation. Based on the integrated findings, the study proposed a PDCA (Plan–Do–Check–Act)–based intervention framework focusing on leadership practices, institutional climate, and teacher efficacy as strategic levers for strengthening organizational commitment. Specifically, the framework emphasized (1) policy and leadership development (Plan), (2) implementation of mentorship and collaborative systems (Do), (3) evaluation through performance indicators such as retention rates and teaching effectiveness (Assessment), and (4) continuous institutional improvement (Act). These findings contribute theoretically to higher education research by extending Social Exchange Theory in a non-Western context and provide practical implications for university administrators and policymakers seeking to enhance faculty engagement and long-term institutional sustainability.