A STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODEL OF MORAL AND ETHICAL LEADERSHIP BASED ON BUDDHISM FOR ADMINISTRATORS IN MAHAMAKUT BUDDHIST UNIVERSITY

Abstract

The objectives of this research were: 1) to study and compare the level of moral and ethical leadership based on Buddhism of administrators in Mahamakut Buddhist University, 2) to study and compare the level of behaviors in factors influencing moral and ethical leadership based on Buddhism of the administrators in Mahamakut Buddhist University, 3) to examine the consistence of the developed structural equation model of moral and ethical leadership based on Buddhism of administrators in Mahamakut Buddhist University and the empirical data, and 4) to study the size of influence of casual factors affecting moral and ethical leadership based on Buddhism of administrators in Mahamakut Buddhist University. This research was used by the quantitative research method. The 434 samples used in the study were obtained by simple random sampling. The instrument used to collect data was the questionnaire with the rating scale of leadership and causal factors having reliability coefficient at 0.97 and 0.98 respectively. The statistics used for data analysis were descriptive and inferential statistic analyzing by SPSS and LISREL Programs.

The research results found that:

1. 1. The mean of moral and ethical leadership based on Buddhism was in a high level. The comparison classified by the statuses of key informants showed the indifferent level of moral and ethical leadership based on Buddhism. However, the key informants with equal or under 35 and over 46 years old reflected that administrators showed the different levels of behaviors with statistical significance at 0.05.
2. 2. The levels of behaviors in factors influencing the moral and ethical leadership based on Buddhism were as follows; Pañca-dhamma factor (five ennobling virtues) Iddhipāda factor (path of accomplishment) and Mayapaññā factor (wisdom that has a way to arise) found a mean value at a high level. The comparison classified by the statuses of key informants showed the indifference with statistical significance. However, the key informants with equal or under 35 and over 46 years old reflected that the administrators showed the different levels of behaviors in Pañca-dhamma factor, InIddhipāda factors and Mayapaññā factors with statistical significance at 0.05.
3. 3. The developed Structural Equation Model of Moral and Ethical Leadership Based on Buddhism was congruent with empirical data as specified criteria of fit indices as follows: P-value of , /df, GFI, AGFI, CFI, SRMR, RMSEA, CN and LSR.
4. 4. Pañca-dhamma factor showed the highest level of total influence on the moral and ethical leadership based on Buddhism at 0.93 with statistical significance at 0.01. The Pañca-dhamma factor showed the direct influence on Iddhipāda at 0.98, and showed indirect influence via Iddhipāda to the moral and ethical leadership based on Buddhism and Mayapaññā at 0.83 and 0.94 respectively with statistical significance at 0.01. The second order, Iddhipāda factor showed the level of total influence on moral and ethical leadership based on Buddhism at 0.85 with statistical significance at 0.01. The Iddhipāda factor showed the direct influence on Mayapaññā and moral and ethical leadership based on Buddhism at 0.96 and 0.81 respectively with statistical significance at 0.01. As for Mayapaññā factor showed no influence on the moral and ethical leadership based on Buddhism. All of 3 causal factors jointly explained the moral and ethical leadership based on Buddhism for 96 %.