Humanistic Leadership And Organization Commitment Among Delivery Riders: Mediating Role Of Perceived Organization Support

Abstract

The gig economy's uncertainty has sparked concerns about the welfare and safety of delivery riders, especially those in the online food delivery sector. The absence of digital platform support and leadership governance has exacerbated riders' commitment, leading to compliance issues with safety regulations and increased accidents. This study examines the impact of humanistic leadership on digital platforms and its influence on delivery riders' commitment. Using a quantitative approach based on existing literature, the study addresses the lack of research on humanistic leadership. Although the discussion of humanistic leadership in the existing body of knowledge is limited, it has been shown to significantly contribute to the success of major corporations. This study suggests that digital delivery platforms adopt humanistic leadership to improve organizational support and commitment.

Hypotheses were formulated to investigate the relationship between humanistic leadership, perceived organizational support, and organization commitment. A convenience sample of 161 delivery riders in Malaysia was surveyed using an online questionnaire, and PLS-SEM was employed for analysis. The results reveal a significant relationship between humanistic leadership and organizational support and commitment. However, the relationship between perceived organizational support and organizational commitment was insignificant and did not mediate the path between humanistic leadership and organization commitment as well. This study highlights the importance of humanistic leadership in enhancing organizational support and commitment, addressing contributing to the sustainability of the online food delivery ecosystem and the national digital gig economy.