Introduction
The Red Crescent Society of Razavi Khorasan Province employs various strategies to enhance organizational performance, including flexibility, timely crisis response, organizational resilience, and the development of an adaptive culture. This study aims to investigate the effect of transformational leadership on organizational resilience, with adaptive culture serving as a mediating variable, in the Red Crescent Society of Razavi Khorasan Province. Organizational environments are often shaped by managerial practices, and in many cases, organizational culture and its transformation influence leadership approaches within organizations. Consequently, cultural change requires managerial commitment and determination and represents a critical factor in achieving organizational goals. When an organization seeks to develop a transformational culture, senior managers must thoroughly understand emerging changes and future challenges. In such circumstances, leaders can play a significant role in shaping organizational identity, influencing cultural development, and facilitating change. Through their behaviors and actions, managers have the ability to transform the nature of organizational culture. Previous studies suggest that effective leadership is essential for establishing and sustaining an organizational culture capable of adapting to environmental changes. Accordingly, managers who successfully foster adaptive cultures often demonstrate characteristics associated with transformational leadership. These characteristics include enhancing employee well-being, addressing external environmental challenges, inspiring individuals toward change, encouraging intellectual stimulation, fostering trust, and reducing resistance and fear through a culture that supports innovation and change (Soliman, 2018, p. 397). Researchers argue that resistance to change and an inability to accept current realities represent cognitive challenges that may have significant consequences, as organizations often require considerable time to identify, analyze, and respond effectively to threats (Thomas et al., 2020, p. 239). In this context, adaptive culture can be considered an important organizational factor influencing resilience. Adaptive culture refers to a shared system of values, beliefs, and patterns of thinking among organizational members that enables organizations to respond effectively to environmental changes. It also facilitates the effective socialization and integration of new members into the organization (Prayag et al., 2018, p. 196). The concept of organizational resilience has been extensively developed across various scientific and research disciplines. Chatterjee, Pereira and Bates (2018, p. 15) emphasize that organizational resilience is particularly significant because resilient organizations contribute to the development of resilient societies. Researchers argue that when organizations lack sufficient preparedness to mitigate the effects of crises and respond effectively to disruptive events, the broader systems and networks to which they belong will also be less capable of managing such challenges (Lee et al., 2013, p. 279). Therefore, considering the critical role of leadership and organizational culture in strengthening resilience, the present study seeks to answer the following research question:
· Does the proposed model of the relationship between transformational leadership and organizational resilience, mediated by adaptive culture, fit the data from employees and volunteers of the Red Crescent Society of Razavi Khorasan Province?
Method
This study employs a descriptive survey research design. The study was conducted in 2023, and the statistical population consisted of employees and volunteers of the Red Crescent Society of Razavi Khorasan Province. The target population included 460 individuals, from which a sample of 130 participants was selected based on the Morgan sampling table. Participants were selected using non-random sampling methods. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire developed based on the research instrument of Madi et al. (2023). The collected data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods through SPSS and SmartPLS software. To evaluate the validity of the measurement model, convergent validity and factor analysis were conducted. Furthermore, composite reliability was assessed to determine the reliability of the research constructs. Since the proposed research model is a structural model, the validity and reliability of the measurement model were examined before testing the structural relationships. The model was evaluated using relevant indicators, including the Heterotrait–Monotrait ratio (HTMT), Average Variance Extracted (AVE), and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. Finally, the conceptual model was tested using the structural equation modeling (SEM) approach with SmartPLS 3 software. The overall model fit and explanatory power were assessed using the Q² predictive relevance index and the R² coefficient.
Results
The results indicated that the research sample consisted of 130 members of the Red Crescent Society, the majority of whom were volunteers and held undergraduate degrees. Data screening revealed no missing or outlier values, and the descriptive statistics were within acceptable ranges. Evaluation of the measurement model confirmed the convergent validity and reliability of the research constructs after removing one item with an inadequate factor loading. Furthermore, the values of the AVE, Cronbach’s alpha, and Composite Reliability (CR) coefficients confirmed the satisfactory validity and reliability of the measurement instrument. The overall model fit index (GOF = 0.52), along with the R² and Q² values, demonstrated the acceptable fit of the structural model and its adequate predictive capability. The results of hypothesis testing revealed that transformational leadership has a positive and statistically significant effect on both adaptive culture and organizational resilience. Moreover, adaptive culture was found to have a positive and significant effect on organizational resilience and played a significant mediating role in the relationship between transformational leadership and organizational resilience. Overall, all research hypotheses were supported.
Discussion and Conclusion
The findings of this study demonstrate that transformational leadership plays a significant role in strengthening adaptive culture and enhancing organizational resilience within the Red Crescent Society. Furthermore, adaptive culture, as a critical organizational capability, improves the organization’s ability to respond effectively to changes, crises, and unforeseen events, while also serving as a mediating mechanism through which transformational leadership influences organizational resilience. These findings suggest that transformational leaders, by establishing a shared vision, enhancing employee motivation, promoting organizational learning, and encouraging innovation, facilitate the development of a flexible and adaptive organizational culture. Such a culture ultimately strengthens the organization’s capacity to maintain effective performance and ensure the continuity of services during critical situations. Accordingly, managers and policymakers of the Red Crescent Society should focus on fostering transformational leadership practices, supporting continuous improvement, encouraging employee and volunteer participation, strengthening teamwork, and creating an environment based on trust and creativity. These initiatives can provide a foundation for improving organizational capabilities and enhancing resilience. Moreover, institutionalizing adaptive cultural values through systematic decision-making, learning from organizational experiences, and continuous preparedness for crisis management can improve organizational responsiveness in dynamic and uncertain environments. In conclusion, the findings highlight transformational leadership and adaptive culture as two strategic factors contributing to the enhancement of organizational resilience and the long-term sustainability of the Red Crescent Society.