Investigating the Relationship Between Leadership Style and Attitude Toward Change Among Football Coaches in Iraq

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Ph.D. Student in Sport Management, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran

2 Professor, Department of Sport Management, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran

Abstract

Purpose:This study aimed to examine the relationship between leadership style and attitude toward change among football coaches in Iraq. It also considered moral intelligence as a relevant organizational and ethical construct in explaining coaches’ readiness to respond to professional and organizational changes.

Methods:The study was applied in purpose and correlational in design, using a survey approach and structural equation modeling. The statistical population consisted of presidents, vice presidents, secretaries, and members of the assembly of sports coaches in Iraq, totaling 336 individuals. Based on Morgan’s table, 179 participants were selected through simple random sampling. Data were collected using the Leadership Style Questionnaire developed by Hersey, Blanchard, and Neumeyer, Jung’s Attitude Toward Change Questionnaire, and a moral intelligence measure. Validity and reliability were assessed through Cronbach’s alpha, composite reliability, convergent validity, Bartlett’s test of sphericity, and factor analysis. Data were analyzed using SPSS and Smart PLS. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test confirmed the normal distribution of the research variables.

Results: The results showed that leadership style had a positive and significant effect on attitude toward change among football coaches in Iraq, with a path coefficient of 0.657 and a t-value of 9.453. These findings indicate that effective and context-appropriate leadership can strengthen coaches’ cognitive and behavioral readiness for change.

Conclusion: The study concludes that leadership development programs for Iraqi football coaches should emphasize adaptive leadership, change management, effective communication, and ethical decision-making to improve acceptance of organizational and professional change within Iraq’s evolving football environment and support sustainable team performance in future reforms.

Keywords

Research in Sport Management and Marketing

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 31 May 2026

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