Transactional Leadership as a Predictor of Organizational Commitment: Evidence from a 2024 Analytical Scoping Review

This analytical scoping review examines empirical studies published in 2024 that investigate the relationship between transactional leadership and organizational commitment. Following a structured scoping review approach, a total of 17 peer-reviewed empirical studies were systematically identified, screened, and analyzed. Data were charted to examine key methodological and thematic dimensions, including research contexts and sectors, geographical distribution, sample characteristics, research designs, measurement instruments, analytical techniques, and the presence of mediating or moderating variables. Overall, the reviewed studies consistently report a positive relationship between transactional leadership behaviors—particularly contingent reward and management-by-exception—and employees’ organizational commitment, most notably affective and continuance commitment. Methodologically, the 2024 evidence base is dominated by quantitative, cross-sectional survey designs, with increasing use of structural equation modeling, regression analysis, and mediation testing to explain underlying mechanisms such as job satisfaction, psychological empowerment, and organizational citizenship behavior. However, the review reveals notable gaps, including limited use of longitudinal and mixed-methods designs, reliance on self-reported data, and uneven sectoral and regional coverage. By synthesizing recent empirical evidence, this review provides a comprehensive methodological overview of transactional leadership–organizational commitment research in 2024 and offers clear directions for future studies aimed at strengthening causal inference and contextual generalizability.