Ethical Transformational Leadership and Governance: Restoring Trust in Zimbabwe’s State-Owned Transport Enterprises

Abstract

This study utilises Zimbabwe's crisis-ridden transport sector as a case study to investigate the role of transformational leadership in revitalising corporate governance practices within state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Focusing on systemic inefficiencies, corruption, and operational stagnation, the research provides actionable strategies to align SOEs with national development goals, empower ethical leadership, and restore eroding public trust in critical infrastructure entities such as the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ), Air Zimbabwe (AZ), and Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (ZUPCO). A mixed-methods, cross-sectional design engaged 148 participants from four SOEs, combining qualitative insights from 12 in-depth executive interviews with quantitative surveys of 136 employees. Methodological rigour was ensured through data triangulation, a high response rate (87. 5%), and validated instruments (Cronbach's α > 0.7). Qualitative themes were derived via iterative coding, while quantitative analysis employed descriptive statistics and regression models (R² = 0.64, p < 0.01) to test leadership-governance correlations. Transformational leadership traits such as idealised influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualised consideration demonstrated significant positive impacts on governance outcomes. Qualitative data exposed systemic communication gaps reported by 82% of interviewees and disengaged frontline staff. At the same time, quantitative results revealed strong correlations between leadership practices and ethical governance (r = 0.78, p < 0.01). Strategic interventions include leadership development programs, participatory decision-making platforms, and blockchain-enabled accountability frameworks to combat procurement fraud. While sector-specific focus and self-reported data constrain generalisability, the findings offer critical insights for Africa's transportation sector. Future studies should adopt longitudinal designs across multi-sector SOEs and private firms to assess the durability and scalability of leadership interventions in diverse developing contexts. This is a pioneering Zimbabwe-centric study linking transformational leadership to SOEs governance. It bridges theoretical frameworks with context-specific solutions for resource-constrained economies. It advances practical strategies to mitigate corruption by leveraging Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies while providing a governance blueprint for similar Global South nations.