Effect of Leadership Management Practices on the Performance of Faith-Based Organisations in Rwanda: Evidence from RGB-Registered Organisations in Gasabo District
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31305/ijmds.v15n08.001Keywords:
leadership management, change management, strategic planning, ethical leadership, servant leadership, organisational performance, faith-based organisations, RwandaAbstract
Faith-Based Organisations (FBOs) play a vital role in promoting spiritual growth, social welfare, community development, and humanitarian services in Rwanda, yet many continue to face challenges related to leadership effectiveness, governance, and institutional sustainability. This study examined the effect of leadership management practices — change management, strategic planning, ethical leadership, and servant leadership — on the performance of Rwanda Governance Board (RGB)-registered Faith-Based Organisations in Gasabo District, Rwanda. A descriptive cross-sectional design employing a mixed-methods approach was adopted. The target population comprised 200 senior leaders and middle managers drawn from ten RGB-registered Christian ministries; using the Yamane (1967) formula, a sample of 133 respondents was drawn through purposive and stratified sampling. Data were collected using structured questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and focus group discussions, and were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression in SPSS Version 29, complemented by thematic analysis of qualitative data. A response rate of 95.5% was achieved (127 of 133 questionnaires). Correlation analysis showed significant positive relationships between organisational performance and change management (r = .612, p < .01), strategic planning (r = .589, p < .01), ethical leadership (r = .674, p < .01), and servant leadership (r = .641, p < .01). Multiple regression analysis indicated that the four practices jointly explained 62.4% of the variance in organisational performance (R² = .624, Adjusted R² = .612; F(4,122) = 51.43, p < .001), with ethical leadership emerging as the strongest individual predictor (β = .296, p < .001), followed by servant leadership (β = .271, p < .001), change management (β = .248, p = .001), and strategic planning (β = .201, p = .004). The study concludes that leadership management practices are critical determinants of FBO performance in Rwanda and recommends that FBO leaders institutionalise ethical accountability systems, strengthen servant-leadership development, embed strategic plans into routine management, and build change-management capacity to sustain organisational performance.
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