Moderating effect of differences in coaches’ cultural backgrounds in the relationship between coaches’ leadership style and athletes’ satisfactions

This study examined the moderating effect of local and foreign coaches in the relationship between coaches leadership styles and athletes satisfaction in a case of high performance athletes in Malaysia (N = 350) under the organization of Majlis Sukan Negara. Five domains of leadership style showed positive correlation with athletes’ satisfaction (p < .05); Training and instruction, r = 0.623, Democratic, r = 0.500, Autocratic, r = 0.126, Social support, r = 0.540 and Positive feedback, r = 0.490.There is a significant different of autocratic leadership style and gender (p < .05) Female perceived coaches’ autocratic leadership style greater than male. However, in athletes satisfaction, there is no significant different between gender (p > .05). In comparing age groups, there is a significant different in training and instruction leadership style and athletes; satisfaction (p < .05). Age group of 24 – 26 years old perceived training and instruction and athletes’ satisfaction greater among all age groups. The lowest athletes’ satisfaction was group 18-20 years old. On coaches’ nationality, training and instruction and athletes’ satisfaction also show significant different (p < .05).Foreign coaches exhibit greater training and instruction style than the locals. On the other hand, the athletes satisfied greater to the local coaches’ compare to the foreign coaches. Significant correlations were observed between all leadership styles domains and athletes’ satisfaction (p < .05) except for autocratic in both local and foreign coaches. This study is expected to extend the body of knowledge of leadership in sport where the cultural differences has never been investigated as the moderating effect in the relationship between coaches’ leadership styles and athletes’ satisfaction and to improve the quality of coaching by suggesting appropriate strategies to be designed in order to control the effects of cultural differences. Keywords: Leadership style, athletes’ satisfaction, foreign and local coaches