The Impact of Administrative Leadership on the Quality of Maternal and Child Care Services in Yemeni Health Institutions

Arwa Alshabebi; Erfak Mohammed Musaed Sharhan; Gamal Ahmed Al-hodi

doi:10.64190/abj.1.2.2026.12

Arwa Alshabebi ⁽¹⁾ , Erfak Mohammed Musaed Sharhan ⁽²⁾ , Gamal Ahmed Al-hodi ⁽³⁾

(1) Al-Saeeda University, Yemen,

(2) Aylol University College | Albaydha University, Yemen,

(3) Aylol University College, Yemen

https://doi.org/10.64190/abj.1.2.2026.12

Issue
Vol. 1 (2026): Early View - 2026

Submitted
November 24, 2025

Published
February 15, 2026

Keywords:

Administrative Leadership, Maternal and Child Care Quality, Quality of Health Services, Hospital Management, Yemeni Hospitals

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Abstract

This study aims to analyze the effect of administrative leadership styles on the quality of maternal and child care services in the Yemeni context, through a case study of the Maternity and Childhood Hospital in Dhamar city. The study adopted a descriptive-analytical, cross-sectional design and used a questionnaire distributed to health workers and women attending maternal and child care services. A total of 536 valid questionnaires were included in the statistical analysis. The tool covered four dimensions of administrative leadership (transformational, transactional, empowering, and ethical), in addition to a scale for the quality of maternal and child care services. The results showed that the mean scores of administrative leaderships and the quality of maternal and child care services fell within the high agreement category. The regression models also indicated a statistically significant positive effect of leadership styles on the quality of maternal and child care services, with a relative advantage for transactional leadership, followed by transformational, ethical, and empowering leadership. The findings suggest that strengthening these leadership practices in hospitals similar to the Maternity and Childhood Hospital in Dhamar could contribute to improving the quality of maternal and child care services in the Yemeni context.

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References

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Authors

Arwa Alshabebi

Al-Saeeda University, Yemen

https://orcid.org/0009-0004-3506-7069

mohdmgh34@gmail.com (Primary Contact)

Erfak Mohammed Musaed Sharhan

Aylol University College | Albaydha University, Yemen

https://orcid.org/0009-0005-8287-8072

Gamal Ahmed Al-hodi

Aylol University College, Yemen

Author Biographies

Arwa Alshabebi, Al-Saeeda University

Correspoinding Author: Arwa Zabinallalh Ahmad Alshabebi, Department of Business Administrative, Faculty of Administrative Sciences - Albaydha University, Republic of Yemen, mohdmgh34@gmail.com https://orcid.org/0009-0004-3506-7069

Erfak Mohammed Musaed Sharhan, Aylol University College | Albaydha University

Dr. Erfak Mohammed Musaed Sharhan2
Department of Business Administrative-Faculty of Administrative Sciences - Albaydha University-Republic of Yemen
Department of Administrative Sciences-Aylol University College –Yarim-lbb-Yemen

Alshabebi, A., Sharhan, E. M. M., & Al-hodi, G. A. (2026). The Impact of Administrative Leadership on the Quality of Maternal and Child Care Services in Yemeni Health Institutions. Arado Business Journal, 1, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.64190/abj.1.2.2026.12

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Introduction

Effective administrative leadership is a critical factor in the successful functioning of any organization. A good leader plans, organizes, directs, and monitors the organization’s work and motivates and commits staff to the organization’s goals (Alsmawi & Alsyaghi, 2024; Al-Raimi & Al-Nushmi, 2024). Administrative leadership can be characterized as a leader’s ability to influence employees and inspire enthusiasm to get their work done, while creating an environment to help improve employees’ performance and improve the work outcomes for the organization (Al-Hamdi et al., 2025; Alrashidi et al., 2023; Liu et al., 2023). In the health sector, the quality of health services connects to people’s lives and well-being, directly. Quality incorporates all activities that are preventive, curative, and caring to meet patients’ needs, and these needs are prescribed by clear professional standards. Maternal and child care is significant, as it impacts both mothers’ health and the future health of children. Maternal and child health encompasses care during pregnancy, child birth and postpartum care, protecting the child, and supporting healthy growth, based on international standards on care quality (Alraimi & Al-Nashmi, 2024; Bhati et al., 2023; Seljemo et al., 2023).

The Yemeni Health System has been severely affected for over a decade due to the ongoing conflict in Yemen, causing damage to the health system, shortages of medical supplies and equipment, workers leaving the health system, and big problems in the essential maternal and child healthcare delivery system. The need for effective administrative leadership is imperative to support the provision of high-quality services despite limited resources.

Theoretical Framework and Literature Review

Administrative leadership is considered one of the pivotal elements in the management of health organizations; it is defined as a process of influence exercised by the leader on subordinates in order to direct their efforts voluntarily toward achieving organizational goals with the highest possible degree of efficiency and effectiveness, through clarifying the vision, mobilizing efforts (Alrashidi et al., 2023), and motivating employees to commit to the desired performance standards (Alghamdi & Taybah, 2023; Donabedian, 1988). In this framework, this study focused on four main leadership patterns that are common in the administrative literature, namely: transformational leadership, which is concerned with inspiring employees and building a shared vision for change; transactional leadership, which is based on the exchange of benefits and incentives and linking performance to rewards; empowering leadership, which focuses on delegation of authorities and strengthening employees’ autonomy (Aiken et al., 2012); and ethical leadership, which is based on integrity, justice, and respect for professional values in dealing with employees and beneficiaries (World Health Organization, 2016).

Service quality can be enhanced by transformational leadership through motivating healthcare staff, encouraging communication, and promoting a shared vision for mothers and children (Wong & Cummings, 2007; Puni & Hilton, 2020). By strengthening compliance with clinical procedures, transactional leadership also improves service quality by establishing rewards and accountability and linking performance to outcomes (Puni & Hilton, 2020). Empowering leadership promotes staff participation and autonomy (Wong & Laschinger, 2013). Furthermore, ethical leadership contributes to improvements in service quality by establishing an environment of fairness, respect, and trust among service providers and their clients (Braun et al., 2013). The combination of these leadership styles creates the organizational environment and collectively influences the quality of maternal and child healthcare services. In this study, the administrative leadership styles were measured as perceived by health workers in the Maternity and Childhood Hospital in the city of Dhamar.

Previous Studies

Previous studies from the Yemeni context have highlighted the critical role of administrative leadership in sustaining and improving the quality of healthcare services within a system severely affected by conflict and resource shortages. Alsmawi and Alsyaghi (2024) demonstrated that strategic vigilance and effective administrative oversight significantly enhance service quality in Yemeni hospitals, while Al-Raimi and Al-Nushmi (2024) found that implementing accreditation and patient-centered quality standards depends on strong and accountable leadership capable of maintaining performance under fragile health system conditions. Evidence from Yemen during the conflict further emphasizes this need: Spiegel et al. (2020) showed that maternal, newborn, and child health services are highly vulnerable to systemic disruptions, underscoring the importance of leadership capacity in ensuring continuity of essential care. Complementing this, Mutale et al. (2022) argued that building leadership and managerial capacity is a prerequisite for improving maternal and newborn health services in low- and middle-income countries, a conclusion that aligns closely with Yemen’s context of chronic shortages and structural instability.

At the broader Arab and regional level, leadership has also been shown to play a vital role in enhancing organizational performance and staff outcomes. Al-Hamdi et al. (2025) found that ethical leadership strengthens organizational excellence and supports positive employee behaviors in healthcare institutions. In nearby African settings, Adeyemi et al. (2024) reported that leadership style and change-management practices significantly affect job performance among health professionals, while Butt et al. (2023) demonstrated that transformational and transactional leadership positively influence organizational commitment and readiness for change. These studies confirm the importance of leadership in shaping work environments and improving service quality across healthcare systems in the region.

Research from other low-income countries further reinforces these conclusions. Gedif et al. (2018) showed that leadership and supportive organizational structures are associated with higher job satisfaction among healthcare workers in Ethiopia, which in turn influences service delivery quality. This evidence is particularly relevant to Yemen, where similar constraints such as workforce shortages, heavy workloads, and limited resources characterize the healthcare system.

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The Impact of Administrative Leadership on the Quality of Maternal and Child Care Services in Yemeni Health Institutions

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Authors

Arwa Alshabebi, Al-Saeeda University

Erfak Mohammed Musaed Sharhan, Aylol University College | Albaydha University

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Arwa Alshabebi, Al-Saeeda University

Erfak Mohammed Musaed Sharhan, Aylol University College | Albaydha University

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