LKELMA and organizational performance: a cultural approach to relational governance in Morocco

Abstract

Relational governance research widely addresses trust, commitment, and relational norms, but rarely operationalizes culturally embedded forms of word-based credibility. This study examines LKELMA, a Moroccan value associated with the given word or word of honor, as a relational-management construct and evaluates its association with organizational performance in the economic affairs services of Moroccan public universities. The empirical analysis includes 53 respondents. The LKELMA scale was assessed using principal component analysis, Bartlett's test, the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin index, and Cronbach's alpha, followed by simple linear regression. After purification, LKELMA was retained as a two-item construct (LKEL2 and LKEL3), with KMO = 0.500, explained variance = 84.807%, and standardized alpha = 0.821. LKELMA was positively associated with performance (R = 0.450; R² = 0.202; β = 0.450; p < 0.001), although its unique coefficient became non-significant in the broader six-determinant model (β = 0.060; p = 0.461). LKELMA therefore appears to be a culturally embedded relational resource that may complement formal governance, while its psychometric validation remains exploratory.

Keywords: LKELMA; word of honor; relational governance; trust; organizational performance; public universities; Morocco.

Received Date: 20 October 2025 

Accepted Date: 11 November 2025 

Published Date: 1 December 2025

Available Online at: https://www.ijsrisjournal.com/index.php/ojsfiles/article/view/843