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The Role of the Kyai in Shaping Community Preferences: Mediating the Impact of Service Quality and Teacher Commitment

Jurnal Pendidikan Islam · Vol. 11 No. 2 (2025) · pp. 344–361

DOI
10.15575/jpi.v11i2.44827
ISSN
2460-8149, 2355-4339
Published
2025-12-01
Publisher
The Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training associated with PSPII
Language
eng

Abstract

Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia are growing rapidly, yet many still struggle to maintain competitiveness and community trust. This study examines the influence of service quality and work commitment on preferences in choosing pesantren, with patronage figures (kyai) as mediating variables. Using a quantitative explanatory causal design, data were collected from 380 respondents, consisting of students and guardians at Nurul Jadid Islamic Boarding School, East Java. The data were analyzed with Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modeling. The results reveal that service quality significantly affects both patronage figures (β = 0.502, p < 0.001) and preferences (β = 0.243, p < 0.01), whereas work commitment significantly influences patronage figures (β = 0.354, p < 0.001) but has no direct effect on preferences (β = 0.096, p = 0.212). Patronage figures have the strongest impact on preferences (β = 0.539, p < 0.001) and mediate the effects of both service quality (β = 0.475, p < 0.001) and work commitment (β = 0.233, p < 0.001). These findings confirm that technical factors such as service quality and teacher commitment shape community preferences only when reinforced by the authority and legitimacy of kyai leadership. The study advances the SERVQUAL and Social Exchange frameworks in faith-based education and suggests that pesantren should integrate service improvements with stronger leadership visibility to sustain community loyalty and institutional competitiveness. The research implies that to effectively increase community preference for Islamic boarding school institutions (pesantren), institutions must not only focus on tangible improvements in service quality but also strategically emphasize the selection and visibility of a respected patronage figure (kyai) who possesses strong legitimacy in the eyes of the community.

Keywords

Collaboration network of the authors

27 authors · 57 co-authorship links

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Co-authorOrganisationJoint articles
AmirullahAffiliation unknown1
Afita Nur HayatiAffiliation unknown1
⁠Ramadiva Muhammad AkhyarAffiliation unknown1
Amalia IrfaniAffiliation unknown1
Syafiqah AdhimahAffiliation unknown1
Siti MaryamAffiliation unknown1
Abd Hamid WahidAffiliation unknown1
Chusnul MualiAffiliation unknown1
Fathor RoziAffiliation unknown1
Muhammad Wahyu FajryAffiliation unknown1
Robiatul AwwaliyahAffiliation unknown1
Mahmudah MahmudahAffiliation unknown1
Muh Nizar SohybAffiliation unknown1
Sari UtamiAffiliation unknown1
M. YahyaAffiliation unknown1
Suriani NurAffiliation unknown1
Intania IntaniaAffiliation unknown1
Heny MulyaniAffiliation unknown1
Rofikatul MaulaAffiliation unknown1
Adi WibowoAffiliation unknown1
Sofiyatul HasanahAffiliation unknown1

Affiliations come from OpenAlex; journal OAI-PMH metadata carries none. Authors without an OpenAlex ID are matched by name, which can merge or split people.

Metadata source: OAI-PMH (metadata jurnal) https://journal.uinsgd.ac.id/index.php/jpi/oai, first harvested 6 Nov 2026, last seen 6 Nov 2026.
Original metadata (oai_dc) 
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	<dc:title xml:lang="en-US">The Role of the Kyai in Shaping Community Preferences: Mediating the Impact of Service Quality and Teacher Commitment</dc:title>
	<dc:creator>Baharun, Hasan</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator>Sabran, Sabran</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator>Ilyasin, Mukhamad</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator>Duraesa, M. Abzar</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator>Thohir , Putri Fahmadia Dinda Maulida</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator>Zaini, Abdul Wahid</dc:creator>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en-US">Patronage Figures</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en-US">Parental preference</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en-US">Pesantren, Service Quality</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en-US">Work Commitment</dc:subject>
	<dc:description xml:lang="en-US">Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia are growing rapidly, yet many still struggle to maintain competitiveness and community trust. This study examines the influence of service quality and work commitment on preferences in choosing pesantren, with patronage figures (kyai) as mediating variables. Using a quantitative explanatory causal design, data were collected from 380 respondents, consisting of students and guardians at Nurul Jadid Islamic Boarding School, East Java. The data were analyzed with Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modeling. The results reveal that service quality significantly affects both patronage figures (β = 0.502, p &amp;lt; 0.001) and preferences (β = 0.243, p &amp;lt; 0.01), whereas work commitment significantly influences patronage figures (β = 0.354, p &amp;lt; 0.001) but has no direct effect on preferences (β = 0.096, p = 0.212). Patronage figures have the strongest impact on preferences (β = 0.539, p &amp;lt; 0.001) and mediate the effects of both service quality (β = 0.475, p &amp;lt; 0.001) and work commitment (β = 0.233, p &amp;lt; 0.001). These findings confirm that technical factors such as service quality and teacher commitment shape community preferences only when reinforced by the authority and legitimacy of kyai leadership. The study advances the SERVQUAL and Social Exchange frameworks in faith-based education and suggests that pesantren should integrate service improvements with stronger leadership visibility to sustain community loyalty and institutional competitiveness. The research implies that to effectively increase community preference for Islamic boarding school institutions (pesantren), institutions must not only focus on tangible improvements in service quality but also strategically emphasize the selection and visibility of a respected patronage figure (kyai) who possesses strong legitimacy in the eyes of the community.</dc:description>
	<dc:publisher xml:lang="en-US">The Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training associated with PSPII</dc:publisher>
	<dc:date>2025-12-01</dc:date>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/article</dc:type>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion</dc:type>
	<dc:type xml:lang="en-US">Peer-reviewed Article</dc:type>
	<dc:format>application/pdf</dc:format>
	<dc:identifier>https://journal.uinsgd.ac.id/index.php/jpi/article/view/44827</dc:identifier>
	<dc:identifier>10.15575/jpi.v11i2.44827</dc:identifier>
	<dc:source xml:lang="en-US">Jurnal Pendidikan Islam; Vol. 11 No. 2 (2025): Jurnal Pendidikan Islam; 344-361</dc:source>
	<dc:source xml:lang="id-ID">Jurnal Pendidikan Islam; Vol 11 No 2 (2025): Jurnal Pendidikan Islam; 344-361</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2460-8149</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2355-4339</dc:source>
	<dc:language>eng</dc:language>
	<dc:relation>https://journal.uinsgd.ac.id/index.php/jpi/article/view/44827/15616</dc:relation>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en-US">Copyright (c) 2025 Jurnal Pendidikan Islam</dc:rights>
</oai_dc:dc>