Academic leadership development programs: a model for sustained institutional change
Journal of Organizational Change Management
ISSN: 0953-4814
Article publication date: 7 October 2014
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate a leadership development program (LDP) for senior academic staff on “qualitative research” after two years to establish the success, limitations and overall impact of the program in terms of personal, professional and organizational benefits.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper presents the background, outline of the LDP and evaluation of results through participant feedback: at the end of the program; and after two years, using a “participatory action learning and action research” (PALAR) approach.
Findings
All participants were very positive about the design, conduct and learning outcomes of the program in terms of their own and their students’ learning during and after the program. But although the workshop had prepared them, some had not cascaded their learning and skills by conducting similar programs in their department, faculty or university wide, which was one of the main original objectives to achieve a multiplier effect across the institution. The authors discuss various reasons for this shortcoming and develop a process model for positive institutional change management in higher education.
Research limitations/implications
Medium- and long-term effects of an LDP need to be followed up after a timespan of one to three or five years to establish whether the development has been effective and sustainable and to learn from limitations and shortcomings for future R&D activities.
Practical implications
The authors identify the limitations and suggest practical institutional changes that encourage cascading of learning in theory and practice with a multiplier effect.
Social implications
The paper aims to assist higher education institutions to ensure sustainability in their LDPs.
Originality/value
The process model for leadership development in higher education can be adopted, adapted or further developed by other scholars interested in designing, conducting and evaluating a sustainable LDP in their field and organization.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to acknowledge the financial support of the Tshwane University of Technology in Pretoria (South Africa), in particular the Research Directorate, the Higher Education Development and Support Directorate and the Faculty of Management Sciences. The authors also thank the participants in the leadership development program for their continued collaboration during and after the program, for their engagement, enthusiasm and valuable feedback. Last but not least, the authors appreciate the professional language editing by Maureen Todhunter (M.Todhunter@griffith.edu.au).
Citation
Zuber-Skerritt, O. and Louw, I. (2014), "Academic leadership development programs: a model for sustained institutional change", Journal of Organizational Change Management, Vol. 27 No. 6, pp. 1008-1024. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOCM-11-2013-0224
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited