HEâs organisational distinctiveness
The complexities of leading and managing the myriad of recent developments in HEIs are self-evident as are the diverse qualities and experience required of those with management responsibilities; business and operational agility of all university staff is therefore required. It is important to remind ourselves, via a collection of HE leader statements and studies, of the environment and organisational structure and the role itself, which makes HE leadership distinctive, so that the assessment of the opinions on management qualities, dispositions, talents, techniques, etc., can be seen and considered in context.
Senior management positions, such as those of Dean/Head of Faculty/Pro-VC, have been shown to have âovertones that are more political and social than hierarchical and technicalâ [1]. This is similar to the private business world, although it could be argued that due the nature of research and teaching, as the main products of university business, and the likelihood of these post holders still being research active to some extent, makes the interconnectedness of a Dean or Head of Faculty and their previous role, greater than in a commercial setting. Perhaps a more distinctive element, as compared to other types of organisation, is what is described as the ânatural tendency in higher education to debate, question, and challenge. Itâs part of what makes an academic institution what it is. Here on our campus it is not unusual to go [debate] toe-to-toe with the presidentâ [2]. And, quite rightly, she identifies a key questionâââhow do you take it out of just the academic exercise of debate and move into actions?â Thirdly, as compared to other public and private sector organisations, there is the âfluidly dispersedâ leadership, comprising both âformal and informal leadersâ (including colleagues elsewhere who are influential), the informal ones exerting âa strong influence on the formalâ [3]. Those who are ânot in leadership roles, nevertheless have insightful contributions to make to key discussions such as the Departmentâs strategic directionâ [4]. In terms of formal leadership structures it is common for âthe Head of Department (with overall responsibility for the subject unit) not to be the same person as the Programme Director, who takes the lead in, and is responsible for, matters pertaining to the programme in questionâ [4]. Others [5] also describe relatively âdecentralised university management structures and (individual) members of staffâ. It is a difficult task to balance the combination of leadership and management at different levels in an institution. Further, that âthe intense resolution with which staff pursue their own valued ends creates an environment in which emergent leadership by the many has an immovable placeâ [3].
It has been argued that academic training had not traditionally included the integration of management culture, rather the opposite, citing Mintzbergâs 1983 description of universities as âprofessional bureaucraciesâ and Weberâs 1922 âdirect democratic managementâ in which âall members of the group are in principle equally qualified to deal with common matters and problemsâ [6]. It is argued that in the âHE sector, joint collegial endeavours are required to share existing, and develop new, knowledgeâ [7]. Others [8] agree that universities operate in an âextremely challengingâ environment, thus there is a need for distributed leadership âso that many people throughout the institution are committed and involved in that leadershipâ. In concurrence with this [9], it is pointed out that, despite less opportunities being available, âencouraging the generation of well thought-out ideas which can be sensibly exploredâ is required. We should âunderstand that leadership is divorced from rankââlecturer level staff and support staff can demonstrate exceptional leadershipâ [10]. âOrganisations tend to assume that the more senior you are the better leader you are which is not true!â. As regards business leadership skillsââthey are more easily identified in some of the rank and file âthan [in] some senior staffâ [11].
A large part of the distributed leadership element is related to autonomy, varying levels of which are held and contended by all academics. Rowley and Sherman [12] note that âthe professional staff members in an academic department have far more autonomy in doing their work than do attorneys, accountants and others inâŚprofessional service firms, such as legal, accounting, engineering, and even medical firms, whichâŚhave some similarity to a university campusâ. Universit...
