The morphogenesis of higher education leadership: a social realist exploratory journey
- Authors: Andrews, Ruth
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Educational leadership South Africa , Education, Higher South Africa , Critical realism , Social realism , Educational change South Africa , Transformational leadership
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/442897 , vital:74051 , DOI 10.21504/10962/442897
- Description: The purpose of the study underpinning this thesis was to explore the tensions experienced by university leaders as they balance politics, power and the academic project whilst pursuing their ultimate concerns in the world. Universities are undergoing constant change, particularly in the present time of hypercomplexity, where the discourses of globalisation and neoliberalism condition higher education institutions and their leaders. This predisposes universities to operate as a market economy rather than as a public good. University leaders are under immense pressure as they seek to reposition themselves and exercise their agency in steering their institutions in a landscape fraught with complexity and contestation about the very nature of the modern university. The study was located in a traditional university in South Africa, which added another layer of complexity given the history of Apartheid and, the use of education as a means of discriminating against the black majority population, and the subsequent attempts by the government to transform the system following the first democratic election of 1994. Bhaskar’s (1989) critical realism and Archer’s (1998, 2000) social realism were used to frame the study theoretically. Bhaskar argues for the understanding of the world as an ‘open system’ in which experiences and events emerge from the tendential interplay of mechanisms at a layer of reality not directly accessible to empirical observation. Archer’s (2000) social realism draws on critical realism to provide a set of tools that allows an exploration of the social world in more detail. This study draws on the tools of analytical dualism, or the temporary separation of structure, culture and agency for analytical purposes, and Archer’s (1998) morphogenetic framework, which allows for the exploration of change, or non-change, over time. The overarching goal of the study was to explore how leaders at one South African university were enabled and constrained as they exercised their agency in the pursuit of projects they had identified to address their ultimate concerns about the world more generally and higher education in particular. However, the study also sought to explore the construct of leadership itself in a specific context by using Archer’s (2007, 2012) theoretical work on reflexivity. The study drew on in-depth interviews with senior leaders at the institution, including two vice-chancellors. The interviews were subjected to analysis, and the inferential tools of abduction and retroduction were used to identify the interplay of mechanisms located at the level of the Real, the deepest layer of reality posited by Bhaskar (1978), which led to the events and experiences reported by leaders. A literature review was used to identify additional theories that were used in the processes of abduction and retroduction. The study revealed that change, or rather non-change, is often concealed in cultural rhetoric veiled in leadership practices in acts assimilating past ideology and codified rules and practices with new codified rules and practices. Leaders often draw on powerful relational networks as they reflexively exercise their agency, and these networks can also work to constrain change. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, Education 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-10-13
Service as a leadership competency at Director/CEO level
- Authors: Chilton, Ilse Mercia
- Date: 2022-12
- Subjects: Leadership Moral and ethical aspects , Servant leadership , Compassion , Humility , Integrative thinking , Critical incident technique , Transformational leadership
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/419075 , vital:71614
- Description: Given ethical failures in leadership, the actions and decisions of leaders are receiving renewed attention based on the role business plays in society. Business leaders need to demonstrate their willingness to consider their influence on society and not merely consider the demands and expectations of shareholders. Leaders must consider the ethical lens through which their decisions and actions are perceived. Service as a leadership competency can develop ethical leadership. Currently, service is not clearly defined and understood, and Pearse (2017) proposes five interrelated elements of service as a competency, namely individualised consideration, compassion, motivation to lead, humility and integrated thinking. The study examined if the five interrelated service elements are present when a leader at Director/CEO level exercises an act of service towards a follower. The study adopted a qualitative deductive thematic approach, collecting data through semi-structured interviews and using the critical incident technique to guide the interviews. The study's findings support the research proposition that service as a leadership competency consists of the five elements, but with some of these elements expanded. Service as a leadership competency is recommended to develop high-quality social relationships within an organisation, which will positively impact the corporate culture. Organisations can recruit and select leaders based on ethical leadership requirements and integrate these into performance management systems. Recommendations for further research have also been made. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Commerce, Rhodes Business School, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-12