An academic leadership model for transformation towards learning organisations in higher education

Date
1998-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY: The pressures and demands for change and transformation are not bounded by national borders or geography and the complex challenges facing higher education call for a diversity of viewpoints and approaches. Institutional leadership must adjust to realize the full potential of institutions. Leaders will have to look beyond their own self - interest and meet the emotional needs of followers and find a radically new understanding of what it is to be effective. The study indicates that higher education institutions must have the will and the ability to adjust and respond to rapid change. It will be the responsibility of the leader(s) to define reality, to have an understanding of the past, the present and the future. Leading requires a refocusing of the mind, that includes fundamental beliefs, knows what it aspires to and where it is going to. Organisations have become so complicated that conditions must be created that are flexible enough that they can create a value system and learning culture that will inspire employees to participate enthusiastically, and at the same time enable and empower followers and individual leaders. However, before leaders can lead others, they must learn to lead themselves. Leaders have to understand that self - leadership is the power that drives new "boundaryless organizations." Such strategies help to create organisational culture where people value strong leadership and strive to create it. For higher education institutions to be able to survive the next millennium, they will have to strive for empowering their workforce and becoming learning organisations. Employees must experience the aliveness of a learning organisation, of something that has to do with the "whole"(Senge, 1990:339;371). The format of the study is that of a literature review of the leadership, transformation and learning organisations disciplines for the purpose to identify patterns and regularities to provide a systematic representation to be able to create a model. The model for academic leadership to accommodate change and transformation provides the institutional culture for leadership development and becoming learning organisations. The model gives a "(w)holistic" viewpoint on how leadership development in institutions can create the "space" to become, not only, learning organisations, but boundaryless organisations as well.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geografiese ligging en grense is nie 'n voorvereiste vir die druk en eise vir verandering en trartsfonnasie van die komplekse uitdagings wat hoer onderwys in diegesig staar nie.Om die uitdagings te kan hanteer, is dit nodig om verskillende uitgangspunte en beskouinge te oorweeg. Institusionele leierskap sal moet aanpas om sodoende die volle potensiaal van instansies te kan bereik. Leiers sal yerby hulle eie selfgesentreerheid moet kyk om sodoende aan die emosionele behoeftes van hul volgelinge te kan voldoen. Terselfdertyd sal 'n radikale nuwe begrip gevind moet word om te weet wat effektiwiteit is. Die studie dui aan dat hoer onderwysinstellings die wil en die vennoe moet he om te kan aanpas om sodoende op vinnige verandering te kan reageer. Dit sal die verantwoordelikheid van die leier(s) wees om die kundigheid te he om die realiteite te kan identifiseer en om begrip te he van die verlede, die hede en wat die toekoms inhou. Om leiding te kan gee vereis om opnuut te kan fokus en nuut te kan dink oor, onder andere, fundamentele uitgangspunte, waama gestrewe word en waarheen dit kan lei. Die gekompliseerdheid van organisasies vereis dat 'n omgewing geskep moet word, wat so aanpasbaar is dat spesifieke waardes en 'n kultuur van leer ingestel kan word. Die getransfonneerde omgewing moet werknemers inspireer om op 'n entoesiastiese wyse deel te neem en deel te wees van die veranderde omgewing. Dit moet ook terselfdertyd die volgelinge en individuele leiers bemagtig, asook die geleentheid bied tot selfontwikkeling. Leiers moet egter eers leer om hulleself te lei voordat hulle aan ander leiding kan gee. Leiers moet bewus wees daarvan dat om jouself te kan lei die mags basis en dryfveer is vir nuwe "grenslose organisasies". Hierdie strategiee kan help om 'n organisasieklimaat en -kultuur te skep waar werknemers streef na sterk leierskap en terselfdertyd die waarde van leierskap hoog ago Hoer onderwysinstansies sal dus daama moet streef om werknemers te bemagtig en om lerende organisasies te ontwikkel om te kan oorleefin die volgende eeu. Werkememers moet die skeppende en lewegewende gevoel van lerende organisasies ervaar, waar die individu 'n deel van die "geheel" vorm (Senge, 1990:339;371). Die studie bestaan uit 'n literateuroorsig met betreking tot drie studievelde: transformasie, leierskap en lerende org'anisasies, om sodoende patrone en ooreenkomste te kan vasstel om 'n sistematiese uiteensetting en die ontwikkeling van 'n model te kan gee. Die model vir akademiese leierskap vir die doel van transformasie en verandering voorsien die geleentheid vir die ontwikkeling van 'n institusionele kultuur van leierskap en lerende organisasies. Die model gee 'n holistiese beskouing van hoe leierskap en die ontwikkeling van leierskap die "ruimte" bewerkstellig om lerende organisasies en grenslose organisasies te skep.
Description
Thesis (M.Phil.) -- University of Stellenbosch, 1998.
Keywords
Leadership -- Management, School administrators, School superintendents, School management and organization, Educational change, School administrators -- Role and function, School superintendents -- Role and function, Dissertations -- Education
Citation