The Role of the Academic Heads of Departments in the Strategic Planning of the University

Kola, Isaac M; Selesho, Jacob M.

doi:10.1080/09720073.2012.11891240

Cited by 3 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…Incumbents seem to struggle with the career demands (Coetzee & Schreuder 2011) in terms of their understanding of the relevant economic and business matters as well as the accompanying interpersonal dynamics. Similar South African research on management competencies (Potgieter et al 2011), strategic planning (Kola 2006), leadership boundaries (Lyons 2008) and female ADCs' construction of what management and leadership means for them (Zulu 2011) confirm the international results. In spite of many recommendations in these studies about the nature and re-structuring of the position (thus addressing the matter on a mechanistic level), many ADCs are not coping with the psychological demands of the role.…”

Section: Problem Statementsupporting

confidence: 62%

“…Theoretically, almost all known corporate leadership models are applied to the role, such as democratic, situational, strategic (Kola 2006), transactional, transformational and positive psychology leadership (Bennett 1983;Buller 2009;Gittens 2009;Hecht et al 1999;Klar 2012;Mathews 2007;Sarros, Gmelch & Tanewski 1997). In practice ADCs struggle with supervision and management, and even more with leadership in which they have limited training or exposure at best.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The career psychological experiences of academic department chairpersons at a South African university

Cilliers

Pienaar

2019

SABR

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The existing research on the academic department chairperson focuses on the structure of the position more than on the role in terms of career, psychological functioning, coping and well-being of the incumbent. The objective of this research was to describe the career psychological experiences of academic department chairpersons (ADC) in their organisational role. A qualitative and descriptive research design was chosen for a case study of 24 chairpersons. Data were gathered using a focus group followed by thematic analysis. The manifesting themes were crossing the boundary into the career of an ADC, relationships, experienced confl ict and loss in the role, personal well-being and future career as an ADC. A psychological profile was constructed, and the data were interpreted on the basis of various stress coping models. It was concluded that these ADCs did not cope well psychologically, which significantly influenced their work performance. Research on the depth psychology role analysis of the ADC was recommended, followed by an inter-university investigation into the career dilemmas experienced, resulting in their lack of work satisfaction and productivity.

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Section: Problem Statementsupporting

confidence: 62%

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

The career psychological experiences of academic department chairpersons at a South African university

Cilliers

Pienaar

2019

SABR

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“…Further evidence shows that it is crucial to have office procedures skills and applications for administrative duties, including project management, budget tracking, and report writing (Islam et al, 2019). This also aligns with the fact that faculty members who have high levels of competence in office procedures are more likely to perform efficiently in their administrative practices (Kola & Selesho, 2012). This finding supports the notion that HoDs with office procedures competence are well-equipped to kick-start their schedule.…”

mentioning

confidence: 52%

“…Because of recent changes to academic institutions, such as the addition of new departments and more leadership duties, previous studies have focused attention on the performances of academic heads of department (De Grauwe, 2009;Nxumalo, 2021;Sakiru et al, 2014). However, it is essential to begin thinking about preparations for prospective academic department heads in higher institutions before they are appointed as HoDs (Clarke et al, 2007;Khanyi & Naidoo, 2020;Kola & Selesho, 2012;Nxumalo, 2021). Furthermore, there is a lack of information on training and orientation programmes for prospective heads of department, which makes it difficult for faculty members to acquire adequate preparations before they are appointed HoDs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhancing Capacity Building Prior to Appointment as Heads of Departments in Universities

Dogbatse

2024

ORCADEV

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Developing the capacity of prospective heads of departments (HoDs) at universities is essential for promoting effective leadership and enhancing performance within higher academic institutions. This research investigated capacity building prior to appointment as a HoD in Ghana. The study aimed to enhance capacity building of heads of departments prior to their appointment as heads at the University of Cape Coast. A descriptive survey design was used, and 40 Heads of Department across the University Campuses were sampled for the study. A structured questionnaire was used for the data collection. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Findings show that all the academic HoDs in this study have not been offered any orientation/workshop or formalized training before their appointments as Heads of Departments. Most of the HoDs desired to acquire office procedures skills before they were appointed HoDs. This study has shown that academic HoDs in the University of Cape Coast do not have any orientation/workshop or formalized training prior to appointments as heads of departments. The university should provide training programmes and workshops for academic candidates (Senior Lecturers/Associate Professors/Professors) who are eligible for appointment as heads of departments to improve their administrative skills and competencies before their appointments to the position of HoDs.

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“…Also Gill and Lashine (2003) have developed some techniques and criteria to improve educational institutions quality. Some studies were more specific, such as looking into the role of the academic head of the department in the university strategic plan (Kola and Selesho 2012); the use of the strategic plans and mobility in institutional global rankings (Hou et al 2012) or strategic planning and its relation with autonomy and political contexts (Bin Sirat 2010). Lillis (2006) has carried out a study to investigate the planning and evaluation programs implemented in a higher education institute in Ireland over an eight-year period timeframe.…”

Section: Strategic Planning and Its Counterpart In Higher Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Strategy text roles: exploring practices-in-use and academic managers strategizing behaviours

Girotto

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Este estudio se centra en el uso del texto estratégico desde el punto de vista de los directivos académicos. La línea de investigación en estrategia se ha interesado por las prácticas, actividades y comportamientos de los directivos en los diferentes niveles organizacionales durante la formulación de estrategias. Además, las actividades a nivel micro y la pertinencia del texto estratégico en el proceso de implementación se han convertido en un interesante foco de investigación en diferentes contextos organizacionales. A pesar de que la literatura reconoce la importancia de los estrategas y las prácticas estratégicas de las organizaciones, la relación entre los practicantes, las prácticas y los textos estratégicos en la implementación efectiva de la estrategia permanece aún poco explorada. El propósito de este estudio es examinar el rol del texto estratégico en el strategizing, explorando de qué modo las variaciones en las prácticas de implicación y alineamiento del directivo académico y los diferentes usos atribuidos al texto estratégico pueden explicar mejores resultados en la implementación de la estrategia en diferentes universidades. Como tal, las actividades, prácticas y perspectivas involucradas en la construcción e implementación del texto estratégico se estudian a través del análisis de las narrativas de los directivos académicos con respecto a sus puntos de vista y roles dentro del proceso de formulación e implementación de la estrategia. De esta manera, este estudio utiliza un diseño cualitativo, con la aplicación de un estudio de casos múltiple y exploratorio, en donde se han llevado a cabo entrevistas semiestructuradas con 42 directivos académicos (alta dirección y mandos intermedios) en tres tipologías de universidades públicas españolas (tecnológica, de investigación y regional), que constituyen los datos primarios. Los datos complementarios se componen de la documentación oficial de los procesos de la estrategia de las tres instituciones, asimismo, de notas de observación y conversaciones informales. La explotación de estas múltiples fuentes mediante la utilización de la “estrategia como práctica” como lente teórica, la teoría de los enfoques discursivos en la elaboración de estrategias, y el apoyo de la teoría fundamentada, permite la identificación de distintos patrones de narrativas respecto a los roles de los textos estratégicos y las prácticas, así como comportamientos del strategizing y elementos contextuales que caracterizan esta relación. Con base en el análisis de las distintas formas de strategizing y las prácticas utilizadas en las diferentes universidades, se determinan seis roles atribuidos al texto estratégico en la práctica de la estrategia: roles consultivo, conversacional y autoritario, que presentan un mayor potencial facilitador de implicación; roles prescriptivo y contingente, que se asocian a un potencial de mayor restricción de la participación; y el rol ambivalente que presenta una perspectiva ambigua, y que se encuentra en la frontera entre los roles anteriores. Al mostrar de qué modo los directivos académicos (alta dirección y mandos académicos) utilizan textos estratégicos en el desarrollo de estrategias institucionales, este estudio aporta un mayor entendimiento acerca de los elementos que influyen en la implementación de la estrategia y su alineamiento. El estudio sugiere que los diferentes directivos académicos participan en la estrategia y utilizan el texto estratégico de diferentes maneras: de una forma más creativa u otra más restrictiva. Sin embargo, estas diferencias están muy asociadas al contexto específico de las prácticas internas y externas que determinan los diferentes comportamientos presentes en el strategizing, y por lo tanto pueden llevar a restringir o habilitar el uso creativo del texto. El estudio propone un marco dinámico que integra los roles del texto estratégico con los elementos contextuales internos y externos, las prácticas en uso y los patrones de comportamiento de los directivos en la práctica de la estrategia. Además, muestra la importancia de la interacción del texto estratégico con elementos que podrían ser reforzados, cambiados o eliminados en la promoción de las diferentes formas del strategizing interactivo y del consumo creativo del texto. En definitiva, el estudio proporciona al ámbito de investigación de la estrategia nuevos conocimientos acerca del rol de los textos estratégicos en la práctica del strategizing This study focuses on the use of the strategy text in strategizing from the view point of academic managers. Strategy research has become interested in practices, activities and behaviours of practitioners of different organizational levels in strategizing. Additionally, micro level activities and the relevance of strategy text in implementation process have thus become an interesting focus of research in different organizational settings. Even though the literature have acknowledged the significance of practitioners and practices in organizational strategy, the relationship between practitioners, practices and strategy texts in effective strategy implementation remains still little ascertained. The purpose of this study is to examine the role of the strategy text in strategizing; exploring how variations in practices of academic manager‟s engagement in strategy practices and in strategy text usage can explain enhanced outcomes in strategy implementation in the university setting. As such, the activities, practices and perspectives involved in the construction and implementation of strategy text are studied through narratives of academic managers regarding their views and roles within the strategy process. In this manner, this study uses a qualitative design, with the application of an exploratory multiple case study, where semi-structure interviews with 42 top and middle academic managers in three typology of public Spanish universities were applied (technological, research and regional), which constitutes the primary data. Additional data is comprised of documentation of the official strategy processes of the three institutions, also observation notes, and informal conversations. The exploitation of these multiple sources of data grounded in strategy as practice as theoretical lens, informed by theory of discursive approaches to strategy making, supported by the grounded theory on analyzing the data, allows the identification of distinct patterns of narratives regarding strategy texts roles, strategy practices in use as well as strategizing behaviours and contextual elements driving this relationship. Based on the analysis of distinct forms of strategizing behaviours and practices in use, six roles of strategy text in strategizing are described: consultive, conversational and authoritative roles, which presented higher enabling engagement potential; prescriptive and contingent roles, which were associated with higher constraining engagement potential and the ambivalent role that presented a borderline perspective between the previous roles. By showing how both top and middle academic managers use strategy texts in strategizing, this study adds to our understating of elements that influences in strategy implementation and alignment. The study suggests that different academic managers engage in strategy and use the strategy text in different ways (in a more creative or restrictive form), however these differences are strongly context specific of the internal and external practices that frame strategizing behaviours, which consequently might derive into constraining or enabling text creative uses. The study proposes a dynamic framework that integrates strategy text roles within internal and external contextual elements, practices in use and patterns of strategizing behaviour and shows the relevance of the interaction of strategy text with elements that could be reinforced, changed or withdrawn when promoting the forms of interactive strategizing behaviours and text creative consumptions. Therefore, the study provides strategy research with new understanding of the role of strategy texts in the practice of strategy.

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The Role of the Academic Heads of Departments in the Strategic Planning of the University

Cited by 3 publications

References 2 publications

The career psychological experiences of academic department chairpersons at a South African university

The career psychological experiences of academic department chairpersons at a South African university

Enhancing Capacity Building Prior to Appointment as Heads of Departments in Universities

Strategy text roles: exploring practices-in-use and academic managers strategizing behaviours

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