Turning the Titanic around: A study of presidential leadership at faith-based institutions that have undergone a transformational change
Abstract
This dissertation is a qualitative research study of the presidents of three faith-based institutions, College of the Ozarks (MO), University of the Southwest (NM), and Oklahoma Wesleyan University (OK), and each one's leadership through a transformational change process. The primary questions were: Who are these presidents and how did they lead the transformation process? The study includes a review of the literature on the Christian college, presidential leadership in higher education, and organizational change. The researcher uses a framework that includes leadership style and stages of the change process. Specific research included written communication, campus publications, and website content. The research also included thirty-five in-depth interviews of presidents, trustees, administrators, and faculty members on the campus of the three institutions. ^ From the literature review, document analysis, and personal interviews the researcher answered the following questions: (a) how did each president lead a transformational change process at his institution (b) in what ways was each institution transformed (c) what were the similarities and differences among them, and (d) what kind of symbolic leadership did each president use, or did he? Each of the colleges in the study was a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. Presidents, administrators, and trustees of Christ-centered colleges would benefit from the findings of this study. ^
Subject Area
Education, Administration|Education, Higher
Recommended Citation
Sue Robinson Head,
"Turning the Titanic around: A study of presidential leadership at faith-based institutions that have undergone a transformational change"
(January 1, 2009).
Dissertations available from ProQuest.
Paper AAI3354335.
http://repository.upenn.edu/dissertations/AAI3354335
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