Faculty Perceptions of Leadership on Ontario Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology

Leadership and diversity are both important topics in research and are often investigated separately. There is a long history of research in leadership, and diversity is a relatively new area of research in comparison. Differences such as age, gender, race, ethnicity, disability, and sexual orientation can be an advantage to some and a disadvantage to others when considering success in school, work opportunities or income potential. Rarely is research in leadership brought together with research in diversity, and both are complex areas of study. This study investigates traditional and emerging conceptualizations of leadership and differences in age, gender, race and ethnicity.This study investigated leadership from the perspective of diverse followers, and sought to understand the extent faculty perceptions of leadership differed based on age, gender, race and ethnicity at two large colleges located in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. As well, this study investigated the ways in which faculty who differ prefer to be led, and the ways in which faculty who differ wish to be included in leadership. This study is important because research in leadership often overlooks the impact of difference among followers. In this current economic climate, college leaders risk having disenfranchised faculty who do not support organizational goals because leaders have not fully considered the significance of faculty diversity.Results suggest on one hand that the extent of difference in perception is minimal, but this does not mean the differences in perception are unimportant. As well, faculty perceived leadership as being embodied in an individual; although, there was a strong preference for shared leadership practice. Faculty considered their primaryleadership role as being in the classroom and minimal involvement in leadership outside of that context. Finally, the implications of these findings for leadership and leadership practice are discussed. The findings presented will help to support conceptualizations of leadership in the colleges studied that model a shared leadership practice in order to meet organizational goals.

Department dc:contributor.department

Leadership, Higher and Adult Education

Year dc:date.issued

2014

Author dc:creator

• Daku, James J.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Angela, Hildyard

• Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology
• Diversity
• Faculty Perceptions
• Leadership

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1807/68453

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:utoronto.scholaris.ca:1807/68453