• Title Learning to change, changing to learn: lessons from business school deans in leading change
  • Name of author(s) Rona S Beattie; Paul Iles; John Taylor; John Peters
  • Organisation affiliation/position(s) Glasgow Caledonian University/Professor of HRD; Professor of Leadership; Assistant Principal and PVC (Learning); Hon Senior Lecturer
  • Address Dept of Business Management, GlasgowCaledonianUniversity, 70 Cowcaddens Road, GlasgowG4 0BA, Scotland
  • Email address
  • Stream 7
  • Submission type: Refereed

Learning to change, changing to learn: lessons from business school deans in leading change

Paper’s importance

This study explores the management and leadership of change in business schools during the current era of unrelenting challenges. The paper briefly considers why and who initiated the change within each school by considering the internal and external drivers facing individual schools, as well as the global challenges facing tertiary education as a whole. However, the key focus of this paper is on the role of the dean in leading change and exploring how and what they have learned from their experiences.

Theoretical base

Whilst there is plethora of literature on leadership and a growing literature on leadership development there is very little focused on the Higher Education sector in general, and business schools in particular. Yet, both are vital for the socio-economic health of their countries and citizens. Why are academics, other than pedagogic researchers, so keen to study and critique other sectors other than their own. Whilst this can only be supposition one reason might be that the popular research design of case studies is difficult for HRD academics to undertake. Firstly, if it is their own university it will be identifiable by author affiliations, and secondly, other universities may be reluctant to give access to another institution’s scholars to conduct in-depth research.

To overcome the above limitation the research team adopted a survey strategy, informed by literature on change management, leadership and leadership development, which has been circulated to former and current deans across many countries. To encourage participation it has been agreed that only aggregated findings will be presented so that no one current, former dean or institution can be identified. This may be the most effective strategy to investigate our particular world, although we intend to follow up our survey with in-depth interviews with a small cross-section of deans.

Research Purpose

This paper presents and discusses new empirical findings from an extensive international survey exploring the role of deans in leading transformational change in relation to culture and/or structure.

Research Question

In particular the paper explores the processes adopted by the deans during the change programme; their own learning needs during a challenging period in their career and whether these were met; an evaluation of the learning processes, formal and informal, the deans experienced; and lessons, learned for future involvement in change management.

In relation to processes we examine whether deans adopted an action-orientated or a cognition-orientated approach. The former sees the dean acting quickly to build momentum and consensus through quick results, before perhaps engaging in a more reflective phase. Whilst the latter sees the dean take a more measured approach thinking through potential scenarios and processes, as well as engaging in significant consultation to gain consensus for their proposed changes before acting.

The contribution of other people to the change process is also investigated. The paper considers whether the dean acted largely as a ‘lone ranger’, or did they adopt an elite team approach or did they follow a collegiate strategy? Whilst the roles and interactions of individuals and coalitions of stakeholders including: the Vice-Chancellor or President; professoriate; trade unions/professional bodies; senior support staff; students; governing bodies; consultants; and/or external agencies are also examined.

We then explore the impact of the change process adopted on the dean’s efficacy and learning.

Within the survey deans were asked questions relating to their development needs; their preferred learning modes; and to evaluate their learning experiences to date. Finally deans were asked to identify lessons learned from their experiences of change management e.g. what they would do again; what they would not do again; and, what they would do differently.

Implications for practice

In the discussion of our findings we extract key themes that have implications for practice, particularly in relation to the recruitment, selection, and development of deans (pre- and post-appointment). Whilst by no means suggesting a ‘sheep-dip’ approach to dean development we provide recommendations on what deans need to know about change management; what skills deans require to effectively lead change; and how their attitudes can impact on the acceptance of change by staff (who are the most informed staff group that any leader could face during a change process given their disciplines). We also present deans with a range of learning processes that they may want to consider to support their leadership development in general and their ability to lead change in particular. Individual deans can then reflect on what competences they need to develop and the most appropriate way for them to develop. Some will prefer formal learning such as the ABS or LFHE programmes for deans; others will prefer more experiential learning perhaps supported by an executive coach.

As well as providing deans with advice we would also encourage Vice-Chancellors, Presidents and other university leaders to review our findings as they have a crucial role to play in supporting the development of deans as well as managing their performance.

Conclusions

The conclusions present key lessons emerging from the contrasting experiences of business school deans across a range of countries. It is hoped that such lessons will inform, current and future deans, other university senior managers, and the sector, of the most appropriate ways to lead change within the context of their own institutions. Finally, this research addresses a significant deficit in HRD knowledge by investigating a comparatively neglected, yet vital sector; our own.