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Middle-level professional leadership competency of innovation to become influencers in the academic enterprise

Pruitt, Corey Brenton (2019) Middle-level professional leadership competency of innovation to become influencers in the academic enterprise. Doctoral thesis, Northern Arizona University.

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Abstract

Today’s challenging higher education environment, and the future of higher education, demands that we redefine the competencies needed of higher education leaders to meet the current challenges and those imminent on the higher education horizon. What is needed is an enhanced set of leadership competencies, specifically the competency of innovation to advance and influence the academic enterprise within the competitive and changing market of higher education. The purpose of this descriptive case study was to understand how middle-level professionals in higher education develop the leadership competency of innovation to become influencers in the academic enterprise at a two-year institution and a four-year institution in the Southwest U.S. The study employed a cross-sectional survey research design using a web-based questionnaire to assess the leadership competency of innovation and professional development experiences of middle-level professionals to become influencers in the academic enterprise. Key findings from this study indicate middle-level professionals have the motivation to influence innovation; there is a correlation between motivation to influence innovation and ability to influence innovation; there is a correlation between the middle-level professionals’ direct supervisor’s influence on innovation and whether or not the culture is perceived to also influence innovation; there is a correlation between the middle-level professionals’ direct supervisor’s influence on innovation and the middle-level professionals’ ability to influence innovation; the middle-level professional did not perceive the organizational culture as positively influencing innovation; of the eleven innovative behaviors, either “taking risks” or “encouraging others to take risks” were consistently the lowest in agreement across all influence domains; of the eleven innovative behaviors, “working collaboratively” was the innovative behavior with the highest level of agreement across influence domains for both four-year and two-year institutions; and, mentors and coaches provided valuable professional leadership development experiences to enhance innovative behaviors across ages and experience levels of participants. This study informs current and future higher education leaders in numerous domains within the academic enterprise, from innovation, to professional development, to leadership praxis.

Item Type: Thesis (Doctoral)
Publisher’s Statement: © Copyright is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the Cline Library, Northern Arizona University. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.
Keywords: Influencer; Innovation; Leadership; Higher education
Subjects: L Education > LB Theory and practice of education
L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB2300 Higher Education
NAU Depositing Author Academic Status: Student
Department/Unit: Graduate College > Theses and Dissertations
College of Education > Educational Leadership
Date Deposited: 28 Jan 2022 23:34
Last Modified: 28 Jan 2022 23:34
URI: https://openknowledge.nau.edu/id/eprint/5600

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