Balancing act: entrepreneurial mindset of women leading higher education through the enterprise model

Livingston, Paula (2022) Balancing act: entrepreneurial mindset of women leading higher education through the enterprise model. Doctoral thesis, Northern Arizona University.

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Abstract

The purpose of this research study was to describe and develop an understanding of how female leaders lead in the current and transitional landscape of higher education, how they perceive and have utilized an entrepreneurial mindset and leadership characteristics, and how they have worked to achieve a delicate balance between feminine and masculine leadership attributes that they authentically have. Participants included female community college leaders who had served for more than two years in a senior-level position. The design of the study was a descriptive case study with a focus on qualitative data that was collected, analyzed, and summarized. Research question 1 sought to understand the perceptions of female leaders regarding the identified characteristics and traits of an entrepreneurial mindset leader. The participants shared that when they were presented with the developed list of entrepreneurial mindset leadership characteristics, they appreciated the combining of the harder leadership skills with the softer side of being a leader. When asked about the gender association with the entrepreneurial mindset leadership characteristics, there were a variety of viewpoints. Overall, most participants indicated that they either felt or truly saw that these characteristics were gender neutral and that any leader could use them effectively. Research question 2 asked how the identified characteristics and traits of an entrepreneurial mindset leader have been influential to female community college leaders in their advancement in higher education leadership. Participants shared how the entrepreneurial mindset leadership characteristics have been received and overall the reception was positive. Participants indicated that they were inspired by both men and women using the entrepreneurial mindset leadership characteristics. Female leaders were inspiriting in traits of collaboration, questioning with data, resiliency and continual learning, and confident yet humble, while male leaders inspired more innovative risk taking and focused strategic vision. When asked about the phenomenon of a double-bind, the majority of participants indicated that they had either experienced that phenomenon personally or they had observed other female leaders caught in this dilemma. It was clear that this does occur and women have to find ways to balance agentic leadership characteristics while still behaving like woman.

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:	Community colleges; Women leaders; Leadership;
Subjects:	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:	12 Jun 2023 21:31
Last Modified:	12 Jun 2023 21:31
URI:	https://openknowledge.nau.edu/id/eprint/6003

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