Abstract:
This study explored the perceived role of academic deans in three private universities in Lebanon. The inquiry, based on four research questions, focused on the academic deans, department chairpersons, and faculty members’ perceptions of the dean’s management leadership role. Leadership differences by gender were also emphasized. The methodology of data collection included: A review of documents, semi-structured interviews with seven academic deans, a questionnaire answered by a sample of 80 faculty members and 20 chairpersons, and a review of anecdotal accounts written by the chairs and faculty members. The researcher reviewed and analyzed the results by synthesizing and comparing the themes and responses of the three categories of participants to emphasize congruency or discrepancy of perceptions. Analysis of the findings showed that participants’ perceptions moderately agreed on their academic dean’s management leadership role. The deans’ perceptions of deanship reflected their performance of role flavored with the ideal of academic leaders expectations. The slight incongruence of perceptions did exist to a certain extent because department chairs are in a position that is closer to academic deans than faculty members and thus have more critical perceptions of the dean’s role than faculty members. Female deans were perceived more positively than male deans on faculty and program development, fiscal management, and conflict management. Male deans were perceived more positively than female deans on vision and goals, communication, and management variables. Male leadership is viewed as more directive and autocratic and female leadership as more participatory and democratic.
