Assessment of the role of leadership and the participative process in managing change at the Lebanese American University, LAU. (c1997)

Abstract

Universities are, almost all without exception, highly conservative social institutions in terms of internal structure and operations. A combination of bureaucratization, unionization, and traditional forms of protection, such as tenure and academic freedom, have combined to insulate them from the need to adapt. However, it is generally accepted that efficient management is critical to the success and reputation of universities. In this era of rapid economic, social, and technological change, good management must itself involve change. As a consequence, leaders of academic institutions should acknowledge the need for change and hence struggle and work hard to master it, or oppose it and eventually fall victim to itl. Furthermore, since resisting change will not stop from occurring it, all institutions should meet the challenge of managing it believing in its positive role as developing greater effectiveness and ensuring continuous improvement for their institutions. Managerial and educational reform is a continuing and integrated process where changes in administration, educational delivery methods, staff, research, space, and facilities management are necessarily interlinked. They constitute a cumulative adjustment process, which is best carried out as a joint cooperative endeavor by professional managers and academics. It should preferably be proactive and not reactive. Managing change effectively refers at first to the role of leadership and its management i.e. to the ability of the top management to create a new synthesis of people, resources, ideas, and opportunities. A new vision as well as creativity are therefore required. People must be influenced, departmental boundaries crossed, new ideas accepted, new ways of work embraced, and new standards of performance and quality achieved. Support must thus be mobilized, and coalition built. At second, managing change depends on its second component, the participative process. Such process allows the leader to reach decisions by consultation, where the esteem in which individuals are held will depend more on their own ability and judgment than on their place in the administrative hierarchy. The first and most important challenge is to develop an open attitude towards change at all levels. Employees need to understand the problems the institution is facing. It is essential to give people the chance to seek out and develop solutions. Many issues should thus be considered such as openness in negotiations and communication, involvement of employees, and bringing in new skills and new ways of doing things. Since introduction of any change involves resistance, opposition must therefore be identified and considered as people need help to cope with stress, anxiety, and uncertainties of change. In fact, these latter are consequences of a wrong implementation of the participative process. Further, continuity and tradition must be carefully overtuned since they provide people with stability and support. Thus, they should not be needlessly destroyed. This research, attempting to assess the role of these two important concepts in managing change, leadership and the participative process, at the Lebanese American University, LAU, denotes the following results. At first, LAU enjoys a well motivated and committed team of leaders. This team is represented by the president, vice presidents, and school deans. This team was mostly concerned with how to make the change consistent with the mission of the institution. At second, the participative process depends on the leadership style of each leader within his/her field. Thus, participation ranged from a maximal participative process in certain schools and administrative departments, to a minimal level in others.