Academic Leadership and University Reform-Guided Management Changes in Finland

Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals

Y

16

Foreign Countries; Instructional Leadership; Competition; Educational Change; Universities; Administrator Attitudes; Middle Management; Administrator Role; Leadership Role; Organizational Change; College Administration

10.1080/1360080X.2018.1553499

1360-080X

This article uses resource-dependence theory to analyse how academic mid-level leaders in Finnish universities respond to their changing post-reform management environments. The 2010 university reform and subsequent university-specific management reforms have created new positions and roles for academic leaders. By identifying critical resources, academic leaders recognise essential uncertainties and dependencies and design actions to ensure the continuity of their units' academic functions. Mid-level academic leaders perceive internal and external uncertainties requiring different actions, reflecting their dual status and role. They use their new powers and respect academic values, while promoting their new management roles and competitive behaviour in academic functions. Academic leaders are intra-organisationally influential resource-dependent players. From the viewpoint of university reform implementation, therefore, it is important to know what they emphasise in their leadership role.

As Provided

40

2018

EJ1200871