Content area
Full Text
This study is concerned with the characteristics of presidents of institutions of higher education who are considered transformational and transactional leaders. The study adds current data to the published and perceived characterization of such leaders and their approaches to changing the learning environment at their institutions. While addressing the widespread appeal of transformational leadership and its practical application to higher education, the study also profiles the qualities needed by leaders to introduce a climate of change utilizing transformational or transactional leadership.
Literature Review
The growing consensus among educators and policy-makers is that the current process of education must change dramatically. A different approach is needed to prepare today's leaders to meet tomorrow's challenges. The new structure should enhance preparation, allowing for innovation and futuristic thinking in a collaborative setting (Rodriguez, 1999).
Americans at all levels have had great faith in the power of education to improve their quality of life. Education has been viewed as an escape route from poverty, an antidote to intolerance born of ignorance, a primary source of national prosperity, and the foundation of democracy (Swail, 2003). Scientific and technological advances have intensified in the past two decades, and, for the first time in history, created a truly global community. Modern telecommunications link all the corners of the planet. Like the technology that helped create the emerging worldwide marketplace, the global community is in a dynamic period of change. Business communications, capital and financial services, research, and educational programs increasingly move across national borders. The pace of change will accelerate, and the urgent need for highly educated men and women who possess competence, perspective, human values, and political courage will increase (New England Board of Higher Education, 1991).
The prevailing view of management tìieory is that highly centralized management is generally ineffective and inefficient in the face of rapidly changing environments, such as those faced by organizations in the "knowledge industry." Rather, those closest to the market and production processes are likely to have the best information and ideas about what directions to take or changes to make and how to do this in a timely fashion. Their efforts can be guided by budget discipline-an overall spending target-and by indicators of movement toward desired results. But such indicators should measure total spending...