Action Learning as a Tool for Strategic Leadership in Higher Education: An Empirical Study

The thesis aims to provide an empirical study of an attempt to introduce an Action Learning Set at departmental level within the organizational context of a College of Higher Education. The starting-point for the study is the notion that an academic leader introducing action learning to a department for which he or she is responsible might reduce the dissonance often experienced in educational organizations when institutional management paradigms conflict with the educational values and pedagogical principles underpinning the institution. A range of literature is examined, from that on leadership, organizational culture and change management, to a number of specific texts on higher education management. The use of action learning is considered within and beyond higher education, particularly in its use as a means of strategic leadership. A discussion on methodological issues focuses on specific research questions which were revised over the course of the study, and considers ethical and practical issues which underline the study. The thesis presents a case study narrative based on the experience of the Action Learning Set over a sequence of six set meetings, and the resultant analysis of data gathered. The data is supplemented by post experience interviews. The period of the study coincided with a time of considerable turbulence in the higher education sector in the wake of the 2003 White Paper, including the introduction of top-up fees in September 2006. This made a significant impact on the specific institution and the department in which the research was based, and this is evident in the data gathered and analysed. The research concludes that the success of action learning, particularly in a setting where professional education is practised, depends not only on the interplay of professional knowledge, questioning and reflection, identified originally by Revans (1980) as P, Q and R, but also on appropriate tension between affective factors and those concerning the organizational politics of the institution where action learning is situated. A number of points are identified for potential action by future researchers, including the need to investigate the transferability from the team learning in an action learning set to the development of collective capacity for leadership development across an institution of higher education. It is also suggested that it would be valuable to conduct empirical research on the use of action learning in other settings in higher education, including those of senior management teams

Engaging Leaders: The challenge of inspiring collective commitment in universities

Addressing the question of how leadership can work most successfully in universities, Engaging Leaders strengthens the sense of shared professional knowledge and capability amongst leaders in higher education. Presenting a narrative of change which not only spells out why universities need to work differently, this book also takes the reader through clear practical steps which any practising leader can take in order to build a collaborative professional culture which supports and challenges all members of an academic community.Leadership Foundation for Higher Educatio

'Their story is a hard road to hoe': how art-making tackles stigma and builds well-being in young people living regionally

Purpose Remote and regional Australia have comparatively fewer mental health services than their urban counterparts, what is more, mental health remains profoundly stigmatised. This study aims to understand how, if at all, the process of group art-making then publicly displaying the artworks can contribute to stigma reduction for young people (YP) experiencing mental health challenges in regional Australia. Design/methodology/approach Interviews were conducted with six young artists who use regional mental health services and 25 people who viewed their displayed art using a thematic analysis of the coded interview data. Findings Findings of this study demonstrated how art-making as a process increased self-esteem, social interaction and artistic expression; while the viewers experienced an emotional connection to the art. The viewer’s response enhanced YP’s confidence in their abilities. Originality/value Incorporating art-making and exhibiting the art in public spaces could be incorporated into YP’s mental health services to support well-being and inform the perception the general public hold of mental health, thus reducing stigma

An introduction to the prospect of the Chinese RMB as a reserve currency

On October 1, 2016, the Chinese RMB (yuan) will be included in the SDRs of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Reserve currencies are select currencies that have special drawing rights (SDRs). This article examines some of the aspects of this impending change of including the Chinese RMB as a select currency. The U.S. dollar is expected to continue to dominate as a select currency, after October 1, 2016, for the foreseeable future. This article has been written so as to provide general economists with some understanding of special drawing rights (SDR) of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and how the addition of the Chinese RMB will fit in, as of October 1, 201

EXAMINING THE CRB INDEX AS AN INDICATOR FOR U.S. INFLATION

This paper analyzes historical movements in the commodity futures market and the relationship to inflation. Specifically, the relationship between the Commodity Research Bureau (CRB) Index and United States inflation is investigated. It is said that the relationship between the CRB index and the U.S. inflation rate was greater in the some periods than in another period. Then in recent times the CRB Index has proven to be a reliable early indicator of inflation. As the composition of the United States economy changes, the Commodity Research Bureau must make adjustments in order to provide a viable service.CRB index, Commodities Research Bureau, inflation, Vector Autoregression, Marketing, Public Economics, E00, E30,

Fulfilling Governor Albert Brewer’s vision: the public affairs research council of Alabama (PARCA)

This article examines the professional career of Governor Albert P. Brewer and the development of his vision for a public affairs research group, that exists to give objective facts about state and local governments. The research question of this article is if Albert Brewer’s goal was fulfilled. The careful planning and the quality reputation of the published research of Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama (PARCA) has fulfilled the goal that Brewer had in mind. A methodology in arriving at this conclusion can be found in investigating the published output and broad, favorable reception of that output. This article examines the major events in the career of Governor Albert Brewer. He was a state legislator, speaker of the house, lieutenant governor and governor of Alabama. Brewer had many accomplishments, including the creation of the Alabama Development Office (ADO), the Alabama Commission of Higher Education (ACHE), substantial increased funding for public schools, and an effort to produce a new state constitution. A goal of Brewer was to create the PARCA, as a source of objective data and other facts that all people could use. PARCA is a non-profit and non-partisan group. The goals of Brewer for PARCA have been met and the organization continues to flourish. Brewer is one of the most decent professionals to ever occupy the Alabama governor’s office. Brewer was governor and decided to pursue another term with the 1970 election. In his political campaigns he projected the goal of being inclusive as opposed to the strong desire of George Wallace to cause division between African American citizens and some other citizens. That is, Wallace pursued a campaign tactic of creating a racist environment, to get votes. That election is considered by historians to be one of the most racially charged elections. The result was that Brewer and Wallace were in a run-off, and Wallace won by less than 34,000 votes. Later, in 1972 Wallace survived an assassination attempt. Some people think that event changed him, as he did stop pursuing a racist ideology for the rest of his political career. In contrast, Brewer consistently pursued a more inclusive message in appealing to citizens to work together for progress. PARCA, a group championed by Brewer furthers that goal. To help policy makers, PARCA provides objective data, which people of all political views can refer to. Brewer’s goals of an organization that provides accurate information has been achieved

Farmers and Social Security Reform

Agricultural Finance,

Book Review on Stephen L. Morgan (2021). The Chinese Economy

China followed a Soviet-style model for the economy from 1953 to 1978. Then Deng Xiaoping's economic ideas were implemented. The result was a marked decrease in poverty. Regarding personal freedoms, that has increased sometimes and decreased others since the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Morgan, a Professor of Chinese history at Nottingham University, clearly presents the significant facets of China’s economy

An Introduction to a Way of Increasing Chinese International Influence: The Implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)

This article is written for a general audience of economists, including those who have a novice understanding of this subject. China continues to become more important in the community of nations. In order\to promote further internationalization of China’s influence, major strategies are being pursued. The focus of this article is the implementation of the ambitious program of the Belt Road Initiative (BRI). Within China, this program is called One Belt One Road (Chinese: 一带一路; pinyin: Yīdài Yīlù) or OBOR for short. This is a global infrastructure development strategy adopted by the Chinese government in 2013 to invest in more than 150 countries and international organizations (World Bank, 2019). This article states that China benefits from the BRI and it was found that lower- and middle-income countries are more inclined to join the BRI, in comparison to high income countries This tendency is not 100 percent true. Simultaneously, there is the effort to increase the use of Chinese Renminbi (RMB) in transactions between all nations. (Chinese yuan is another phrase for RMB.) The Chinese RMB already has attained the status of reserve currency (Gentle, 2016). Of course, there is a lot of synergy between the implementation of the BRI and other means for increasing the international presence of China. This article asks the research question of does the BRI increase China’s international presence in the BRI? The answer is yes, considering the many countries, organizations and projects involved in the BRI. Tables in this article convey this information. This article may serve as a broad introduction to the BRI. The reader can thus move on to explore what other researchers have done on this issue

Developing and sustaining shared leadership in higher education

In recent years, concepts of shared and distributed leadership that view leadership ‘as a group quality, as a set of functions which must be carried out by the group’3 have emerged as popular alternatives to heroic and individual approaches. A shared leadership perspective shifts the focus on leadership from person and position to process and is now widely advocated across public, private and not-for-profit settings where there is a need to influence and collaborate across organisational and professional boundaries.Within higher education, shared leadership offers a compelling alternative to the discourse of managerialism (based on principles of new public management), which has become increasingly prevalent within the sector. In a context where many are sceptical of traditional influence and authority, it has been suggested that shared leadership may offer a means of reconnecting academics with a sense of collegiality, citizenship and community.Drawing on the authors’ extensive experience of researching and developing shared leadership in British and Australian universities, this stimulus paper explores what individuals and institutions can do to help develop and sustain more inclusive and shared leadership cultures and practices. It is targeted mainly at middle- to senior-level academic and professional service managers, and leadership and organisational development specialists, and seeks to provide practical as well as conceptual guidance for day-to-day leadership practice and development.A wide range of sources has been used in compiling this paper, going beyond abstract concepts to present resources and examples of using a shared leadership approach to achieve change at many levels and across many institutions that make up the higher education sector in the UK and Australia. A key aim of this paper is to bridge the gap between shared leadership theory, practice and development.The paper is structured into three main parts – context, practice and engagement – that consider, in turn, the conceptual framing, institutional practice and individual and cultural change aspects of shared leadership. Alongside a review of relevant theory and research, these sections present a series of resources, cases and examples to help assess current leadership practice and identify future action for shared leadership.The tools, practices and insights in this report will help debunk common myths and misconceptions about shared leadership and offer a systemic framework for developing and sustaining a shared leadership approach in higher education. Practical examples from Australia and the UK are included throughout, and each section contains reflective questions to assist in learning and application.Overall this paper suggests that shared leadership offers a viable and effective approach for developing and enhancing leadership in higher education and for engaging a wide range of interests and expertise in the leadership process. It is not, however, a panacea and we encourage the reader to take an open yet critical approach in which consideration is given to the wider social, political and cultural context in which leadership takes place