Leadership Change Research Articles

The Relationship Between Distributive Leadership andOrganizational Change Management Strategies

This study explores the relationship between distributive leadership and change management strategies in Malaysian vocational colleges. Distributive leadership is vital for implementing Malaysia's Education Development Plan 2013-2025, particularly in enhancing leadership effectiveness. Effective organizational transformation depends on leaders' styles and abilities to manage changes efficiently and continuously. This research examines the extent of distributive leadership practices among vocational college leaders in Malaysia and explores variations based on demographic characteristics. Conducted with a sample of 254 vocational college teachers across nine states, data were collected through a questionnaire distributed via Google Forms. The questionnaire comprised two sections: Perceptions of Distributive Leadership Practices and Change Management Strategies. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics with SPSS Version 26.0. Findings indicate that respondents generally agree with the principles of distributive leadership, including bounded empowerment, leadership development, shared decision-making, and collective engagement. Additionally, a positive relationship was found between distributive leadership and change management strategies. To optimize change management, leaders should engage managers, employees, and senior leaders.

Reform to Perform? Electoral Effects of Programmatic Change Among Mainstream Parties in Combination With a New Party Leader

One requirement for spatial election models to succeed is that voters are knowledgeable and can assess the parties’ programmatic stances (and changes therein) correctly. Studies find, however, that this requirement is only met to a limited extent. Instead, voters rely on certain cues to evaluate parties and their (changed) policy stances. Recent research shows that a new party leader can act as a clear heuristic for voters to correctly assess (changes in) party positioning. Moreover, along with a new party leader, the credibility of such policy shifts increases and these shifts are more noticeable to voters. Hence, we argue in this article that the electoral effects of programmatic shifts interact with the electoral effects of party leadership changes. To test this hypothesis, we conduct a multiple regression analysis investigating the potential electoral consequences of a change in programmatic stances on the Left–Right and GAL/TAN cleavage, a change in party leadership, and combinations of the two across 10 established democracies in 33 mainstream parties during a period of over 30 years. In contrast to our expectation, we do not find any evidence supporting the idea that combining programmatic reforms with a change in party leadership is rewarded at the ballot box.

Changing direction for health in Africa.

Current developments augurs well for sexual and reproductive health in Africa. With the African Union joining the G20 group, it is expected that its regional health priorities will be given special consideration. Social protection and empowerment of youth and women were prominent at the recent Summit of the Future. The impending change in leadership at the African regional office of the World Health Organization brings great expectations for sound policy formulation and surveillance for detecting outbreaks of epidemics. At the United Nations, Africa will benefit from reform of the Security Council besides intensified activities pertaining to the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Evolving Role of Saudi Arabia in the Middle East: Challenges to Regional Diplomacy of MBS

The state's role in regional and international affairs shifts with the leadership change, particularly when the new leader is younger and more ambitious than his predecessors. The role of Saudi Arabia has been evolving with the rise of de facto leader Muhammad Bin Salaman(MBS). As a foreign policy tool, Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of MBS, has chosen a particular diplomatic approach to lessen conflict, promote regional peace and stability, and develop its economy in order to gain more clout in the Middle East. So, what is the unique diplomatic regional approach of MBS, and why is KSA, under MBS's leadership, still facing serious challenges in the region? This study briefly explores Muhammad bin Salman's diplomatic initiatives toward regional countries with strained relations. This study highlights the challenges the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia faces under Muhammad bin Salman's leadership in achieving diplomatic success with regional countries.

(In)Credibly Inclusive? A Panel Study on Inclusive Leadership, Leader Credibility, and Inclusive Climate

Cultivating an inclusive climate is an important concern for many public organizations, and it can be approached through various means. Research suggests that by exercising inclusive leadership, public managers may be able to support an inclusive climate. However, we still know little about the extent to which and under what conditions inclusive leadership is effective in promoting an inclusive climate. This study contributes to the existing research by examining the importance of inclusive leadership on inclusive climate utilizing a representative panel of 705 Danish high school teachers. Additionally, the study argues that leader credibility may be an important moderator. Testing the preregistered hypotheses, the study finds support for a statistically significant effect of changes in inclusive leadership on changes in inclusive climate. Contrary to expectations, leader credibility does not appear to moderate the relationship. The study suggests that inclusive leadership is relevant to promote inclusive climates across different contexts.

LEADERSHIP BEHAVIORAL DEVELOPMENT OF MILLENNIAL LEADERS AS A CHANGE AGENT IN THE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION ORGANIZATION

<p>The digital transformation era and Industry 4.0 provide ample opportunities for this generation to thrive with their rapid technological adaptation and openness to new ideas. This research examines millennial leadership behavioral development to enable them to effectively become change agents in digital organizations, using the case study of William Tanuwijaya at Tokopedia. Through a review of literature from international sources during 2020–2023, this study discusses millennial leadership theories and change management, highlighting the urgency and importance of adaptive leadership capable of managing change in the face of digital organizational challenges. The research findings indicate that millennial leadership styles vary according to organizational contexts. Millennials are confronted with change management, where organizational readiness to adapt is critical to success. Adaptive leadership, a key strategy in managing change, is crucial. Through William Tanuwijaya's leadership at Tokopedia, millennial leadership characteristics prioritizing social and environmental issues, sustainability, and the implementation of sustainable values are evident, alongside collaboration with the government to create an inclusive environment and focus on innovation and digital transformation in the economy. Leaders like William Tanuwijaya start by building teams consisting of celebrities or public figures in Indonesia to promote Tokopedia and strengthen the company's image while formulating the company's vision and initiatives, motivating employees, overcoming obstacles such as improving work efficiency, implementing successful minor changes, ensuring smooth change integration, and making change an integral part of the organizational culture and system.<strong></strong></p>

The Challenge to Change: Leading Schools beyond COVID-19

This paper considers the articles presented in this Special Issue and argues that, in most developed education systems in Western countries, there have been four major shifts in how school education is understood and delivered over the course of human history, from a time when only the wealthy and privileged received an education to the present day. It tracks changes in school leadership since the 1980s, when a combination of efforts to improve the effectiveness of schools and efforts to decentralise schools led to self-managing schools and changed responsibilities for school leaders. It reflects on whether the recent impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on school communities may lead to a fifth major shift in school education. This article discusses four different school leadership approaches that have emerged in Western education since the 1980s, instructional leadership, transformational leadership, distributed leadership, and leadership for learning, and argues that of these four, leadership for learning would be the most appropriate leadership approach in a post-COVID-19 future.

The limits to sustainability: views and tensions expressed by future leaders for change

Future leaders will have the challenging task of transitioning current societal practices and organizations towards sustainability, but we lack in-depth characterizations of young sustainability leadership students within specialized higher education programs. Understanding their aspirations, doubts and fears may help educators to provide tailored and innovative teaching. In this study, we engage 24 students of a Finnish sustainability leadership Master’s degree program through a workshop, a survey, and interviews with the aim of understanding how they conceptualize and operationalize sustainability. A thematic analysis indicates that their understanding is contested—they feel responsibility, but they channel it primarily through individual action and often value moderation (i.e. not taking action to perceived extremes); engaging the public is seen as important, but some suspect that human selfishness cannot be changed; and post-capitalist views exist alongside advocacy for business-as-usual consumption-based happiness. Based on these insights, we outline implications for research and education.

Abstract A127: Enhancing partnerships to address cancer screening disparities: community engagement strategies in a colorectal cancer screening navigation trial

Abstract Intro While researchers are expected to address study participants’ social determinants of health (SDOH), little to no empirical work is dedicated to the science of how to advance partnerships to redress health disparities. The aims of the study are to describe engagement methods to recruit community based organizations (CBOs) in a clinical trial designed to test the navigation of patients through colorectal cancer (CRC) screening while also creating linkages to help address patients’ SDOH. Methods Federally qualified health center (FQHC) staff invited CBO representatives to participate in the trial’s formative assessment components, food box provision, and/or delivery of CRC screening education. This engagement relied on relationships built through the team’s facilitation of a community coalition- a network that already existed in the FQHC. Study records were reviewed to enumerate and tally engagement approaches over the course of the study’s first 2 years. Results Seven CBOs provided a letter with the grant’s submission: 4 CBOs expressed interest in participating in an advisory board; 2 CBOs committed to providing a food box to patients identified with food insecurity; and 1 CBO committed to delivering community CRC screening education. Of the 7 CBOs, 6 completed a key informant interview; 2 provided zip-code level expertise to define study neighborhoods; and 2 developed formal agreements to provide food boxes to intervention participants. There was a change in leadership with 4 of the 7 CBOs, which likely explains the missing interview. Of the 2 partners that committed to food box provision, at the time of implementation- 1 of these no longer had a food pantry function as the CBO had taken this role on during the COVID pandemic’s peak. A neighboring site, however, continues to provide this service and has stepped in to provide food boxes for the study. Similarly, the CBO that had committed to providing community CRC education no longer has capacity to do so and a new partner was engaged to deliver this health education. At the end of grant year 1, to identify additional CBOs that could supply food boxes in other study neighborhoods, staff emailed 2 CBOs that were recommended during interviews, however, we received no response. Half-way through grant year 2, staff reengaged the dedicated CBO engagement team and requested additional e-introduction to new CBO partners that could address patients’ SDOH in these other study neighborhoods. Six CBOs have been approached with 1 interview completed to date. One of these year 2 CBOs provided zip-code level expertise to the study’s analytical team while another CBO is developing a formal agreement to provide food boxes in the other study areas. Conclusions Having a group dedicated to CBO engagement has allowed the research team to conduct outreach and partner with CBOs to co-deliver the intervention to address patients’ SDOH. Additional work is needed to consider the transitions in CBOs which impact initial commitments and timeline in order to anticipate and address these challenges early in a study. Citation Format: Anne Escaron, Joanna Garcia, Adriana Aranda, Jacqueline Macias-Sandoval, Dina Cruz Quintanilla, Crystal Gomez, Elva Arredondo, Gloria Coronado. Enhancing partnerships to address cancer screening disparities: community engagement strategies in a colorectal cancer screening navigation trial [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 17th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2024 Sep 21-24; Los Angeles, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2024;33(9 Suppl):Abstract nr A127.

Social Capital Development for Sustainable Community: Case Study on Sekolah Master Indonesia (SMI)

Community sustainability often comes to a halt at the stage of community organizational change, especially in the context of leaders. Further studies on the focus on empowering community organizations need to be strengthened to support sustainable communities. The case study method was used in this study with the research subject of community regeneration of the Sekolah Master Indonesia (SMI) located in Depok. The results of the study show that even though SMI has managed to survive for 24 years, it has not let go of the community's concerns in the sustainability of community leadership. SMI's success in carrying out components that support community sustainability has not covered the chaos when there is a change in leadership. The focus on strengthening the capacity of organizational resources is important to anticipate from the beginning, so that the empowerment of community members is felt thoroughly by every community member who can be the successor in community regeneration.

Líneas de investigación y perspectivas futuras de los estudios organizacionales: una revisión

Organizational studies allow us to analyze and understand the functioning of organizations, generate knowledge and improve their management and performance, from perspectives different from the classic ones with which the organizational phenomenon has been analyzed in a traditional way; These perspectives invite a critical look at this phenomenon. However, it is relevant to evaluate its potential to provide theories, models and tools that help advance the field of management and improve the effectiveness and sustainability of organizations. To date, no review has been identified in Scopus that synthesizes the literature on organizational studies from a bibliometric analysis, by doing so, this article provides a basis for researchers in organizational studies to learn about various future lines of research. The objective of this document is to review scientific documents published in Scopus(r) on organizational studies, to propose a structure of published scientific knowledge, so that different future lines of research are offered. 1091 documents were found that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria in the database that were processed with Bibliometrix, VosViewer and ToS. The main lines of research identified were: a) Leadership and management of organizational change; b) Changing, diverse and inclusive work environments; c) Legitimation, sustainability and organizational responsibility.

A New Year of Surgo

Hello Everyone, it’s Daanyaal your Surgo Editor-in-Chief for the Year 2024/25. As we enter a new academic year, Surgo also experiences a change in leadership and management. I want to start by crediting the work that Anna and the team underwent to transform Surgo and bring it online for all to read. I hope to be able to also add to the legacy in my own way this year. My main aims are to: Develop the Journals to include more editions and featured pieces. Enhance the Instagram to include articles from the journals as well as other fun pieces of media. Have overarching themes for each edition to differentiate them from each other and provide an enjoyable and informative reading experience for you all. Run more competitions and other fun interactive experiences to get everyone involved. I hope to be able to build on all my predecessors and continue to make Surgo an important part of the Glasgow medical student experience. Thank You.

Evaluating the Implementation of the Sekolah Penggerak Policy In Cianjur, Indonesia: Addressing Challenges And Enhancing Outcomes

The Program Sekolah Penggerak (PSP) is a priority initiative launched by Indonesia’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbud) to drive rapid school transformation and foster collaboration within the educational ecosystem at the regional level. Despite these efforts, 2,504 schools in the first cohort of the program were deemed unsuccessful after three years of receiving targeted support and funding. This study aims to assess the implementation of the PSP Batch 2, which has been operational for over two years in Cianjur Regency, Indonesia, through a retrospective analysis. The findings are critical for formulating policy recommendations to address the weaknesses identified in the implementation process. A descriptive qualitative case study approach was employed, utilizing snowball sampling for data collection and analysis. The results provide insights into (1) the chronology of PSP Batch 2’s implementation in Cianjur Regency, (2) policy violations and challenges, including the lack of supporting local policies and frequent changes in school leadership during ongoing mentorship, and (3) recommendations for future PSP implementations, offering three key alternatives: centralization of the program, enhanced inter-ministerial collaboration, and the development of region-specific policies. This study presents valuable guidance for policymakers in decentralized education systems and calls for further research in other regions to evaluate the PSP’s implementation mechanisms.

Digital transformation and organizational restlessness.

In modern society, organizations are expected to be increasingly flexible and adapt to constantly changing environments. While such flexibility is often considered a positive trait of organizations, the risks of continuous organizational change are often overlooked. Against this background, we argue that continuous, multiple and uncoordinated organizational change can lead to a state we define as "organizational restlessness" and a loss of the benefits of stable structures. Paradoxically, it is even possible that organizational restlessness reduces the capability of organizations to planfully introduce specific and highly desirable changes, such as those related to digital transformation. Using qualitative data from interviews and participant observations, we analyze a large German public administration and identify three sources of organizational restlessness: the innovation imperative of modern society, changes in political leadership as a result of democratic elections and the bureaucratic principle of personnel rotation. While barriers to digital transformation are often explained by bureaucratic rigidity, we show that also constant uncoordinated change hinders sustainable digital transformation. Our paper thus contributes to an enhanced understanding of organizational continuity and disruption, as we show that both are needed to digitalize organizations further.

The Trump effect: the perpetuation of populism in US–China trade

Abstract Our article analyses the enduring influence of Donald Trump's populist narrative on United States–China trade policies under Joe Biden's administration. We extend the literature on the effect of populism and populist leaders by examining what happens after a populist leader leaves office, and to what extent an expectation of populism perpetuates a populist narrative despite a change in leadership. In the case of US–China trade, the Biden administration that followed Trump's has carried on with a populist trade narrative and protectionist policies towards China, despite predictions that the US would return to ‘normal’ economic relations after Trump left office. Through textual analysis of speeches by both administrations, we identify a narrative coherence between Trump's nationalist–populist discourse and the trade rhetoric of the Biden administration, revealing a legacy of narrative expectation that constrains policy choices. Our findings demonstrate how Trump's populist framework persists, shaping White House discourse and policy decisions in the economic realm even after he has left office, and we showcase the enduring effect of populist language in political spheres.

A Systematic Review of Transformational Leadership's Influence on Employee Readiness for Change in Chinese Organizations

This paper explores the impact of transformational leadership on employees' readiness for change in Chinese organisations through a systematic literature review. The findings suggest that transformational leaders significantly increase employees' acceptance of organisational change through visionary motivation, intellectual inspiration, personalised care and morale boosting behaviours. The internal mechanisms of such influence include fostering a climate of trust, empowerment, and role modelling. However, China-specific cultural factors such as collectivism, respect for authority, and pursuit of harmony play an important role in moderating the relationship between transformational leadership and employees' readiness for change. At the same time, the study identifies challenges to the implementation of transformational leadership in Chinese organisations, such as traditional hierarchies and patriarchal leadership concepts. A series of strategies, including leadership development programmes, building a participatory organisational culture, and using digital platforms, are proposed to enhance the effectiveness of transformational leadership and increase employees' readiness for change. This study provides new insights into the mechanisms of transformational leadership in Chinese organisational contexts and has important theoretical and practical implications for enhancing organisational change capability.

Urban Greening Management Arrangements between Municipalities and Citizens for Effective Climate Adaptation Pathways: Four Case Studies from The Netherlands

The transition towards nature-based cities has increasingly become a central focus in political–environmental agendas and urban design practices, aiming to enhance climate adaptation, urban biodiversity, spatial equilibrium, and social well-being as part of the ongoing socio-ecological urban transition process. Climate adaptation in cities is a complex problem and one of the main collective challenges for society, but the relationships between city managers and citizens as to urban green care still face many challenges. Parks design guided by technical-expert and globalised criteria; inflexibility from bureaucratic inertia; and citizens’ demands to participate in the urban green transition, sometimes without the necessary knowledge or time, are some of the challenges that require further research. In this study, we examine four long-lasting approaches to green-space management in four cities in the Netherlands, ranging from municipality-driven to community-driven management forms, and encompassing diverse spatial configurations of greenery within the urban fabric. Utilising the theoretical lens of the Social–Ecological Systems Framework, we employ a multiple-case-study approach and ethnographic fieldwork analysis to gain a comprehensive understanding of the norms, collective-choice rules, and social conventions embodied in each urban green management arrangement. The purpose of this research is applied, that is, to provide urban managers and decision-makers with a deeper understanding of drivers to promote effective collaborative management approaches, focusing on specific organisational rules that may contribute to more sustained planning and maintenance pathways for urban green spaces, regardless of changes in political leadership or significant external funding sources. The results of the investigated cases show that long-lasting collaborative management of forests and parks has established a set of collective-choice rules for resource transfer between municipalities and citizens, including non-monetary resources (such as pruning-training courses or guided tours that attract tourists and researchers). Additionally, these arrangements have been favoured by the existence of legal norms that enable co-ownership of the land, and monitoring and sanctioning mechanisms that offer a slightly different interpretation from the evidence identified so far in the scientific literature on collective resource management and organisational studies.

Strategic leadership and organisational change in distance and e-learning contexts

The rapid expansion of e-learning, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has reshaped the educational landscape, necessitating strategic leadership and organisational change. This study examines the pivotal role of strategic leadership in navigating the complexities of digital learning environments and driving successful e-learning initiatives. A comprehensive literature review and data analysis were conducted, utilising sources from the US, West African countries, China and other Asian and European nations. The findings highlight the importance of digital competence, visionary leadership and effective change management strategies in implementing e-learning. Challenges such as technology access disparities, digital fluency and integrating interactive learning tools were identified. The emergence of e-leadership, emphasising adaptability and fostering positive digital learning environments, was also noted. Strategic leadership and organisational change are critical in successfully adopting and managing distance and e-learning. Therefore, policy makers should prioritise addressing technology access gaps, enhancing digital literacy and supporting educators and students. Visionary leadership must be cultivated to steer educational institutions through the evolving demands of the 21st century. The study needs longitudinal data on the long-term impact of e-learning on student outcomes to deal with its limitations and thoroughly examine the financial implications of transitioning to e-learning for educational institutions.

The feminization of student’s leadership in the universities: the election of the first female SRC president in KNUST

ABSTRACT Historically, women have been marginalized in student leadership in higher education institutions; nevertheless, recently, a number of women have gradually taken up leadership roles and risen to the topmost ranks previously held by only men. In Ghana, there is a gradually shifting from an exclusively men-dominated headship position for the SRC president to the inclusion of women. This article uses the glass cliff and feminization of leadership theories to establish the gradual changes in student leadership. This paper contributes to scholarship on women’s leadership by using the historic election of Yvonne Osei Adobea in 2023 as the first female SRC president in the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology to question whether this is a symbol of feminization of student leadership or a form of glass cliff. Using key informant interviews, archival data, and participant observation, this paper uniquely explored the extent to which student leadership in universities has been feminized. The paper argues that despite the overall marginalization of women’s leadership, some women have broken through the glass ceiling of student leadership. In addition, the inability of the male leadership to adequately address student needs has introduced the glass cliff phenomenon of experimentation with women’s leadership.

Leadership behavior and organizational change management in selected public universities of Ethiopia: Exploring the impact of leadership influences and change processes

The study explored the impact of leadership behavior on organizational change management process in selected public Universities in Ethiopia. The authors utilized a concurrent mixed Triangulation design, combining quantitative and qualitative methods. The Quantitative data collected from 581 questionnaires were distributed to 379 academic staff and 202 academic leaders. Besides, qualitative data was collected from 12 top management bodies and 48 student representatives by using interviews and focus group discussions respectively. This ensured that a representative sample was obtained from the target population. The researchers used mean, standard deviation, independent sample t-test, correlation and regression to analyze and interpret the data collected. The study findings revealed a positive and significant impact of autocratic, democratic, laissez-faire, and transactional leadership behaviors on organizational change management process. However, there was a negative and significant impact of transformational leadership behavior on organizational change management process. Indeed, the study identified significant differences in the perceptions of leadership behaviors and organizational change management between academic staff and academic leaders. Based on the study findings, the authors recommended that leaders in public Universities customize and apply the identified positive leadership behaviors (autocratic, democratic, laissez-faire, and transactional) to effectively manage organizational change.