ERIC Number: ED565913
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2013
Pages: 191
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 978-1-3036-9289-5
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Systems Thinking as a Competency for Community College Leaders in an Era of Increasing Complexity
Davis, Anne Powel
ProQuest LLC, D.Mgt. Dissertation, University of Maryland University College
The pluralistic and often competing goals of myriad constituents, the changing demographics of students, the uncertainty of funding, and the growing demands for accountability from stakeholders have increased the complexity of systems which community college leaders must manage. Emerging from the recent literature on community colleges is a call for new models of leadership in the context of leading in an increasingly uncertain and complex environment. Systems thinking offers a potential means to help leaders respond to these growing organizational complexities and move leadership from a traditional bureaucratic model to a more adaptive model better suited for today's complex organizations. The purpose of this study is to examine the relevancy of systems thinking as a competency for community college leaders in an era of increasing complexity. In the context of this study, systems thinking refers to the ability to view systems as wholes rather than compilations of individual components, to see the interconnectedness and interdependencies of agents within systems, to frame problems as patterns, and to get at underlying causality. Findings from a systematic review of empirical evidence in healthcare and higher education revealed that a leader's use of systems thinking has a positive impact on organizational performance. A kaleidoscope model of community college leadership that posits systems thinking as a meta-competency for dynamically integrating the American Association of Community College's leadership competencies is presented. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: Systems Approach, Competence, Community Colleges, Instructional Leadership, Thinking Skills, College Administration, Organizational Effectiveness
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Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Two Year Colleges; Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A