Academic Leadership

Management and leadership have become increasingly important issues in academic context and in educational organisations. This is reflected in the growing branch of literature dealing with the topic. Many books, papers and studies on academic leadership treat academic institutions as rather homogenous entities. Although it is commonly accepted that there is no one best way to lead -- good leadership depends on context and on culture -- little attention has been paid to academic leadership in the contexts of different disciplinary or departmental cultures. The book focuses on four distinct disciplines (history, sociology, biology and physics). The material is based on 56 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with scholars in eight departments representing these disciplines. Leadership histories and cultures of the academic departments form the basis of the case studies analysed in this study. The case studies demonstrate how diverse value-orientations and perspectives inherent in the cultures of the disciplines and specialisms, and local cultural processes in the departments, together direct and affect academic leadership. Academic leaders may affect these processes, but a strong local culture may considerably frame the expectations connected to leadership. The book highlights how leadership practices and preferences concerning leadership can vary considerably in different disciplinary, departmental and historical contexts. Leaders and managers in universities and other educational organisations will benefit from the resulting insight and understanding of cultural and social dynamics in the units and departments they are leading.