Exploring the Culture of Decanal Search Processes: A Search for Excellence
Date
2022-03-02
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
ORCID
0000-0003-4004-0499
Type
Thesis
Degree Level
Doctoral
Abstract
Academic deans are uniquely positioned in universities and play an important role in
their organizations (Twombly, 1992; Wolverton & Gmelch, 2002). Despite the importance
placed on this role, there has been little attention paid to the processes by which academic deans
are identified and recruited (Twombly, 1992).The purpose of this study was to explore the
culture of decanal search processes in one traditional research university. This exploration
considered the views of a number of organizational culture scholars that included Schein (1985,
1992, 2004), Trice and Beyer (1993) and Hallett (2003). These views coalesced in a conceptual
framework of organizational culture created by Allaire and Firsirotu (1984).
This research was conducted within a qualitative paradigm (Creswell, 2007; Klenke,
2016) underpinned by philosophical assumptions that situated me in an interpretive paradigm
(Burrell & Morgan, 1979). The processes of research included case study (Yin, 2003) and
constructionist grounded theory (Charmaz, 2009). The primary source of data consisted of
interviews and focus groups with individuals who participated in a decanal search between 2014
and 2017 (inclusive) either as a member of, or as a consultant to, the search committee.
Findings from the data revealed that research participants described their experiences as
frustrating and overwhelmingly negative. Individually, research participants understood decanal
search processes from the lens of their own experiences with other search and/or collegial
processes and there was scant evidence to suggest any collective understanding of search
processes. What was revealed was that research participants expected decanal search processes
to be something different than they were. Constructive and critical insight gained from research
participants resulted in several suggestions for refining decanal search processes.
Through consideration of the Allaire and Firsirotu (1984) framework what started as an
exploration of culture in decanal search processes turned out to be an exploration of decanal
search processes in organizational culture. This resulted in an exploration of the interrelated
components of organizational culture and the extent to which they are mutually supportive and
harmonious, or not.
Implications for practice, theory and research reflected refinements to decanal search
processes, positioning culture as an object of study more broadly, and focusing more scholarly
attention on decanal search, and other related, processes.
Description
Keywords
Academic deans, deans, university, higher education, search processes, recruitment, organizational culture, culture
Citation
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Department
Educational Administration
Program
Educational Administration