A Multi-Case Study on Korean University Presidents’ Leadership

The Effect of Authentic Leadership of Deans and Directors on Sustainable Organizational Commitment at Universities: Mediated by Organizational Culture and Trust

“…However, overall, university organizations possess nuanced goals, a client-centered mission, specialized members, varying decision-making processes, and sensitivity to the surrounding sociopolitical landscapes [26]. Bae et al conducted interviews with former university presidents while studying university president leadership [2]. The presidents they interviewed claimed that professors tended to be indifferent toward organizational issues they thought were unrelated to them and expressed dissatisfaction regarding rapid changes within the organization [2].…”

“…Bae et al conducted interviews with former university presidents while studying university president leadership [2]. The presidents they interviewed claimed that professors tended to be indifferent toward organizational issues they thought were unrelated to them and expressed dissatisfaction regarding rapid changes within the organization [2]. The interviewees also stated that although professors may show insensitivity or resistance to change, they are also committed to the university's development once they are convinced or motivated otherwise [27].…”

“…However, very few studies have analyzed the structural relationship between them, and none have focused on university organizations. In this study, it was considered imperative to establish and analyze the relationship between authentic leadership, organizational culture, organizational trust, and organizational commitment in a structural model with consideration of the characteristics of the university organization, a loosely connected academic community [1,14], and the current crisis confronting Korean universities [2].…”

“…Currently, many universities in Korea are experiencing a crisis of survival and facing various threats from the shifting sociopolitical and geopolitical landscape in recent years. Many higher education institutions are confronting challenges, such as declining enrollment and student populations, ultimately leading to the rapid collapse of local colleges [2]. These challenges are more prevalent in provincial areas, as Korea's shrinking population has resulted in institutions becoming more concentrated in metropolitan areas.…”

“…The context of a university organization is characterized as a horizontal organizational structure based on academic expertise. Most previous studies on university leadership have focused on the leadership of the university president, who is the top-level policymaker [2,7,8], and have addressed transformational and transactional leadership [9,10]. Conversely, this study focused on the authentic leadership of deans and directors, who serve as middle managers in universities.…”