Abstract
Measures of attributes of leadership situations faced by chairmen in academic divisions and departments were theoretically and empirically related. Measures of task structure and member relations were derived from Fiedler's (1967) Contingency Model of Leadership, and measures of total control and relative control were derived from Tannenbaum's (1967) Control Graph Theory. Two correlational studies using samples of community college divisions and university departments indicated that hypotheses derived from research undertaken in business and military settings were not generally supported in higher educational settings. Consistent findings across both studies indicated that high task structure (faculty homogeneity and academic task structure) is associated with better member relations and greater cooperation on administrative matters. Implications for administrators are briefly discussed.
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Groner, N.E. Leadership situations in academic departments: Relations among measures of situational favorableness and control. Res High Educ 8, 125–143 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00992114
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00992114