Leadership and decision-making practices in public versus private universities in Pakistan

Abstract

The goal of this study is to examine differences in leadership and decision-making practices in public and private universities in Pakistan, with a focus on transformational leadership (TL) and participative decision-making (PDM). We conducted semi-structured interviews with 46 deans and heads of department from two public and two private universities in Pakistan. Our findings indicate that leadership and decision-making practices are different in public and private universities. While differences were observed in all six types of TL-behaviour, the following three approaches emerged to be crucial in both public and private universities: (1) articulating a vision, (2) fostering the acceptance of group goals, and (3) high-performance expectations. In terms of PDM, deans and heads of department in public and private universities adopt a collaborative approach. However, on a practical level this approach is limited to teacher- and student-related matters. Overall, our findings suggest that the leadership and decision-making practices in Pakistani public and private universities are transformational and participative in nature.

Appendices

Appendix 1: Interview protocol

Subject	Detail	Notes
Research topic	Leadership and decision-making practices in public/private universities in Pakistan
Research question	To what extent do Pakistan academic leaders adopt transformational leadership and participative decision making? And to what extent do we observe differences in leaders of public/private universities?
Way of contacting a respondent	Introductory email with indication that the respondent will be called personally
	At least three attempts to call the respondent by phone to set an appointment
	During the call, (1) repeat the research topic; (2) repeat research question; (3) ask for willingness to participate; (4) give time frame (duration interview); (5) specify preferred location at premises of respondent; (6) acknowledge the participation
Arrival at premises	According to the appointment
Prior to the interview	1. Thank the respondent and restate the research topic and research question
	2. Present the letter of consent and mention the deontological code of the university to ensure privacy and ethical issues
	3. Seek permission to audio-tape the interview, for transcription purpose
	4. Indicate the interview will last 30 min–1 h
	5. Thank the respondent for his/her time and participation
During the interview	Interview background:
	Please introduce yourself?
	How long you are working on this post?
	Tell me about a leader you have worked with, and who you greatly respect?
	What are the characteristics of a person that make him/her a good leader?
	Key starting questions:
	1. How can a leader set his/her vision forward for his/her university and how he can communicate that inspiring vision to his/her colleagues?
	2. When does your staff member respect you as a leader?
	3. How do you develop a supportive relationship with your teachers?
	4. What about your teachers working together?
	5. Who sets the standards as to the job performance of your teachers?
	6. What motivates your teachers to deliver high-quality work?
	7. When you need to make any decision, what is your general approach? Additional probing question: How do you solve conflict when making decisions?
After the Interview	(1) Acknowledge the respondent input
	(2) Ask for other contact information if follow-up is requested
	(3) Collect any additional document or reports offered by the respondent
Reflection	Post-interview comments and notes

Appendix 2

See Table 1.