| The purpose of this qualitative multi-case research study was to analyze the perceptions of academic leaders (faculty & department heads) within subcultures (academic units) on a community college campus. A subculture is a subdivision of a macro-culture that formed through differentiation. Differentiation, led to the development of subgroups within the college culture. Differentiation provides a means for systemic effects, occurring within a culture, to deliver new and unique opportunities for change.
Results revealed similar and dissimilar outcomes related to cultural effectiveness, and the perceptions of the academic leaders. Using an exploratory qualitative research design, this study examined both organizational culture and academic leader perceptions to build upon research in the field. The use of Schein and Schein’s (2017) work, Organizational Culture and Leadership, provided a conceptual framework to examine the effectiveness of subcultures.
To date, research in higher education dealt with perceptions of effectiveness, leader/follower relationships, context, change, culture, isomorphism, metaphors, internal integration, external adaptation, and community college faculty. What research had not explored were the perceptions of academic leaders through the analysis of their social and affective factors. This work intended to further current research on perception and effective subcultures, including the ten dimensions of learner-oriented organizational culture, on the academic leader. Findings promote future study of academic units and their impact on the culture of an institution. |