Leadership style of technical-vocational deans in American community colleges: a predictive study

The study tested the Full Range of Leadership model (Bass & Avolio, 1997) styles and faculty outcomes with community college technical-vocational deans and their faculty. The study investigated the faculty's and dean's self-report perceptions of the degree to which transformational leadership, transactional leadership were practiced by community college technical-vocational deans. The theoretical framework of the Full Range Leadership model is provided by Bass and Avolio (1995). This framework was measured in the study by the MLQ-Form 5X-Short, which has three subscale factors with twelve indicators.

Community colleges have emerged to have an expanding and significant place in postsecondary education. Their programs, especially the technical-vocational programs, have seen extraordinary growth in size, magnitude of mission, and complexity in the past twenty-five years (Pamell, 1990; Seagren, Wheeler, Creswell, Miller, and VanHom- Grassmeyer, 1994). Seagren, et al. 1994, conducted the first nationwide study of academic and technical-vocational chairperson's in community colleges. The findings from this study should be useful in establishing a broader base of knowledge on only technical-vocational deans (chairpersons). Comparisons to the Seagren, et al.'s (1994) study provided a profile that had similarities and a few differences. The study adds to the base of knowledge by examining their leadership style, which was a recommendation in the Seagren study.

Through a questionnaire that included the MLQ-5X-Short and demographic information, information was obtained from 132 single campus community colleges. The information was analyzed through descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling. The general purpose of structural equation modeling (SEM) is to provide a unique analysis that concurrently addresses both measurement and prediction questions. From the data, a model for the community college technical-vocational dean's perceived leadership style was generated. Also, a model for the faculty's perception of the dean's leadership style was determined. From these models, it was determined that a combination of these leadership styles had the greater positive impact on technical-vocational faculty job satisfaction, willingness to exert extra effort, and perceived dean effectiveness. Models for each group by gender were also examined for differences. Implications and recommendations were discussed.