Hybrid configurations of leadership in higher education employer engagement

Bolden, Richard; Petrov, Georgy

Abstract

Recent literature has emphasised the distributed nature of leadership in higher education (HE) and the multitude of actors and factors that contribute towards organisational outcomes. Gronn suggests, however, that rather than using such evidence to provide broad, normative accounts of leadership practice, greater attention should be directed to mapping the 'hybrid configurations' through which leadership practice emerges. This article responds to this call through an analysis of employer engagement activities in UK HE. Using a qualitative case study approach, it illustrates the complex, interdependent and contested nature of leadership practice in cross-boundary environments. The article concludes by suggesting how a hybrid perspective may enhance leadership theory and practice in tertiary education. © 2014 © 2014 Association for Tertiary Education Management and the LH Martin Institute for Tertiary Education Leadership and Management.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2014
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 6, 2019
• Journal: Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management
• Print ISSN: 1360-080X
• Electronic ISSN: 1469-9508
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 36
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 408-417
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1360080X.2014.916465
• Keywords: distributed leadership, hybrid configurations, employer engagement, boundary spanning, shared leadership, emergent leadership
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/823291
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1360080X.2014.916465
• Related Public URLs: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/cjhe20/current
• Additional Information: Additional Information : Published online 2 July 2014. This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis Group in Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management in 2014, available online at: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/1360080X.2014.916465