Research on digitalization 2023 week 05
Which is the best leadership model; digitalizing higher education; leadership and learning + teachers' critical thinking, group decision-making, Industry 4.0
Which leadership model is best?
WHAT? From several universities in Canada, an introduction to transformational leadership based on a comparison between the different leadership models and the empirical case for it all.
It’s INTERESTING that:
Models in the comparison are those labelled “transformational,” “authentic,” “ethical,” and “servant” leadershiop, each with different definitions and dimensions.
The measured effecs in the studies are the leader’s effectiveness, work performance, organizational performance, creativity and innovation, job satisfaction, satisfaction with the leader, committment, and well-being
Studies so far have not been able to show an empirically-based difference between these models, but the effects from transformational model are moderate to strong and seem better suited for measurement.
This is why the authors mean organizations should promote transformational leadership rather than trying out the others
AND SO?
The multitude of leadership models is something we’ve covered before, and I’m glad to see some empirical basis for comparing them. But I somehow think this is not going to be the last word on the matter.
It’s worth reading the dimensions in the different models, since they describe behaviors and values that reinforce each other. The behavioral descriptions are worth looking at, even you’re not inclined to buy into one model or another.
Digitalizing higher education
WHAT? Norwegian study of digitalization in higher education based on a comparison between the faculties of law and medicine.
It’s INTERESTING that:
The cases build on a clear connectoin between the strategic business needs and digital solutions, in which there is a trigger and a driver combine and align, and then followed up through governance.
But then there are significant differences between the two, which supports the applicability of the model.
There is a distinction between a digital transformation strategy, led top-down to meet a commercialization opportunity wearing at the organization; and a digital innovation strategy driven from the bottom up, causing organizational unrest.
AND SO?
There are many different needs that call for ambitious digital solutions, and they can be internal, external, commercial, effectiveness, leadership-run, grassroots, etc.
This strengthens the emerging link between strategy formulation and product development, being that organizations succeed by having an agile approach while maintaining constancy of purpose.
Good leadership promotes learning
WHAT? Danish and Australian study about how leadership can contribute to more learning in organizations that need it (and who doesn’t?)
It’s INTERESTING that:
Learning happens and should be supported at three levels: organization, group, and individual.
Leadership is categorized into five types: neo-charismatic, relationship, behavior-oriented, ethical and creativity/innovation/change. See previous entry about different leadership types.
Research so far suggests that good leadership contributes to more learning, but it’s hard to differentiate which leadership type supports what layer, far less how.
AND SO?
Anyone who is looking for things to research, it seems this article pinpoints a lot of important and interesting knowledge gaps
Having said this, it turns out that reflective leadership, by any name, contributes to learning at one or more levels. In other words, it’s worth making a conscious and well-developed effort, at all levels.
Bonus
A somewhat depressing study about Norwegian teaching students’ capability and habit to critically read texts, with implications both for their and their future students’ education
American and Japanese researchers compare decision-making in large and small groups considering that large groups expand the solution set while small groups work faster.
German study about the transition to “Industry 4.0”
Next week: Online lectures draw a bigger crowd; what is agile productivity; proactive or reactive might not matter that much + leadership and eye movements, leadership research, water industry, etc.