Previous studies have shown inconsistent findings on the association between the leadership style and organizational climate. Some studies showed a clear relationship (Mosser & Walls, 2002; Scott,1999; Litwin & Stringer, 1968) while others showed inconsistent results (Allen, 2003; Volkwein & Zhou, 2003; Cameron & Smart, 1998). Therefore, research needs to be done to identify this relationship. Besides that, previous findings on the relationship between demographic variables with leadership style and organizational climate are inconsistent and insufficient (Thompson, 2000). Research needs to be carried out to identify this relationship especially in the context of Malaysian universities.
Much of the research carried out using the Bolman and Deal four-frame model (1984, 1991, 1997, 2003 & 2008) has been concentrated in universities within the United States. There is very limited literature on research carried out in private universities in Malaysia using this model. This research will be able to fill the gap found in the existing research and literature on leadership within private universities in Malaysia.
This research makes use of Bolman and Deal‘s four-frame model to examine the leadership orientations of the vice chancellor of a private university in Malaysia. The vice chancellor of the subject private university has had a successful background in the corporate world, moved to the world of academia as a personal calling, and is passionate about all things in higher education.
This case study will give an insight as to how the vice chancellor with a strong corporate and academic background is able to balance academic standards and the organizational climate to lead the private university to greater heights during his tenure.
Private universities are experiencing increasing financial pressures from an increasing number of similar institutions throughout the country thus creating intense competition, as well as the challenge of the rising cost of running such a full-campus institution. Such challenges exert pressure on institutions to improve efficiency and effectiveness. This research aims to examine the impact of multi-frame leadership on organizational climate in a private university in Malaysia. Organizational climate matters because it can affect performance in the workplace. In a positive climate, team members are focused and work to the best of their ability. In a negative climate, team members lack focus and lose the feeling of engagement, which inhibits their effort and performance.
Thompson (2005) states that organizational success is associated with four-frame related factors such as teamwork (human resource), guidance (structural), trust (symbolic), and autonomy (political). In an organizational climate where multi-frame leadership is expressed, the expected impact of leadership effectiveness would be organizational success and satisfaction. These expectations were also confirmed in the findings of Mosser and Walls (2002) and Scott (1999). It is therefore essential that leaders develop a multi- frame orientation to facilitate the growth and maintenance of dedicated and satisfied employees, as well as to enhance and implement decision-making and strategic planning in the university. However, no study has been done on the relationship between leadership style and organizational climate in private universities in Malaysia. Therefore, a study needs to be carried out.
This research aims to study leadership effectiveness of the vice chancellor. Using the Bolman & Deal model, this study investigates how many frames are used by the vice chancellor. Past research conducted on frame preference in relationship to leadership effectiveness by Bolman and Deal (1991b) show that managers often use only one or two frames, but effective leaders use three or more frames (multi-frames). This model has proven how leaders‘ thinking relates to leadership effectiveness, and that a multi-frame orientation yields the most effective leaders.
This is supported by Bensimon (1989) who suggested that the ability to use several frames and switch from one to another may reflect a higher level of cognitive ability. Bensimon (1989) also suggested that leaders who integrate elements of the four leadership behavior frames are likely to have more flexible responses to different administrative tasks. In addition, Thompson (2000) suggested that those who study leadership effectiveness should focus their attention on the use of Bolman and Deal‘s four-frame leadership model. He explains how use of the multi-frame approach might be related to yielding the most effective leader in an organization.
Much of the research carried out in the past has only utilized Bolman and Deal‘s (1990) Leadership Orientation Survey (LOS-self) instrument or the LOS- other instrument. The validity of self-ratings is generally low when using only the self-section of the instrument (Bolman, 2003). This is because the LOS-self can be subject to bias and the results obtained from one leader rating himself are not as valid. In the present study, both the LOS-self and LOS-other instruments are used in parallel to evaluate the leadership orientations of the vice chancellor to increase the validity of the research.
Lastly, most past research conducted using the Bolman and Deal four- frame model would have used either the quantitative (Thompson, 2000; Thompson, 2005; King, 2006; Beck-Frazier, White & McFadden, 2007; Mohammed Sani Ibrahim, 2011; Mohanan & Shah, 2011) or qualitative methodology (Bensimon, 1989; Lin & Shouse, 2006; Kezar et.al, 2008; Cherian & Daniel, 2008; Carr, 2012). In this research, the mixed method approach is used. In mixed methods research, the combination of qualitative and quantitative data provides a more complete picture by noting in-depth knowledge of participants‘ perspectives. Creswell and Plano Clark (2007) deem mixed-methods research as the preferred design when only one approach (quantitative or qualitative) is inadequate. According to Creswell, mixed methods research provides ―strengths that offset the weaknesses of both quantitative and qualitative research‖ as well as ―a more comprehensive evidence for studying a research problem than either quantitative or qualitative research alone‖ (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2007, p.9). Additionally, Creswell notes that mixed methods research is ―practical‖ in that the researcher is free to use all the methods possible to address a research problem, where both numbers and words are used, combining inductive and deductive thinking.
In summary, this research makes use of Bolman and Deal‘s four-frame model to examine the leadership orientations of the vice chancellor of a private university in Malaysia. This can be studied by examining leadership effectiveness of the vice chancellor, where effective leaders are perceived to use three or more frames (multi-frames) of the Bolman and Deal framework. The influence of multi-frame leadership on organizational climate of this university is examined. Both the LOS-self and LOS-other instruments are used in this study to evaluate the leadership orientations of the vice chancellor to
increase the validity of the research. Mixed-methods research will be used in this case study to provide a more complete picture by noting in-depth knowledge of participants‘ perspectives.