Campus Location
Dallas Campus (Online)
Date of Award
8-2021
Document Type
Dissertation
Department
Organizational Leadership
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Committee Chair or Primary Advisor
Dr. Robert Haussmann
Second Committee Member or Secondary Advisor
Dr. Sara Salkil
Third Committee Member or Committee Reader
Dr. Tracy Spencer
Abstract
The present study investigated the department chairs’ perceptions regarding their job role transition in Christian colleges and universities. Previous studies have focused on department chairs’ perceptions in public colleges and universities across the world. However, there were limited studies regarding the perceptions of department chairs in Christian colleges and universities. This study aimed to explore the department chairs’ perceptions in Christian colleges and universities to add to the body of knowledge. Exploring this problem was critical due to the immense potential department chairs have to negatively affect the future of their institution because of the number of responsibilities they hold and their tendency to develop role ambiguity. The research was conducted through qualitative interviews utilizing Zoom with active male and female department chairs in Christian colleges and universities. Data were gathered to obtain the perspectives of the department chairs’ job role transition operating in duals roles from an academic to an administrative role. Recommendations were also obtained through the interviews. The majority of the participants enjoyed their job roles. However, they felt underprepared and micromanaged during their transition, which hindered them from properly managing their positions, others, and self. The participants identified several solutions to help with job role transitions: freedom in their job role, a strength, weakness, opportunities, threat analysis, and formal training consisting of workshops and mentoring to help define their job role. The primary conclusion drawn from this study was that the department chairs in Christian colleges and universities share the same challenges as department chairs in public colleges and universities. However, department chairs in Christian colleges and universities enjoy their job role amid the challenges.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Menete, Tiniesha La'Shae, "A Qualitative Study of Department Chairs’ Perceptions Regarding Job Role Transition in Christian Colleges" (2021). Digital Commons @ ACU, Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 395.
https://digitalcommons.acu.edu/etd/395