Leadership influence on institutional transformation in the post-merger and incorporation era: A case of the Durban University of Technology

Abstract

This article reports on a study that investigated leadership features that have the potential to influence transformation in the post-merger and incorporation era of the Durban University of Technology (DUT). The post-merger era of higher education institutions (HEIs) in South Africa has been clouded by a multiplicity of challenges, including the university leaders’ lack of interpersonal skills. This study took a quantitative approach through a structured survey questionnaire administered to 191 university leaders. The questionnaires generated a high Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and a reliability coefficient of 0.947, which indicates a high degree of acceptance and consistency of the results. There was only a 10 per cent difference between the research participants who concurred with and those who disputed that university leaders were prepared to listen. Almost half (48%) of the participants perceived that university leaders are proactive from the top. The study will contribute to the extant body of knowledge as there is a dearth of published information on leadership features that could drive transformation in the post-merger and incorporation era. The study will further assist human resources practitioners and higher education subject specialists in designing relevant leadership development programmes focusing on leadership capabilities that could assist to achieve both the institutional and national transformation agenda.