Pursuing Change in a Learning University: The Role of the Dean

Abstract

The pursuit of change in any formal organization is challenging. Change within a university is further complicated by context. As mid-level leaders within universities, academic deans find themselves at the center of these change initiatives. They experience a variety of difficulties in their role as change-leader. Using Senge’s (1990; see also Senge, 2006) learning organization theory, it is possible to better understand how deans navigate university labyrinths in their pursuit of change, how they can foster a culture of learning within their organizations to support future change agendas, and what difficulties they can experience in pursuit of these changes.