Educational administrative leadership: - Organizational innovation in academic environments
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18779/csye.v9i2.1111Keywords:
management competencies, organizational culture, knowledge management, university governance, institutional transformationAbstract
This research examines the relationship between educational administrative leadership and organizational innovation in higher education institutions, considering the accelerated changes of the 21st century. Through a descriptive study with a qualitative approach, institutional documents from five Ecuadorian public universities were analyzed and semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve academic directors. Analysis-synthesis and historical-logical methods were applied, complemented with descriptive statistical analysis to establish correlations. The results show that higher education institutions with greater innovative capacity are those led through approaches that integrate transformational and participatory elements, characterized by shared vision and team empowerment. A statistically significant correlation (r = 0.78, p < 0.05) was identified between horizontal leadership practices and successful implementation of structural changes. Leaders who balance professional autonomy with strategic alignment manage to overcome the main identified barrier: resistance to change (present in 83 % of the analyzed institutions). An innovative administrative leadership model is proposed that integrates four interconnected dimensions: transformational leadership, participative leadership, change management, and organizational innovation. It is concluded that innovative capacity in higher education depends fundamentally on managerial competencies to catalyze collaborative processes and manage cultural transitions, rather than on financial resources.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Wilter Leonel Solórzano Álava, Diana Liseth Zavala Baque , Ana Belen Intriago Terán, Noe Salomón Morán Lozano
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