Crisis management at small liberal arts colleges: Perspectives on presidential decision making / McGadney, C. Andrew.

Format:

Book

Thesis/Dissertation

Author/Creator:

McGadney, C. Andrew, author.

Contributor:

Kaplan, Eric J., degree supervisor.

Roiter, William A. (William Alan), 1950- degree committee member.

Hartley, Matthew, 1964- degree committee member.

University of Pennsylvania. Higher Education Administration, degree granting institution.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Higher education administration.

Higher Education Administration--Penn dissertations.

Penn dissertations--Higher Education Administration.

Local Subjects:

Higher education administration.

Higher Education Administration--Penn dissertations.

Penn dissertations--Higher Education Administration.

Genre:

Academic theses.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (133 pages)

Contained In:

Dissertation Abstracts International 77-06A(E).

Place of Publication:

[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]: University of Pennsylvania ; Ann Arbor : ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, 2015.

Language Note:

English

System Details:

Mode of access: World Wide Web.

text file

Summary:

Moments of crisis, whether on the busy streets of major metropolitan cities or at small, intimate liberal arts campuses across the country, require adept management strategies, effective leadership, and prompt decision-making attributes. As it relates to small liberal arts colleges, their presidents' ability to manage effectively, lead, inspire, and project confidence during moments of crisis is critical to the success of the communities they serve.

The critical question that this research project addresses is how crisis situations on liberal arts colleges are managed by presidents. This study explores the complexities of crisis management, presidential leadership, and decision-making attributes at three small liberal arts colleges and the responses during different crisis scenarios. The institutions in the study share characteristics in terms of their relative size, private nature, and liberal arts focus. Although the crises differ, the study investigates the preparation, actions during the crisis, and post-crisis review in order to understand crisis management by the leadership of small liberal arts colleges.

I consulted and examined the relevant literature regarding crisis management and presidential leadership; however, I identified a gap in the literature, specifically as it relates to crisis moments at small liberal arts institutions. I used a comparative case-study approach to analyze the three cases. The results highlight the complications I observed in discussing crisis scenarios at each location, the importance of communication strategies, the influence and value of a highly performing leadership team, and the importance of presidential leadership style.

Notes:

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 77-06(E), Section: A.

Advisors: Eric J. Kaplan; Committee members: Matthew Hartley; William A. Roiter.

Department: Higher Education Administration.

Ed.D. University of Pennsylvania 2015.

Local Notes:

School code: 0175

ISBN:

9781339396682

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license.