Contemporary Leadership Framework for Effective Deanship: A Philippine Context Straussian Grounded Theory

Abstract

Effective deanship is critical to Philippine higher education, yet there is no established leadership model specific to this context. This study addresses the gap by developing a contemporary leadership framework for college deans in the Philippines using Strauss & Corbin’s grounded theory approach. A qualitative Straussian Grounded Theory design was employed. Philippine college deans from diverse institutions were purposively sampled for in-depth interviews. Data were analyzed through open, axial, and selective coding with constant comparison, following Strauss & Corbin’s procedure. Trustworthiness was ensured via audit trails, memos, and ethical rigor. Analysis yielded several core themes characterizing effective deanship, including Visionary Strategic Leadership, Collaborative Decision-Making, Adaptive Innovation, Stakeholder Engagement, and Ethical Stewardship. These themes were grounded in participants’ accounts (e.g., references to organizational vision, consensus-building, responsiveness to change) and are summarized in Table 1. The emergent framework emphasizes a balanced combination of strategic vision, people-centered collaboration, and context-sensitive innovation. This aligns with leadership definitions that stress aligning people toward shared goals. The framework has implications for dean training and CHED policy in the Philippines. Limitations include the study’s reliance on self-reported data and the lack of verbatim quotes in the available report. Recommendations include validating this model with larger samples, developing leadership development programs for deans, and informing CHED guidelines on academic leadership.