- Title
- Vision 2030: leadership styles, readiness for transformation and faculty satisfaction in Saudi Arabia
- Creator
- Alenezi, Dhifallah
- Relation
- University of Newcastle Research Higher Degree Thesis
- Resource Type
- thesis
- Date
- 2022
- Description
- Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Description
- Saudi Arabia has recently made many advancements in policies and strategies in order to move to a knowledge-based economy. One of the most substantial policies developed in Saudi Arabia is Vision 2030, a strategic plan of the Saudi Arabian Government, which has placed a specific focus on education development and advancement to increase the size of the educated and skilled workforce. By aligning the educational system with Vision 2030, the intent is to implement change to achieve sustainable and continuous economic development. The development of the country’s economy is clearly associated with the knowledge and productivity of its workforce. Therefore, assessing the workforce's readiness to accept the changes brought about by Vision 2030 and assessing the job satisfaction of the workforce is significant to enhance future productivity and contribute to the country’s development. Effective leadership can also help enhance employee commitment to change and discourage employee turnover. Moreover, employee satisfaction, particularly in higher education in Saudi Arabia, plays a considerable role in the delivery of outstanding education which leads to skilled workforce. Therefore, within this context, it is essential to examine the role of leaders in Saudi Arabian universities and how different leadership styles impact employee job satisfaction and readiness for change in Saudi Arabian higher education in general, and in particular, Northern at Border University in Arar, Saudi Arabia. To meet this end, the researcher applied a convergent mixed methods approach in two phases. The quantitative phase used the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) and Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS), and the qualitative phase used open-ended questions and semistructured interviews. Data was collected from 94 faculty members and 5 leaders at Northern Border University. The data was analysed through descriptive statistics, regression analysis, and qualitative content analyses. vi The data analysis revealed that preparing for Vision 2030 has influenced the leadership practices at Northern Borders University in various ways. The university established the Development Deanship; paid attention to employees’ professional and psychological aspects; developed the infrastructure; moved to distance education; reduced its expenses; updated the available curricula; and shifted the focus of curriculum and teaching to developing competent students prepared for employment and the digital culture. However, the study's findings indicate, developing employee readiness for transformation is one of the most challenging issues for leaders due to the resistance of many employees and some leaders in facing changes. Quantitative analysis, based on the nine facets of job satisfaction, suggested that these faculty members are ambivalent about their jobs. A simple regression analysis indicated that there is a positive relationship, no relationship, and negative relationship between faculty members’ perceptions of transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire leadership styles and their job satisfaction, respectively. These faculty members seem to recognise more aspects of transformational leadership, than transactional or passive styles, in the ways that they are managed.The current research findings contribute to the body of knowledge in the fields of higher education and leadership in general and critical concepts of leadership styles, job satisfaction, and readiness for transformation, in particular.
- Subject
- Vision 2030; readiness for transformation; job satisfaction; leadership styles
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1483943
- Identifier
- uon:51234
- Rights
- Copyright 2022 Dhifallah Alenezi
- Language
- eng
- Full Text
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| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details Download | ATTACHMENT01 | Thesis | 6 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download | ||
| View Details Download | ATTACHMENT02 | Abstract | 199 KB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download |