Lingbo Han

Year of Award

2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Degree Name

International Educational Leadership

Department or School/College

Phyllis J. Washington College of Education

Committee Chair

Liqin (Shirley) Tang

Commitee Members

John Matt, William P. McCaw, Erica Allen, Mike Perry

Keywords

Deans, Higher Education, Relationship, Teachers, Transformational Leadership, Work Engagement

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the relationship between deans’ transformational leadership and teachers’ work engagement in Chinese higher education institutions, with a specific focus on Inner Mongolia. Against the backdrop of China’s ongoing higher education reforms and increasing emphasis on faculty development, understanding how leadership styles influence teacher motivation has become crucial for institutional advancement.

A quantitative, non-experimental causal-comparative design was employed to examine how four dimensions of transformational leadership - charisma, vision, individualized consideration, and intellectual stimulation - relate to teachers’ work engagement. Using multiple analytical approaches including correlation analysis, regression modeling, and comparative statistical tests, the study explored both the overall relationship and specific patterns among these variables.

Findings revealed that transformational leadership significantly predicted teachers’ work engagement, with idealized influence and inspirational motivation emerging as particularly strong predictors. The study also examined demographic variations, finding that while gender showed minimal differences in leadership effectiveness, it did reveal slight variations in engagement levels. Educational background was identified as another factor influencing work engagement patterns.

These results provided empirical evidence supporting the adoption of transformational leadership practices in Chinese higher education administration. The findings indicated that leadership development programs should particularly emphasize the cultivation of charismatic qualities and visionary capabilities among academic administrators. Furthermore, the findings indicated that institutions should consider teachers’ diverse backgrounds when designing engagement initiatives.

By establishing measurable connections between specific leadership behaviors and teachers’ work engagement in China’s regional higher education context, this research contributed to both leadership theory and practical approaches to academic management. The study provided a foundation for future research on leadership effectiveness and faculty development in Chinese universities, while offering actionable insights for policy makers and institutional leaders.

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