Basically, this study is an attempt to determine whether, and to what extent, population grouping (Blacks, Coloureds, Indians, and Whites), Faculty (Arts, Business, Education, Law, and Science), and academic position (junior and senior) have a statistically significant effect on the effectiveness of leadership styles of the teaching staff in South African universities as evaluated by students.
This study was conducted on a random sample of 200 senior and junior lecturers in the Faculties of Arts, Business, Education, Law, and Science. The participants were selected proportionally from four types (Black, Coloured, Indian, and White) of universities in the Republic of South Africa.
The collection of data was carried out by administering the Michigan Four-Factor Theory Questionnaire (Taylor and Bowers, 1972) on leadership styles to five students taught by each lecturer concerned. This questionnaire consists of twenty items, grouped into four subscales: support of members, interaction facilitation, goal emphasis, and work facilitation, which are functions of effective leadership styles. This tool measures the effectiveness of leadership styles. A high score on this instrument is associated with effective leadership style, a low one, with ineffective leader behavior.
To test the null hypotheses in this study, Finn's (1978) Multivariance - Univariate and Multivariate Analysis of Variance and Covariance: A FORTRAN IV program - was prepared and employed to analyze the data in a 4 x 5 x 2 factorial arrangement (design).
Major Findings. (1) Leadership styles of the teaching staff in White universities are more effective than those of lecturers and senior lecturers in non-white universities. (2) Among non-whites alone, leadership styles of the teaching staff in the Indian University are the most effective while those of the faculty in Black campuses are the least effective. The leadership styles of the faculty in the Coloured University are somewhat middling though slightly above average. (3) The teaching staff from the Faculties of Law and Arts have the most effective leadership styles whereas those from the Science Faculty display the least effective leader behavior. (4) Academic position has no statistically significant effect on the effectiveness of leadership styles in South African universities. . . . (Author's abstract exceeds stipulated maximum length. Discontinued here with permission of author.) UMI
