Leadership and institutional adaption in turbulent times : a study of the survival and expansion of LAU since 1975

This research emerged from an interest in education management at university level, aiming at studying the factors leading to the development, growth, and survival of the Lebanese American University (LAU) during the civil war and post war period i.e. from 1975-76 to 2000-01. The researcher used qualitative research to explain and understand how and why people at LAU accounted for, took actions, and managed their day-to-day lives during the period. The sample included eight people from the management group, eighteen faculty members and twelve alumni. The faculty members and alumni are divided into old-timers and new-timers, and the entire sample is divided into females and males. Semi-structured interviewing technique was used. In addition, the writer refers to magazines, bulletins issued by LAU, local and foreign journals and newspapers, and other published material. The investigation led to the development of three models for understanding leadership. The first model was developed from what theorists have said about the factors affecting leadership. The second describes the life cycle at LAU. The third model is a generalisation of LAU case, theorising about leadership during turbulent times. Findings show that institutions need a strong and rooted team spirit and a transformational, charismatic and distributive leadership (distributed among peer group) in order to face and survive turbulent times. The findings indicate the importance for institutions to adapt and change their internal culture(s) and their leadership style as environmental condition changes. When the force of change weakens, institutions enter a period of consolidation. The leadership style needed then is transformational, transactional, coupling delegated leadership with a distributive leadership (distributed among the management group).