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In this qualitative article, we argue that marginalized spaces in historically disadvantaged school settings, such as in the case of a marginalized group of people, an out-group in the South African society, can become counter-spaces of comfort and nurturance. Spaces in historically disadvantaged communities are usually perceived in the dominant discourse as locations of deficiencies. We use Critical Race Theory and Latina/Latino Critical Theory framework (CRT and LatCrit) to contest dominant ideologies; especially the historically disadvantaged who often display human agency and transformational resistance. In addition, through the framework of Edupreneurial leadership theory we set out to explore how school practices incorporate cultural forms of knowledge, balancing the external and internal functions of the school to realize a conducive environment for effective school development. Fifteen participants were chosen through purposeful sampling and snowballing from five different schools in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Semi-structured interviews were used to generate data from different sets of participants; then analyzed where various themes crystallized responding to the research questions. The findings foreground the way in which historically disadvantaged learners' home lives, community initiatives and particular school practices lead strategies of resistance to challenge oppressive structures.

The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has increased anxiety and stress among teacher education managers and has given rise to the question of whether they have the competencies to execute their operational responsibilities productively. The theories of resilience and transformational leadership underpin this study in which teacher education managers' resilience and their responsiveness to the well-being of staff executing their operational practices in an open distance e-learning context were explored. A qualitative approach was adopted and virtual video conferencing interviews with teacher education managers were used to explore how they mitigated their strategic and operational roles and their managerial functions to ensure the well-being and organisational performance of staff working from home. Results revealed the experiences of distance managers to have been positive in that they implemented organisational strategies to mitigate the challenges faced to ensure wellness and performance among staff working from a distance. Further research applying a mixed-method design should be undertaken to determine how resilient managers and staff working from home are. That may yield different results.

In this essay, Jonathan D. Jansen and Samantha Kriger make visible the inner lives of the first Black principals in white-majority schools in South Africa. Through in-depth, on-site, narrative interviews with thirteen principals, and using the lens of interiority, they report on the anxieties, insecurity, and uncertainties experienced by these pioneers in the aftermath of apartheid, as well as their aspirations, commitments, and determination to transform predominately white institutions. Respondents spoke openly and candidly about their vulnerability as Black leaders in white schools, discussing the toll of school-based racism and resentment on their emotional lives, explaining the struggle between advancing and yet holding back change to avoid alienating white parents and teachers, and revealing how the racialized contexts in which they work awakened a reassessment of their own identities and of those they lead.

As the most stigmatised epidemic in history -- the human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) have proven to be a fierce challenge to humanity. The stigmatisation associated with the HIV/AIDS pandemic continues to destroy societies worldwide. The present study was designed to explain the challenges faced by teachers living with HIV. Transformational and ethics of care theories framed this research study. A narrative research design rooted in social constructivism was used to gather qualitative data. The data were analysed using qualitative content analysis, where descriptive, process, and emotion codes were used to interpret the data. Key findings speak to affected teachers' social exclusion, stigmatisation and discrimination, inadequate care and support, physical debilitation as well as psychological stress and depression. All these conditions resulted in teachers being unable to perform their tasks at optimal level in South African schools.

High needs schools in South Africa are characterized by student populations living in hazardous environments coupled with extreme poverty and language disparities, resulting in challenges that are interwoven with cultural and societal norms. This paper presents characteristics of leadership that enable student success in school from one high needs, high-performing school in Cape Town, South Africa, utilizing a case study methodology following the International School Leadership Development Network (ISLDN) research protocol. Literature reviewed highlights the context specific to high needs schools in South Africa, including historical context, leadership characteristics, instructional considerations, and implications for school culture. This study utilized a qualitative approach coupled with analysis framed through the High Needs Schools Leadership model. Data were collected from personal interviews with educators including school leaders and assistant school leaders as well as site-based observations, and concurrent archival document analysis, revealing the importance of several key themes: 1) Community Understanding, 2) Value-Based Decision Making, 3) Equity, and 4) Persistence. By considering the findings of this study, system and school leaders can enhance their awareness of factors with the greatest potential to significantly and positively impact educational settings for students in high needs schools.

The paper reflects whether it is too much to ask for a 'compassionate' university. It is an opinion piece as a response about how to make a shift against narratives that oppress, and how to respond positively to the 'compelling need for compassionate academic leadership in our universities' (Waddington, 2018, p.87). The authors draw on writers from more demanding educational circumstances -- from the socially charged environments of late twentieth century Brazil and the emergence of post-apartheid South Africa -- to provide inspiration that demonstrates change is possible in the academy.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought new opportunities to tap into teachers' own reservoirs of experiences and knowledge to develop them as teacher leaders, while minimising the potential for conflict with their colleagues and reducing confusion about their responsibilities. In this article, we describe some key themes identified and lessons learned from teachers and SMTs with respect to their experiences about teacher leadership during the pandemic. Having employed deconstruction as qualitative methodology and transformative learning as theory, this single case study assisted us to take-apart education policy texts as well as teachers' and SMTs' narratives to propose innovative teacher leadership initiatives amid COVID-19. The findings revealed that teacher leaders can be regarded as influencers who empower others by being responsive, open to change and build relationships so that they can inspire others. This aligns with policy stipulations that teachers should continually upgrade their knowledge and adapt their skills to new circumstances. This paper recommends that practices of the self and technologies of power can be deemed significant transformative teacher leadership initiatives for teacher leaders during and beyond the pandemic.

Learners, because of their minor status, are a virtual absence in everyday school leadership work, particularly on the African continent. School leadership, therefore, continues to be misconceived as an adult phenomenon. Framed by Cultural Historical Activity Theory, this paper reports on a Southern African Higher Education study that engages with the Vygotskian principle of 'double stimulation' and its relationship to transformative agency in the context of a school-based learner leadership development initiative. One school change project was purposively selected as the case, and data were drawn from a postgraduate student research report and self-reflective journal. Drawing on the Sannino model of double stimulation, the paper explores the phases of double stimulation as well as instances of transformative agency evident in the data, and speculates about the relationship between double stimulation and transformative agency in the leadership development of learners.

Gender equity and women's access to senior leadership and management positions in universities are a major challenge not only in South Africa but on the African continent, too. For women to take up senior leadership roles more potently, it is essential that they not only cope with and compete in patriarchal systems but more so, are equipped to change patriarchal hegemony and shift the management discourse and culture to a pluralistic leadership culture where transformational leadership becomes the norm and praxis. This paper examines a needs analysis for leadership and professional development competencies of women in senior leadership positions in South African higher education and presents the discussion on these findings, based on the data collected from 74 participants. The conclusion reveals the participants' enthusiasm for personal leadership development as well as their readiness for impacting their leadership contexts. These findings, in turn, shape the content development of the Women in Leadership programme, designed by Higher Education Leadership and Management under the auspices of Universities South Africa.

Curriculum leadership is a complex and demanding practice, which goes beyond the research and disciplinary expertise of the curriculum leader. Engaging and leading educators in a process of curriculum change is not easy: it can be a difficult, and sometimes chaotic journey which is often characterised by philosophical debate, the calling into question of current practices, fear, and even openly acknowledged resistance. In order for change to succeed, leaders of curriculum change must facilitate a shared ownership of the change process. This will require the bringing together of individuals with different personal priorities and rallying them around a common goal, e.g. designing quality Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) programmes. Our curriculum renewal journey involved the use of problem-posing pedagogies and required us to employ transformative types of leadership strategies. In this paper, we reflect critically, on our roles, as members of the "Abakhwezeli", in stoking the fires of curriculum change in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) Faculty of Education. Furthermore, this paper will highlight particular defining moments during the curriculum renewal journey, where stakeholder consultation and the use of transformative methodologies assisted in prompting deep, critical reflection on the (re)designing of our B.Ed programmes.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the integration of instructional and transformational leadership models of leadership in sustaining quality teaching and learning in schools. The study sought to establish how principals integrate instructional and transformational leadership in enhancing learner performance. Design/methodology/approach: The study employed qualitative methods of collecting and analysing data. The principal sources of data were six face-to-face semi-structured interview questions with school principals from selected schools in rural South Africa. Qualitative evidence was collected from six principals selected through purposive sampling. The selection of participants was based on the criteria that there was evidence of employing instructional and transformational leadership. Findings: Findings from the study provided evidence that instructional and transformational leadership approaches were used to change under performing schools. There was evidence of individualised consideration and principals supporting teachers through providing rewards and motivation. It was established that principals build a school culture that promotes successful academic improvement. The study showed that the integration of instructional and transformational models of leadership leads to a climate that promotes a culture of teaching and learning. Research limitations/implications: The study covered six schools in South Africa. Findings from the study have implications that principals are cornerstones to achieving quality teaching and learning in schools. Practical implications: The study was conducted in schools that were seen to adopt instructional and transformational leadership. This study is among the most important studies that were conducted in South Africa on the role of leadership in enhancing a culture of teaching and learning. Social implications: The study has critical implications for policy making and influences on school leadership in general and the adoption of strategies, policies and models that can improve teaching and learning. The study highlights the importance of integrating leadership models. Originality/value: This is an original study conducted in South Africa and data was conducted through face-to-face interviews to seek for opinions from participants in their original settings.

This article reports on an investigation into the use of action research for beginner teachers' professional development through the use of peer mentoring. Action research principles were applied by the mentor and the participating mentees/peers, forming a scholarly community of practice. The mentees were empowered to transform their teaching practice by applying the principles of Whole Brain® Learning (Herrmann, 1995) as a means to enact the role of facilitator and to take responsibility for developing scholarship of teaching, as it is aligned with the role of scholar and lifelong learner. The mentor (first author) who also was a beginner teacher at the time of the execution of the research project, had to enact the same roles with a view to transforming her mentorship practice, thereby enacting the role of transformative leader (Wolvaardt & Du Toit, 2012). Data collection methods included brain profiling and feedback questionnaires, observations, and video and photographic evidence. Some of the qualitative data collected by means of a feedback questionnaire are reported. Facilitating the mentoring programme offered the mentor the opportunity to develop professionally by using action research as a means to taking responsibility for her professional development per se.

The purpose of the research reported in this article was to place the known facts of the topic of teacher participation in stress management in the context of management and leadership in education. The emphasis in the conceptual and theoretical framework was on showing points of connection between leadership and management on the one hand and stress on the other. The investigation focused on how theoretical points of departure impact on teachers and how teachers experience stress through participation or non-participation in school management. The theoretical investigation was followed by a quantitative investigation by using a structured questionnaire known as the ASSET tool (An Organisational Stress Screening Tool) developed by Carthwright and Cooper. The main objective of the questionnaire was to measure potential exposure to stress in respect of common workplace stressors. The instrument was used to conduct a survey amongst teachers in the Mahikeng area. It was found that although there are many examples of how aspects of the different theories can be applied in the practice of stress management, the reality is that managerial leadership still features strongly in schools and that, in many instances, transformational and distributed leadership does not provide realistic alternatives to stress management theories in schools.

This study was undertaken to explore the role of principals in capacity development of post level one teachers for school leadership positions. The success of a school and its attendant learner achievement depends largely on good school leadership. Thus, it is highly unlikely that poor or ineffective school leadership will lead to successful schools. This study argues that it is the responsibility of principals to ensure that adequate opportunities exist for leadership development of post level one teachers. A qualitative research approach was selected to investigate the role principals play in building leadership capacity in post level one teachers. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with ten (10) participants at two (2) schools: one (1) principal and four (4) post level one teachers per school. Findings indicate that principals played a fundamental role, notably different, in the creation of opportunities for leadership development in post level one teachers. The opportunities ranged from the formation of committees, which offer exposure to early leadership practices, mentoring and coaching prospects and the availability of leadership training and development resulting from the outcomes of the Integrated Quality Management System appraisal system mandated by the Department of Education. Lastly, the study encapsulates these opportunities in a five-year leadership capacity building programme, to be offered as an in-service internal programme for post level one teachers to support progressive and developmental leadership capacity improvement.

Promoting sustainable development is top on the agenda of many national governments. The provision of quality primary education is key in pursuing this agenda and relies heavily of committed teachers. This article explores the potential contribution of transformational leadership practices of primary school principals in promoting teacher commitment. It is argued that primary school principals who exhibit the transformational leadership feature of commitment motivate teachers towards commitment and thus contribute towards sustainable development. This study was quantitative in nature and out of the hundred and fifty teachers sampled, only ninety-five responded to the questionnaires. Drawing from the theory of transformational leadership and the findings from the Limpopo Province education district case study, it can be concluded that primary school principals promote the culture of commitment and therefore a foundation for sustainable development is laid.

Purpose: An emphasis on school performance is not just a national issue, but must be examined within the global context. Successful leadership is ensured by school leaders' compliance to a set of basic practices within particular school contexts. The impact of leadership styles on performance, the work environment and job satisfaction is emphasized, while the appropriate leadership style could make teachers more effective in terms of job productivity. The adoption of different leadership styles by school leaders shows positive results with regard to school effectiveness. The purpose of this paper is to describe school leadership styles and the influence the styles have on school performance. Design/methodology/approach: A quantitative approach with a post-positive paradigm was followed. A systematic random sample of 72 secondary schools in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, was selected. The Cronbach's a coefficient, statistical significance (p-values) and effect size (d-values) were calculated, and a factor analysis was conducted. Findings: The results show a difference between teachers and principals regarding the transformational leadership style. The principals in the high-performing schools were perceived as less passive-avoidant in practice than those in the low-performing schools. A principal manages and leads a school effectively by applying an appropriate leadership style. Research limitations/implications: For future research, it will be advisable to make use of a mixed-method design. Although the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire addressed numerous aspects of leadership and leadership styles, the "voice" of the respondents lacked. Furthermore, more leadership styles could be investigated in different contexts. Practical implications: A chosen principal leadership style is not necessarily the best style for this purpose. School principals and teachers interpret leadership styles differently. Communication is therefore important. Social implications: The principal leadership style is not always necessarily the teachers' and learners' choice. It is important that schools keep up with a constantly changing world. Originality/value: If school principals and teachers agree upon a specific leadership style, there may be better collaboration which enhances better academic performance as well as effectiveness regarding schools.

School leadership is fundamental to the educational functioning of schools and their improvements of results. The study employed a qualitative approach to explore school principals' leadership styles and the educational performance of learners in high- and low-performing schools in Vhembe District, Limpopo, South Africa. The participants were purposefully selected from 10 secondary schools in terms of their performance. Focus group interviews were conducted with five teachers from each school. The interview data was transcribed and analysed, and identical patterns of coded data were grouped together under emerging themes. The overall results of the study indicated that the democratic leadership style together with the transformational leadership style contribute to high educational performance of learners. School principals from high- and low-performing schools employ a democratic leadership style and differ only in the sense that the latter are permissive or lenient towards learners' behaviours or conduct. The study recommends that school principals engage teachers as members of a disciplinary committee in order to deal with those learners whose conduct is not conducive to successful teaching and learning. It is recommended that school principals from low-performing schools strengthen their democratic leadership by not being lenient to learners' behaviour which is not conducive to successful teaching and learning.

By far the most challenging task faced by schools in post-apartheid South Africa, has been the distance educational leaders were mandated to put between the educational institutions and the apartheid legacy of racial discrimination and exclusion. It is therefore not surprising that there are two dominant approaches to educational leadership, namely the transactional and transformational leadership paradigms that were considered as apposite to ensure the implementation of new educational policy and curriculum developments. Indeed, the theoretical debates about educational leadership have extended expositions of the concepts of transactional and transformative leadership that are often perceived as forms of educational leadership that can enhance the democratisation of educational institutions, such as schools. However, after the demise of apartheid all attempts to move beyond authoritative practices have been shown to be undesirable; and the transactional and transformative forms of educational leadership might have too hastily and prematurely abandoned authoritative forms of leadership. Therefore, in this article the authors argue in defence of authority as constitutive of transformative leadership in schools by reflecting on current leadership practices in schools.

High school science and mathematics achievements in high-stakes testing environments are often characterised by poor performance and reduced participation by learners. The poor performance and reduced participation by learners in science and mathematics is often on the school improvement agendas. Making sense of how to improve learner achievements in science and mathematics is a school leadership function in addition to being a function of classroom practice. This study used an integrated model of school leadership to explore how a Pretoria high school made sense of how to achieve and maintain high learner performance in science and mathematics under the pressures of high-stakes testing. The single case study was purposely selected for consistently achieving high learner performance in science and mathematics. Narratives were elicited from conveniently selected positional leaders, a science teacher and a mathematics teacher. The study highlights integrated school leadership practices for resource and material mobilisation, fit-for-purpose teacher professional development and cultivation of a school culture defined by attitudes, values and work ethics to achieve and maintain high performance is science and mathematics. A recommendation for a further study is made.

The central feature of Athenian citizens' rights, that is, people's participation in government, is also enshrined in the South African Constitution. This article argues for the Athenian style of participatory democracy as a viable model of participation in governing South African schools. The author claims that "people's education", which had its origins in the principles of the Freedom Charter--was diluted during the negotiations for South Africa's new democratic government. As a result, the political and educational ideal of "people's education" for "people's power" has given way to democratic elitism in post-apartheid South African schools.

This paper provides insight into how the discourse of the New Unity Movement (NUM) can potentially contribute to educational development in the context of South Africa's social inequality. It describes the political lens of the NUM and how its discourse countered the oppressive forces of a capitalist-apartheid system, in a struggle for an alternative world order. NUM's discourse is posited as a progressive voice whose educational analysis and sound pedagogic principles could be recalled towards transforming education in South Africa today. Critical discourse analysis (CDA) is applied to recontextualise the societal role of teachers and the role of critique in what Fairclough (2010) describes as evaluating society and possible ways to change it. The analysis of the NUM's writing also draws on Gramsci's (1971) concept of hegemony that enables further insight into cultivating an educational philosophy that is emancipatory.

In this multi-case qualitative study the degree to which school-based decision-making (SBDM) is understood and conceptualised by the members of school governing bodies (SGBs)--educators, chairpersons of SGBs, principals, and learner representative councils-as well the extent to which decisions were shared among the various groups represented on the SGBs were examined. Multiple sources, such as meeting observations and interviews were used to collect data. Data revealed that decision-making processes in townships and rural schools seemed to be dominated by educators (educator-dominated SGB) and principals (principal-dominated SGB) respectively, while the urban school appeared to have achieved true shared decision-making (balanced decision-making). I therefore suggest that it is not sufficient to accept that promulgation at face value; and expect that implementation of policies in schools would suddenly convert these schools into true institutions practising and cherishing shared decision-making in their daily operations. Collective active efforts and ongoing training are still needed for the more effective functioning of SGBs. Although the research has tended to validate the findings of other studies, it has also made some contribution to the knowledge about the integration of the adapted governance models to analyse the extent to which decisions were shared among the members of SGBs in the selected three case studies. Its use in this study is, therefore, a methodological contribution to the study of SBDM.

The restructuring of South African education poses continuous challenges for educational leaders to contribute towards constituting a just and equitable society. Competing discourses, however, create ongoing tensions that have to be negotiated and meaningfully mediated. The widely diverse, often conflicting, local discourses shaped by particular groups' histories and experiences, interacting with national/provincial imperatives and the powerful neo-liberalist discourse, puts exceptional demands on educational leadership. These discourses shape not only the enactment of education leadership and management in school settings, but also its conceptualisation as a discipline and the concomitant enactment in schools and other education settings. In the context of the debate of what constitutes education leadership and/or management, I focus on the conceptualisation of the organisational or structural context of leadership. Leadership is explored as engaging within and with schools as a construct of language, i.e. as a discursive construction where meanings are emergent, deferred, and dispersed. This has the ontological implication that schools as organisations do not have autonomous, stable, or structured status outside that of the interactive narratives and texts that constitute it. Also transformative educational leadership as a practice of power would--in the interests of social justice--have to engage with competing discourses and what they privilege.

I explore the role and skills a principal needs to succeed in a transforming South African township school environment. I looked in detail at four principals and schools exposed to innovation. Two were successful in transforming their schools and two were not. The successful principals were able to seize innovations and make them work for the school. They were selective in the innovative practices they accepted but, compared with principals of less successful schools who opposed many of the innovations, they were able to explain why they opposed the ones they rejected or modified. The successful principals were particularly effective at working with the surrounding community on its own terms and with the local education district office, and in making these interfaces productive, allowing the school to play a key role in improving the community and supporting changes in the district office.

Prior to 1994, the South African education system was entrenched by authoritarian leadership in which ultimate authority was vested in school principals and power was not distributed to other members of the school. However, the importance of distributed leadership has increasingly gained prominence across the world. After apartheid in 1994, the government has attempted to educate school leaders on the efficacy of distributing leadership among all stakeholders and its effectiveness on learner achievement. This paper outlines distributed leadership and the need for it in schools. It then unpacks the South African school contexts during apartheid in relation to their management and leadership and considers the extent of departure of the current schools from those characteristics of the apartheid dispensation. The paper argues that, notwithstanding the government's efforts to implement educational reform in the nature of school leadership, the apartheid legacy still lives on, largely because the conditions that characterised the racially segregated schools during apartheid and their influence upon leadership still prevail. Since leadership is shaped by prevailing conditions and circumstances, this paper suggests a need to interrogate the nature of leadership across schools representative of the racial division of schools under the apartheid dispensation.

Part of the decolonisation and transformation of higher education institutions is the re-construction of its leadership. This requires not only a review but also a dissolution of traditions, conventions and organisational forms that universities have inherited, including a re-imagining of leadership in higher education. Equity in representation of women in leadership has been acknowledged locally and internationally as part of the transformation agenda towards sustainable leadership. The authors argue that decolonisation and transformation are not mutually exclusive processes in the South African context, but that transformational leadership is part of the decolonisation process. This should embrace women's ways of leadership in reconstructing leadership. The paper reflects on empirical data from personal interviews with three deputy-vice-chancellors on their journeys to leadership, with a focus on psychological and cultural factors (at the micro and meso levels), their career-pathing, personal characteristics and their experiences. These experiences are considered in the context of literature on women and leadership, using critical discourse analysis. It gives insight into the pathways that women often follow and provokes us to re-imagine the construct of "leadership". The paper concludes with recommendations on the impact of psychological and cultural factors and the importance of the implementation of transformative policies, affirming male and female role models, institutional support structures and career planning which should form part of the decolonisation and transformation of conventions in capacity-building towards equity and sustainable leadership.

The paper suggests that multiple deprivation is a concept as yet lacking in substantial theoretical analysis and that its application as a research framing tool in education is relatively recent. As a concept, multiple deprivation suggests a confluence of factors which depress learning and place unique challenges on leadership and which act in combination rather than in isolation. Given that more than three quarters of schools in South Africa are officially described as dysfunctional and that many of these schools serve communities facing multiple deprivation, the article calls for a new theoretical approach which focuses on how best schools in these circumstances can best be led. Based on extant evidence in the field, the paper identifies generative leadership practices upon which a new theory of leadership for these contexts could be constructed. Specifically, it suggests that a cocktail of leadership forms which include transformational, distributed, instructional, ethical and asset based leadership could offer the most promise for schools faced with multiple deprivation. The paper also provides an overview of the articles selected for this special edition.

In the last decade, emerging technologies and transformative practices have diffused into higher education social systems in ways that formal leadership styles are increasingly stretched to both keep abreast of and to manage. While many scholars have argued for the importance of the role of leadership styles in shaping the strategic direction of institutions, there is a paucity of research on the role that informal leaders, and more particularly opinion leaders and change agents, can play in enabling wide-scale adoption of innovations in higher education institutions. This paper focuses on the ways in which leadership in higher education can best extend their influence to accelerate the diffusion of transformational educational practices using emerging technologies by leveraging informal leaders. To illustrate how this could be achieved, we report on a study of 22 public higher education institutions in South Africa involving 259 participants who responded to an online survey. The survey focused on the uses of emerging technologies to transform the teaching and learning practices and the nature of institutional support such initiatives received. The findings reveal that for emerging technologies to be diffused in institutional social systems, more transformative and less transactional leadership is required. The paper proposes a model for accelerating the diffusion of emerging technologies in higher education institutions and concludes that leveraging informal leadership is particularly critical in accelerating the uptake of emerging technologies practices.

National and international developments in higher education and the resultant pressure on universities to demonstrate excellence, including excellence in research, had a far-reaching effect on faculties of education who had traditionally focused more on excellence in teaching than on research. In South Africa, as part of transformation policies after 1994, the South African government made a deliberate effort to restructure the higher education landscape, resulting in a number of enforced mergers between universities and teacher education colleges. These complex contextual issues had a profound effect on research development in education faculties. This paper focuses on a transformative approach to research development initiatives in a South African faculty of education over a period of three to four years. (Contains 3 tables.)

This article analyses career trajectories into university management in Australia, South Africa and the United Kingdom (UK), skills required to operate effectively and the power of vice-chancellors (VCs) and their impact on the gendered shaping of university leadership. It is based on qualitative research with 56 male and female senior managers. The research found that the typical career path was modelled on male academic careers. Not surprisingly, in South Africa and the UK the perception of the top university leader was of a man but in Australia, where more women have been VCs, there was no such assumption. Characteristics valued in university leaders in Australia and South Africa were "soft" leadership traits, but in the UK "hard" aggressive and competitive leadership prevailed. VCs are enormously powerful and can shape the gender balance in management teams and thereby potentially broadening leadership styles beyond the predominant transactional model to include transformational leadership.

In current times, the increasing demands of principalship and the complexities facing schools have led to the emergence of distributive forms of leadership in schools. The dissatisfaction with traditional models has resulted in a paradigm shift where leadership focus on the position of individuals in the hierarchy has been rejected in favour of collective leadership practices. In an era of democracy, distributive leadership continues to attract attention as a relevant model for the twenty-first century school. Using a mixed methods approach, we investigated teacher experiences and perceptions of the practice of distributive leadership in South African public primary schools in the Soweto region. Soweto is a township in South Africa steeped in political history associated with the struggle against apartheid (pre-1994) and which, to date, comprises predominantly black residents. Findings from the qualitative phase of the research revealed that distributive leadership had not taken root in schools in Soweto. However, the quantitative findings showed the early stages of a movement towards distributive leadership.

Research on women in leadership has received growing attention in recent years. But not enough studies have investigated the way women construct leadership and management of the academic department. This article reports on the findings of an inquiry into the experiences of women heads of academic departments (HoDs) at universities in South Africa and the United Kingdom. Data were collected by means of a survey questionnaire, and statistical analyses were conducted to determine frequency distributions and mean values on the perceptions of the women on leadership and management issues. Findings indicate that female leadership is characterized by strong communication and interpersonal skills; information and power-sharing; professionalism and integrity; servant leadership; participatory, collaborative, androgynous and transformational leadership styles. These findings illuminate in particular, women's ways of leading, and provide a basis for further research into how these ways can be optimally used for the benefit of academic departments.

After reviewing the literature on the topic of leadership, Simkins (2005) confirmed what the author finds to be true; that there is an over-abundance of models and theories of leadership in the literature. More concerning is that some of these models and theories disappear as quickly as they appear. Learning about leadership develops through practical experiences, and so models of leadership potentially create incorrect assumptions that "change is foreseeable, prediction is possible, boundaries are definable, identity is assumed, and outcomes are more important than process." In searching the literature the author found that her values most closely identify with transformational leadership perspectives, but implementing these values requires identifying what transformational leadership looks like in practice. In this essay, the author focuses on leadership through South African and New Zealand cultural lenses. The author makes a clear distinction between leaders and leadership and discusses seven major themes of transformational leadership. The author views leaders as "one of us" and leadership as a means through which people collectively achieve certain objectives. She contends that leadership is about being an equal human being with others, it is about relating to others and conversing with others, it is about shared goals and shared outcomes, and it is about achieving together for the good of all.

This study explores possible changes in the views of six faculty quality committees at a South African university. The initial investigation was replicated after five years and relates to the extent to which these committees perceive: (i) quality improvement as an indicator of faculty effectiveness; and (ii) faculties as the owners of quality. It was found that besides a far greater awareness of quality promotion, the committees also realised that quality must be shown to exist and that the processes of quality improvement are important. However, five years since their inception, most quality committees still view quality as "something that exists out there." The implication of the study is that higher education institutions should not only promote institution-wide quality cultures internally, but should expect it from each faculty. (Contains 1 table and 1 note.)

The main aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of different leadership styles on the performance of organisations in the banking sector of South Africa. The outcomes are expected to be utilised in order to construct leadership development initiatives, which will facilitate the cultivation of leadership competencies that contribute to the success of a company. The research conducted a synthesis of 50 empirical studies through the use of secondary source content analysis. A one-sample t-test was used to assess the presence of a statistically significant association between organisational success and a manager's lifestyle. A unidirectional analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to determine the correlation between different leadership styles and organisational performance. The Pearson's Correlation Coefficient was employed to examine the correlation between leadership styles and organisational performance. Research has confirmed that Transformational leadership has a positive impact on financial success, customer satisfaction, and staff engagement. Transformational leaders foster innovation and exceptional performance through their inspiring vision and tailored assistance. Transactional leadership ensures operational stability and adherence to regulations, but it does not have a substantial impact on staff engagement and innovation. Servant leadership emphasises the establishment of a supportive work environment through the enhancement of staff morale and customer service. An optimal approach for enhancing organisational performance in the South African Banking sector is to adopt a well-rounded strategy that incorporates transformational, transactional, and servant leadership principles. The Transformational leadership style has been determined to be the most effective in the banking sector, as it has shown the highest improvement in organisational performance. Banks executives and managers should consider embracing transformational leadership, cultivating innovation, and allocating resources towards staff development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the preferences of professional South African instrumentalists concerning the transformational leadership behaviours displayed by orchestral conductors. Quantitative and qualitative data (explanatory sequential mixed method design) were collected by means of the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ-5X) and semi-structured interviews. Forty-seven professional South African orchestral players completed the questionnaire, of whom five were invited to participate in an interview. Three transformational leadership behaviours frequently displayed by conductors were identified through the collection of quantitative data: idealised influence—attributes; idealised influence—behaviours; and inspirational motivation. Interviewed participants favoured all transformational leadership behaviours demonstrated by conductors, but at varying levels. Key ideas of transformational leadership, which include reciprocal trust between players and the conductor, as well as the conductor's ability to prepare for rehearsals and have the necessary skill and vision to lead and adapt within an orchestral environment, are highlighted. Participants often referred to a "fine line," where conductors could easily be either too active or too passive in their approach to specific transformational leadership behaviours. The positive effects of two types of transformational leadership behaviours displayed by orchestral conductors in the professional South African context are substantiated through evidence: idealised influence—attributes (IIA) and inspirational motivation (IM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance-related problems facing small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in South Africa are well known. Efforts to find lasting solutions are ongoing and include empirical research focusing on various business practices and models. Applying leadership practices and supply chain management to SMEs provides fertile ground for groundbreaking solutions. This study tested the relationship between transformational leadership, supply chain execution and supply chain performance in manufacturing SMEs in South Africa. The study uses structural equation modelling to examine this empirical connection using data collected from 411 professional employees drawn from SMEs in three South African provinces. The study found that idealised influence and intellectual stimulation exert a positive impact on supply chain execution. Supply chain execution is positively linked to four supply chain performance factors, namely agility, reliability, cost optimisation and responsiveness. Transdisciplinary contribution: The study connects transformational leadership, which is an organisational behaviour construct to supply chain management, the latter of which is an emerging business discipline. The study recognises that business strategy is implemented by people whose conduct and practices are pivotal to strategic success. In addition, the study has an entrepreneurship orientation as it addresses the challenges facing manufacturing SMEs in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orientation: It is scientifically questionable whether a predominantly Western construct and instrument could be used in the culturally diverse South African context. The sound measurement of transformational leadership in a multicultural context with the Transformational Leadership Questionnaire (TLQ), developed by Podsakoff et al. (1990), is studied from an etic perspective. Research purpose: Our study aimed to investigate the TLQ in terms of its construct validity. The instrument was developed outside the South African and the broader African and context; our study thus adopted an etic approach. Motivation: The psychometric properties of the TLQs are examined through a contextual lens (the South African context), building on the previously conducted work of Podsakoff et al. (1990) and Podsakoff et al. (2012). Research approach: This research employed a typical empirical paradigm using a cross-sectional design and quantitative analysis. The sample comprised 3805 respondents. A multi-factorial model was explored and confirmed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The results support the original conceptualisation of the overall construct, but with an adjusted factorisation. Main findings: Two factors of transformational leadership were confirmed, namely leadership focused on organisational, group and individual transformation and leadership focused on creativity and innovation. Good psychometric properties, in terms of good fit and acceptable levels of convergent and discriminant validity were reported for a two-factor model. Implications and contribution: Our study established a valid measure of transformational leadership from an etic approach. The necessity for our study originated from the diverse nature of the South African workforce. Participants from both the private and public sectors were included in our study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leadership plays a significant role in an organisation. Leadership style centred on the behaviour the leader exhibit when dealing with members of the team. The study examined the impact of transformational and autocratic leadership style on employee engagement at higher education in South Africa. Evidence from the existing literature suggests that motivating employees, elevating their desire for achievement and providing support, have advocated transformational leadership style as employee engagement enhancer. However, an autocratic leadership style dictates procedures and policies while ignoring communication, resulting in disengaged employees. Fewer studies focus on transformational and autocratic leadership style in a higher education in South Africa. The study provided useful insights into the two types of leadership styles in higher education and their effect on employee engagement level, as well as the importance of employee engagement in achieving the organisation's mission and vision. The study adopted a quantitative approach and used survey design. A structured questionnaire was distributed online to 210 universities staff and 131 responses were received. The findings of this study indicated that transformational leadership styles have a significant positive relationship with employee engagement, whereas autocratic leadership styles have a negative relationship with employee engagement. Furthermore, the results show that the autocratic leadership style and employee engagement relationship is insignificant. The study has made a recommendation that organisation use an appropriate leadership style that will enhance employee engagement in order to achieve organisational mandate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the transformational and socio-economic development potential of the Informal Economy (sometimes referred to as the Second Economy) in South Africa through the use of a qualitative hypothesis. The article's interpretation of transformation and socio-economic development is heavily slanted towards addressing and understanding the problem of unemployment, as it is the largest lever for positive change in post-1994 South Africa. Therefore, this article's (null) hypothesis contends that the informal economy, though much researched, has an undefined role in the South African government's formal economic development planning processes; worse so, where youth is concerned. This hypothesis is tested using two analytical approaches. Firstly, an examination of the post-1994 South African government's public policies and legal environment and the role of youth within the informal sector was undertaken, and secondly, this was undertaken using data generated from fieldwork involving two informal networks. It is the considered view of this article that the null hypothesis is correct in its contention, based on these two analytical frameworks. Moreover, the collected data and tests performed accentuate the need for government policy makers to approach the informal sector differently. Furthermore, analysed data points to the fact that government policy makers and institutions need to start seeing the informal sector as a possible quasiminiaturised-private sector/ micro-incubator with the potential to absorb millions of unemployed youth. Therefore, this undeniable set of circumstances requires a re-orientated Public Administration operational model, particularly in how public policy is thought and practised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Female entrepreneurs often take on a role as "social change agents", and yield innovative solutions to the social problems in the communities where they live and/or work. Entrepreneurial women in developing contexts are often challenged with limited resources when they attempt to solve these social problems in their communities. The paper focuses on the role education plays (if any) in women's ability to solve complex problems and create social value. Research objectives: The primary aim of this paper is thus to explore the influence that education has on social entrepreneurial women in Africa's social value creation. Research design and methods: For this study, we followed a quantitative research method. The population consists of all female social entrepreneurs (FSEs) from Africa that are Ashoka Fellows (142 persons). Data were analysed in the SPSS). We made use of descriptive statistics and correlation analysis. Results: This insight enables us to make recommendations for the social entrepreneurial realm in terms of the importance of education and training programmes for social entrepreneurs but in addition make recommendations based on the good practice of social entrepreneurs. Conclusions: We argue such social entrepreneurial women have to apply their knowledge in innovative ways in an attempt to solve complex problems in communities in order to create social value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The apartheid epoch introduced a web of laws that influenced public and private structures and ideological apparatuses, including educational institutions, to give an inferior status to Black people. South Africa was also upheld by a deeply patriarchal system which marginalised the status of women in society. This meant that most people in senior positions in South African organisations were predominantly white and male. The consequence of racism and patriarchy meant that there have been a low number of Black women professors in institutions of higher education. This study therefore aimed to examine the discourses of Black women professors in post-apartheid South Africa. This study used the Critical Race Theory (CRT) and critical consciousness, to understand the challenges that Black women professors encounter and how they strategically navigated these challenges in institutions of higher education, respectively. The Black women professors were recruited from two South African universities. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect the data. The data was analysed using thematic analysis. The significance of the study is that it identified discourses, which could be useful to understand the kinds of challenges that may operate in higher education and ways to shift these existing challenges. The findings showed two main challenges encountered by Black women professors namely: (1) feelings of being unwelcomed within the academic space and (2) being undermined in their leadership positions. Black women professors seemed to navigate these challenges by (1) being vocal, and (2) being intentional, about excelling in their work and (3) adopting a transformational leadership style. The study feeds into how South African higher education institutions can accommodate Black women professors, as they navigate through their career. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gender equity and women's access to senior leadership and management positions in universities are a major challenge not only in South Africa but on the African continent, too. For women to take up senior leadership roles more potently, it is essential that they not only cope with and compete in patriarchal systems but more so, are equipped to change patriarchal hegemony and shift the management discourse and culture to a pluralistic leadership culture where transformational leadership becomes the norm and praxis. This paper examines a needs analysis for leadership and professional development competencies of women in senior leadership positions in South African higher education and presents the discussion on these findings, based on the data collected from 74 participants. The conclusion reveals the participants' enthusiasm for personal leadership development as well as their readiness for impacting their leadership contexts. These findings, in turn, shape the content development of the Women in Leadership programme, designed by Higher Education Leadership and Management under the auspices of Universities South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the integration of instructional and transformational leadership models of leadership in sustaining quality teaching and learning in schools. The study sought to establish how principals integrate instructional and transformational leadership in enhancing learner performance. Design/methodology/approach: The study employed qualitative methods of collecting and analysing data. The principal sources of data were six face-to-face semi-structured interview questions with school principals from selected schools in rural South Africa. Qualitative evidence was collected from six principals selected through purposive sampling. The selection of participants was based on the criteria that there was evidence of employing instructional and transformational leadership. Findings: Findings from the study provided evidence that instructional and transformational leadership approaches were used to change under performing schools. There was evidence of individualised consideration and principals supporting teachers through providing rewards and motivation. It was established that principals build a school culture that promotes successful academic improvement. The study showed that the integration of instructional and transformational models of leadership leads to a climate that promotes a culture of teaching and learning. Research limitations/implications: The study covered six schools in South Africa. Findings from the study have implications that principals are cornerstones to achieving quality teaching and learning in schools. Practical implications: The study was conducted in schools that were seen to adopt instructional and transformational leadership. This study is among the most important studies that were conducted in South Africa on the role of leadership in enhancing a culture of teaching and learning. Social implications: The study has critical implications for policy making and influences on school leadership in general and the adoption of strategies, policies and models that can improve teaching and learning. The study highlights the importance of integrating leadership models. Originality/value: This is an original study conducted in South Africa and data was conducted through face-to-face interviews to seek for opinions from participants in their original settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What framework of transformational leadership competencies could guide the development of church leaders in the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) with regard to the changes facing the church in South Africa in the 21st century? The article summarises the results of a Delphi research to find consensus on the formulated research question in a panel of 25 DRC leadership experts. Five competencies are formulated: spirituality, sensemaking, visioning, relationships, and implementing. Spirituality in the agreed upon framework is characterised as biblical and missional. The competencies are linked to the socalled 4 Capability Framework of Leadership (Ancona). The authors show what is new and unique in the transformative framework for ministers in the DRC. One of these outcomes is a very strong link between spirituality and transformative leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]