Higher education is currently undergoing second-order or deep changes, which require an exploration of the underlying values, norms, assumptions, structures, process and culture of its institutions. Cognitive and cultural theories suggest that understanding organisational culture is essential to identifying the relevant approaches when initiating, shaping and implementing change processes in higher education. The objective of this research has been to identify the dominant organizational culture types in higher education and understand how they influence the processes of change implementation.
The research was conducted in a large public university in Kosovo, identified in this text as “Public University” (a pseudonym). The study adopted a mixed methodology. For the quantitative data, the sample consisted of 102 academic staff from a population of 900 and the data were collected using a standardized instrument (The Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument – OCAI) to assess the dominant organizational culture based on four organizational culture types: clan, hierarchy, adhocracy and market. For the qualitative data, semi-structured interviews with seven administrators, document analysis and observations were used as a technique for collecting data. The results of the qualitative research identified hierarchy and market culture as dominant cultures, although the limited sample does not allow for generalising the findings. When the identified dimensions of the dominant cultures were analysed using the qualitative data, the results revealed that organisational culture has significant impact on initiating, shaping and implementing these planned changes. It indicates the need for the academic leaders to consider initiating cultural change with the intention of using elements of clan and adhocracy culture to soften the weakness of the bureaucracy and market culture that militate against the change. The findings contribute to the organisational and leadership knowledge in higher education and provide a guiding framework for academic leaders for their decision-making throughout the stages of the change process, particularly in the developing countries.
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