Cognitive Leadership Competencies and Performance of Private Universities in Kenya, A Case of Daystar University
- May 13, 2019
- Posted by: RSIS
- Categories: Business Administration, Management
International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume III, Issue IV, April 2019 | ISSN 2454–6186
Onduso Salome Bosibori1, Okode Martin Opiyo2
1Department of Leadership and Management, Pan Africa University, Kenya
2Department of Business Administration, Maseno University, Kenya
Abstract:-The study focused on cognitive leadership competencies and how it affects performance of faculty/department leaders in private universities in Kenya. A descriptive research design with a mixture of both qualitative and quantitative methods of research approaches was adopted. Findings for constructs of cognitive leadership competencies revealed critical thinking highly (77.8%) influence leaders’ performance, creativity highly (66.7%) influence leaders’ performance and problem solving (12) lowly (66.7%) influence leaders performance.
Study concluded that cognitive leadership competency has negative insignificant influence on leaders performance and recommends that university should embrace/enhance capacity development training for leaders in order to develop or enhance their cognitive competency.
Keywords: Cognitive leadership competency, Critical thinking, Creativity thinking, Problem solving skills, Performance of private universities
I. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Organizations today are facing more challenges than ever before and organization continuously grapples with the change to remain competitive (Mutihac, 2010). Jaros (2007) lists fast changing technological environment, workforce diversity, changing customer tastes and preferences and cut-throat competition as complexities confronting management today. These challenges continuously put pressure on organizations leadership calling for effective and competent leadership (Kennedy,2000), thus leadership competencies. According to Yang (2005), leadership competencies include leadership skills, communication skills, persuasive skills and professional skills. Particularly, Yang identifies four categories of leadership competencies common to faculties’ members in higher learning institutions. They are personality and disposition, personal knowledge and skill, administrative competency and social responsibility competency (Yang, 2005).
