The Influence of Distributed Leadership on Decision-Making in Teaching Management at Universities: A Case Study of Guilin University of Technology

Abstract

With the increasing complexity and need for reform in the higher education environment, traditional centralized management models struggle to meet the demands for scientific and democratic decision-making in university teaching management. This study took Guilin University of Technology as a case study, aimed to analyze the specific impact of distributed leadership on the teaching management decision-making at Guilin University of Technology, and to provide targeted suggestions for Guilin University of Technology to optimize its distributed leadership practices and improve its teaching management decision-making.
This study was based on Spillane’s “Leader-Follower-Situation” (LFS) framework. Through semi-structured interviews with 40 university-level administrators, college-level executives, academic leaders, and key faculty members, this research delved into the practical mechanisms and impacts of distributed leadership on teaching management decision-making from the perspectives of the leaders, followers, and situations. The research finds that the practice of distributed leadership at Guilin University of Technology exhibits “guided” characteristics: administrative leaders dominate decision-making, supplemented by the influence of informal academic leaders; the participation of followers, such as teachers, is limited, and their capacity development is insufficient; and the decision-making model is shaped collectively by organizational culture, institutional environment, and external policies. Specifically, Guilin University of Technology should facilitate the transformation of leadership roles, strengthen teacher incentives and capacity-building, and foster a more collaborative and open institutional culture to advance distributed leadership in teaching management. The study proposes measures to enhance the effectiveness of distributed leadership practices by transforming the roles of leaders, improving incentive mechanisms, fostering a collaborative culture, and optimizing institutional design, thereby promoting more scientific and democratic teaching management decision-making. This research provides theoretical support and practical reference for teaching management reform in local universities. Specifically, it is recommended that leaders should shift their role positioning and build collaborative platforms; followers should strengthen incentives and empowerment to stimulate participation momentum; and a collaborative culture should be cultivated in the context of the situation to optimize the institutional environment.

Keywords: distributed leadership, university teaching management, teaching management decision-making, Guilin University of Technology, LFS framework

6617195716 Cheng Feng, 2568 (2025). Advisor: ดร.จิดาภา ชลธารรัตนพงศ์ – Dr. Jidapa Chollathanrattanapong, สารนิพนธ์ (Independent Study), The Influence of Distributed Leadership on Decision-Making in Teaching Management at Universities: A Case Study of Guilin University of Technology, นำเสนอในที่ประชุมวิชาการ (Conference), Conference proceeding IIARP International Conference, Abstract Proceedings Series 2025 (Vol.3, No.5) | May 2025, ปริญญาโท (Master’s Degree), บัณฑิตวิทยาลัย (Graduate School), Master of Business Administration, Education Management, Siam University, Bangkok, Thailand – มหาวิทยาลัยสยาม กรุงเทพมหานคร ประเทศไทย