Management Systems and Leadership Models in 21st Century Educational Organizations

The objective of this study was to build upon the management theory that individual employee ownership of work tasks and a decentralized management structure can increase performance in educational organizations. A convergent mixed methods study gathered qualitative data from an educational organization director through a series of interviews.  Data collected and analyzed from these interviews indicated that the participant organization implements a process-based management system with an emphasis on a stewardship model of leadership. In the organization’s process-based management system, employees hold themselves accountable for process outputs established by the customer or the student in education.  Simultaneously, quantitative data was collected and analyzed. The analysis indicated significantly high levels of employee job satisfaction. Quantitative data also showed a significant increase in student course completion rates, in addition to a measurable increase in program enrollment totals following the implementation of the organization’s process-based management system and stewardship model of leadership.