The Dean of Information: A Theoretical Framework for Institutional Research Leadership in Higher Education

Abstract

The author focuses on the institutional researcher as an institutional leader, over and above providing traditional reporting and support. IR practitioners hold authority over the institution’s data. Leadership and social psychological theory can explain their effectiveness. The author combines effective leadership theory with the Theory of Planned Behavior to produce framework for IR leadership. This framework should help the IR professional be more than a data custodian. It should help the IR professional adopt both a transformative and facilitative leadership stance as needed, in order to help the institution reach its goals.