Date of Submission
6-1-2021
Document Type
DiP
Degree
Doctor of Education
Department
Education
Keywords
attrition, situational leadership, team leadership, connective leadership, cultural change, structural change
Abstract
Abstract
Organization X is a private, for-profit post-secondary institution that has for the past few years been experiencing a high rate of attrition, primarily with its international students. International students make up a large percentage of Organization X’s total on-campus student population. The organization operates in a traditional hierarchical environment where decisions are made from the top and are passed down to those at the lower levels of the organization. This hierarchical structure has made it difficult for the organization to pivot when challenges arise because it does not allow for flexibility and diversity in the decision-making process, which exacerbates the challenges facing the organization. In addition, the organization does not currently have the supports necessary to address the specific needs of its international students. Functionalism sees society as an organism where all parts work together for the betterment of the whole. If something disrupts the equilibrium, adjustments must occur to regain it. The equilibrium of Organization X has been disrupted by a sudden influx of international students. The chosen solution introduces both a structural and cultural change within the organization, to increase the levels of support for international students and add diversity into the decision-making process. This will lead to increased retention of international students. This Organization Improvement Plan identifies the problem, defines the future state of the organization, and uses the situational, team, and connective leadership approaches to steer the organization from its current state to its desired future state.
Keywords: attrition, retention, situational leadership, team leadership, connective leadership, cultural change, structural change.
Recommended Citation
O'Connor, T. (2021). Increasing International Student Retention: Improving Organizational Structure and Culture to Support International Student Success. The Organizational Improvement Plan at Western University, 233. Retrieved from https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/oip/233