Women leadership issues in institutions of higher education with reference to Tamilnadu

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to obtain deeper understanding of various issues faced by women leaders in administration of institutions of higher education. The study was four fold, to know the perception towards academic leadership, effectiveness and satisfaction towards leadership quality, skill and role, effectiveness in facing problems, opinion on barriers encountered during administration of academia. The findings not only offer strategies for career success and overcoming challenges, but also shed indepth knowledge on critical factors that affect women s administration in academia. The study was based on extensive comprehensive literature review on different dimensions of women leadership and various issues pertaining to administration of academia. For the purpose of the study a descriptive analysis was done and the analysis was based primarily on the data collected from the various categories of the women leaders from different types of higher education institutions. To ensure the credibility of this study, test of validity had been done from the pilot study and desired value satisfied the credibility of the questionnaire and sample selected. Various quantitative techniques were carried on to bring about the conclusive finding on the objective of the study. The major themes emerged from the research: effectiveness of the women leaders of their level of leadership capability, confidence on their leadership role, success and failure towards administration of academia, frustration towards the obstacle and barriers. The results revealed that the good leadership capabilities, confidence on leadership role, problem facing skills and strong mind towards barriers lead to effective leadership and satisfaction in academic leadership. To conclude, the main drive should come from government initiative for elimination of gender disparities which is main root cause of women advancement in leadership.