International Journal of Management and Business Studies ISSN 2167-0439 Vol. 10 (2), pp. 001-009, February, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

A comparative study of educational leadership in Taiwan and the USA

Hui-Wen Vivian Tang¹*, Mu-Shang Yin² and Jennifer C. H. Min³

¹Department of Applied English, Ming Chuan University, Taiyuan, Taiwan.

²Department of Business Administration, Hsing-Wu College, Taipei, Taiwan.

³Department of International Business, Ming Chuan University, Taipei, Taiwan.

Accepted 16 October, 2019

Abstract

This research study employed a casual comparative approach to investigating transformational leadership practices of educational leaders in Taiwan and the USA. Convenient samples of 50 educational leaders from each culture were selected as two sample groups to draw cross-cultural comparisons. The instrument selected to measure exemplary leadership practices was Kouzes and Posner’s Leadership Practice Inventory-Self (LPI-Self). The ANOVA results revealed that significant differences existed on three components of leadership practices: Modeling the Way, Inspiring a Shared Vision and Challenging the Process. Self-perceived leadership practices of educational leaders between the two cultures suggested culturally specific interpretations. The impact of culture on educational leadership practices was discussed. Findings of the study have implications for the body of research in a number of related disciplines, such as development, selections of educational leaders, and cross-cultural research on educational leadership.

Key words: Transformational leadership, exemplary leadership practices, Chinese paternalistic leadership, sampling comparability, normality assumption.