Adopting Complexity Leadership in University Research and Innovation Management

Abstract

The aim of this chapter is to provide an alternative perspective to managing universities' capacities for change through the lens of complexity leadership, more specifically in the realm of research management. It does so by developing and proposing a leadership framework underpinned by three dimensions: complexity leadership principle statements applicable to the university setting; the attributes, roles, and leadership functions of university agents to best support the needs of a complex context and organization; and general guidelines on how to activate the change process towards more collaborative, responsible, and sustainable research actions. The chapter's intended contributions are two-fold: to contribute to the growing yet underexplored literature on complex leadership in managing change in the university setting and to propose an actionable framework that can boost the contributions and sustainability of higher education institutions.