Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine, as perceived by the administrative leadership team, the extent to which presidents of entrepreneurial single campus district community colleges in California exercise specific transformational leadership behaviors. Entrepreneurial community colleges in California are defined as having participated in a State of California Economic and Workforce Development grant through the California Community College Chancellor's Office. Methodology. In this study, the first research question was addressed using descriptive research design. The second and third research questions were addressed using causal-comparative research design. The research design was based on multi-stage cluster sampling to ensure that data were collected from administrative leadership team members for each president included in this study. The Multifactor College Leadership Questionnaire III (MCLQ III) Team Member Form was used to collect data from five members of the president's administrative leadership team. Two independent variables were researched to determine if there is a significant difference in perceived presidential leadership behaviors based on either gender or length of service as president. The quantitative data were collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics and independent t-test. Findings. The analysis of the results of the data show that the administrative team members perceive the presidents as exhibiting five orientations of transformational leadership: vision, influence, people orientation, motivation, and values. The data show that the female presidents have a stronger orientation toward people and that there is no significant difference between the presidents' transformational leadership behavior based on length of time in their position as president. Conclusions. The researcher concluded that presidents of entrepreneurial colleges demonstrate transformational leadership in creating and communicating a vision, exercising influence, demonstrating individualized consideration, and establishing an ethical culture. Furthermore, the researcher concluded that there is a significant difference in male and female presidents in entrepreneurial colleges. Female presidents are more effective transformational leaders than the male presidents in their ability to convey individualized consideration and accommodation of followers.