Leadership development in academia is generating a lot of interest due to its idiosyncrasies and complexities, as well as recent studies highlighting the neglect of systematic leadership development in academia. The purpose of this qualitative research study is to discover the subjective experiences of academic leaders enrolled in leadership development. Following a leadership development program and focus groups, the main finding is that the subjective experience of academics enrolled in leadership development is positive, leading to greater knowledge, self-awareness, self-reflection, and the development of emotional intelligence, leadership styles, and skills in building high performing teams. The subjective experience is shaped by leadership development through experience, communication, and interaction with other leaders in a community of learning. Practical and theoretical implications, together with recommendations, in this study are a source of useful information for higher education institutions recognising the need to nurture the core competency of leadership within their academic cadre.

The recent rise in academic expatriates brings to the forefront the need for research to further explore this specific group of self-initiated expatriates. The purpose of this research is to study the relationship between cultural learning and adjustment of academic expatriates. Cultural learning of an academic expatriate is the strengthening and development of his/her cultural understanding, competence, and intelligence, whilst adjustment is the personal, social, and work adaptation leading to feelings of comfort towards the environment and better functioning. The main hypothesis is that increased cultural learning, which is manifested as cultural competence, is linked to well-adjusted academic expatriates. The dual theoretical framework is the theory of cultural learning and the model of cultural adjustment. The study was carried out amongst 103 academic expatriates in the UAE using quantitative methodology. The main conclusions are that: academic expatriates in the UAE are culturally competent and well adjusted; there is a positive relationship between cultural competence and adjustment in academic expatriates; cultural competence and adjustment increase with years of experience and age; expatriates from different cultural backgrounds to the host country adjust better and are more culturally competent.

Higher education institutions have a key role in forming the specialists of the future. In fulfilling their role there is need for transformational leadership, culture of excellence, and academic leadership development. The purpose of this study is to investigate the link between transformational leadership, shaping a culture of educational excellence, and leadership development, as perceived by tertiary education leaders in the UAE. The qualitative approach is of focus groups, using semi-structured questions, with leaders in academia. The main finding is that in the initial stages of an organization life cycle, leadership development precedes transformational leadership and a culture of excellence. In later stages, leadership development is a mediator of transformational leadership and a culture of excellence. In the mature stages of organization life cycle, the three elements engage in an ongoing spiral and synergistic process.

A psychological contract is an individual’s perceived expectation that remains in their mindset and thought process. The purpose of this study is to discover the psychological contract of the student in a blended learning setting by exploring his/her expectations of blended learning. Blended learning with its strategic and systematic approach to the integration of online and face-to-face teaching has stirred the interest of many with its promise of flexibility, personalized learning, ease of accessibility, and student engagement. The methodology adopted is a qualitative methodology using in-depth semi-structured interviews. A sample of 27 tertiary education students in the UAE were interviewed at the start of a 16-week blended learning course to uncover their expectations. The main finding is that the psychological contract of students in a blended learning setting consists of positive educational and relational expectations towards both the teacher and peers. Positive expectations of participation, communication and collaboration result from this study as students expect to learn from both their peers and their teachers through blended learning as well to learn autonomously through activities, problem-solving exercises and research.

Social entrepreneurship is in its nascent stages in the UAE. The social and economic value created by the social enterprise may only be sustained through a process of legitimisation. It is imperative for social enterprises to adopt a strategic approach to marketing in attaining legitimacy. The purpose of this study is to investigate how marketing practices support social enterprises in increasing legitimacy. A qualitative multiple case study methodology is adopted. Multiple sources of evidence are used from seven social enterprises participating in this study. The main conclusion is that the strategic use of marketing for legitimacy purposes that goes beyond moral legitimacy, is not sufficiently taken advantage of within social enterprises in the UAE. This study has important implications and recommendations for social entrepreneurs, as well as experts in the field of digital marketing.

Organizational storytelling is a way to share information, guide decision-making, and affect how well a business does. Employee attitudes are molded through storytelling, which also has an empowering effect on employees. This is particularly true in times of change and transformation (Wilson, 2019). Storytelling is grounded in constructivist narrative learning theory (Clark & Rossiter, 2008). The purpose of this study is to explore the use of storytelling by a leading company in the telecommunications sector in the Middle East. A qualitative methodology was adopted, using interviews as a research tool to provide an in-depth narrative of individuals’ experiences of storytelling during a time of organizational transformation. Twenty employees participated in this study, across managerial and non-managerial roles. The main conclusion is that storytelling is overall perceived positively by company employees who adopt this tool. In times of crises and transformation, this tool contributes to change, a collective culture, communication, unity, employee well-being, and productivity.