TITLE:
A Comparative Analysis of Educational Leadership Paradigms: A Study of China and Ghana Universities
AUTHORS:
Simon Abengiba Agoma, Qingke Fu
KEYWORDS:
Educational Leadership, Higher Education, Comparative Education, China, Ghana, Leadership Paradigms, Higher Education Policy
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.13 No.9,
September
22,
2025
ABSTRACT: This study employs a mixed-methods approach to compare educational leadership paradigms in universities across China and Ghana, two nations with distinct cultural and systemic contexts. By integrating quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews, the research explores how leadership practices and decision-making processes are shaped by national policies and cultural values. A total of 412 academic leaders and administrators participated, with 232 from China (62% male, 38% female) and 180 from Ghana (55% female, 45% male). Quantitative data were supplemented by 48 semi-structured interviews (24 per country) with senior university officials. The findings highlight significant differences in leadership styles: Chinese universities exhibit more hierarchical, top-down structures and a stronger focus on state-driven innovation adoption (M = 4.10), reflecting a high power-distance culture and centralized policy frameworks. In contrast, Ghanaian universities emphasize collective vision alignment (M = 4.15) and a more participatory, community-oriented approach to leadership, consistent with communal cultural values. While China outperformed Ghana in innovation adoption and structured ethical governance, Ghana showed greater strength in fostering a shared institutional vision. Both systems, however, demonstrate significant challenges in achieving gender-inclusive leadership. The study integrates these findings into a cohesive framework, arguing that leadership paradigms are a product of the interplay between cultural values (e.g., Confucianism, Ubuntu), national policy directives, and institutional histories. The findings underscore the need for culturally-contextualized leadership development programs. It is recommended that Chinese universities incorporate more inclusive strategies to foster creativity, while Ghanaian universities could benefit from strengthening systems for innovation and accountability. This research contributes to a decolonized understanding of educational leadership by validating non-Western models and offering a basis for South-South collaboration in higher education reform.