EFFECTS OF PUBLIC RESEARCH UNIVERSITY LEADERSHIP ON INSTITUTIONAL FUNDRAISING PERFORMANCE AND THE MODERATING ROLE OF MANAGERIAL POWER AND TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP BEHAVIORS

This dissertation investigated the influence of university presidents and business school deans on fundraising performance at public research universities. Drawing on strategic choice theory, upper echelons theory, and transformational leadership theory, this research suggests that managerial power and transformational leadership behaviors moderate the relationship between an institution’s fundraising strategy and its performance. To test these hypotheses, data on strategic choice, managerial power, leadership behaviors, and leader demographics were collected from 79 U.S. public research universities for fiscal years 2017–2021. Panel regression, specifically random-effects generalized least squares regression models, tested the hypotheses. The study found that university presidents and business school deans who exhibited transformational leadership behaviors, had higher fundraising outcomes. Furthermore, the study identified a significant positive effect of a dean’s prior work experience at prestigious institutions on a business school’s fundraising performance. This implies that deans hailing from elite institutions might possess qualities or networks that significantly enhance fundraising outcomes.