Leading or Managing in the Middle: Exploring the Identities of Head of Departments in Higher Education Using Dynamic Systems Model

ABSTRACT Drawing upon the Dynamic Systems Model of Role Identity (DSMRI), this study explored the construction of the role identity of department heads within higher education, with a specific emphasis on their perceptions of themselves as leaders and/or managers. Three section heads, each holding a doctoral degree in educational leadership from different Arab countries, were tracked throughout their inaugural year of appointment, examining the evolution of their role identities and the factors contributing to them. Data sources included reflective journals and two rounds of interviews per participant, with qualitative analysis employed to trace shifts and advancements in participants' ontological beliefs, objectives, self‐perceptions and actionable potentials related to their roles. Findings unveiled notable transformations in all four dimensions of the DSMRI among the participants, with two individuals transitioning from predominantly leadership to managerial roles, whereas the third participant retained a reinforced identity as a leader. This evolution is discussed in relation to concepts of administrative burden, power and authority, emulation of senior leadership and reactivity versus proactivity.