The Perception of Chinese Higher Educators Toward Leadership Effectiveness in Regard to Gender

This study examines Chinese educators’ perceptions of effective leadership behaviors in order to determine how teachers in Chinese higher education define effectiveness and whether there is a correlation between this perception and leaders’ gender. Factors considered included conscious and unconscious gender bias, Chinese culture, historical background, and identity. As a male-dominated country, China has been deeply influenced by Confucianism; hence, limited attention has been drawn to female leadership. The author identified and reviewed three women’s revolutions and their positive and negative effects in the past century in order to predict the status of female leadership. The researcher modified the Chinese version of the LPI survey and conducted the investigation in more than 20 Chinese universities. The results indicate there is a significant difference between the perception toward male and female leaders