TITLE:
The Influence of Differential Leadership on the Research Agency of University Teachers—A Qualitative Study
AUTHORS:
Yu Li
KEYWORDS:
Differential Leadership, University Teachers, Research Agency, Qualitative Study
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.13 No.2,
February
2,
2026
ABSTRACT: This study adopted a qualitative approach, integrating in-depth interviews with 4 university teachers, along with a department leader to explore the manifestations of differential leadership in universities and its impact on teachers’ research agency. The results show that university differential leadership is manifested in differences in three aspects: research resources, emotional support, and rule implementation. In the university setting, the differential leadership positively drives the research agency of teachers in the “core circle” while exerting an inhibitory effect on those in the “peripheral circle”. Compared with LMX theory, the differential leadership revealed in this study is more in line with the “human relationship-institution” intertwined management practices of universities in Chinese cultural context. This study enriches the application of indigenous leadership theory in university settings and provides practical references for universities to optimize research management, leaders to improve their behaviors, and teachers to enhance their research agency.