دور التمكين الإداري للقيادات الأكاديمية، وأثره على الإبداع التنظيمي في الجامعات السعودية
The study aims to identify the concept, foundations, and principles of administrative empowerment for academic leaders in a specified number of Saudi universities; mainly those located in the north of the Kingdom as they share similar environmental and societal conditions, in order to identify the actual problems of administrative empowerment for academic leaders. The study uses both the descriptive approach as well a field survey in the form of a questionnaire directed to academic and administrative leaders in a specified number of Saudi universities. The study sample includes 126 individuals, representing the deans of faculties and their vice-deans, heads of departments, and directors of departments in each: Northern Border University, Al-Jouf University, Tabuk University, Hail University, and Hafer Al-Batin University. Results of the study show that there is a lack of preparation for administrative empowerment, as well as in authorization such as delegation, decision-making, and administrative practices of academic leaders in spite of the availability of self-efficacy, professional development, and independence. There is an inadequacy of empowerment and its mechanisms, as well as organizational creativity in terms of fluency, authenticity, flexibility, accountability, and the ability to analyze. In terms of supporting organizational creativity, this study concludes that training and development that support organizational creativity, organizational culture, and organizational empowerment are inadequate. This study recommends future studies of the internal and external environment of Saudi universities, preparing appropriate change plans whenever needed, redesigning the policies of the required levels of academic leaders' expertise capabilities, and preparing career progressions paths for academic leaders within the terms and specifications of evaluation criteria, in addition to working on developing ways for academic leaders to cooperate with the management teams and faculty members. (Published abstract)