Open Access
Article
SciPap-2235
Multi-Level Leadership and Collective Well-Being During Crisis in Higher Education
1 Business Administration, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia tee 3, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
2 Faculty of Business and Law, University of Northampton, Waterside Campus, University Drive, Northampton NN1 5PH, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
3 Research, Knowledge Exchange & Innovation, Royal College of Art, Kensington Gore, London SW7 2EU, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
4 Business Administration, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia tee 3, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
5 School of Governance, Law and Society, Tallinn University, Narva rd 25, Tallinn 10120, Estonia
* Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract: Organizational governance and strategic, tactical and operational level leadership play a vital role in handling crises. Multi-level leadership is also crucial for the smooth recovery from crisis and for establishing collective well-being. In the premise of social exchange, and social learning theories, this study explores the multi-level leadership attributes during the crisis in the context of higher education and its influence on the collective well-being. This has been approached qualitatively by interviewing higher education faculty, executives, and administrative staff in Egypt, Estonia, India, and United Kingdom. The purposeful sampling technique included seven participants, where they have been taken as individual cases to explore the study objectives. The interview questions revolve around crisis leadership and well-being aspects that cover the interviewee themselves, their team and departments. The interview transcripts were coded by following the content analysis procedure. After three steps to thematic analysis, the final themes emerged and were further utilised. The present study contributes firstly, by exploring multi-level leadership attributes and its influence on the collective well-being of students, faculty, executives, and administrative staff. Secondly, the study has derived a framework from the findings that shows the multi-level leadership attributes that act as enablers and a list of a matrix which could ensure collective well-being during the crisis in the context of higher education.
Keywords: Higher Education, Crisis, Collective Well-Being, Multi-Level Leadership, Qualitative Method.
JEL classification: G34 - Mergers • Acquisitions • Restructuring • Corporate Governance, H12 - Crisis Management, I23 - Higher Education • Research Institutions, I31 - General Welfare, Well-Being
Received: 11 March 2025 / Revised: 24 June 2025 / Accepted: 25 June 2025 / Published: 3 July 2025
