Strategic Leadership for Emerging Economies: Building Agile Higher-Education Institutions in Caribbean Countries
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55544/sjmars.4.4.14Keywords:
Strategic leadership, emerging economies, agile higher education, Caribbean countries, Guyana, anticipatory governance, data-driven decision-making, institutional adaptability, innovation capacity, organizational learningAbstract
The accelerating pace of economic transformation across Caribbean countries has generated an urgent need for agile, forward-looking higher-education institutions capable of anticipating market shifts, responding to new knowledge demands, and developing a competitive 21st-century workforce. Strategic leadership has emerged as a central mechanism for institutional agility, particularly in small developing countries where resource constraints, demographic pressures, and technological disparities pose structural challenges. This article critically examines strategic leadership practices within higher-education systems in the Caribbean, with specific reference to Guyana. Drawing on contemporary leadership theory, organizational-change literature, and regional development frameworks, the article identifies core competencies necessary for institutional adaptability, including anticipatory governance, data-driven decision-making, cultural responsiveness, stakeholder integration, and innovation capacity. A conceptual model for agile higher-education leadership in emerging economies is proposed, followed by implications for policy, governance, and institutional development.
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