| Abstract [eng] |
Management styles in academic libraries are analyzed in this Master research paper. Chosen subject is especially important and actual in the times, when libraries are going through many changes. The main goal of this research work is to analyze how management styles influence organizational activities, to review the factors that distinguish the library management; and through the questionnaire research to attempt dominating management styles in selected Lithuanian academic (university) libraries. Objectives are as follows: to analyse the theoretical issues of management styles, presenting the classification of them in the context of management theory; to characterize library as organization, to disclose its particularity in the context of changes, to determine what influence these factors may have for domination of certain management styles in libraries; to accomplish empirical research in academic (public university) libraries of Lithuania in order to reveal typical management style . Research is based on literature analysis, generalization, comparison, synthesis methods as well as questionnaire. The review of literature on management theories and concepts disclose that there is a difficulty to distinguish concepts of management and leadership. In this paper the concepts management and management style signifies the behavior of library heads in respect of employees. Leadership is considered as a part of management issue, related to specific influence upon the employees. Further analysis of management styles and related theories discloses just two major styles of managers: orientation to the task and to employees. Considering qualitative differences of organizations literature distinguishes between management of public and private sector organisations. Libraries being mainly acting as non profit public sector organizations requires consideration of certain values that influences the whole scene of the management. Literature review let us to come to conclusion that the application of certain management style depends on three variables: personal preferences of manager, employees and the organizational situation. Empirical research of academic (public university) libraries in Lithuania was applied in order to get data on the similarities and differences of management styles. Eight university libraries took part in the survey. The results allows to make a statement that currently in Lithuanian academic libraries library managers pay more attention to task than employees. Employees generally have limited chances to participate in the management decision-making process, however the possibility of changing the decision exist depending on the concerning issue. Therefore academic librarians feel being on the lower level than library managers. Library heads also seldom are too much interested in the personal employee’s life. Respondents state that encouragement words are not among the often-used methods of academic library heads. Summarizing in Lithuanian academic libraries managers demonstrate the style with more characteristics task-oriented management style, though there are some signs of orientation towards the employees. Comparison between the participated libraries reveals that the orientation to the task is stronger in the libraries that have more complex organization structure and more employees. Thus the situational factors influence the management style in academic libraries. Empirical research, one of the first of this kind in Lithuanian librarianship, shows the complexity of the problem in libraries. It is clear that further and more comprehensive research is needed in the future, and that for objective consideration data gathering methods should include not only a survey of employees but also the in depth interviews with library mangers, and an observation. |
