Date of Conferral

2021

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Education

Advisor

Cheryl Keen

Abstract

Research program budget leaders have the responsibility to manage their university’s sponsored program budgets effectively each fiscal year; however, research programs face continual challenges to maintaining financial stability as operation costs increase and external funding declines. This challenge may have become more difficult during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to examine strategies research program budget leaders at research intensive universities have used to navigate financial instability in response to the pandemic. The organizational development framework of Senge and Kezar as well as Bui and Baruch and Senge’s systems theory guided this study. The research question explored strategies research program budget leaders developed to address fiscal stability for their departments in response to COVID-19. Eight research program budget leaders were purposefully recruited from private and public research-intensive universities to participate in this study. Semistructured interviews were analyzed with open-ended coding from which three themes emerged: budget strategies to address fiscal stability, technological strategies to develop communication, and organizational strategies to build mutual collaboration. These results can be beneficial for university budget leaders improving financial strategies. Contributions to positive social change may result from university leaders’ consideration of the budgetary, technological, and organizational collaboration strategies they can utilize to address fiscal stability during a crisis or unforeseen change, such as the COVID pandemic.

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