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Empowerment versus pressure: How strict ‘up-or-out’ policy undermines distributed leadership's stimulation of faculty innovation in universities?

Ye Tian et al.

Educational Management Administration & Leadership2026https://doi.org/10.1177/17411432261431500article
AJG 2ABDC B
Weight
0.50

Abstract

Given that the practical impact of the ‘up-or-out’ tenure-track reform adopted in China's higher education remains contested, this study explores its complex effect among distributed leadership, psychological empowerment and faculty innovation. Conducting a questionnaire survey from university faculty, the study indicated that distributed leadership significantly enhanced innovative work behaviour both directly and indirectly by fostering psychological empowerment, specifically through its all sub-dimensions (including self-determination, impact, meaning and competence). However, the tenure-track reform introduced a critical moderating condition: while tenure-track status itself showed no significant moderating effect, the strict ‘up-or-out’ contracts could weaken the positive effect of distributed leadership on faculty innovative work behaviour. This finding calls for balancing managerial accountability with professional autonomy within the ‘up-or-out’ tenure-track reform to foster a sustainable environment for faculty innovation.

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https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/17411432261431500

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@article{ye2026,
  title        = {{Empowerment versus pressure: How strict ‘up-or-out’ policy undermines distributed leadership's stimulation of faculty innovation in universities?}},
  author       = {Ye Tian et al.},
  journal      = {Educational Management Administration & Leadership},
  year         = {2026},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/17411432261431500},
}

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Evidence weight

0.50

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20
M · momentum0.50 × 0.15 = 0.07
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

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