Home⇛Journal of Interdisciplinary Perspectives⇛vol. 4 no. 6 (2026)

Leadership Practices and Succession Strategies Towards Sustainability: A Contextualized Framework for Family-Owned Higher Education Institutions in the Agusan Provinces

Jezel Thea G. Flores | Shirlene Medori T. Alegre | Melecerio S. Flores

Discipline: management studies

 

Abstract:

This study examined the leadership practices and succession strategies of family-owned higher education institutions (HEIs) in Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur as bases for developing a contextualized framework for institutional sustainability. It addressed the limited local evidence on how leadership, succession, and sustainability are connected in family-owned HEIs in provincial Philippine settings. Anchored in Agency Theory, Stewardship Theory, and Stakeholder Theory, the study used an embedded mixed methods design, with quantitative data from 60 respondents across 10 family-owned HEIs and qualitative interviews with owners and successors. Data were analyzed using frequency, mean, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and regression analysis at the 0.05 significance level. Findings showed that leadership practices were observed to a very high extent, with an overall mean of 4.26. The highest-rated areas were building credibility and trust (M = 4.36), overcoming communication barriers (M = 4.21), and bridging generational gaps (M = 4.21). Succession strategies were also implemented to a very high extent, with an overall mean of 4.22, particularly in successor mentoring. Significant differences were found in leadership practices and succession strategies when institutions were grouped according to ownership exclusivity, type, and years founded (p < 0.05). Leadership practices and succession strategies were significantly related to sustainability and showed positive effects on financial stability, academic excellence, adaptability and innovation, and stakeholder trust. These findings support a contextualized framework that can guide familyowned institutions in managing generational transition and long-term institutional development.



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