Innovation in academic management and educational quality: a study on technological leadership versus contextual-situational factors in Latin America

Abstract

To analyze innovation in academic management in light of its advantages in quantitative terms. A field simulation was conducted based on a sample of 18 Latin American countries to construct a quantitative correlational-descriptive model that could reveal limitations of the contextualist approach in educational policy. To this end, standardized quantitative indices were developed to measure innovation in academic management, technological adoption, and educational quality, including aspects of the socioeconomic and budgetary context, based on data from international organizations. A significant and positive correlation was found between innovation in academic management and educational quality (r = 0.790, p < 0.001), innovation in academic management (β = 0.547), and technological adoption (β = 0.394). This suggests evidence of a possible categorical weakness in situational-contextual factors, such as budget and socioeconomic income, which are often considered highly relevant. Innovation in academic management improves educational quality. While the relevance of situational-contextual factors is not dismissed, the robust results suggest that establishing standardized databases based on the variables studied is pertinent for policy design.