The theoretical framework classifies the ideal types of graduate supervisors

which is based on the attention that the supervisor pays on academic research and the attention that the supervi-sor pays on clerical work. The author elaborates the characteristics of each type of supervisor and enumer-ates some possible causes for the different types of supervisors. According to the occupational characteris-tics of the graduate supervisors in China and taking into account the two influence factors as personal ambition and relative deprivation

a theoretical model of supervisor type transformation model based on academic research and clerical work is presented and the causes of this transformation are also briefly analyzed

which provides the theoretical basis for the related research and management practice of graduate supervisors.