The thesis explores how employees perceive the meaning and significance of development in schools as organisations, and relative to their well-being at work. It reports how development is negotiated in particular contexts, personally and socially, through time. A review of literatures from different disciplines examines three major themes: wellbeing, development and organisation. For different reasons, these commonplace yet complex ideas are relatively neglected in education scholarship, although used in schools and highly contested in other academic fields. Politicised school improvement literature, assuming deficit models while using inadequate and instrumental ‘growth’ metaphors, misses education’s developmental purpose. Beginning from ontological theory of developmental process throughout human life, the longitudinal research design is consonant with views of socially constructed, experiential adult learning at work and elsewhere. In order to explore the unfamiliarities of superficially familiar ideas, a discursive ethnography is used. It records the perceptions of employees from a wide range of roles - including headteachers - in five English schools committed to staff well-being programmes. The findings are drawn from analysing thematic and narrative data. Participants define development variously, but their accounts from experience are consistent: development is an indeterminate process which involves coming to recognise and understand capabilities, while negotiating and protecting opportunities to realise them individually and organisationally. The thesis offers a critical reconceptualisation of development as a possible basis for praxis and further research. Learning and eudaimonic (self-determining) well-being are associated with, but distinct from, development. These associations work powerfully through the structurational consequences of individuals’ actions in organisationally protected circumstances. Thus development in schools, as with individuals, is natural yet achieved, requiring principled, reflective, communitarian organisation. Such complex interactions and mutualities are central to educative purpose. They deserve more attention, but lack a coherent discourse.

This thesis is an exploratory qualitative study of the relationship between the theory and practice of moral leadership in the educational administration of a Faith school. In particular, the study critically investigated the understanding and perceptions of moral leadership through a field exploration of the cultural world of a single Bahá'í-inspired school over a period of one academic year. The main lens through which this cultural world was viewed was the Principal of the School, although his perspective was compared to and contrasted with the perceptions of selected School Foundation members, teachers, parents, and students. The study highlights the claims to moral governance that a relatively newly revealed religion promises in the light of the spiritual and ethical teachings of the Bahá'í Faith and the opportunities accruing from them while throwing into dramatic relief the challenges that are posed in the manifestation of such idealized claims. Such claims include the thesis that all true leadership is moral leadership, and that any person claiming to be a leader must be a moral leader first; secondly, that moral leadership implies shared leadership characterized by the use of a team management approach. While challenges to the achievement of the faithdriven mission of the School certainly existed, such as institutional dissonance, these were found to be overcome by the distributed presence of moral capital that in turn was available due to the existence of what is termed spiritual capital amongst the staff as a result of access to a body of revelatory writings. Such scripture generated a powerful force inspiring levels of enthusiasm, commitment, and sacrifice that would be the envy of any organization. Implications and recommendations congruent to the ethical spirit of the Bahá'í Faith are made, such as team management and the Faith-inspired decision-making and conflict-resolution method of consultation.

This thesis centres on the research problem of leadership and strategic planning processes in two Singapore government secondary schools, both of which were engaged in the strategic planning guided by the School Excellence Model (SEM) Framework launched in 2000. Many schools are apprehensive toward this mandatory requirement. They are unclear of the strategic planning approach, process, or model to adopt. This study investigates how the strategic planning process was established and managed in two contrasting case schools, and expounds on the factors influencing the strategic planning processes in each school. Emanating from the aims, the study seeks to address the following research questions: First, what do school leaders and teachers understand by strategic planning? Second, what are leaders’ and teachers’ perspectives on how schools develop their strategic plans? Third, what are leaders’ and teachers’ perspectives on how the strategic plan is implemented, managed and led? Fourth, what are the perceived helping and hindering factors engaging in strategic planning? In addressing the research questions, a case study approach and qualitative research methods using interviews, non-participative observations, and documentary analysis were employed to elicit in-depth information from school leaders and teachers of two contrasting schools, one deemed successful and the other less so, in implementing, leading and managing the strategic planning spectrum. Key findings, inter alia, suggest that the principal’s approach to leadership of the process of strategic planning greatly influenced the likelihood of successful implementation, influencing and shaping the approach of other senior staff and teachers. In particular, a more democratic and consultative approach inspired staff more to execute the plan compared to command and control –something of a paradox for Singaporean schools, given their centralised culture. Findings also affirmed that time allocated for strategic reviews at planning meetings, coupled with effective communication strategy to involve stakeholders, can enhance strategic thinking and capability of staff.

Many organisations such as schools are characterized by hierarchical structures. Within these structures are various management positions held by individual post holders with titles such as principal, deputy principal, head of department and even governor. By extension, these individuals have various responsibilities and duties, and play different roles within their respective contexts. This study explores the role of Academic Heads of Departments (AHoDs) in six secondary schools in Kenya; their impact; and, challenges they face within their contexts. The research issues in this study are a result of the realisation that AHoDs are under-utilised and yet they are vital in school improvement (Jones and O'Sullivan, 1997). There is a widely held view that schools rely on the dynamism and leadership qualities of AHoDs for their success (Wise and Bennett, 2003; Busher and Harris, 1999; Sammons et al, 1996; Harris et al, 1996a & b; Harris 1998). These observations show an increasing recognition of the pivotal role AHoDs play in the effective management of the modern school. However, accompanying middle level management and leadership is the view that the concept of leadership is complex, evolving and likely to be viewed differently in different cultures. This study has adopted the western cultural understanding of leadership. This is cautiously done as Dimmock (2002) warns that issues of 'cultural transferability' should be handled with care. It has taken a broad (geographical) and in-depth systematic review and has relied on documented data, questionnaires and interviews to inform its conceptualisation. This study is significant because it shows firstly, that AHoDs provide leadership and are ready to transform departments in their schools. They do this by facilitating the work of teams of teachers. Secondly, it shows that AHoDs are important elements who complement their senior leadership teams as they strive to improve teaching and learning. Finally, recommendations based on this study have been made and areas for further research identified that, if undertaken, will enhance more the understanding of the role of AHoDs in this new context.

No description available.

This thesis uses elements of Weberian theory, particularly the Weberian notion of bureaucracy, in order to speculate on the impact of bureaucracy on academia. It examines bureaucracy within the specific context of the higher education institution of the University of Damascus in Syria, using various qualitative research methodologies and techniques including documentary/archival material, observation, and interviews. The study presents a contrasting assessment of the bureaucratic mode of academic administration at the University of Damascus, considering the links and the relationship between the University and the State on national and organisational levels. On a national level, the study explores the relationship between the University and the State by analysing documentary/archival material supported by literature on the history of Syria and of the University of Damascus. The analysis at national level illustrates that the centralised conduct of bureaucracy the limits imposed by the bureaucratic model of academic administration are in place to safeguard certain ethics and to secure the ethical responsibility of the University towards the State. The empirical study shows that the role of bureaucracy in ensuring the accountability of the University to the State and in safeguarding equal opportunities among academics is the primary factor demonstrating the positive aspects of bureaucracy in the context of academic administration in the public sector. However, the empirical study also explores the negative consequences that the bureaucratic mode of academic administration has on the academic profession. Although academics can enjoy a level of participation in academic administration by virtue of the collegial elements outlined here, the adoption of excessive regulations and the concentration of strategic academic, financial, and administrative decisions at the apex of the bureaucratic hierarchy shrinks the autonomy of professional academics and can negatively affect creative academic work by constraining academics in their teaching and scholarly work. This study reveals that an understanding of the bureaucratic conduct of Higher Education institutions is incomplete without an appreciation of the context within which the academic instructions operate. Considering this context, particularly the political context of Higher Education institutions in the analysis, helps us to reassess critiques of the bureaucratic model and to present an alternative understanding of bureaucratic constraints in the public Higher Education sector.

No description available.

The early 1970s were years of unprecedented optimism for nursery education. A government programme of large-scale expansion into the 1980s seemed for the first time to establish its legitimacy as the foundation of a state education system. A changing economic, social, and educational climate, however, modified the expansion programme and increased pressure on nursery education to co-operate with other services within a pre-school system. This study examined issues related to expansion and co-operation in one local authority, Fife, Scotland. It surveyed by questionnaire and interview the organisation and provision made in pre-school groups, and examined and compared the characteristics of children attending these groups. It assessed the attitudes of parents and staff to aspects of pre-school education and, in particular, identified issues likely to encourage or inhibit co-operation within a pre-school system. In all, information was gathered from 113 groups, on 5849 children, from 406 staff and 586 parents. Three key issues of potential stress and uncertainty were identified; the discrepancies between provision and potential demand, different interpretations of the purposes of parent involvement, and the place of professionalism. These issues epitomise the uncertainty which has characterised nursery education from the mid 1970s, and present obstacles to co-operation. Little co-operation exists; it is a vague concept, accepted in principle but ignored in practice. It is, however, fundamental if the needs of the 'whole child' are to be met and stability within the system achieved. Possible supportive administrative structures are discussed. Nursery education has a central role to play in any pre-school system, but it has some potential too to influence the system of schooling. In its unique position as a member of both systems it has a unique opportunity to influence educational thinking in the 1980s.

This thesis analyses interconnections between educational policies and different aspects of mobility. In the first chapter I use the dismissal of scientists in Nazi Germany to analyse peer effects among university scientists. The usual problems related to estimating peer effects are addressed by using the dismissal of researchers by the Nazi government as a source of exogenous variation in the scientists' peer group. Using a dataset of all physicists, chemists, and mathematicians at all German universities from 1925 until 1938 I investigate spillovers at different levels of peer interactions. There is no evidence for peer effects at the department level or the specialization level. I find, however, that peer quality matters for coauthors. Losing a coauthor of average quality reduces the productivity of a scientist by about 12.5 percent in physics and 16.5 percent in chemistry. The second chapter analyses the effect of studying abroad on international labour market mobility later in life. I have collaborated with Matthias Parey for this research project. We exploit the introduction of the ERASMUS student exchange programme as a source of exogenous variation in student mobility. Our results indicate that student exchange mobility is an important determinant of international labour market mobility: Studying abroad increases an individual's probability of working in a foreign country by about 15 to 20 percentage points. We investigate heterogeneity in returns and find that studying abroad has a stronger effect for credit constrained students. The last chapter of the thesis investigates the effect of school tracking on social mobility of students. In particular I investigate whether ability tracking exacerbates the role of parental background for students' educational achievement. Using microdata from different educational studies I exploit cross-country variation in tracking policies to identify the effect of tracking. Controlling for unobserved country level variables using difference-in-differences, I find no increase in the importance of a student's family background after tracking has taken place. This result runs contrary to the findings of the current literature. I show that the results of the existing literature are not robust to slight changes in specification.

No description available.