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The purpose of this study is to revisit the question of whether welfare benefit levels influence female headship, and whether the effect differs between the two main eras of welfare policy relevant to female headship, Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) and Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF). This study adds to the existing literature by including more up to date data allowing for a comparison between the AFDC and TANF eras. Results show that the effect of welfare benefits on female headship rates changes from negative to positive after welfare reform occurred among blacks, while no change occured among whites.

This research enquiry examines the extent to which managerialism has permeated the headship role in England. It analyses the literature pertaining to the changing role of headship in England, managerialism, the marketization of education and the impact that these elements have had on the headship role in England, as well as the manner in which they have impacted upon schools in general. The study also explored England’s National College for School Leadership, its headship standards and its generic headship training. The research was conducted by way of semi-structured interviews with six headteachers, two of whom were new to headship, two of whom had more than five years of experience and two of whom were retired. The sample included a mix of state school and independent school headteachers. The data revealed a stark contrast between the professional experiences of state school headteachers and independent school headteachers. The state school headteachers cited pressures of governmental interference and also noted the pressures posed by the socioeconomic background of the given school’s intake. The headteachers also expressed feeling insecure from one day to the next and there was an overriding sense of confusion predominantly due to constant changes in government directives. By contrast, any impact on the independent school headteachers from government intervention and interference was demonstrably absent.

This empirical research uses interpretative enquiry in order to identify the barriers to school improvement by examining the impact of New Public Management (NPM) on the dual role of the Head Teacher in Scotland. For the purpose of this research staff absence management is employed as a surrogate for the adoption of New Public Management techniques. Three main concepts are covered within the context of this thesis: NPM; staff absence in the public sector and the dual nature of Headship in Scotland. The main frameworks that guide this research are Constructed Grounded Theory (Charmaz), Embedded Multiple Case-Study (Yin), NPM (Hood), Service-Dominant Logic (Vargo and Lusch), Co-production (Ostrom; Osborne et. al. and Pestoff et. al.), New Public Governance (Osborne), Occupational Professionalism and Organisational Professionalism (Evetts). Logic models are central to the cogency of the argument and throughout this thesis the logic models of Old Public Administration, NPM (Hood; 1991) and Service dominant logic (Vargo and Lusch, 2004) are central. Adopting Osborne’s position (2009), that the root of NPM is based on a product-dominant/manufacturing logic, this thesis argues that this logic model is at odds with the occupational professionalism (Evetts; 1994) that exists at the school level, a logic model rooted firmly within a service-dominant logic model. The thesis proffers that it is this clash of logic models that has created a void between the goals of NPM, the organisational professionalism that exists within the case study local authority, and the occupational professionalism found on the ground in practice at the school level. The thesis concludes by stating that NPM has had a damaging effect on the dual role of the Head Teacher in Scotland and offers three main themes to support this original contribution to theory. Firstly, that NPM has failed at the school level in Scotland because of an underestimation of how complex schools are and a systematic failure to understand the complex nature, and high level of variance, within the public service delivery as exemplified through a focus on absence management. Secondly, NPM has had a damaging effect by continually expanding the tasks and responsibilities devolved to the Head Teacher over the last two decades in particular. Finally, NPM has failed at the school level in Scotland because of a systematic failure to understand both the occupational professionalism of the Head Teacher and the service-dominant organisation in which the Head Teacher works.

Within the field of international development there has in recent years been an emerging interest to explore how secular and faith-based modes of development may interact. Yet there remains a considerable knowledge gap in how religious values, believes and practices may challenge, accommodate or complement secular development agendas. Against this backdrop, this thesis aims to make a small contribution to move our understanding onwards. Based on fieldwork in Apam, Ghana, my project illustrates how an individual may navigate between Pentecostal ideology, secular development discourse, and traditional believes and practices in contemporary Africa. More specifically, I employ theoretical insights from the anthropology of ethics to analyse how a young Christian man constructs his ethical identity while aspiring to shoulder the headship of his family, and being a promotor for gender equality and women empowerment in his community.

The purposes of this study are to first investigate various leadership and management styles of Catholic secondary school principals and their impact on school discipline and secondly to determine whether there is a correlation between leadership and management styles of secondary school principals and discipline in the school. The rationale behind the research topic is that the researcher has realised that many black public schools in South Africa are dysfunctional and cannot deliver quality learning and teaching. The reason for this sorry state of affairs is historical and well known. Most of these schools, to make the transition from dysfunctional to effectiveness, do not require courses in the market. What they require, and it is sorely missing, is strong and effective leadership. The role of a principal in a school is crucial. The success of the process of restoring the culture of teaching and learning rests to a large extent on the principal. This is mainly because he/she is the one who has to lead the entire school community in implementing whatever plans and programmes are to be put in place. Teaching is like riding a wild horse. Even though you're in the saddle it sometimes feels as if you're only barely in control and, if you stop paying attention for just one second, you will end up in the mud. One of the greatest challenges that teachers face when starting out in their careers is learning how to deal with unruly and badly behaved learners so that the rest of the class can get on with the lesson. Teachers often say that they are not paid to discipline learners they are paid to teach them. However, without discipline there can be little learning. Without discipline education is not possible. Discipline is the very foundation on which education should seek to build. Many of our secondary schools are still in crisis today because discipline is undermined. In Chapter one the problem to be researched, the statement of the problem and the purpose of study, general assumptions of study and definitions of terms were introduced. Chapter two examined the literature available. That was done to expand upon the context and the background of this study and to further define the problem and provide an empirical basis for the development of the hypothesis. Chapter two also examined the Leadership Traits theory, the Situational Contingency theory, the Pathgoal theory, Collaborative, Democratic or Participative leadership styles, Autocratic leadership style, Laissez Faire leadership style and leadership according to Gospel values. The Democratic and Situational contingency leadership styles were singled out as the styles of leadership applied most often in a number of organisations. Leadership according to Gospel values will be the most suitable, especially for principals in Catholic schools. It is very much intertwined with the democratic leadership style. There was strong evidence from the literature studied that these styles, if properly applied, can go a long way in helping the principals of schools to live up to the challenges they are facing in education. It is these leadership styles coupled with an understanding of transformation issues in education such as: new principles and values of education systems in South Africa; teaching and learning as the main aims of the education and management, self-reliant schools (self-managed), governance, building schools as learning organisations, and certain skills that could enable principals to be effective leaders in their schools. In order for principals to provide proper and effective leadership, they should be competent in the following aspects: • Stakeholders' involvement in the management of schools • the use of different leadership styles as propounded by the Situational Contingency Theory • team work, and • effective and efficient communication with stakeholders. Chapter three examined the overview of Catholic Education in South Africa, The distinctive Religious character of the Catholic school, Characteristics of a Catholic school, school discipline and how poor school discipline can be prevented and a model for effective discipline in a school. It also focused briefly on the impact of the South African Schools Act No 84 of 1996 and the Bill of Rights as enshrined in the Constitution of South Africa on school discipline. In Chapter four the research methodology was examined. This included the structuring of the questionnaire to try to get factual information, opinions and attitudes about the problem. The questionnaire focused on the following: • stakeholders' involvement in management tasks • the leadership and management styles of principals • how the principal is perceived by stakeholders • communication with stakeholders • teamwork • parental involvement and • how discipline in the school is perceived by stakeholders. The questionnaire was then administered to all educators, members of the school governing bodies, members of the Representative Council of Learners and principals of all Secondary Catholic schools in Limpopo. Chapter five deals with data analysis, interpretation, findings and recommendations. In conclusion, of all the leadership styles discussed, the Situational Contingency, and emerging participatory democracy and leadership according to Gospel values appear to be the most appropriate styles of leadership in South African Education today. The three leadership styles are like rosebuds in that they bring forth positive results but also have associated thorns and dangers. If we can locate the thorns, then we can learn how to hold the flower without injury. Different leaders and managers adopt different styles of leading and managing their organisation (school). As a result there is no single perfect leadership or management style. It is, however, important that leaders must be able to weigh and consider ensuing or confronting situations and circumstances and to adapt accordingly. Good educational establishments require disciplined environments. Teachers, parents and students need clear strategies and guidelines that encourage learning. They need to ensure that learning is well structured and orderly. Good relationships need to be maintained in learning institutions to improve motivation and raise the quality of education for all. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Durban-Westville, 2003.

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Title from second page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 319-330).