Submitted in partial fulfilment of a Masters Degree in the Department of Educational Planning and Administration at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2005. / The primary objective of this study was to investigate the impact of School Management Teams (SMTs) on Learner Academic Performance (LAP). To achieve this, a literature review was conducted on relevant strategies that SMTs can adopt to enhance LAP. Furthermore, an empirical research project was launched to test the extent to which these strategies were or could be employed in local schools. The empirical study was conducted by means of a questionnaire-driven survey, administered in the Port Shepstone District. The study revealed that LAP is adversely affected in schools where learners are not part of the decision-making process and where they are not given immediate feedback after their assessment activities. In such cases, opportunities for improve performance were lost. Other key findings of the study suggest that: • Many STMs have not implemented staff development programmes. • Some SMTs have not involved parents in the formulation or implementation of LAP enhancement programmes. • Educators are not fully motivated to enhance LAP. • A general lack of communication between SMTs and the rest of the staff members compromises potential enhancement of LAP. • Some educators are not familiar with the vision of the school and consequently do not realise its goals. • LAP is negatively impacted in schools where there are indications of poor strategic planning. • A lack of non-management educator involvement in curriculum development also negatively impacts LAP. The above shortcomings were compared to recommended and best practices where suggested in research on LAP enhancement. The following suggestions were made in this regard: • The National Department of Education (NDoE) should provide resources for on-going capacity-building. • Parents should be involved in supporting the school to manage learners and learning activities effectively. • SMTs should capitalize on educator strengths, put in place educator development programmes to address areas of weakness and motivate educators to excel in teaching. • SMTs should create and maintain clear channels of communication. • SMTs and educators should develop a shared vision to enhance LAP and this should be communicated to all constituencies in the teaching and learning environment (including parents and the general community in which the school is embedded). • SMTs and educators should engage in strategic planning to enhance LAP. • SMTs should conduct staff training programmes on curriculum development. This study is deemed significant as it exposes, at grassroots level, problems experienced in enhancing LAP and makes practical recommendations on strategies to improve LAP. These recommendations are based on a review of both national and international literature and have precedents of successful implementation here and abroad.

This study investigates sustainability performance of Swedish firms through the lens of the upper echelons theory. We test how the size, average age, and proportion of gender in boards of directors (BoDs) and top management teams (TMTs), is related to sustainability performance. While BoDs have been studied in this way several times previously, no other studies, which we are aware of, study the relationship between TMTs and sustainability performance. The study follows a purely quantitative approach and is based on large and mid cap firms on the Nasdaq Stockholm exchange. The sustainability performance of firms is proxied by the ESG-score issued by Refinitiv. The study finds that the size of both BoDs and TMTs is positively and significantly related to sustainability performance. The relationship for the size of BoDs is particularly strong and significant, whereas the one for TMTs is less so. Regarding the proportion of gender, this variable was also positively and significantly related to sustainability performance, but only for BoDs. Finally, the age variable was insignificant for both BoDs and TMTs.

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京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(経済学) / 甲第23446号 / 経博第644号 / 新制||経||299(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院経済学研究科経済学専攻 / (主査)教授 澤邉 紀生, 教授 草野 真樹 講師 鈴木 寛之 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Economics / Kyoto University / DGAM

The Fairfax County, Virginia, Public Schools made a commitment in 1981 to involve teacher leaders and principals in all schools in the improvement of school-based facilitation of instruction. It was decided that this school-based management emphasis would best be achieved through a training program that focused on concepts of participatory management. Therefore, beginning in the fall of 1981 (and for three successive semesters), principals, assistant principals, department chairpersons, and team leaders were selected to participate in a one-semester university credit course entitled “Distributed Management of Instructional Environments." The course provided a forum for the presentation of alternative decision-making models to the instructional leadership within each school. Leadership theories based on the writings of Herzberg, Maslow, Levinson, et al., and models such as Likert's linking-pin structure and Hersey and Blanchard's situational leadership were presented in large group sessions followed by small group discussions. Each school was required to prepare a planning document detailing the management processes and structures to be used to facilitate instruction. This study evaluates the success of the program in achieving its objectives. The CIPP evaluation model proposed by Stufflebeam provided the overall design for the study. / Ed. D.

The changes within the South African education system have turned-around the view that regards principals as “sole” people responsible for leadership and management of schools. The task of the school principal has undergone a radical change. Over the years the notion has been replaced by the view that sees management and leadership as prerogative of many, including stakeholders within and outside education. The move has become world-wide phenomenon compelled by the dual imperatives changing societal values and the rate of change. This study is aimed at investigating the perceptions and experiences of School Management Teams (SMTs) on teamwork as an alternative to school management. The investigation was framed within the mixed-method approach, and sought to unpack the experience of SMT members with regard to teamwork. An interpretive paradigm made it possible for me to gain an in-depth understanding of SMT members’ experience of teamwork within their school contexts. I used interviews and questionnaires as research tools to gather data. This study has found that, although the concept of teamwork is well-received, there are still significant obstacles to the implementation of teamwork as an alternative form of school management / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

The changes within the South African education system have turned-around the view that regards principals as “sole” people responsible for leadership and management of schools. The task of the school principal has undergone a radical change. Over the years the notion has been replaced by the view that sees management and leadership as prerogative of many, including stakeholders within and outside education. The move has become world-wide phenomenon compelled by the dual imperatives changing societal values and the rate of change. This study is aimed at investigating the perceptions and experiences of School Management Teams (SMTs) on teamwork as an alternative to school management. The investigation was framed within the mixed-method approach, and sought to unpack the experience of SMT members with regard to teamwork. An interpretive paradigm made it possible for me to gain an in-depth understanding of SMT members’ experience of teamwork within their school contexts. I used interviews and questionnaires as research tools to gather data. This study has found that, although the concept of teamwork is well-received, there are still significant obstacles to the implementation of teamwork as an alternative form of school management / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

Thesis (Ph. D. (Curriculum Studies)) -- University of Limpopo, 2019 / The aim of this study was to investigate knowledge, attitudes and practices of primary school children towards healthy diet in Dikgale Village, Limpopo Province, South Africa. This study was an intervention study at eight primary schools in Dikgale Village. The study used both qualitative and quantitative research where mixed methods research design. A total of 324 participants consisting of Grades 6 and 7 males and females was purposively selected. These participants were divided into experiment and control group after pre-test but before the intervention. This study used a 27-item questionnaire which covered, knowledge on healthy diet, attitudes, practices, subjective norm and self-efficacy questions as well as focus group interviews. The main findings of the study comprise the following: (i) Learners in the experiment condition did not reflect more health-related practices (F(1.315)=0.20; p>887), i.e., when considering co-variables and changes in health attitude, subjective norm and self-efficacy; and (ii) After intervention, there was a significant increase (F(1.315)=115.72; p<0.001) in health-related knowledge on the experiment group, i.e., when considering co-variables and changes in health attitude, subjective norm and self-efficacy. In addition to this significant increase, 58.3% of the differences between both groups seemed related to the intervention with regard to changes in knowledge acquisition. However, there was no significant increase on both health knowledge and health practices on the control group. The results suggested that, even if there can be changes in knowledge due to intervention, healthy practices may be difficult to change mainly because knowledge alone cannot decrease the prevalence of health-related conditions. As a result, this study suggest that the curriculum should cover Food knowledge practice so as to persuade learners to practice healthy diet. Also, School Management Teams (SMTs) and School Governing Bodies (SGBs) should play their role in emphasizing the importance of Food-Based Dietary Guidelines in schools. Future interventions are therefore encouraged to include a moderate intensity intervention by trained professionals and feasibility of involving educators, SGBs and SMTs, particularly in policy adherence. Therefore, this study proposed a healthy food intervention strategy incorporating the Theory of Planned Behaviour in order to justify the knowledge, attitude and practices of children in healthy diet. Intervention should adopt the Training Partnership Model wherein children, parents, educators are trained by health professional on adherence to healthy diet. / Vlaamse Interuniversitaire Raad (VLIR)

The private equity industry has experienced a decade marked by substantial growth. However, as the investment landscape for capital providers has become more complex, the leadership team of private equity firms plays a more crucial role in navigating significant challenges. Focused on two themes, this dissertation explores the background of top management teams (TMTs) in private equity firms, its correlation with fund performance, and the backgrounds of deal lead partners and their risk assessment of leveraged buyout (LBO) investments. The first essay investigates TMT diversity, emphasizing its multi-dimensional connection with fund performance. The study differentiates between socio-demographic and occupational diversity, uncovering various effects on fund outcomes. The second essay constructs a diversity index based on a comprehensive methodology to maximize the correlation between TMT diversity and private equity fund performance. The third essay explores the risk profiles of private equity partners in LBO investment decisions, establishing a link between socio-demographic backgrounds and distinct risk assessment archetypes. This dissertation contributes to the literature in the intersection of private equity and TMT, providing insights for scholars and practitioners alike.

The problem addressed in this study was whether middle level schools have adopted currently held research findings with respect to organizational structure and decision making processes promoted by the work of the Carnegie Foundation and various state agencies. Purposes included determining the perceptions of principals in schools utilizing interdisciplinary teams of teachers regarding the roles of principals and teachers in decision making processes, differences in campus performance on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills and specific demographic variables in comparison to perceptions of principals in schools not utilizing interdisciplinary teams on these same questions.