Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2008. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on June 8, 2009) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

The problem of this study was to compare concepts of the actual and ideal roles of school superintendents as they are perceived by superintendents and by classroom teacher presidents.

The purpose of the study was to analyze career patterns of public school superintendents in Michigan serving school districts with a student population of 5,000 or more. Evidence indicated commonalities exist in the career path administrators follow to become the superintendent of a large Michigan school district.The population consisted of 77 superintendents in school districts of 5,000 plus enrollment. Sixty-three (81 percent) superintendents returned the questionnaire and ten of the responding superintendents were interviewed.Major findings from the questionnaire and interview instrument were:1. The superintendents in Michigan's large school districts are male between the ages of 4.6 and 55 and began their career in a public high school around age 24.2. The superintendents first administrative position had been either as an elementary principal, central office administrator, or a high school principal.3. Generally the superintendent accepted his first superintendency in a district of more than 5,000 students between the ages of 36 and 45.4. Most of the superintendents had a master's degree when first employed as a school administrator. A majority of the superintendents currently hold a doctorate.5. Human relations skills, a good background in school finance, and experience were necessary attributes in getting the appointment to the superintendency. The individual desiring to be the superintendent of one of Michigan's large school districts should be aware of factors which may enhance that goal. The individual must consider:1. The age at which career goals are determined and begun.2. The age of entry into the field of education.3. The size of the school district where first educational employment is accepted and where all subsequent administrative positions are accepted.4. Involvement in extra-curricular activities does not guarantee administrative promotion.5. The doctorate is of maximum importance in the career pattern of the large school district superintendent.6. Human relation skills, financial expertise, and experience are important criteria in seeking employment as a school superintendent.

The study was designed to determine the extent to which selected Indiana superintendents of schools tie work as central life interest and to compare leadership behaviors of superintendents identified as having high interest in work and superintendents with low work interest, as perceived by subordinate administrators. Ninety-five of the 116 superintendents invited to participate in the study completed the Central Life Interest Inventory developed by Dubin. Analyses of responses resulted in identification of the intensity to which superintendents viewed work as a central life interest. Subordinate administrators identified by the twenty-five superintendents identified as having high commitment to work and subordinate administrators identified by the twenty-five superintendents identified as having low interest in work were invited to evaluate respective superintendents by means of the Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire- - Form XII.Twelve null hypotheses were developed to facilitate determination of statistically significant differences between subordinate administrator evaluative response of superintendents having high interest in work and superintendents having low interest in work. Statistical treatment of the twelve hypotheses was accomplished by means of the chi-square test of significance. The .05 level of confidence was established as the critical probability level for the non-acceptance of hypotheses.Findings relative to the first study purpose, which was to measure the extent to which selected Indiana superintendents view work as central life interest, were:1. Thirty-two, or 33.6 percent, of the ninety-five participating superintendents had a high interest in work as a central life interest.2. Eighteen earlier studies had measured the extent to which persons in various occupations viewed work as a central life interest. When superintendents were compared and contrasted, nine occupational groups reflected higher interest in work as a central life interest and nine groups reflected lower interest in work as a central life interest. Superintendents had a higher interest in work as a central life interest than lumber workers, truck drivers, American factory workers, secondary teachers, elementary teachers, principals, industrial arts teachers, clerical workers, and British factory workers. Superintendents had a lower interest in work as a central life interest than management personnel in Japanese industry, cooperative extension agents, nurses, Amana Colony workers, management personnel in American industry, middle managers in Oregon, middle managers in seven states, industrial supervisors, and German industrial workers.Findings relative to the second study purpose, a comparison of the leadership behaviors of the high and low superintendent groups as measured by perceptions of subordinate administrators using the Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire--Form XII instrument, were no statistically significant differences were found to exist for the three specific leadership behaviors factors of Representation, Demand Reconciliation, and Initiation of Structures. Statistically significant differences were found to exist for each of the nine specific leadership factors of Tolerance of Uncertainty, Persuasiveness, Tolerance of Freedom, Role Assumption, Consideration, Production Emphasis, Predictive Accuracy, Integration, and Superior Orientation.The major conclusion relative to the first study purpose was that even though relatively small percentages of superintendents might score as having high commitment to work as a central life interest, superintendents as a group do have high professional standards and are committed to performing job responsibilities effectively and efficiently. The major conclusion relative to the second study purpose as that superintendents with a high commitment to work as a central lire interest, are perceived by subordinates as being more effective leaders.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Tulsa, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 47-48).

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Graduate School of Education, Oral Roberts University, 2003. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 194-204).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1973. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 1999. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 265-284). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Georgia Southern University, 2006. / "A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Georgia Southern University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Education" ETD. Includes bibliographical references (p. 183-198) and appendices.

This study is divided into three sections. The first researches the techniques used to train and develop top-level business and corporate executives. The second part researches the techniques used to train the elementary and secondary school principal. The third part applies the findings to design a program by which school principals may be trained to lead their school as a top-level executive would their business or corporation.