This study uses event history analysis to examine the origins of collaborative efforts between K-12 and higher education systems through the formation of statewide P-16 councils. The development of these joint organizational structures represents an important reform innovation in the P-16 education arena, as P-16 councils seek to influence state policy in an effort to improve student achievement and transitions across all levels of education. Network theory is used to distill three sets of hypotheses to predict how different governance structures, leadership influences, and environmental characteristics may help to explain the spread of voluntary and mandatory P-16 councils in the American states from 1992 to 2007. Although there is little support for the effect of a states organizational structures, both leadership influences and environmental conditions may impact a states decision of both whether to form a P-16 council and the type of P-16 council that is formed. The condition of weak educational climates is associated with a significant increase in the likelihood of forming all types of P-16 councils. The presence of an education governor is particularly important for understanding the spread of mandatory statewide P-16 councils, while economic and demographic characteristics of states are better predictors of the adoption of voluntary P-16 councils. The findings from this study also have broader theoretical implications for understanding who governs in the formation of network organizations. Government networks represent a relatively new type of policy context; one in which leadership from the executives office may be particularly important for explaining the formation of these innovative organizational structures.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:VANDERBILT/oai:VANDERBILTETD:etd-03142008-084146 |
| Date | 31 March 2008 |
| Creators | Mokher, Christine G. |
| Contributors | William R. Doyle, James C. Hearn, Mark Berends, Michael K. McLendon |
| Publisher | VANDERBILT |
| Source Sets | Vanderbilt University Theses |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.library.vanderbilt.edu/available/etd-03142008-084146/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to Vanderbilt University or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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