This dissertation explores the literature relating to organisational complexity, organisational measurement, educational institution measurement and qualitative research methods with a specific focus on participant-centredness. This is with a view to seeing whether complexity can provide a suitable underpinning for the exploration of educational institution assessment; whether effictility is a more useful and measurable construct than efficiency for school assessment; and whether the participant-guided tour is a viable first round research tool for recognising effictility. Early on, apparently immeasureable efficiency is replaced with measureable effictility: the efficient and effective utility of human and non-human resources within the constraints of a spatial and temporal context. The study is cross-disciplinary because it draws from such fields as management, human geography, sociology, educational management theory, education policy and philosophy, and the theoretical and real threads of complexity, space and time wend their way through the discourse. The first four literature-based chapters build together to provide the foundation for the practicalities explored in two case studies. These are set up to consist of a four-phase process at two technically similar and yet operationally very different schools. Greatly contrasting measures of success are achieved which in turn richly inform the discussion on the realities of institutional measurement. The research process also throws up some interesting themes through experimentation with innovative interview stimuli. Thus, the study’s contribution to knowledge is four-fold. It juxtaposes a theory and context that have rarely been put together – namely, complexity and education. It provides evidence to support the controversial notion that organisational efficiency cannot be measured. It introduces the concept of effictility and the methodological innovation: the participant-guided tour.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:617620 |
| Date | January 2014 |
| Creators | Abusidualghoul, Victoria Jemma |
| Contributors | Lightfoot, Geoffrey; Lilley, Simon |
| Publisher | University of Leicester |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://hdl.handle.net/2381/28920 |
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