Preliminary findings of a study that matched the theoretical concept of facilitative power with the activities of principals and teachers involved in site-based management are presented in this paper. Purposes of the study included: (1) the development of more precise definitions of the concepts of restructuring and site-based management; (2) a…

The book, "Managing by Negotiations," by Earl Brooks and George S. Odiorne, is reviewed in this document. Negotiation is discussed as an answer to the dilemma of achieving organizational effectiveness created by the recent shift in educational administration from autocratic to democratic management. Eleven reasons why traditional power-based…

This study investigated two questions concerning the empowerment of teachers: (1) What meanings do teachers associate with the social practices and social knowledge that inform the social actions of teacher empowerment? and (2) What kinds of events seem to account for, or explicate, the accomplishment of teacher empowerment? Participants in the…

Three key political decisions made in Tennessee higher education that have brought about major changes in structure and have implications for the future are discussed. The decisions are: creation of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) in 1967, the creation of the State Board of Regents (SBR) in 1972, and the establishment of the…

This learning unit on organization systems is one in the Choice Series, a self-learning development program for supervisors. Purpose stated for the approximately eight-hour-long unit is to enable the supervisor to distinguish between responsibility and authority and see how they relate to each other, understand how responsibility and authority are…

A case study was made of the implementation of an innovative measurement program. In this instance, curriculum implementation was seen as a process in pedagogical, occupational, and sociocultural contexts in which social groups with unequal power, and in contradictory ways, contended for control. "Beyond academic achievement" emerged as…

Results of a study involving 450 teachers in three California school districts show that two sets of standards exist for judging the effectiveness of teacher unions. For union leaders, legitimacy means keeping promises to teachers by winning concessions from management and, at the same time, working toward a more credible and cooperative…

To examine the effects of the 1978-81 oil and gas boom on social and economic relations and institutions in Caldwell, Texas, researchers gathered data about the community using census information, historical accounts, official records, publications, observations, interviews, and surveys of 133 residents, 91 businesses, and 40 oil field service…

The process of selecting a chief state school officer (CSSO) can be a significant means of allocating policymaking power in state educational governance. This paper examines the role of the chief state school officer and explains how that role is influenced by the selection process. Four selection models are described, along with the advantages…

This study examines the organizational structures of schools and school systems using six complementary but distinct perspectives--societal, intentional, structural, analytical, portrait, and narrative--in order to ascertain the appropriateness of structural revision in relation to changes in Canadian society. Following an examination of the…

The relationship between the structure of decision-making in a college or university and the consensus on values within the university was studied, based on the field of organization theory where cultures and values are helpful in understanding the operations of an organization. Based on a larger study of the academic profession, a qualitative…

Reductions in resources and increases in external demands place schools under pressure that can be relieved to some extent by organizational changes. When resources are sufficient, these changes may take the form of technical rationality--that is, decisions concerning policy and practices are made on the basis of neutral, measurable data rather…

The relationship between the current collective bargaining movement in higher education and faculty alienation was studied by determining whether professional and work conditions were related to alienation and whether faculty alienation affected opinions concerning collective bargaining. Of 401 mailed questionnaires, 187 usable responses were…

The organization of local government in England underwent significant structural revision during the 1970s, creating centralized authorities focused on objectives and service delivery systems rather than on organizational structures and the separate services delivered. As the most autonomous local agency prior to reorganization, education was the…

To help relate management ideas and knowledge to educational administration, the author reviews the major theories and findings from the last 20 years on managerial leadership and discusses their relevance for school principals. He first summarizes findings from three approaches: the traits approach, emphasizing managerial motivation and skills;…