scholarly journals A Q-Methodological Analysis of School Principals’ Decision-Making Strategies during the Change Process at Schools

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-144
Author(s):  
Mehmet Semih Summak ◽  
Mahmut Kalman

The purpose of the research was to explore the decision-making strategies that school principals employ while dealing with the challenges faced during the change process at schools. The study was conducted in two cities located in Central and Southeast Turkey, with a sample comprising 29 primary, middle and secondary school principals, selected via a purposive sampling technique. Q methodology, a qualitative-dominant mixed methods research design, was used in the study. The researchers developed and used a concourse of 24 specific items that target school principals’ decision-making strategies about change-related challenges in schools by taking a perception-driven decision-making model as the theoretical framework. The statistical software PQMethod was used for data analysis. The findings revealed that school principals shared similar views via the item configurations provided regarding decision-making during times of change, and had a similar profile in terms of decision-making and related strategies. The behavioural decision style was found to be the preferred style. The principals had a profile featuring a high focus on people and low cognitive complexity. The dominant beliefs driving their decision-making strategies seemed to incorporate comprehensive evaluation of the current situation, ethical concerns and organisational values, assessment of technical details, and thorough data collection. Some implications are drawn for researchers and practitioners.

2021 ◽  
Vol VI (III) ◽  
pp. 128-136
Author(s):  
Nazir Haider Shah ◽  
Muhammad Naqeeb ul Khalil Shaheen ◽  
Sobia Yaseen

The objective of the study was to find out the relationship between emotional intelligence and the decision-making of secondary school principals. The current study was descriptive and quantitative in nature, and a survey method was applied to collect the data.All the secondary school principals working in District Haveli and Punch were the population of the study. The instrument used was a self-developed questionnaire to collect the data. The questionnaire was used comprising of three parts. Part A of the questionnaire was used for demographic data, part B was used to measure emotional intelligence, and Part C of the questionnaire was utilized to measure the decision-making styles. The researcher collected data from all secondary school principals of both districts, District Haveli and District Bagh, including private and public school principals, using a universal sampling technique. Data were analyzed through SPSS by using Pearson's correlation analysis. It is inferred that a significant and strong positive relationship exists between emotional intelligence and decision-making styles of principals.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (01) ◽  
Author(s):  
Solomon Melesse ◽  
Mulu Melesse

The purpose of this study was to assess practitioners’ perceived involvement and challenges they encountered in the process of curriculum development in Secondary schools of Amhara Sayintworeda. Mixed research design was employed to provide answer to the basic questions of this research. The sample consisted of 125 secondary school teachers, 3 school principals, 4 vice principals, and 1 supervisor. Proportional random sampling technique was used to select the sample teachers and comprehensive sampling technique was used to select the sample school principals, vice principals, and the supervisor. The data was collected through questionnaire and semi-structured interview. The collected data was analyzed using percentage, one sample t-test and thematic description. The findings indicated low practitioners’ perceived involvement in all the curriculum development phases other than curriculum implementation. Absence of financial and material incentives and practitioners’ lack of motivation were considered as the major inhibiting factors for practitioners’ involvement in the different phases of the curriculum development process. On the basis of the major findings, relevant recommendations are suggested in the paper.


2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (7) ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Benard Litali Ashiono

This article reports on a study that was carried out to establish determinants of ICT integration in mathematics teaching and learning. This paper focuses on the kind of support teachers require to effectively use ICT in teaching mathematics. An exploratory sequential mixed methods research design was employed to conduct this study in which quantitative data was initially collected in the first phase. Qualitative data was then collected in the second phase to explain the quantitative data collected in the initial phase. The study targeted all the teachers teaching in lower grades in both private and public schools. A sample size of 40 lower primary schools were purposively selected based on the availability of ICT tools for instructional purposes in those schools. Three teachers teaching in grade one, two and three were then selected using simple random sampling technique especially in cases where more than three teachers existed. Teacher Questionnaire, Teacher Interview Protocol and Observation Protocol were used to collect data. Data was analyzed qualitatively using descriptive phenomenological analysis in which data transcriptions were divided into themes and sub-themes related to phenomena under study. The findings of the study revealed that there was a significant relationship between supporting teachers’ use of ICT in the classroom and their actual use of ICT in teaching mathematics. The study findings however revealed that teachers teaching lower grades in Mombasa, Kenya were not adequately supported in their use of ICT in teaching mathematics. It was recommended that teachers must be granted adequate support in their use of ICT in teaching mathematics.


2021 ◽  
pp. 155868982110194
Author(s):  
Susan Ramlo

In 1989, Jennifer Greene and colleagues introduced the idea of complementarity in mixed methods research (MMR) without referencing the parallels within physics. Complementarity in physics represents the idea that two contrasted theories are necessary to explain a set of phenomena, such as the wave–particle duality. Few MMR studies provide clear examples of complementarity, and some have questioned if complementarity is possible. However, the creator of Q methodology, William Stephenson, physicist and psychologist, made numerous connections between his methodology and quantum theory, including complementarity. The purpose of this article is to describe complementarity within Q methodology and physics and connect these definitions to complementarity as discussed within the MMR community.


Curationis ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mosehle S. Matlala ◽  
Thanyani G. Lumadi

Background: Midwifery is the backbone of women and child healthcare. The shortage of staff in maternity units is a crisis faced by many countries worldwide, including South Africa.Objectives: This study aims to explore the perceptions of midwives on the shortage and retention of staff at a public institution.Method: The study was conducted at one of the tertiary hospitals in Tshwane District, Gauteng Province. A total of 11 midwives were interviewed through face-to-face and focus group interviews. An explorative, descriptive generic qualitative design method was followed, and a non-probability, purposive sampling technique was used. Thematic coding analysis was followed for analysing data.Results: The impact of shortage of midwives was reported to be directly related to poor provision of quality care as a result of increased workload, leading to low morale and burnout. The compromised autonomy of midwives in the high obstetrics dependency units devalues the status of midwives.Conclusion: Midwives are passionate about their job, despite the hurdles related to their day-to-day work environment. They are demoralised by chronic shortage of staff and feel overworked. Staff involvement in decision-making processes is a motivational factor for midwives to stay in the profession. The midwives need to be in the centre of the decision-making processes related to their profession. The revision of the scope of practice and classification of midwifery profession away from general nursing complex by the South African Nursing Council (SANC) could place midwifery in its rightful status.


2011 ◽  
Vol 94-96 ◽  
pp. 2238-2242
Author(s):  
Yan Qun Tang ◽  
Wei Zeng

Basing on the analysis of problems existing in the comprehensive decision-making and balanced optimizing of project programs, the writer has introduced the method of physical planning to solve the problems of comprehensive decision-making and optimizing in the quality of the project management – time limit for a project - cost, and established the quality - time limit for a project- cost comprehensive evaluation and decision model as well as the quality - time limit for a project - cost optimization model. The proposed method has been proved effective through the cases of highway engineering project management.


2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 741-754 ◽  
Author(s):  
Llandis Barratt-Pugh ◽  
Susanne Bahn

AbstractThis paper explores the role played by a Human Resources (HR) department orchestrating culture change during the merger of two large State departments with dissimilar cultures. A 2-year case study determined what HR strategies were having the greatest impact on embedding new organisational values to produce a more flexible culture and how these practices could be accelerated. This paper indicates how a more strategic approach by HR departments can support and develop relational managing capability that accelerates cultures change towards a more flexible work environment.This paper describes the context of the change process, the relevant literature, and outlines the research process. The findings from the phases of the data collection are summarised revealing the traumatic perceptions of the change process, but also the instrumental actions of some managers, working creatively with their teams to tackle new tasks and projects. The evidence suggests that these informal practices of task allocation were at the core of change agency in this case study and put the new flexible organisational values into action. The findings illustrate how the organisation moves from valuing managers for their technical competence to valuing managers for their relational competence.The paper then discusses what strategic HR actions were accelerating this process and illuminates the critical role of building managers as change agents. The paper concludes by confirming the need for a strategic approach by HR during organisational change. Building manager capability and supporting informal change agency practices is presented as a core focus for HR during such organisational cultural change programmes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 90-103
Author(s):  
Wasia Hamid ◽  
Tanveer Ahmad Khan ◽  
Mohmad Saleem Jahangir

The present study investigates the level of empowerment among tribal women in terms of their participation in the decision-making process and to identify the factors that affect their level of participation. Fifty women from the Gujjar community of Kashmir Valley were selected through a purposive sampling technique. The interview and case study methods were employed for collecting data from the potential participants. The study revealed that tribal women’s right to make decisions was confined to minor household issues only. A significant positive correlation was also noted between family size, type of family, age, level of education, employment status and participation of the tribal women in decision-making.


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