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School innovativeness determines the vitality of schools as learning organizations. However, schools markedly vary in innovativeness, and research is needed to account for this variability. The present study provides a theoretical account of this variability based on an uncertainty management perspective. Conceptualizing participative decision-making as an organizational routine through which uncertainty is shared and collectively managed, we hypothesize that participative decision-making is conducive to the school's organizational capacity to foster innovation. Our hierarchical linear modeling analysis of 7507 schools in 41 countries lends support to this hypothesis. The findings demonstrate that the level of school innovativeness tends to be higher in schools that make greater use of participative decision-making. This pattern was observed in all countries examined, and the pattern was even clearer in countries with a stronger cultural orientation toward uncertainty avoidance. Although further research is needed, this study concludes that participative decision-making can promote school innovativeness by facilitating the distributed management of uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The concept of participative decision-making (PDM) has been well established as a positive organizational factor, and has recently gained attention as a measure of gender inclusivity in the workplace. However, findings regarding gender differences in the experiences of PDM are inconclusive. This study hypothesized that women perceive themselves as less influential than men at the organizational level rather than at the workplace level. Furthermore, the study explored whether these assumed gender differences depend on the gender typicality of occupational positions and professions. We expected gender differences to be more pronounced for male-typed positions and professions (e.g., leadership, engineer) compared to non-male-typed occupational positions and professions (e.g., non-leadership, nurse). Methods: Data on experiences with participative decision-making at the workplace and organizational levels were drawn from a large representative Swedish survey (N = 10,500; 60% women). Results: Results showed that women experienced being less influential than men at the organizational level, whereas the experiences of women and men did not differ at the workplace level. The gender difference at the organizational level was not related to the gender typicality of position and profession. Discussion: The findings highlight the importance of the inclusion of both women and men in strategic, large-scale decisions for achieving gender equality at work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionThe concept of participative decision-making (PDM) has been well established as a positive organizational factor, and has recently gained attention as a measure of gender inclusivity in the workplace. However, findings regarding gender differences in the experiences of PDM are inconclusive. This study hypothesized that women perceive themselves as less influential than men at the organizational level rather than at the workplace level. Furthermore, the study explored whether these assumed gender differences depend on the gender typicality of occupational positions and professions. We expected gender differences to be more pronounced for male-typed positions and professions (e.g., leadership, engineer) compared to non-male-typed occupational positions and professions (e.g., non-leadership, nurse).MethodsData on experiences with participative decision-making at the workplace and organizational levels were drawn from a large representative Swedish survey (N = 10,500; 60% women).ResultsResults showed that women experienced being less influential than men at the organizational level, whereas the experiences of women and men did not differ at the workplace level. The gender difference at the organizational level was not related to the gender typicality of position and profession.DiscussionThe findings highlight the importance of the inclusion of both women and men in strategic, large-scale decisions for achieving gender equality at work.

Principals indirectly impact the achievement of school goals and the development and improvement of the school. Drawing upon Role Theory, this study proposes to examine the direct and indirect relationship (through organizational commitment) between participative decision-making and school violence in the Arab educational system in Israel. The data were collected through a questionnaire returned by a two-stage cluster random sampling of 350 teachers randomly chosen from 70 elementary Israeli Arab schools. Data were collected from three sources: self-reporting (teachers and students) and non-self-reporting to minimize measure error. The structural equation modeling and bootstrap results highlighted the positive implications of participative decision-making on teachers’ organizational commitment in the Israeli Arab education system. The findings also showed teachers’ organizational commitment was correlated to school violence. That is, teachers’ organizational commitment fully mediates the relationship between participative decision-making and school violence. Implications for theory and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]