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Leadership for Learning (LFL) recently emerged as a comprehensive framework integrating aspects of theories thus far applied in school leadership research. LFL provides the principles for practice believed to effectively deal with the increasing complexity and expectations in education. Via semi-structured interviews this paper seeks to deepen our understanding of the leadership practices and beliefs among principals in Flemish secondary education and assess the occurrence of LFL in practice. Due to busy schedules, little time remains for principals to continuously focus on learning and teaching. This issue might be resolved by strengthening learning climates, sharing leadership, and fostering dialogue and a sense of shared accountability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout the past decades, the profession of school leader has become more complex. To deal with these increasing complexities and the challenges school leaders encounter, it is important that school leaders are provided with effective professional development. However, research on school leaders' learning and professional development, and especially on school leaders' group reflective learning, is still rather limited. Based on findings of a few previous studies considering school leaders' professional development, a group reflective learning programme was developed. The current qualitative study unravels school leaders' reactions with regard to group reflective learning programmes through interviewing the 19 participants of the programme. The study of the school leaders' reactions shows that school leaders set particular preconditions for group reflective learning, that they value recognition and support of fellow school leaders, and that they appreciate the programme because they were able to learn from their own, and their fellow school leaders' daily-life experiences. Group reflective programmes have the potential to develop knowledge, skills and/or attitudes and seem to satisfy the statement that school leaders need to be provided with appropriate professional development programmes to prevent job related psychological issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on school leaders' professional development is scarce. Knowledge about school leaders' professional development is important with regard to keeping the position of school leaders attractive and pupils' achievement. The current article explores the outcomes of a group reflective learning programme for school leaders. The programme focused on one of the school leaders' prioritised professional development needs: coaching teachers. Nineteen school leaders participated in the programme and were interviewed after the programme. The interviews gauged school leaders' perceptions of learning outcomes and impact on their professional behaviour. The transcriptions of the interviews were analysed using a coding tree. The school leaders indicated that they gained theoretical knowledge, that they developed their coaching skills and their way of providing feedback. The school leaders stated that they valued group reflective learning because they learned to approach situations from various angles. Moreover, the school leaders reported increased levels of self-confidence and no longer feeling responsible for solving all problems by themselves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explore one of the key underlying mechanisms that mediate the HRM–performance link, namely HRM implementation by line managers. The purpose of our study is to examine the role of various sources of support in explaining effective HRM implementation by line managers. Results indicate that HR, supervisor, and coworker support are relevant in explaining line managers’ HR role performance. In addition, younger line managers and those with greater supervisory experience are found to perform better in their HR role. Hence, organizations should consider developing a broad support network to ensure effective implementation of HRM by line managers. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Previous studies already established the idea of a partnership in which HR professionals and line managers share an organisation’s HRM responsibility. Yet, this relationship is often plagued by conflicts and other obstacles. As such, a perceptual discrepancy is likely to exist between both parties on the degree of HR devolution, which may eventually lead to bad performance. Using survey data, we empirically analyse which factors may explain a perceptual discrepancy between HR professionals and line managers on the latter group’s role in HRM. Results show that the HR-line discrepancy on the degree of HR devolution is rooted in differences in perception on several other factors, including organisational support, (personnel) red tape, the line’s individual capacity and age. Overall, though, it is a matter of understanding both HR’s expectations and the line’s experiences in all aspects of their partnership. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article presents a building theory and empirical evidence on public service motivation. The global public management revolution, driven by governments' search for continuously higher levels of productivity, service orientation, and accountability is one of the recent developments in the topic. The consistent failure of financial incentive schemes that were adapted from the private sector beginning in the late 1970s is another development. The increasing attention to the merits of bureaucracy as an institution and normative order is the third development, which was given impetus by the first two.