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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to re-examine the phenomenon of leadership at the intersection of aesthetics, identity and self within a dynamic, fluid and interactive compositional mixture which is part of a leader’s continuous process of invention and reinvention. Design/methodology/approach The methodology of this paper is a conceptual analysis and presentation involving some of the extant literature in the field of aesthetics, identity and leadership, including Harold Bloom’s theory of poetry that provides an entrance point to understand the problem of identity. The authors argue that a person, such as a leader, has multiple identities and interactions with others which lead to the co-construction of the self. To demonstrate this argument, the authors explore a case study of the life of the opera diva, Maria Callas. Findings An exploratory conceptual model demonstrating the relationship between identity and self, and insights and Bloom’s theory are applied to illuminate the case study of Maria Callas’ life. A key finding of the analysis is that identity is linked to performance and co-constructed in relation to others. Practical implications The paper concludes by discussing two implications for developing school leadership performance: the need for an aesthetic perspective of leadership and the need to provide a range of teaching approaches to teach leadership. Originality/value There have been few, if any, significant breakthroughs in understanding more about leadership from the traditional methods of social science. It is argued that until and unless researchers move towards working in aesthetic traditions there is not likely to be new understandings of it.

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to establish the case that innovation in the theory and practice of educational administration/leadership is very unlikely to occur within the existingdoxaof our times. By innovation is meant a novel conceptual or practical change in the field of practice. Bydoxais meant the unquestioned rules of the game and the linkage between the agencies and organs of government and foundations supporting research in the field. An approach toward thinking outside of the prevailingdoxais presented and explained as one possible antidote to the current dominant model.Design/methodology/approach– The paper is a conceptual/logical analysis of the reasons why the current paradigm dominant in the study and the practice of educational administration/leadership is inadequate. The paradigm has not predicted anything currently unknown or understood yet its continued dominance in the field will not lead to any new discoveries or innovation but only continued verification of what is already known.Findings– The major findings are that the boundaries of behavioral empiricism and social science methods impose an orthodoxy of approach in examining matters of administrative and leadership practice. Subsequently, it not only limits but also prohibits any new breakthroughs in understanding or predicting novel thinking about administration and leadership in educational institutions. Breaking out of this conceptual and theoretical box will be difficult as it is embraced by an interlocking apparatus of agencies and institutions and enshrined in most research journals in the field.Research limitations/implications– It is unlikely that true new discoveries in understanding educational leadership will occur without a restoration of the full range of human emotions and motivations which inspire and sustain leaders. New visions of leadership are required which will lead to what Lakatos has called a progressive research program in which prediction is enhanced and novel aspects of leadership emerge. These are not likely to occur given the tradition of inquiry currently in use. To use Lakatos’ term, the current research program is de-generative or regressive and lags behind the actual practice of school leadership. Thus, the authors perpetuate the theory-practice gap.Practical implications– The continued employment of social science protocols anchored in behavioral empiricism and the scientific method are unlikely to lead to any new breakthroughs in the practice of educational administration/leadership. The lens of behavioral empiricism prohibits a complete understanding of the practice of leadership where that practice becomes “subjective” and/or essentially artistic in nature. Practice, therefore, is anchored only in what is considered “rational” and the non-rational aspects marginalized or eliminated.Social implications– Researchers working in the dominant social science perspectives using hard behavioral empirical traditions embodied in the usual perspective regarding the scientific method will continue to miss or marginalize the emotional and intuitive side of leadership, aspects which are hard to quantify and assess. Leaders not only act but they feel as well. Without emotion in leadership it is extremely hard to build trust in an organization. The moral responsibilities of leaders are also anchored in emotion and values held by the leader. These elements continue to be understated or marginalized in check list approaches to preparation and licensure.Originality/value– The originality of the paper synthesizes the parallel perspectives of William Foster, Karl Popper, Paul Feyerabend, Michel Foucault, Pierre Bourdieu, and Imre Lakatos as it pertains to explaining why the current theory of knowledge is not likely to lead to any new breakthroughs in the practice of educational administration/leadership. One different approach to thinking of leadership as connoisseurship is presented as a potential perspective from the arts as a way of viewing leadership as a form of performance in which emotion and intuition are recognized aspects of practice.

Purpose– Education reform aimed at achieving improved student learning is a demanding challenge for leaders and managers at all levels of education across the globe. In 2010, the position of Assistant Regional Directors, School Performance (ARD-SP), was established to positively impact upon student learning across public schools in Queensland, Australia. The purpose of this paper is to explore the perceptions of the role and leadership understandings of ARDs in Queensland in order to understand more fully the tensions and opportunities they face within this reasonably newly created position.Design/methodology/approach– This qualitative study is based on interviews with 18 ARDs and two of their supervisors to gauge a better understanding of the nature of the role as it relates to leadership and management in the Queensland context.Findings– Interview data revealed three key themes pertaining to the nature of the role and these were performance, supervision, and professional challenges. A key finding was that the notion of supervision was experienced as problematic for ARDs-SP.Research limitations/implications– This study has limitations and these include a sample that focused on ARDs within one State of Australia and one schooling system (i.e. public education); and interviews were the primary data collection source.Originality/value– Although there have been studies of supervisors of principals (referred to as superintendents, directors) in other countries and other systems, this study is a first to explore the tensions and opportunities faced by executive leaders in Queensland.

Purpose– The central argument in this paper is that ethical school leadership is imperative in a context of increasing performance-driven accountability. The purpose of this paper is to focus on school principals’ perceptions of how they understand ethical leadership and how they lead the ethical use of data.Design/methodology/approach– This study utilises semi-structured interviews with six state school principals (one primary and six secondary) to explore their perceptions of ethical leadership practices; and how they balance current competing accountabilities in a context of performance-driven accountability.Findings– There were four key findings. First, principals used data to inform and direct their practices and their conversations with teachers. Second, while ethics was a central consideration in how principals’ led, practising in an ethical manner was identified as complex and challenging in the current context. Third, Starratt’s (1996) ethical framework proved to be relevant for interpreting principals’ practices. Finally, all of the principals referred to dilemmas they faced as a result of competing priorities and all used a variety of strategies to deal with these dilemmas.Originality/value– While there is a small body of research that explores school leaders’ understandings of ethical tensions and dilemmas, there is little research that has focused on school leaders’ understandings of the ethical use of data. This study, then, contributes to this area as it provides a discussion on school principals’ leadership practices in the current climate driven by data use.

Managerial changes to Australian universities have had considerable impact on employees. In this paper we consider some of these changes and apply a theory known as the democratic deficit to them. This theory was developed from the democratic critique of managerialism, as it has been applied in the public sector in countries with Westminster-type political systems. This deficit covers the weakening of accountability through politicisation, the denial of public values through the use of private sector performance practices, and the hollowing out of the state through the contracting out and privatisation of public goods and services, and the redefinition of citizens as customers and clients. We suggest that the increased power of managers, expansion of the audit culture, and the extensive use of contract employment seem to be weakening the democratic culture and role of universities in part by replacing accountability as responsibility with accountability as responsiveness.

This chapter analyses evidence from interviews and group discussions with principals involved in the research network in order to explore issues of ethical dilemmas in greater depth. It gives voice to principals of network schools in order to understand the ways in which they speak about ethical leadership and the ethical leadership practices they enact in their schools. The chapter presents a brief discussion of the work of principals before exploring some of the pertinent theoretical and empirical literature concerning ethical leadership and dilemmas. It argues that the current schooling climate, characterised by shrinking resources, increasing forms of accountability via meeting performance standards and targets, and the pressure of high-stakes testing, has meant that school leaders are working in increasingly contradictory, complex and pressured environments. It presents a framework that is used to consider ethical leadership. It also illustrates how this was used by the research network principals as they debated ways of promoting learning and equity within their schools.

This article follows the lead of several researchers who claim there is an urgent need to utilize insights from the arts, aesthetics and the humanities to expand our understanding of leadership. It endeavours to do this by exploring the metaphor of dance. It begins by critiquing current policy metaphors used in the leadership literature that present a narrow and functional view of leadership. It presents and discusses a conceptual model of leadership as dance that incorporates key dimensions such as context, dance and music and includes Polyani’s concept of connoisseurship. This article identifies some of the tensions that are inherent in both notions of dance and leadership. The final part of the article discusses the implications the model raises for broadening our understanding of leadership and school leadership preparation programmes. Three core implications raised here are (i) making space for alternative metaphors in leadership preparation programmes; (ii) providing opportunities to students of lea...

In this second issue of a two-volume set, we introduce four papers that continue the theme of neoliberal issues in public education articulated in the first issue. The 16 authors from issues one and two have written papers that describe as well as problematize neoliberal issues, influences, and networks. Focused but varied inquiry on pivotal issues in education are explored through rigorous approaches to empirical research and in-depth, ‘‘edgy’’ argumentation. The topics covered in the special issue across the two-part volume include the following and expand beyond this list

We finished penning this special issue and sending it to press on martin Luther King Jr. Day. We take pause, honoring Martin Luther King's memory and we are dedicating this project to his profound vision as a public intellectual and world activist for whom two of his breakthrough ideas are particularly relevant to this collection. The guest editors, along with the contributors, are reinforcing his messages for the current and future eras that "leadership is the action of ideas to make change, through the agency of individuals" (p. 74) and that "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" (p. 75) (see Temes 1996).

In this paper, we argue that second language (L2) reading research, which has been informed by studies involving first language (L1) alphabetic English reading, may be less relevant to L2 readers with non-alphabetic reading backgrounds, such as Chinese readers with an L1 logographic (Chinese character) learning history. We provide both neuroanatomical and behavioural evidence from Chinese language reading studies to support our claims. The paper concludes with an argument outlining the need for a universal L2 reading model which can adequately account for readers with diverse L1 orthographic language learning histories.

PurposeThis paper aims to explore the leadership values and practices of Confucius in the light of transformational leadership theory.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is literature based.FindingsThe paper discusses four key dimensions of transformational leadership theory: idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation and individualized consideration and uses these as a framework for exploring the values of and teaching approach used by Confucius. The key message of the paper is that educational leaders have much to learn from a Confucian leadership style that is fundamentally transformational in nature and encompasses moral/ethical, socially critical, and democratic dimensions.Practical implicationsThe paper presents a case study of an English as a second language (ESL) school and identifies several practical suggestions for ESL leaders to consider if they are to follow the tenets of Confucius's teachings.Originality/valueThe paper is original as it links the values and practices of Confucius to transformational leadership theory and considers how this theory might look in practice for leaders within a contemporary ESL school context.

Professional doctorates were introduced in the 1990s for practitioners to research ‘real-world’ problems relevant to their respective workplace communities and contexts. An array of difficulties faces professional doctoral students as they transition from professionals to practitioner researchers. This study sought to understand the learning journey of a cohort of students at an Australian university and to assess whether the cohort approach provided the necessary support for students to reach their scholarly destinations. Throughout the first 18 months of the programme, focus group interviews and surveys were conducted to gauge students’ experiences and to evaluate developments for support within the programme. Utilising a socio-cultural perspective helped identify and explain the importance of shared practice in fostering learning, the development of academic and researcher identities, and the role of communities of practice. Challenges of managing time and overcoming the professional and academe divide...

Many university faculties of education across Australia employ a model of internship for final semester pre-service teacher education students to help them make a smooth transition into the teaching profession. While a growing body of research has explored pre-service teachers’ experiences of their practicum, including the internship, which is the final professional experience within a course of study, very little work has considered micropolitics as a lens through which to interpret interns’ relationships with their school supervisors/mentors. This paper uses a micropolitical framework to interpret reflective reports written by 145 Bachelor of Education (primary) interns who recorded their perceptions of their professional learning experience within the context of a relationship with their school-based mentors. Several key themes are identified that highlight interns’ reports of a range of micropolitical strategies at play. The paper concludes by raising a number of implications for universities and schools regarding how better to facilitate interns’ transition into the profession.

PurposeThe paper seeks to apply the theory of the democratic deficit to school‐based management with an emphasis on Australia. This theory was developed to examine managerial restructuring of the Australian Public Service in the 1990s. Given similarities between the use of managerial practices in the public service and government schools, the authors draw on recent literature about school‐based management in Australia and apply the democratic deficit theory to it.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is conceptual in focus. The authors analyse literature in terms of the three components of the democratic deficit – i.e. the weakening of accountability, the denial of the roles and values of public employees, and the emergence of a “hollow state” – and in relation to the application of this theory to the Australian Public Service.FindingsA trend towards the three components of the democratic deficit is evident in Australia although, to date, its emergence has not been as extensive as in the UK. The authors argue that the democratic principles on which public schooling in Australia was founded are being eroded by managerial and market practices.Practical implicationsThese findings provide policy makers and practitioners with another way of examining managerial and market understandings of school‐based management and its impact on teachers and on students. It offers suggestions to reorient practices away from those that are exclusively managerial‐based towards those that are public‐sector based.Originality/valueThe value of this paper is that it applies the theory of the democratic deficit to current understandings of school‐based management.

Over recent decades, the field of ethics has been the focus of increasing attention in teaching. This is not surprising given that teaching is a moral activity that is heavily values-laden. Because of this, teachers face ethical dilemmas in the course of their daily work. This paper presents an ethical decision-making model that helps to explain the decision-making processes that individuals or groups are likely to experience when confronted by an ethical dilemma. In order to make sense of the model, we put forward three short ethical dilemma scenarios facing teachers and apply the model to interpret them. Here we identify the critical incident, the forces at play that help to illuminate the incident, the choices confronting the individual and the implications of these choices for the individual, organization and community. Based on our analysis and the wider literature we identify several strategies that may help to minimize the impact of ethical dilemmas. These include the importance of sharing dilemmas with trusted others; having institutional structures in schools that lessen the emergence of harmful actions occurring; the necessity for individual teachers to articulate their own personal and professional ethics; acknowledging that dilemmas have multiple forces at play; the need to educate colleagues about specific issues; and the necessity of appropriate preparation and support for teachers. Of these strategies, providing support for teachers via professional development is explored more fully.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore two dimensions of leadership practices (i.e. teaching and learning and sources of power) used by two exemplary principals in mainland China against a background of education reform and to identify how broader contextual factors have shaped these two dimensions of their leadership.Design/methodology/approachAn exploratory case study was used that drew upon semi‐structured interviews, observations and document analysis. Interviews were conducted with two principals, six teachers from each of the two schools and a superintendent who was the supervisor of the two principals.FindingsThe findings reveal that there are some common elements in both of the leaders' practices but also some subtle differences. Both leaders emphasise teaching and learning. One sees herself as curriculum expert; the other delegate teaching responsibilities. While both uses a top down approach, one principal uses an adversarial approach and the other a more facilitative approach.Research limitations/implicationsThe study used a small sample size. It explored the leaders' practices in the light of broader contextual factors rather than personal factors or gender‐based factorsOriginality/valueGiven the limited empirical research conducted on female principals in mainland China, this qualitative study provides insights into two dimensions of leadership used by two exemplary principals and explains their practices in the light of critical contextual factors such as contemporary and traditional Chinese culture and the school's organisational context.

The professional doctorate is a degree that is specifically designed for professionals investigating real-world problems and relevant issues for a profession, industry and/or the community. The exploratory study on which this paper is based sought to track the scholarly skill development of a cohort of professional doctoral students who commenced their course in January 2008 at an Australian university. Via an initial survey and two focus groups held six months apart, the study aimed to determine if there had been any qualitative shifts in students’ understandings, expectations and perceptions regarding their developing knowledge and skills. Three key findings that emerged from this study were: (i) the appropriateness of using a blended learning approach in this professional doctoral program; (ii) the challenges of using wikis as an online technology for creating communities of practice; and (iii) the transition from professional to scholar is a process that requires the guided support inherent in the design of this particular doctorate of education program.

The research reported in this study concerns older adults from Australia who voluntarily chose to learn the craft of woodturning. Semi-structured interviews and a survey questionnaire were distributed to members of a woodturning club to explore their motivations and the processes by which they learned how to woodturn. The findings indicated that participants' motivation could be construed as both intrinsic and extrinsic. They used seven approaches to learning – structured courses, instruction from convenors, modelling/watching/demonstrations, guided practice and monitoring by convenors, trial and error with practice, advice and help from peers and reading. Finally, the positive climate of the organisation was found to be particularly important to the older learners.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide an understanding of principal preparation and training in China by providing a background discussion of principal preparation in a number of countries. As an illustration, it provides an overview of the curriculum used in the initial preparation of school principals at Beijing Normal University.Design/methodology/approachThe paper draws mainly on writing and research from China, Australia and the USA to explore principal preparation and training in China.FindingsIn addition to providing a rich description of principal preparation in China, the paper's main findings comprise seven key challenges that confront China as it endeavours to provide quality principal preparation. These challenges include China's diversity and uneven social, cultural and educational development; limited resources in some regions throughout China; the place and importance of study tours for principal preparation; the teaching approach used to train principals; the process used for assessing principal learning during their training programs; the limited transfer of learning from the classroom to the school environment; and the timing of training for principals.Practical implicationsEach of the challenges arising here raises important practical implications for developers of principal training programs.Originality/valueThe paper paints a picture of principal preparation in China and raises a number of issues and challenges with which it continues to grapple. Of note is that China is not alone in facing some of these ongoing concerns.

Starting high school can be a challenging but also exciting time for students. The focus of this paper lies with students’ experiences of transition into secondary school. Sixteen students from one government school in New South Wales kept a journal for their first ten weeks in high school as a way of recording their experiences. Their journal entries were studied utilising a phenomenological psychological approach following ). The aim of this research approach is to produce clear and accurate descriptions of a particular aspect of human experience () in order to reveal the essential structure of the phenomenon under investigation. Emerging from the study were seven themes about transition: the pivotal role of peers in helping or hindering settling into high school; the place of school support through programs and activities; the challenges of new procedures; different types of learning activities; feelings of confidence and success that can enhance transitional experiences; the place of homework in the a...

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide a discussion of some salient research relating to mentoring for women managers.Design/methodology/approachThe paper draws mainly upon writing and research from the UK, USA, Canada and Australia to explore some of the issues that continue to be pertinent for the mentoring of women managers.FindingsThe paper explores some of the early arguments promoting mentoring for women in the light of more recent research. From the literature, three key issues that have important implications for women in mentoring relationships are considered. These are identifying the nature and focus of mentoring relationships; managing cross‐gender mentoring and negotiating the power dimension that underpins the mentoring relationship.Practical implicationsThe paper provides a discussion of the practical implications of three key issues that are significant for women managers.Originality/valueThe paper draws together work in the field and distils a number of issues and their implications that require further attention and discussion.

The research reported in this study concerns older adults from Australia who voluntarily chose to learn the craft of woodturning. The paper examines the literature of adult learning under the themes of presage factors, the learning environment, instructional methods, and techniques for facilitators. The paper then reports on the analysis of two sections of a questionnaire completed by 123 respondents: the first on motivation to learn and the second on learning strategies. The older learners reported using both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, with intrinsic motivation constructed of both general and specific elements. There were four main learning strategies used: actively seeking knowledge, independent learning, dependent learning, and passively seeking knowledge.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to report on research into the ethical dilemmas faced by school heads from seven independent schools in Australia.Design/methodology/approachData for the research were gathered by semi‐structured in‐depth interviews with the Heads, all of whom were experienced school leaders. All the schools had religious affiliations.FindingsThe findings are broadly consistent with the conclusions reached in other Australian and international studies dealing with school leaders which suggest that ethical dilemmas, usually concerning issues to do with staff or students, are so common now that they have become the “bread and butter” of educational leaders' lives. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the struggles school leaders experience when faced with such dilemmas and the forces at play as they seek to resolve them Typically, the dilemmas are not about “right” versus “wrong”, but “right” versus “right” options.Research limitations/implicationsIt is clear that the ethical dimensions of the work of school leaders require further investigation as ethical dilemmas are almost a daily occurrence for them as they strive to make complex decisions in the best interests of their school communities.Practical implicationsProfessional development in the areas of ethics and ethical decision‐making for school leaders is indicated. Problem‐based learning offers potential in this regard.Originality/valueThe research reported in the paper adds to, and builds on, the growing body of research into ethics in education, particularly how ethical issues emerge when school leaders are required to make complex decisions in contexts where individual, group and organisational interests may be in conflict.

Purpose – To draw on a structured review of the literature on formalised mentoring programs for principals with the purpose of exploring their nature and the positive and negative outcomes for the parties involved.Design/methodology/approach – The methodological approach utilised in this paper was a structured review of the literature which is a pre‐determined set of criteria, namely a set of coding categories, used for analysing research papers. Forty research‐based papers constituted the structured review and major coding categories utilised in this paper were positive and negative outcomes of mentoring programs for mentors and mentees and factual data relating to the research focus of the sample.Findings – Both positive and negative outcomes of mentoring were reported in the 40 research‐based papers, with substantially more papers reporting positive outcomes. Frequently cited positive outcomes for mentees included support, sharing ideas and professional development, while, for mentors, networking, prof...

A goods and services tax (GST) was introduced in Australia on 1 July 2000. It was hailed by a commentator as one ‘of the most radical revenue reforms in half a century’ (Surry 2000) requiring busin...

The sheer volume of literature on mentoring across a variety of disciplines is an indication of the high profile it has been afforded in recent years. This article draws on a structured analysis of more than 300 research-based articles on mentoring across three discipline areas in an attempt to make more valid inferences about the nature and outcomes of mentoring. It begins by reporting on the findings compiled from a database of research articles from educational contexts. These research-based articles are examined to determine the positive and more problematic outcomes of mentoring for the mentor, mentee, and the organization. A discussion of the findings from two other databases, namely, 151 research-based articles from business contexts and 82 articles from medical contexts, is provided, and commonalities across the three databases are highlighted. The article concludes with a discussion of key issues that administrators responsible for establishing mentoring programs should consider to maximize the experience of mentoring for all stakeholders.

Discusses the findings of a study that investigated how the learning of innovative practices might best proceed in small businesses. The recent implementation of the Goods and Service Tax (GST) in Australia presented an opportunity for understanding how small business operatives learned to implement a new practice. The procedures comprised semi‐structured interviews with 30 small businesses about how they had learned about and implemented the GST. A case study was written about each small business' experience that were verified for their accuracy by each small business. These case studies became the data source. It was found that the small business operatives that appeared to have learned most about the GST were those who were highly engaged in the task of learning about the GST – active learners and also accessed high levels of support from localised sources. A typology comprising dimensions of support needed and engagement by small business operatives was synthesised from the findings and is discussed.

Controversies surrounding the behaviour of ministers and high profile leaders seem to be commonplace in public life. That there has been a resurgence of interest in the study of ethics is not surprising. The spotlight on ethics in the public domain has been due in part to the crisis in confidence about government and a lack of public trust in organisations. Furthermore, a complex organisational environment where managers are being required to juggle a ‘multitude of competing obligations and interests’ (Cooper 1998, p. 244) has provided fertile ground for the emergence of ethical dilemmas. In this paper we put forward a tentative model that reveals important inputs that bear upon an individual, such as a public sector manager, who is confronted with an ethical dilemma. In the final part of the paper we illustrate the model's efficacy with an ethical dilemma described by a retired senior public servant to determine whether the model works in practice.

Over the last two decades or so, organisations everywhere have been subjected to considerable restructuring and reform. Schools have been no exception to this trend. Devolution has been prominent amongst the managerial reforms which have affected primarily the work practices of managers (James, 2003). In the context of schooling, devolution or school based management has increased the decision-making powers of schools and their communities. It has also brought with it the requirement that schools meet a wider range of accountability measures (Whitty et al., 1998). In such a climate, school leaders are likely to find themselves juggling a 'multitude of competing obligations and interests' (Cooper, 1998, p. 244). This complex operational milieu requires school leaders to confront and resolve conflicting interests as they endeavour to balance a variety of values and expectations in their decision-making. Not surprisingly, the result is often ethical dilemmas for leaders. In this paper we argue that an understanding of ethics and ethical dilemmas is crucial for educational leaders due to the value-laden nature of their work. We put forward a tentative generic model that endeavours to assist our understanding of the forces impacting upon and processes characterising the decision-making dynamics emerging from an ethical dilemma. A scenario is posed and tested against the model

It has been well-documented in the literature that the roles and workloads of principals in many western countries have intensified in recent years, due to a range of pressures emanating from a changing turbulent policy environment. This study investigated the roles and workloads of secondary school principals from Queensland, Australia, and New Zealand. These were explored to determine if there was any discrepancy between how principals view their current practice and how they would desire their current practice to be. The study data drew on a specially developed questionnaire in addition to a small number of targeted interviews and focus groups. The findings indicated that for principals in Australia and New Zealand (i) pressure in the role and hours worked per week had increased compared with previous years; (ii) role overload, role ambiguity and role conflict now characterised the job to some extent; and (iii) principals devoted most of their time to management/administration and staffing issues, yet their ideal week was described as one where they would dedicate time to strategic leadership, curriculum leadership and parent/community issues. They were highly satisfied with their role, overall. The paper also provides a discussion of the skills and competencies required of the principalship and issues for the ongoing professional development of school principals in both countries.

Understanding how learning for small businesses should best proceed constitutes a worthwhile, yet challenging, pedagogic project. In order to maintain their viability, small businesses need to be able to respond to new practices and tasks. Yet small businesses seem neither attracted to nor to value the kinds of taught courses that are the standard pedagogic practice of vocational education systems. Small business operators commonly view these courses as being irrelevant, inappropriate or inaccessible. Therefore, identifying the kinds of pedagogic practices that meet their needs and offer effective learning outcomes is a useful project. This paper reports and discusses the findings of a study of how 30 Australian small businesses learnt to implement a new practice: a recently introduced goods and service tax (GST). Interviews were used to understand the pedagogic practices that supported the learning associated with implementing the GST. In most cases, the process of learning comprised a movement ...

This chapter reviews almost a decade of research and writing undertaken by the authors into ethical dilemmas faced by leaders in a number of different operational contexts, including schools, universities and the public sector. The importance of this body of work is emphasised by one of our research participants who argued that ethical dilemmas were the 'bread and butter' of what leaders do. The chapter comprises four main sections. The first section overviews key theoretical aspects as background to the chapter, including relevant discussions about ethics and ethical decision-making. The second section synthesises the research findings from our work in the three contexts noted above, drawing out a set of learnings that contribute to better understandings of the nature, complexities and challenges of ethical dilemmas. This section is followed by a discussion of an explanatory conceptual model of ethical dilemmas that was developed initially from the literature and confirmed by our research. The model reminds us of some of the critical issues at play in ethical dilemmas, and some of the consequences and implications for organisational culture building they can generate. By way of a short scenario, the final section provides a theory-to-practice illustration of an ethical dilemma in action. A set of recommendations, drawn from the ideas of school leaders who have worked with this and similar dilemmas, is offered as a way forward to better understanding and resolution of such dilemmas so prevalent in our schools today.

The mentoring relationship has been described as an invaluable learning activity for beginners as well as experienced practitioners such as teachers, administrators, nurses, managers, and other professionals. In an attempt to identify key outcomes of mentoring for the parties concerned, this paper examined some of the salient research literature on mentoring taken from the discipline of education. We drew upon the findings of a structured review, in which 159 pieces of empirical literature on mentoring in educational settings was examined. This paper reviews the positive and negative outcomes of mentoring for the mentor and protégé/mentee. Discussion of the findings as well as some important implications for those charged with planning mentoring programs in nursing are outlined.

The research reported in this article formed part of a university/industry collaborative grant in which the role of leaders in managing cultural change across an industry site was investigated. The focus of the article concerns the leadership of a district director in a rural setting in Queensland. The study was shaped by the interests of the district director who sought feedback on her leadership style and influence on principals in the district. A team of researchers from the School of Professional Studies in the Faculty of Education at Queensland University of Technology conducted semi‐structured interviews with a sample of six principals with whom she had worked over a period of one year to gauge their perceptions of her influence on their thinking and acting. A key finding of the research was that that well‐led conversations can be an effective professional development strategy for learning, growth and change in educational leaders.

This article was written as a statement of position regarding educational leadership. It is a research and refinement of a framework that can happen via a heart metaphor. It takes a proactive stance, blending the tasks of managing education with the human encounters of educators during their day-to-day teaching and learning. It is proposed that leading and leadership are at the heart of managing all types of education from early childhood settings to high schools to universities. This proposition varies from an established business management approach by creating a leadership framework centred with a feminine, but not necessarily feminist, heart with four chambers and multiple heartbeats. It proclaims that leading ought to be the educational lifeblood that guides and flows into planning, organizing and monitoring teachers’ work. This is a heartfelt message for change that may seem light-hearted to some readers.

Mentoring has received considerable coverage in recent decades and this is evident by the proliferation of research and popular literature covering the topic. It has been hailed as an important human resource management strat egy, a career tool, and a workplace learning activity for men, women and minority groups in a variety of organizational settings such as hospitals, large corporations, schools, universities and government departments. In this puper we review the literature on this ubiquitous yet elusive concept. We begin by exploring what is meant by mentoring, the functions of mentors, three differ ent categories of mentorship, and the benefits and hazards for the mentor, mentee and organization. In the final part of the paper we highlight some of the implications of setting up a formal mentoring program for human resource managers.

This article describes and illustrates the development of a human resource management (HRM) elective specifically for educators who are aspiring to management positions in various education settings from early childhood to TAFE College. The unit is part of a graduate diploma offered within the Faculty of Education at Queensland University of Technology. It briefly outlines the linkages between management literature and education, and then moves on to argue the necessity for HRM studies in postgraduate education courses. The second part of the paper describes the unit we developed and the adult learning principles which underpinned our teaching. Finally, the paper examines some of the lessons learned from teaching the unit.

While the number of women in management hierarchies throughout the world is increasing slowly, they are not reaching top management levels. Women continue to face a variety of pressures, both internal and external to the organizations in which they work. For women to operate at their optimum level of management skill, they need to be encouraged to develop their man agement style within supportive learning cultures, free from the domination of traditional stereotypes of the manager as male. Women-only management courses provide a positive and supportive environment for the development of women as managers in their own right, and are thus an appropriate and positive response to their underrepresentation at high levels.

Discusses the use and development of mentorship as a policy mechanism designed to promote the career development and advancement of women in the context of educational administration in government schools in Australia. The reason mentorship is the particular factor which has been identified to assist women educators′ careers here is that over the last decade there has been a general consensus by researchers in both academic and managerial circles that mentorship is a significant career tool, and a prerequisite for career success for both males and females. Access to a mentor, an older and more experienced career professional who is able to use his or her influence and power in assisting a young and up‐and‐coming protégé, has been closely associated with career advancement. Because women experience difficulties in securing traditional mentoring relationships, it is argued here that a mentorship policy will positively influence the career prospects of women educators by enabling them to be part of the power structures in educational administration.

This paper provides a discussion of the Australian policy context in which the professional development of teachers is now located and identifies the implication for the leadership of school organisations. The central tenet of the argument is that school principals need to view professional development of their staff as a specific dimension of the broader world of adult education and perceive their role as adult educators. Ten principles of adult learning are identified and Tennant's work on adult teacher – adult learner relationships is used as a framework for understanding the way principals can begin to re‐conceptualise their role in professional development.

Phenomenology is a term that has been described as a philosophy, a research paradigm, a methodology, and equated with qualitative research. In this paper first we clarify phenomenology by tracing its movement both as a philosophy and as a research method. Next we make a case for the use of phenomenology in empirical investigations of management phenomena. The paper discusses a selection of central concepts pertaining to phenomenology as a scientific research method, which include description, phenomenological reduction and free imaginative variation. In particular, the paper elucidates the efficacy of Giorgi’s descriptive phenomenological research praxis as a qualitative research method and how its utility can be applied in creating a deeper and richer understanding of management practice.

The importance of mentoring and networking for women in management and administration has been identified in recent articles in Women in Management Review. Contributes to the growing body of literature in this area by examining some of the different sources of mentoring and kinds of networks available to women educators who are aspiring to higher educational administration posts in Australian Government schools. Argues that it is much easier for male teachers and male educational administrators to access power through mentoring and networking than it is for female teachers and female educational administrators because mentoring and networking have both been traditionally male dominated practices.

Argues that dress is not a straightforward issue for women managers today. It is problematic on a number of different levels. Women receive many messages via the media concerning the importance of their appearance and presentation. The “dressing for success” slogan is problematic as it infers that success is as easy as donning well‐cut clothes. Contends that this argument trivializes the difficulties women managers face when they wish to break the glass ceiling. Highlights the argument that women managers confront a number of dilemmas as they try to maintain a “feminine” but “businesslike” presentation, as well as an “individual” yet socially appropriate style.

This paper contributes to the growing literature on mentoring for leaders in schools. Because of women's underrepresentation in educational administration and their lack of access to traditional mentoring relationships, a particular type of formal mentoring programme is advocated for women educators who are actively seeking leadership positions within schools. Some key issues are raised in relation to the conceptualisation of a professional mentorship programme and recommendations are offered.

The paper reports on a research study investigating the way in which senior public servants identify and resolve ethical dilemmas. The study entailed conducting semi-structured in-depth interviews with six recently retired or separated senior public servants and contributed to the development of a model illustrating the components and process involved in identifying and resolving ethical dilemmas. Four theoretical approaches to ethics and ethical dilemmas are canvassed. These approaches are consequentialism, non-consequentialism, virtue ethics and institutional ethics. Each of these provided input to the development of the model. The paper then discusses the model, the components of which include the critical situation that triggers the ethical dilemma; nine factors that impact on how the public servant views the situation and the options considered to be available in resolving the dilemma; and the implications arising from the decision that the public servant makes. We then apply the model to the interview data as a way of analysing different ethical dilemmas. Finally, we briefly consider some of the implications of the research for public sector leaders and offer suggestions for possible future research