An effective school autonomy model

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 718-734 ◽  
Author(s):  
Galatia Nicolaidou Solomou ◽  
Petros Pashiardis
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Educational System ◽  
School Effectiveness ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
School Level ◽  
School Autonomy ◽  
Effective School ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Related Stress

Purpose – Although school autonomy has been a matter of great interest during the last decades and several relevant measures have been implemented toward this end, the relation between school autonomy and school effectiveness has not been examined thoroughly. The purpose of this paper is to explore this relation and to propose an effective school autonomy model for Cyprus, a small European country with a highly centralized educational system. The suggested model indicates which decisions (related to various administrative, financial, academic, pedagogical and human resources matters) must be made at school level, which decisions can be made partly from the school with a higher level of control from the ministry and which decisions have to be made exclusively by a central authority, in order to enhance school effectiveness. Design/methodology/approach – An unusual methodological design is followed, using scenarios to examine hypothetical situations. Cypriot headteachers’ job satisfaction and work-related stress is examined in the case of full autonomy and in the opposite scenario of very limited autonomy. The results from this phase of the study lead to the design of the suggested school autonomy model, which is then tested in terms of effectiveness through a third scenario. The scenarios are given in questionnaires and the sample includes 300 out of a population of 350 primary school headteachers of Cyprus. Findings – The findings of the study suggest that headteachers’ job satisfaction and work-related stress is affected by the level of school autonomy that characterizes an educational system. The most effective scenario for the case of Cyprus does not refer to the existing situation of very limited autonomy, neither to the opposite scenario of full autonomy. The most effective scenario refers to the suggested model of school autonomy where all decisions related to various academic, managerial, financial and human resource matters are taken at school level, except for the decisions related to teaching materials and textbooks, teacher placements, promotions, payroll and dismissals. For these decisions the guidance, support and/or control from the educational authorities have to be enhanced. Research limitations/implications – In this study school effectiveness is examined through the headteachers’ job satisfaction and stress as the dependent variable, and not through the conventional student achievement variable. A part of the existing literature suggests that these variables affect school effectiveness in an indirect way. Taking into consideration student achievement was not possible for the case of Cyprus, since the only scenario currently existing refers to very limited or no school autonomy. Therefore, it is not possible to compare the academic results of students coming from schools with different levels of autonomy. Practical implications – The methodological approach of the study can be followed in other contexts as well, in order to design an effective school autonomy model for a different educational system, district or school. Scenarios can also be used to test and make corrections for a suggested educational reform, before this is implemented, in order to avoid waste of time and/or financial resources. Originality/value – The value of this study first lies in its attempt to design a school autonomy model, based on all the educational decisions and matters that can be affected from a school autonomy reform; this became possible through an extensive literature review. Second the study, does not only support some suggestions based on the results, but also tests the effectiveness of the suggestions before these are implemented, following the unusual methodological approach of scenarios. Moreover, the relation between school autonomy and school effectiveness has not been examined thoroughly in the existing literature and some conflicting opinions exist. The findings of the study can help us gain a better understanding of the above relation.

The place of civilians in policing

2014 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 259-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan Alderden ◽  
Wesley G. Skogan
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Organizational Level ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Employee Morale ◽  
Law Enforcement Agencies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Efficiency And Effectiveness ◽  
Related Stress ◽  
Civilian Employees

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the correlates of job satisfaction among civilian employees of law enforcement agencies, to assess how features of the policing workplace influence employee morale. Design/methodology/approach – The data for this study were drawn from surveys conducted as part of the National Police Research Platform. In total, 472 civilians from 19 police agencies completed the survey. Findings – The findings indicate that contentment with pay and benefits, lower levels of work-related stress, equality in the workplace, and feelings of acceptance were associated with civilian employee satisfaction. Research limitations/implications – The analyses presented here focusses on factors more unique to policing and did not include all of factors correlated with job satisfaction in past literature. Future research should address this as well as control for the effect of organizational-level factors. Practical implications – The research identifies key factors in each of those categories that inhibit the effective incorporation of civilians into the workforce. It indicates that reaping the full advantages of civilianization is complex and requires attention to fundamental aspects of police organizations. How administrators deal with this reality will impact the efficiency and effectiveness of their organizations in important ways. Originality/value – To date, much of what has been written about the place of civilians in policing consists of descriptions of their numeric representation and discussions of the presumed advantages of hiring them in larger numbers. Less is known about how well civilians have been integrated into the policing workforce.

scholarly journals Engaging public servants

2016 ◽  
Vol 54 (7) ◽  
pp. 1569-1594 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia De Simone ◽  
Gianfranco Cicotto ◽  
Roberta Pinna ◽  
Luca Giustiniano
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Organizational Behavior ◽  
Public Administration ◽  
Job Engagement ◽  
Public Servants ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Related Stress ◽  
Public Context

Purpose – Considering the ongoing international debate on the role of public administrations in economic systems, the interest around public service motivation (PSM) has significantly grown among practitioners and scholars in the past two decades. Following the research streams that have investigated topics of organizational behavior within the public context, the purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of PSM on public employees’ feelings of job satisfaction. The novelty of the study lies in linking some characteristics of the work context presumed to be more prevalent in public organizations with specific job characteristics, regarded as relevant antecedents of job satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach – The study is based on two complementary studies conducted in an Italian public administration. The paper shows how PSM influences job satisfaction, job engagement, and life satisfaction. Findings – This paper shows how PSM influences job satisfaction, job engagement, and life satisfaction. The findings display how job engagement affects both job and life satisfaction in such contexts. Additionally, the findings display how job engagement affects both job and life satisfaction in such contexts. Research limitations/implications – Although based on a specific context of public administration, the analysis allows some generalizations. Originality/value – Based on these results, the paper contributes to two main streams of the literature. First, it enriches the existing research on PSM by analyzing how it can be managed in complex organizations. Second, it informs the literature on job satisfaction and work-related stress and relates to the intersection between organizational behavior and human resource management that informs the drawing up of HR policies. Furthermore, the paper sheds new light on how to deal with such problems and at the same time opens new avenues for investigations.

School autonomy and 21st century skills in the Israeli educational system

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (7) ◽  
pp. 1231-1246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Nir ◽  
Adi Ben-David ◽  
Ronit Bogler ◽  
Dan Inbar ◽  
Anat Zohar
Keyword(s):  
Educational System ◽  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
School Level ◽  
Cognitive Domain ◽  
Ministry Of Education ◽  
School Autonomy ◽  
Policy Documents ◽  
Content Type ◽  
School Pedagogy

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze two parallel processes in the Israeli educational system: first, the idea of school autonomy, exploring its origins and its pedagogical implications and effectiveness; and second, the development of the progressive education evident mainly in the cognitive domain of twenty-first century skills (21st CS), focussing on fostering “deep knowledge” and children’s thinking skills. The manuscript explores the various “waves” of progressive pedagogies that have taken place in the Israeli school system over the years, describing and analyzing the processes that characterize them. Design/methodology/approach Based on a historical perspective, the paper describes chronologically the main developments related to school autonomy and 21st CS policy initiatives, based on a literature review and analysis of policy documents. Findings The review indicates that the Israeli educational system is still caught in the “centralization trap,” inhibiting major changes in the patterns of central control and degrees of freedom granted to school-level educators. As for school pedagogy, it is evident that most of the changes in pedagogy suggested by the numerous policy documents over the years have not resulted in sustainable, system-wide change. In both issues a large disparity is evident between declarations about innovative pedagogies and school autonomy and their actual implementation. Originality/value The review reflects the idiosyncratic articulation of policy plans conducted by the Ministry of Education, producing discrepancies and incongruences at the school level. Some implications of the “declarative culture” created are further discussed.

Job Satisfaction and Burnout Levels of Home Care Nurses in Turkey

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nilgun Yurtsever ◽  
Medine Yilmaz
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Home Care ◽  
Emotional Exhaustion ◽  
Maslach Burnout Inventory ◽  
Personal Accomplishment ◽  
Home Healthcare ◽  
Satisfaction Scale ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Related Stress ◽  
Home Care Nurses

Owing to the nature of their jobs, nurses all over the world experience burnout. The aim of this descriptive and correlational study was to describe the job characteristics, job satisfaction and burnout levels of home care nurses, and to predict what factors contributed to their job satisfaction and burnout levels. The study population consisted of 80 nurses working in home care units. Of them, 71 participated in the study. A socio-demographic questionnaire, the Minnesota Satisfaction Scale and the Maslach Burnout Inventory were used. Of the participants, 85.9 per cent were female, 56.4 per cent had a bachelor’s degree, and 46.5 per cent were employed in the public sector, 36.6 per cent in municipalities and 16.9 per cent in the private sector. The results revealed that their burnout levels for emotional exhaustion and personal accomplishment were high, and moderate for depersonalisation. Perceived work-related stress was more associated with emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation than with work satisfaction. Home healthcare nurses were suffering from high levels of burnout. Interventions are needed to improve job satisfaction, to reduce the burden of burnout among nurses, and to prevent them from leaving their jobs and retiring earlier.

School leadership, teacher’s psychological empowerment and work-related outcomes

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (7) ◽  
pp. 1501-1514
Author(s):  
Kersti Kõiv ◽  
Kadi Liik ◽  
Mati Heidmets
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
Leadership Style ◽  
Indirect Effect ◽  
School Principals ◽  
Psychological Empowerment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Perceived Leadership ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating effect of teacher’s psychological empowerment between school leadership style and teachers’ work-related outcomes. Design/methodology/approach A total of 711 teachers from 31 Estonian schools were surveyed with a questionnaire measuring four dimensions of psychological empowerment (competence, meaning, self-determination and impact), school leadership characteristics (leadership style, leader’s empowering behavior and trust in leader) and teacher’s work-related outcomes (job satisfaction and workplace attachment). AMOS path analysis was used to investigate the direct and indirect relations between the teachers’ perceptions of school leadership, their psychological empowerment and their workplace attachment and job satisfaction. Findings This study found that psychological empowerment (subscales meaning and impact) mediates the relationship between perceived leadership empowerment behavior and teachers’ work-related outcomes. Also, the psychological empowerment (meaning and impact) mediates the relationship between perceived leadership style and teachers’ work-related outcomes. Trust in the principal has direct and indirect effect (through psychological empowerment) on job satisfaction, whereas there only seems to be indirect effect on workplace attachment through two components of psychological empowerment. Practical implications The mediating role of psychological empowerment includes an important message for school principals – in order to empower employees it is not sufficient to merely delegate formal power and decision-making rights. To facilitate the development of psychological empowerment, it is important to provide employees with an opportunity to experience agency, to experience that their voice and opinions are taken into account (perceived impact) and the purpose and targets of the whole organization are discussed with the employees and formulated in collaboration with them (perceived meaning). Originality/value Psychological empowerment as a mediating variable has not been widely researched, especially in school environment. The results will provide important signals for school principals, where and how to find leverage to improve teachers’ job satisfaction and workplace attachment.

scholarly journals Job satisfaction, workplace stress, unhealthy lifestyle choices, and productivity among Canadian nurses: an empirical study

2012 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 191-199
Author(s):  
Karen J. Buhr
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Job Stress ◽  
Detailed Examination ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Workplace Stress ◽  
Probit Regression ◽  
Unhealthy Lifestyle ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Lifestyle Choices ◽  
Related Stress

BACKGROUND: Nurses’ occupational stress and job satisfaction can have an affect on lifestyle choices and productivity. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to provide a detailed examination of the relationship between job satisfaction, job stress, unhealthy lifestyle choices, and productivity among Canadian nurses. METHODS: This study uses data from the confidential master data files of the 2005 National Survey of the Work and Health of Nurses (NSWHN). Ordinary least squares regressions and binary probit regression models were used to estimate the relationships between job satisfaction and job stress on productivity and unhealthy lifestyle choices. RESULTS: Workplace stress variables have a small effect on lifestyle choices. Job satisfaction has an effect on the probability of smoking, but not on drinking. Workplace stress and job satisfaction do not have statistically significant effects on productivity. DISCUSSION: The study found weak relationships among the work related stress variables and productivity. These findings can allow policy makers to consider efforts to reduce workplace stress which can be beneficial to productivity.

scholarly journals Framing stress and associated behaviours at work

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (11) ◽  
pp. 2566-2580
Author(s):  
Paul Hampton ◽  
Ezekiel A. Chinyio ◽  
Silvia Riva
Keyword(s):  
Interpersonal Relationships ◽  
Communication Systems ◽  
Work Performance ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Services ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Related Stress ◽  
Ethnographic Methodology ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand more precisely the culture and interpersonal behaviours associated with stress. Design/methodology/approach The research was conducted using a qualitative approach through an ethnographic methodology in relation to three companies. The greater part of the data collection period was structured into observations that ranged between 2 and 4 hr per day, 1–3 days per week, for a period of six months. A total of ten sites were explored; and on each site, the observations involved activities by 5–20 people. Findings The results showed the pivotal importance of interpersonal relationships in coping with the uncertainty of working conditions, the coordination of teamwork and managing responsibilities and power interactions. It was found that the impact of stress is multifaceted, affecting the physical status, interpersonal relationships, work performance and emotional well-being of construction workers. The workers who were studied emphasised five sources of support that help moderate work-related stress: additional tools such as communication systems and software, a facilitated access to professional help (e.g. psychological services), organisational changes in leadership, provision of resources for the well-being of personnel (e.g. job training) and better teamwork. Practical implications The study underlines the importance of dedicated services for stress management and specific training-related abilities devoted to reinforcing positive person–organisation dynamics. In particular, the abilities should relate to managing the impact of stress in terms of physique, interpersonal relationships, work performance and emotional well-being. Originality/value This is one of the first studies to adopt a psychological perspective for understanding construction scenarios and phenomena and was conducted by a qualified psychologist.

scholarly journals Differences in state- and district-level stakeholders’ perceptions of curriculum coherence and school impact in national curriculum reform

2019 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 210-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenni Sullanmaa ◽  
Kirsi Pyhältö ◽  
Janne Pietarinen ◽  
Tiina Soini
Keyword(s):  
Curriculum Reform ◽  
Educational System ◽  
Latent Profile Analysis ◽  
National Curriculum ◽  
District Level ◽  
School Level ◽  
Reform Process ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Core ◽  
High Coherence

Purpose Shared understandings of curriculum reform within and between the levels of the educational system are suggested to be crucial for the reform to take root. The purpose of this paper is to explore variation in perceived curriculum coherence and school impact among state- and district-level stakeholders. Design/methodology/approach The participants (n=666) included state- and district-level stakeholders involved in a national curriculum reform in Finland. Latent profile analysis was employed to identify profiles based on participants’ perceptions of the core curriculum’s coherence and the reform’s impact on school development. Findings Two profiles were identified: high coherence and impact, and lower consistency of the intended direction and impact. State-level stakeholders had higher odds of belonging to the high coherence and impact profile than their district-level counterparts. Practical implications The results imply that more attention needs to be paid in developing a shared and coherent understanding particularly of the intended direction of the core curriculum as well as the reform’s effects on school-level development among state- and district-level stakeholders. Originality/value The study contributes to the literature on curriculum reform by shedding light on the variation in perceived curriculum coherence and school impact of those responsible for a large-scale national curriculum reform process at different levels of the educational system.

scholarly journals Perceived contract violation and job satisfaction

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 383-398 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dirk De Clercq ◽  
Inam Ul Haq ◽  
Muhammad Umer Azeem
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Psychological Contract ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Personal Resources ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Contract Violation

Purpose This paper aims to investigate how employees’ perceptions of psychological contract violation or sense of organizational betrayal, might diminish their job satisfaction, as well as how their access to two critical personal resources – emotion regulation skills and work-related self-efficacy – might buffer this negative relationship. Design/methodology/approach Two-wave survey data came from employees of Pakistani-based organizations. Findings Perceived contract violation reduces job satisfaction, but the effect is weaker at higher levels of emotion regulation skills and work-related self-efficacy. Practical implications For organizations, these results show that the frustrations that come with a sense of organizational betrayal can be contained more easily to the extent that their employees can draw from relevant personal resources. Originality/value This investigation provides a more complete understanding of when perceived contract violation will deplete employees’ emotional resources, in the form of feelings of happiness about their job situation. A sense of organizational betrayal is less likely to escalate into reduced job satisfaction when employees can control their negative emotions and feel confident about their work-related competencies.

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