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DOCUMENT RESUME EA 027 848 ED 399 615 Shaw, Judy AUTHOR Structural Management with Participatory Reforms. TITLE PUB DATE [96] NOTE 6p. Viewpoints (Opinion/Position Papers, Essays, etc.) PUB TYPE (120) MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. EDRS PRICE *Educational Administration; Elementary Secondary DESCRIPTORS Education; *Leadership; *Leadership Styles; Organizational Change; Organizational Development; Organizational Theories ABSTRACT Administrative managers who have the trust of their employees, who listen to their employees openly, and who share power with their employees are better equipped to confront and overcome obstacles. This paper discusses models for structural management that include participatory reforms. It identifies four common models of administration--rational, mechanistic, organic, and bargaining. The models are respectively driven by scientific, bureaucratic, collegial, and political theories of management. The paper argues that a transformational leader who incorporates features of each model will be most effective. (Contains seven references.) (LMI) *********************************************************************** * * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. ************AA.:******************************************************** Structural Management with Participatory Reforms by Judy Shaw U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDU IONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS CENTER (ERIC) MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES official OERI position or policy. INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)." 0\3 BEST COPY AVAILABLE cks o Structural Management with Participatory Reforms There are numerous studies and research conducted to find the most successful type of management, yet there is not one absolute way that is applicable to all organizations. To obtain the most acceptable administrative model, I will discuss structural management that includes participatory reforms. Administrative managers who can obtain the trust of their employees, who can listen to their employees openly, and who are willing to share the power with their employees will undoubtedly be able to confront and overcome obstacles easier. Structure is necessary to enable management to provide direction and stability. Above all, an administrator must be a facilitator and not a dictator. An administrator must choose which model of educational management is best suited for the particular organization. "We are living in an era of change" (Brown p.9) and we must meet the needs of a global society. I will discuss four models of educational administration which according to The Educational Administrative Quarterly have been identified as "rational, mechanistic, organic, and bargaining" (Marshall p. 272). These models are the most common types used in an organization. The rational, mechanistic, organic, and bargaining models are driven, respectively, by scientific management, bureaucratic, collegial, and political theories of management" (Marshall, p. 272). These models are not adhered to solely by any administrator, but are sometimes used in combination depending on the philosophy or perspective of the administrator. Rational planning and decision making are top down and only those at the top have the right to be in charge, make decisions, or give duty assignments to others (Marshall p. 274). Mechanistic is value-neutral and apolitical since everything has been defined by rules and orders that must be followed (Marshall p.274). Organic management leaders are 3 effective, proper, serious, impersonal and detached (Marshall p. 274). "Organizational boundaries are tightly controlled" and leave little room for any participatory reforms to take place (Marshall P. 274). Bargaining administrators perform communications very formal, controlled, and are handed from the top down (Marshall p. 274). Another term for bargaining administrators may be called "transactional leadership" (Liontos p. 34). Transactional leadership " works only when both leaders and followers understand and are in agreement about which tasks are important" (Liontos p. 34). It is obvious that there are many types of administrative models, therefore school administrators must make the decision as to which model is best suited to them and would also be best suited for their particular organization. An organization must have a leader which is in charge. Trust is a major factor in the ability of the administrator to obtain the cooperation and motivation needed for the employees to be part of the team. When the employees are able to be open and know that their ideas and work is valued, then this is the foundation needed to build a strong and powerful working group. The leader must "develop trust based on collegiality, collaboration,and consensus" (Boehlje p.12). "The most important feelings people have at work are their feelings about themselves as performers" (Blanchard p. 37). Therefore, a leader must be sensitive to everything that is going on around his/her environment and must be aware of the mood of the organization. "To be effective, a leader must be a good listener and have effective communication skills" (Blanchard p. 37). Everyone must work together in order for the educational organization to run smoothly. "As leaders give up the use of positional power, they will be more likely to gain influence with their people" (Blanchard p. 37). "It means getting people to want to perform, instead of 'making' them perform" (Blanchard p.3'7). Sudden changes in an organization can be drastic measures to improve the organization, however this makes the employees unable to keep up with the new reforms and rebel against the status quo. A gradual change in ideas, reforms, and the dissolving 4 of old habits or techniques would be more desirable by the employees. This is where the assistance and input from the staff and faculty is taken into consideration and an equitable solution to change can take place. Therefore the quality of leadership depends on the "initial period of administrative training" (Heck p. 45). According to Jean Brown in her article, "transformational leadership" which is considered to be "a leadership for change" (p. 11) may be one type of leadership that would be able to achieve the needed improvement in an organization provided this leader complies with the needs of the organization. This transformational leader must "identify and articulate a vision" that will "inspire others" and "set an example for others to follow" as well as "foster the acceptance of group goals" which will require cooperation to achieve "high performance expectations" along with "providing individualized support" for all plus include "intellectual stimulation" by making sure that everyone understands what is expected (Brown p. 12). Leaders who are flexible and are able to encompass change are more able to model and pass on to their employees new ideas which improve the organization. Having this idea in mind, a transformational leader with the techniques of structural functionalism is able to introduce changes or reforms in the organization without extremes in the leadership style. With understanding, sensitivity, a willingness to listen, not afraid to share power, open discussions and the trust of employees, a leader can achieve most any goals set up for the organization. I feel that the secret to success is to find a leader who meets this criteria or a leader who is willing to conform and meets these expectations. After all, the key to success is open-mindedness, cooperation, and the awareness of those around you and the interest of the total organization. With these ideas in mind, the "quality of education" (Pianta p. 306) will be impacted when structural management and participatory reforms are working towards the improvement and enrichment of all concerned. 5 Bibliography Blanchard, Kenneth. "One Minute Management." Emergency Librarian 20.3 (Jan/Feb 1993): 37. Boehjlje, Boyd W. "Share the Decision-Making." The Education Digest (March 1995) 12-14. Brown, Jean. "Leadership for School Improvement." Emergency Librarian 20.3 (Jan/Feb 1993): 8-20. Heck, Ronald H. "Organizational and Professional Socialization: Its Impact on the Performance of New Administrators." The Urban Review 27.1 (1995) 31-49. Liontos, Lynn Balster. "Transformational Leadership." Emergency Librarian 20.3 (Jan/Feb 1993) 34-35. Marshall, Catherine, Jean A. Patterson, Dwight L. Rogers, and Jeanne R. Steele. "Caring as Career: An Alternative Perspective for Educational Administration." Educational Administration Quarterly 32.2 (April 1996) 271-294. Pianta, Robert C. "Widening the Debate on Educational Reform: Prevention as a Viable Alternative." Exceptional Children 56.4 (1990) 306-313. ,./4.0,a 7 EDUCATION U.S. DEPARTMENT OF 1ERIC I Improvement (OEM) Office of Educational Research and Center (ERIC) Educational Resources Information RELEASE REPRODUCTION (Specific Document) DOCUMENT IDENTIFICATION: I. Title: PARTICIPATORY REFORMS STRUCTURAL MANAGEMENT WITH Shaw Author(s) a Judy Publication Date: Corporate Source: REPRODUCTION RELEASE: community, documents of interest to the educational possible timely and significant materials usually made available to users In order to disseminate as widely as Resources in Education (RIE), are journal of the ERIC system, Document Reproduction Service announced in the monthly abstract and sold through the ERIC and electronic/optical media, release is granted, one of in microfiche, reproduced paper copy, document, and, if reproduction is given to the source of each (EDRS) or other ERIC vendors. 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