Editorial

Citation

Roberts, B. (2007), "Editorial", International Journal of Educational Management, Vol. 21 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijem.2007.06021daa.001

Editorial

Welcome colleagues from around the world to this the fourth issue for 2007. There are the usual six papers for your consideration from the USA, Israel, UK and Hong Kong. Well known to the readership is Professor Raymond Calabrese of Wichita State University in Kansas, with Crystal Hummel and Teresa San Martin, doctoral students. At risk students are those who under perform in mandated academic assessments as well as school based academic achievements. This field based research study uses a qualitative embedded case study of a middle and high school to identify a positive core of teacher and administrative experiences related to at risk students. The research was carried out through focus groups, semi structured interviews and an n online survey. Three findings illustrated the gap between present practice and the ideal situation. The research team concluded that there was a foundation of positive core experiences from which to build on the theory of caring professed by teachers and administrators.

Dr Izhar Oplatka contributes a paper on “the incorporation of market orientation in the school culture: an essential aspect of school marketing”. The paper analyzes the implications of market orientation for the management of school environment relations and provides an inventory to measure the degree of market orientation in individual schools. In addition, a stage by stage approach to incorporating market orientation into the school culture is broadly discussed, with a focus on the role of the principal. The paper suggests some implications for future research in schools and other institutions and highlights the significance of market orientation for our understanding of school marketing in an era of competition and choice.

In Dr Hancock’s paper “the business of universities and the role of department chair”, he states the purpose and the analysis of traditional duties of academic administrators in the light of fundamental changes in the ways universities operate-increasing demands in teaching, research and costs management, and a shortage of qualified faculty-to determine the need for a better design process.

In the next submission Dr Nir and Dr Naphcha write on “teachers’ salaries in public education: between myth and fact”. The authors state that research literature lacks substantial evidence to connect the trend towards privatization with teachers’ salary levels in educational public systems. Using OECD data the authors suggest that the information leads to the conclusion that salary level is correlated with the degree of privatization characterizing a particular educational system.

Dr Ayoubi writes on “the strategy of internationalization in universities: a quantitative evaluation of the intent and implementation in UK universities”. The purpose of this work is to examine the extent to which UK universities’ actual international achievements match their strategic intent on internationalization. The paper is the first classification carried out amongst UK universities in terms of internationalization. The study shows that 74 per cent of UK universities’ mission statements include international dimensions with 48 per cent of these internationally active. A classification of the groups is devised.

Rethinking school and community relation in Hong Kong is presented by Dr Tam of the Chinese University in Hong Kong. His abstract states that existing theories in social development and school administration suggest that community is a place where individuals construct identity, and that a school needs to form a partnership with its community, so that they will work together to improve educational effectiveness. However current education policies have forced schools to compete amongst each other for survival in the community. The paper looks at the development of schools in their communities and the tension within. Case study methodology has been employed. The findings suggest that pressure to survive has forced schools to change their detached attitude towards the community, and be concerned about how to develop productive relations with the community.

Brian Roberts