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In a recent investigation undertaken in Western Canada, it was found that school personnel, particularly those at the administrative level, who strongly desired promotion placed a significantly higher emphasis in their role perceptions on Initiating Structure (the organization‐oriented dimension of leader behaviour), and a significantly lower emphasis upon Consideration (the person‐oriented aspect of leader behaviour), than those who possessed low levels of promotional aspiration. Tills impersonal, procedural, and task‐oriented emphasis was evident not only in the administrators' perceptions of the leader behaviour deemed most appropriate for their own present role, but also in their perceptions of the actual leader behaviour exhibited by their immediate superiors. If such highly ambitious individuals gain advancement, it appears likely that the type of administrative climate which they would induce, with such a pronounced emphasis on Initiating Structure allied with a de‐emphasis of Consideration, would lead to future conflict and dysfunctional effects for the educational organization, as teachers become more professional, and newer approaches such as team teaching, collegial organization, and consensual decision‐making—all of which demand rapport and consideration for people—become more widespread.

A bureaucratically structured education system employs formal communication to a high degree, since incumbents of the various hierarchical authority levels authorize actions to be undertaken by their subordinates. The process of authorization is here subjected to an analysis in terms of message structure and communication flow. A comparison of the ways in which authorizations are communicated at the various levels of the bureaucratic system leads to a number of hypotheses. It was hypothesized (1) that the mode of communication used by the superordinate Department of Education to authorize the actions of intermediate headteachers will be used in turn by these intermediates to authorize the actions of their subordinate teachers, (2) the prevailing mode of communication employed by the superordinate Education Department to authorize the actions of intermediate headtcachers will be used by intermediates to authorize the actions of their subordinates teachers even in specific cases where exceptions to the prevailing superordinate communication mode are present, and (3) inconsistency or asymmetry between Phase I and Phase II communication modes is a function of the personality of the intermediate role‐incumbent. These hypotheses were tested in a recent study of the communication of authority by headteachers of Queensland State primary schools. The first two hypotheses were supported; because of lack of data the last hypothesis could not be tested.

Bureaucratic theory, systems theory and a review of research on innovation, provide a conceptual framework on which seven predictions are posited. The predictions relate to the innovative behaviour of a bureaucratic education system throughout a period of twenty years. An innovation is defined as a new structure or process that appeared for the first time in the education system. One hundred and sixty four innovations are identified and classified. The predictions are tested and the implications discussed.

The role of the communication process in the initiation of new programmes in a technical institute in a mid‐western state of the U.S.A. was examined. Communication linkages with the local labour market were well developed, with ample evidence both of the growth of specialized channels and of their continued usage. Advisory committees were the most important institutions in initiating new programmes and heads of departments within the Institute were the most frequently used contact points between the organization and its environment. The role of the State Board was largely a facilitating one and the State Employment Service played only a minor part. Careful checks were made of the demand side of the labour market before new programmes were started but not a great deal of attention was given to the supply side, largely due to difficulties in estimation. Certain aspects of organization theory served a useful purpose in developing insights into the communication processes examined in this study.

This study attempted to clarify the relationship of power of school heads and participation of English teachers in school decisions. A deliberate sample of eight schools was drawn from the schools in the northwest of England. The major criteria for selection were: size (medium to large); location(urban‐suburban and reasonably accessible from Manchester); and representatives of the types of schools found in that geographic area. A descriptive analysis indicated that English teachers do perceive themselves participating in most decision areas. At a second level of analysis the relationship between status and intensity of participation was computed with r = .544 for the 103 members of staff (p<.001). An implication is that competence is a criterion for status position, leading to involvement and hence power in the social system. The final analysis dealt with implications of use of power from a description of participation patterns. The clusterings found lend credence to the belief that English heads are controlling those areas of power where tangible rewards and punishments are evident. They appear to be supporting participatory management in such other areas as those where teachers do not desire involvement or those which carry minimal expenditure of organizational resources.

It is over twenty years since March and Simon launched their attack on “classical” organisation theory. At the time their castigation of Gulick and Urwick for enunciating what Simon and March recognized as homely proverbs, myths and slogans seemed quite brilliant. The major purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that, in retrospect, it was not: myths, rituals and medicine men should not be spurned, but the significance of the part they play in ordering experience and action in educational organisations should be fully explored. This is what this paper attempts to do, taking the Doyle/Newbould case for marketing, published in 1980 in this journal, as a case in point.

This chapter offers a survey of education development in the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA), and how the different crises have changed the global dynamics in education. This chapter first gives an overview of the regional context and the history of education in the region, followed by a discussion of the education developments in the region as shaped by the economic growth of high-income countries and the political upheavals in low-income countries. MENA states have made huge investments in their educational systems through implementing major changes in the education policies and introducing initiatives to improve the quality of education in their countries. However, the educational system in the region has not reaped the benefits of these reforms as it has not met the desired goals. The quality of students’ learning is very low as reflected in the poor rating by international assessments such as PISA, TIMSS and PIRLS. Structural educational reforms to foster citizenship and civic responsibility are urgently needed. Good governance of the education systems of the MENA countries, a critical thinking skills-based curriculum and strong market-oriented skills and vocational training programs are necessary for MENA to become economically competitive and reliably democratic.

Considers the relationship between business strategy and approaches to HRM. Theory suggests that certain approaches to HRM align more appropriately with different business strategies. Hence a new approach to business might suggest the need for a new approach to managing HR. Examines this relationship in more depth in the context of a new market development within the UK restaurant industry, the emergence of the so‐called “Designer restaurants”. Reports the findings on the conduct of HRM from a case study of three designer restaurants. Whilst some evidence of a move away from traditional (for the restaurant industry) approaches to HRM is presented, the findings do not indicate a clear relationship between business strategy and the approach to HRM. Discusses the implications for our understanding of the relationship.

The study examined the influence of relational capital on inter-cluster coordination and service delivery of humanitarian organisations; the mediating and moderating role of inter-cluster coordination on the relationship between relational capital and service delivery.

Data was collected from 60 humanitarian organisations. Potential respondents were five officers from each humanitarian organisation involved in delivering humanitarian assistance. Respondents from the different organisations were selected using purposive sampling. The SPSS software, SMART PLS and CB-SEM software were used to obtain results on the influence of relational capital on inter-cluster coordination and service delivery in humanitarian organisations; and the mediating and moderating role of inter-cluster coordination on the relationship between relational capital and service delivery.

Findings indicated that relational capital influences inter-cluster coordination and service delivery in humanitarian relief chains; inter-cluster coordination partially mediates the relationship between relational capital and service delivery in humanitarian relief chains; and no interactive effect was found when the moderation effect of inter-cluster coordination on the relationship between relational capital and service delivery in humanitarian organisations was examined.

The study was mainly focused on humanitarian organisations excluding beneficiaries and the logistics suppliers. The research has implications to decision-makers in government and humanitarian organisations concerned with providing relief aid to beneficiaries.

The influence of relational capital on inter-cluster coordination and service delivery in humanitarian relief chains; the mediating role and moderating role of inter-cluster coordination on the relationship between relational capital and service in humanitarian relief chains are aspects that have not been given significant attention empirically.