Chapter 1
Introduction
1.1 Background of the Study
In any institute, the type of management style adopted by administration plays a very critical role in determining the efficiency of the institute. The success of any organization such as an institution is in need on successful management and employee job fulfillment (Voon, M. L., Lo, M. C., Ngui, K. S., & Ayob, N. B., 2011). Employee’s fulfillment in various organizations is attached to the management style adopted by the manager. A management style basically describes a manager’s style of encouraging staff, implementing policy and providing direction in an institution. Waqar and Siddiqui (2008) viewed management style as an attractive technique in which a manager has control over his or her subordinates. There are some types of management styles in an institute, the managers or administration can adopt task-oriented, laissez-faire, democratic, transformational, transactional, autocratic and people-oriented management styles. Therefore, in educational institution, employee’s job fulfillment and working is needy on the management style employed by heads of such institutions. Sakiru et al. (2013) stated that employee’s job fulfillment and performance is expected to be high in an institution with efficient management style. The present study will compare the autocratic and democratic management styles of public and private principals/heads of secondary schools.
According to Dubrin (2008), autocratic management style is the style in which the manager retains most power to him/her and makes decision with the target of ensuring the staff implements it. The autocratic manager is not concerned about attitudes of the staff towards a decision. Such manager is quite concerned about getting the duty finished. He/she tells the staff what and how to do it states self and serves as a model for the staff; this style is analyzed as job-oriented. Autocratic managers are usually hated, as there is no space for idea, kindness and self-growth on the part of the management.
Democratic management style consists of managers sharing. This style of management engages dialogue, discussion and sharing of dreams and encouraging people to suffer well about their contribution (Abiodun-Oyetunji, 2004).
The democratic management style engages managers getting decisions with the input of the staff but being liable for making the final decision. There are many differences of this style of management including consultative, participative, and collaborative styles. Member of staff ideas and help are encouraged, but not compulsory. Communication is both top-down and bottom-up and makes for an organized group.
In Pakistan, ownership of educational institutions is between the public and private sectors. Government at the three stages – Federal, Provincial and Local, currently is refers to as public sector, whereas the private sector talks about a person, group of persons, institutes or organizations merging mutually to set up and propose an educational institution at any stage of the educational structure: primary, elementary, secondary and college or university, college of education and polytechnic institute to state a few. As a result, schools launched and run by governments are called public schools, whereas schools set up by persons, groups, missionaries and NGOs are referred to as private schools.
Studies and literatures discovered different observations on public and private schools managerial performance. Alt and Peter (2002) and Akpan et al., (2005) pointed that private secondary school managers are more successful in retaining authority than their corresponding persons in public schools. However, Abiodun-Oyebanji (2004) and Akomolafe, (2005) expressed in their studies that there was no major difference in teachers’ job performance in both private and public secondary schools. Adegun (2002) also informed that no variation in the managerial success of head teachers in public and private schools. Bassey, Udo and Ekpoh (2005) in the same way stated the comparison in the management and assessment activities of the public and private schools.
Comparable main variation in administrative management styles among private and public school was reported by Waqar and Siddiqui (2008) and Akomolafe (2005). They submitted that private sector principals are more task oriented and people oriented than public sector principals. Maicibi (2005) contented that without a suitable management style, successful performance cannot be recognized in schools. Daniel (2007) pointed that principals require sufficient awareness and abilities of choosing and using suitable management styles as the condition needs in order to successfully accomplish the objectives of their schools. Wote (2014) reported that no main difference in performing management styles of public and private secondary school heads because both public and private secondary schools perform autocratic and democratic management styles.
Onele-Adali and Aja-Okorie (2015) exposed that male and female principals varied to a large extent in the management of schools. It is the view of Olaleye (2008) that both male and female school heads are supposed to play very energetic role and as well as prove regularity in their managerial practices as it tells to inform and implementation of managerial guidelines as well as instructional plans.
It has been monitored that the public favor to send their children to private schools. This is as an outcome of general trust that teachers in such schools are mainly contributed and show to do better on the profession. Likewise, it is also considered that principals in private schools are most efficient and handle staff successfully and make them creative. Differing, it is examined that although public school are capable with more trained teachers and somewhat healthier facilities, they still do not be a focus for much support particularly from the elite, rich and even the government workers.
In secondary schools, management style continues an important determinant of administrative effectiveness and staff productivity. Managerial efficiency is the helpful reply to managerial efforts and proceedings with the purpose to achieve stated goal (Akomolafe, 2005). The capability of principals to benefit from the support of their staff as well as their students depends on the way they communicate and also on the way problems are resolved.
Principals that pay attention to their staff or fellow teachers and continue good relationships with them, make the staff to be satisfied with their professions and always equipped to place in their best for the overall good of the school. The managerial performance of principals can be verified in various behaviors such as in decision making, allocation of tasks to subordinates, and putting good patterns. It also engages encouraging the teachers by producing a favorable working environment for the achievement of school targets and objectives (Akomolafe, 2005).
This therefore represents that for secondary schools to be well-organized and efficient in teaching and learning. Principals have to perform sufficient managerial functions which must be result oriented. They must check that the school environment is favorable for learning. If principals perform their managerial duties in richness, staffs’ uncontrollable behavior can be correctly managed for advanced performance. Onele-Adali and Aja-Okorie (2015) noted that matters that limit management and it’s utilize in school structure are necessary to suitable organizational management of human resource.
The managerial efficiency of secondary school principal is observed by Adegun (2002), as a feature delaying the achievement of institutional objectives in secondary schools. Principals play significant management responsibilities in forming school regulations, both by efficient management and by individual model. Principals of well-controlled are generally highly observable models. They connect in what Duke (1989) explained as "management by walking around," welcoming students and teachers and easily examining potential problem areas. Successful principals are liked and valued, quite than feared, and communicate gently for students as well as motivation to enforce penalty if required (NAESP 1983 cited in Akomolafe, 2005).
It is significance talks about that the role of head teacher who is the focal person of the education structure and well responsive about the situation and environment of education institutions honestly manage teachers and coordinates with local society; remains unchanged under decentralization of authority arrangement. Greater part of the school head teachers are silent recipient of policy decisions rather than playing an energetic role in school progress for quality enhancement. Additionally, a few studies (Mahmood, 1995; Kunwar, 2001; Iqbal, 2005) related to the problem have been conducted in the Pakistani circumstance. Therefore, this is needful to study the management styles of head teacher of secondary schools in Punjab and compare them with regard to gender and school ownership.
This study was comparatively examined the administrative management styles of principals in public and private secondary schools in District Kasur of Punjab Province in Pakistan.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Although the large amount of research into a variety of management styles and their efficiency, there is little research into the preferences of those individuals who are being managed. Efficient and suitable management styles may help to improve the institutional performance. Without a deeper consideration of management requirements, the common expectation required to build up an efficient educational institute cannot be met. This study was helped the educational managers to develop the essential understanding to choose suitable management style and finally develop managerial practices in their institutions.
1.3 Research Objectives
The following were the objectives of the study;
1. To identify the existing management styles used in secondary schools.
2. To compare the management styles used by heads of male and female secondary schools.
3. To compare the management styles used by heads of public and private secondary schools.
1.4 Research Questions
The following were the research questions of the study;
1. To what extent different management styles are practiced by head teachers of secondary schools?
2. Is there any significant difference in the use of management styles by male and female head teachers at secondary schools?
3. Is there any significant difference in the use of management styles by public and private head teachers at secondary schools?
1.5 Significance of the Study
Management is an important component of any educational institution. It is compulsory to manage the institution in a way that leads to a productive environment. Therefore, researcher considered the study of management styles used by the heads in public and private secondary schools. This effort will facilitate the researcher to evaluate appropriate management style used in school setups. This study was also proved helpful for management of schools. It was described a complete picture of management and importance of a productive management style. Its results were provided help for developing new behaviors of creating rapid educational management environment. It is also significant that a few studies have been carried out to identify the comparison of management styles used in public and private schools at secondary level.
1.6 Scope and Limitations of the Study
Although the researcher’s best efforts, the results of the study may have been affected by limitations. As with most survey research, contribution is voluntary. Therefore, the sample size was limited to those individuals who choose to respond. This excluded individuals who did not wish to share their opinions.
The study was also being limited to 50 schools in tehsil Chunian of district Kasur. This district is a large district. Heads in larger districts may have different management styles.
1.7 Delimitation of the Study
Due to financial constrains the study was delimited to the tehsil Chunian of district Kasur. Furthermore, 50 public and private randomly selected secondary schools from tehsil Chunian.
The study was descriptive in its nature as it was based on survey technique.
1.8.1 Population:
The population of study was consisted of male and female heads of public and private secondary schools in Kasur district.
1.8.2 Sampling technique:
Multistage stratified random sampling technique was used for the selection of sample.
1.8.3 Sample:
The sample of the study was consisting of 50 public and private randomly selected secondary schools of tehsil Chunian.
1.8.4 Research instrument:
This study was carried out using a survey questionnaire at five point rating scale.
1.8.5 Data collection:
The study was quantitative in nature. Therefore, the researcher visited the selected schools and conducted the progressive test from heads of each school to measure the management style used by heads.
1.8.6 Data analysis:
The collected data was analyzed through SPSS and MS Excel.
1.9 Operational definitions
1.9.1 Management:
Management is the process of scheduling, arranging, expressing, controlling and assessing to achieve programmed objectives of an institution through in time use of human and material resources.
1.9.2 Management styles:
The methods used by a person in managing an institute or group of people.
1.9.2.1 Autocratic management style:
An authoritarian management style in which the head is the “boss,” and his or her way is the only way to achieve any given task (Lussier & Achua, 2013).
1.9.2.2 Democratic management style:
A participative management model in which heads discuss with lowers who provide information and support in decision-making (Lussier & Achua, 2013).
1.9.3 Head or principal of school:
The head teacher, headmaster, headmistress, head or principal is the teacher with the greatest responsibility for the management of a school.
1.9.4 Public and private schools:
Schools launched and run by governments are called public schools, whereas schools set up by persons, groups, missionaries and NGOs are referred to as private schools.
1.9.5 Secondary school:
A school as an intermediate between elementary school and college and usually offering general, technical, vocational, or college-preparatory courses. In Pakistan it is usually called a high school.