Interschool Variation in Bureaucratization

Abstract

The term “bureaucracy” is becoming increasingly relevant in discussion of schools, especially as they grow bigger and organizationally more complex. This study of 48 elementary schools in Ontario attempted to account for interschool variation in bureaucratization, particularly as it was associated with leader behavior. Hall's scales were used to measure perceived degree of bureaucratization; the LBDQ‐XII to measure leader behavior. It was found that leader behavior is the biggest single determinant of level of bureaucratization. Contrary to the traditional view, size of school is inversely related to level of bureaucratization. Although some 25 per cent of interschool variation in bureaucratization was not accounted for by the variables studied it seems clear that “as goes the principal, so goes the school.”

Citation

PUNCH, K.F. (1970), "Interschool Variation in Bureaucratization", Journal of Educational Administration, Vol. 8 No. 2, pp. 124-134. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb009648