Preliminary communication
https://doi.org/10.3935/rsp.v18i1.962
Stakeholder-Oriented Principal Development in Croatian Elementary Schools
Nikša Alfirević
; Ekonomski fakultet Sveučilišta u Splitu
Jurica Pavičić
; Ekonomski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu
Zoran Mihanović
; Ekonomski fakultet Sveučilišta u Splitu
Renata Relja
; Odjel za sociologiju, Filozofski fakultet Sveučilišta u Splitu
Abstract
This paper analyzes how the different forms of available development tools enhance the Croatian primary school principals' competence to balance stakeholder requirements, and thus enhance the performance of schools, conceptualized as nonprofit organizations. An indicative sample of primary school principals, selected by the Croatian primary school principal association, were surveyed in order to establish the effects of available institutional support. The low principals’ orientation toward multiple relevant stakeholders has been established, although two different patterns have been identified – one oriented toward the individual actors (students, staff, parents), and the other toward institutions (ministry, local government) in the educational environment. The empirical analysis has shown that varying stakeholder orientations can be linked to differences in patterns of using available principal development tools, i.e. that the principals with the pre-existing (»inherent«) stakeholder orientation are more willing to use the development tools. In this context, the most significant of all the development tools seem to be different forms of training in school marketing and management. This finding supports the requirement to implement in practice the policy for principal training and certification, included into the provisions of the 2008 Law on Education in Primary and Secondary Schools.
Keywords
stakeholders; primary schools; development mechanisms; principals; Croatia
Hrčak ID:
66474
URI
Publication date:
20.3.2011.
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