Sistrunk, W. E., and Jenkins, E. R. (1980). The preferred leadership style of school superintendents. Paper presented at the Mid-South Educational Research Association. ERIC ED 197 430.
Comments: The 27-item opinionnaire focuses on three forces and seven styles of leadership. Two styles of management are rooted in McGregor’s (1969) Theory X and Theory Y, while the remaining five styles of management are rooted in Blake and Mouton’s (1964) Managerial Grid (Theory 1,1; Theory 1,9; Theory 9,1; Theory 5,5; and Theory 9,9).
Sample: The original sample consisted of 125 superintendents from Mississippi in 1980. Webb (1975) developed and validated the Management Opinionnaire using a sample of superintendents from North Carolina.
Reliability: The alpha coefficient for the opinionnaire was 0.80 using a pilot study with 30 educational administration students.
Scales: There are 12 items that relate to forces within the executive educational manager (1, 2, 7, 10, 11, 16, 20, 21, 23, 25, 26, and 27). These items deal with the values and beliefs that a manager has about him/herself. There are six items that relate to forces within the subordinate workers (8, 9, 14, 15, 19, and 24). These items deal with the values and beliefs that a manager believes that his/her subordinates ought to have about him/herself. There are nine items that relate to forces within the organization (3, 4, 5, 6, 12, 13, 17, 18, and 22). These items deal with the values and beliefs that a manager has for the organization in which he/she is employed.
Data Analysis: Percentages were computed for each response category. Chi square analysis was conducted to decide the effect that the three types of forces had on the superintendents’ leadership style. Results of all data analysis are presented.
References
Blake, R. R., and Mouton, J. S. (1964). The managerial grid: Key orientation for achieving production through people. Houston: Gulf Publishing Company.
McGregor, D. (1969). The human side of enterprise. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Webb, D. M. (1975). Modern management concepts and practices in North Carolina local school systems. EdD dissertation, Duke University.
Management Opinionnaire
1. You consider that one of the most important job responsibilities of an executive educational manager is the stimula- tion of his subordinate workers to produce high standards of performance.
2. As an executive educational manager, you feel that those subordinate workers who are affected by the decisions made in a local school system should be allowed to participate in the decision-making process.
3. You feel that a more realistic fulfillment of objectives and attainment of goals can result if the organizational struc- ture provides for a systematic, step-by-step procedure.
4. You feel that the organizational structure of a local school system should provide for the evaluation of executive educational managers on agreed upon competencies which have been stated in measurable terms.
5. You believe that a local system will meet with more success when the behaviors of the organization and the behav- iors of the subordinate workers are developed and directed together.
6. You consider that the establishment of group-written organizational objectives and goals is an effective way for executive educational managers and subordinate workers to communicate.
7. You believe that an executive educational manager should be able to fulfill his responsibility without having to exert his authority.
8. As an executive educational manager, you believe that your subordinate workers are capable of providing self- control in their work.
9. You regard that subordinate workers should realize that certain unavoidable situations occur in any organization.
10. You feel that the subordinate workers in an organization should be evaluated on measurable competencies which they have helped to establish.
11. You regard that the personal satisfaction achieved from the fulfillment of objectives and the attainment of goals are all the rewards needed by an executive educational manager.
12. You believe that executive educational managers in a local school system perform best when they work under agreed upon job descriptions and organizational charts.
13. You believe that the potential needs of subordinates should be provided for by the organizational structure.
14. As an executive educational manager, you believe that your subordinate workers are capable of motivating them- selves in their work.
15. As an executive educational manager, you feel that your subordinate workers will become committed to the pur- poses of a local school system if they can sense a realistic fulfillment of objectives and attainment of goals.
16. You feel that an executive educational manager should be a creative and imaginative person.
17. You believe that subordinate workers in a local school system can perform their best work when they are guided by job descriptions and organizational charts with which they agree.
18. You believe that positive results will occur in a local school system when the behaviors of the organization and the behaviors of executive educational managers are mutually developed and channeled in the same direction.
19. As an executive educational manager, you believe that your subordinate workers are capable of exercising self- direction in their work.
20. You regard that executive educational managers should acknowledge the fact that uncertainties arise in any orga- nizational structure.
21. You believe that an executive educational manager should not only accept responsibility entrusted to him but that he should also seek responsibility.
22. You believe that the organizational structure of a local school system should be adaptable to the potential needs of executive educational managers.
23. You feel that an executive educational manager must be aware of the many ways to organize problems for solutions.
24. As an executive educational manager, you believe that your subordinate workers want to become involved in the activities of a local school system because they like their work.
25. You believe that the most effective communication in a local school system is that communication which flows from subordinate workers upward to executive educational managers.
26. You believe that an executive educational manager must individualize his methods when working with his subor- dinate workers.
27. You feel that an executive educational manager can only become effective through specific knowledge and experience.
Scoring: Strongly Agree = 1; Agree = 2; No Opinion = 3; Disagree = 4; and Strongly Disagree = 5.