Editoria

Transformational leadership: Educational Management

Administration & Leadership

Exploring common conceptions

2018, Vol. 46(6) 883–887
ª The Author(s) 2018
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DOI: 10.1177/1741143218795731
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Tony Bush

Transformational leadership is one of the most popular models, judging by the number of papers
on this topic, and it has attracted global interest, expressed for example in numerous doctoral
theses around the world. The concept has also been captured by political leaders anxious to
reform their educational systems, in the light of international league tables, such as the
Programme for Inter- national Student Assessment (PISA). It suggests a powerful influence
process, where (often char- ismatic) leaders persuade followers to adopt certain behaviours in
order to bring about what the leader regards as beneficial change. The central construct here is
that of ‘vision’, and followers are enjoined to seek a ‘better’ future for the organisation and to
commit to seeking the goals arising from the vision. However, the vision may not always be
shared and sometimes leads to negative consequences. For example, the narrow pursuit of
improved test results may marginalise students who are less academic and whose talents, music,
drama and sport, for example, lie outside the prescribed vision.
Izhak Berkovich examines what he describes as three common conceptions about transforma-
tional leadership. First, principals’ transformational leadership behaviours are more prevalent in
national contexts that are restructuring. Second, transformational behaviours are more effective
than transactional behaviours. Third, principals are either transformational or transactional. He
shows that transformational leadership is second only to instructional leadership in the number of
published papers in three leading journals, including EMAL. The author shows that the three
common conceptions are not supported by this body of literature. For example, transactional
models may be complementary, rather than contradictory, to transformational behaviours, and
principals may exhibit both sets of behaviours, not just one. He concludes that leadership concep-
tions are context-dependent, task-dependent and complex.
An alternative, and enduring model is that of managerial leadership. This is particularly sig-
nificant in centralised systems, where school principals are regarded as part of the wider admin-
istrative hierarchy, charged with implementing externally-prescribed policies. As Stanley
Semarco and Seokhee Cho note, Ghana’s headteachers are expected to be ‘managerial leaders
with admin- istrative oversight’. These authors explore the impact of managerial behaviours of
headteachers on teachers’ retention intentions in Ghana. They surveyed heads and teachers in 279
schools in five regions and conclude that teacher retention can be influenced by task-oriented
managerial lead- ership behaviours.
Managerial leadership, when practised to excess, can lead to managerialism, where adherence
to bureaucratic procedures is regarded as more important than educational purposes. Stephanie
Chong, Alan Geare and Roger Willett examine the influence of managerialism and collegiality in
a New Zealand university and note that collegial decision-making is threatened by increasing
man- agerialism. Drawing on documents, and transcripts of interviews with 75 current and
former staff, they show that the introduction of ‘executive academic managers’, and similar
apparatus, has
884 Educational Management Administration & Leadership 46(6)

increased managerialism but they also conclude that vice-chancellors retain individual agency
and exercise their powers in very different ways.
A managerial approach is often adopted when accountability pathways are vertical, and princi-
pals’ primary responsibility is to the external hierarchy rather than to students, parents and edu-
cators. A different pattern of accountability is required for school networks, as Melanie Ehren
and Jane Perryman indicate. The introduction and expansion of multi-academy trusts (MATs) in
England formalise such networks and change the nature of accountability. The authors discuss
several aspects of accountability within and beyond MATs and conclude that, where there are
high levels of reciprocal trust, accountability becomes a tool for learning and improvement
instead of control.
Margaret Sims, Manjula Waniganayake and Fay Hadley examine the evolving role of early
childhood leadership in Australia. They note the impact of policy reform on leaders but add that
expectations of them are unclear. Early childhood organisations may face sanctions if they do not
meet certain standards. The authors recruited 164 early childhood leaders to participate in their
research and conclude that these leaders are using their past experiences to understand the policy
changes, a key aspect of ‘sense-making’.
Miri Yemini discusses the role of intermediaries in pursuing entrepreneurship in Israeli
schools, and in providing services to schools, one aspect of privatisation. She interviewed
managers within these intermediate organisations, and Ministry of Education officials, as well as
scrutinising related documents. She notes the contradictions inherent in the links between
privatisation and public education and concludes that the involvement of intermediaries allows
private agendas, conflicting values, and systemic inequality to penetrate public education.
John Decman and his colleagues examine the perceptions of superintendents in Texas, USA,
about the Educational Leadership Constituents’ Council (ELCC) standards for leadership
prepara- tion. They interviewed 18 superintendents, to address research questions focused on
district finan- cial resources, involving stakeholders in decision-making, and school
improvement. Significantly, however, one superintendent stressed the need to rely on student
needs to drive decisions. The authors conclude that, despite the need to consider many
stakeholders, decisions need to be guided by a consistent strategic framework of values, mission
and vision.
Liz Hollingworth and her colleagues discuss how principals build school culture to sustain
improvement initiatives. The article reports the findings of an evaluation of the implementation
of state-driven reform initiatives in Michigan, USA. The four participants were all identified as
excellent leaders by the State Department of Education. The authors observed staff meetings and
also interviewed the four principals. They note the important role played by the principals in
establishing school culture and conclude that building trust, knowing their staff well, and com-
municating effectively, are important aspects of a positive culture.
The high quality of the journal depends greatly on the knowledge and judgement of the many
referees who review manuscripts. I am most grateful to all the referees (named below), who
reviewed papers during the 12 months from July 2017–July 2018.

Narina A. Samah
Ian Abbott Audrey Addi-Raacah Gazi Alam
Malcolm Abbott Bilal Afsar Noeline Alcorn
Suriani Abdul-Hamid - Airini David Allen
Curt Adams Mohamed Ajoud Yasser Al-Mahdy
Mete Akcaoglu Kirk Anderson
Bush: Transformational 885
leadership

Dorothy Andrews Machiel Bouwmans Geert Devos

Lynn Ang Ruth Boyask Jaswinder Dhillon
Pamela Angelle Mark Boylan Ibrahima Diallo
Markku Antinluoma Stefan Brauckmann Jordi D´ıaz-Gibson
Panayiotis Antoniou Mary Briggs Clive Dimmock
Khalid Arar Ann Briggs Stephen Dinham
Felipe Aravena Castillo Vasiliki Brinia Pauline Dixon
Helene A¨ rlestig Melanie Brooks Yasmine Dominguez-Whitehead
Paul Armstrong Bruno Broucker Diya Dou
Denise Martin Brown Stunky Duku
Armstrong Linet Byron Brown David Dunaway
Arthur Gladys Mark Brundrett Scott Eacott
Asuga Miles Bryant Peter Earley
Anastasia Athanasoula-Reppa Darren Bryant Jonathan Eckert
Carol Aubrey Michael Burnitt Karen Edge
James Avis Hugh Busher Melanie Ehren
Rami Ayoubi Richard Caffyn Lisa Ehrich
Faisal Azaiza Brian Caldwell Jean Pierre Elonga Mboyo
Carl Bagley Alexandre Camacho Anne Emerson
Waheed Bahadur Jim Cambridge Murat Esen
Lucy Bailey David Cameron Linda Evans
Hassen Barisso Carol Cardno Catherine Farrell
Bruce Barnett Linda Carrier Caroline Faulkner
Kerry Barnett Ariel Cegla Hope-Arlene Fennell
Scott Bauer Yusuf Cerit Michael Fielding
Jacqueline Baxter Chi Wai Chan Tanya Fitzgerald
Diane Bebbington Christopher Chapman Joseph Flessa
Johan Beckmann Shuangye Chen Alan Floyd
Julian Beckton Junjun Chen Annette Foley
Les Bell Annie Cheng Timothy Ford
Mehmet Quah Cheng Sim Christine Forde
Bellibas Izhak Alan Cheung Denver Fowler
Berkovich Jill Vitallis Chikoko Carla Freire
Berry Joseph Christopher German Fromm
Kadir Beycioglu Joanne Cliffe Kay Fuller
Kadir Beycioglu Paul Close Emily Gallagher
Christopher Bezzina Andy Coleman Sherry Ganon-Shilon
Catharine Biddle Marianne Coleman Mary Gardiner
Carolyn Blackburn Sharon Conley Alexander Gardner-McTaggart
Jill Blackmore Michael Connolly Haim Gaziel
Sonia Blandford Susan Cousin Soribel Genao
Richard Blissett Megan Crawford Abdul Ghaffar
Ulf Blossing Moral Cristina Norma Ghamrawi
Vikki Wenjin Bo Gary Crow Simin Ghavifekr
Albert Boerema Claudimar Da Veiga Paul Gibbs
Ronit Bogler Annemarie Davis Alaster Gibson
Richard Bolden Adam Dawkins Mark Gibson
Andrew Boocock Corene De Wet Dan Gibton
Tony Booth Carol Azumah Dennis Alfonso J. Gil
Rosemary Bosu Bridget Dever Aikaterini Gkolia
RJ (Nico) Botha
Mike Bottery
886 Educational Management Administration & Leadership 46(6)

Ron Glatter Jacqueline Kareem Joseph Murphy

Derek Glover Dalwinder Kaur Sybert
Tim Goddard Amanda Keddie Mutereko Steve
David Godfrey Aleme Keikha Myran Wei
Richard Daniel Keller Leng Neo
Gonzales Janet Ann Kendrick Catherine Neumann
Goodall Edith Kiggundu Adam Nir
Carolyn (Callie) Glynn Kirkham Mohammad
Grant Ashley Grant Henry Koge Noman Daniel
Julie Gray Malisa Komolthiti Nordholm Shah
Toby Greany Gabriela Krichesky Norwawi
Vivienne Griffiths Sharon Kruse Ross Notman
Bennie Grobler Paula Kwan Chris Oates
Peter Gronn Gabriele Lakomski George Odhiambo
Bernie Grummell Kimberly LeChasseur George Oduro
Paul Grunes Moosung Lee Teresa Ogina
Qing Gu Tania Levy- Dolapo Ogunbawo
Sedat Gumus Gazenfrantz Lee Hean Antonio Olmedo Reinoso
Helen Gunter Lim John O’Neill
David Gurr David Litz Izhar Oplatka
Salleh Hairon Peng Liu Stelios Orphanos
Dave Hall Geoffrey Deniz O¨ ru¨cu¨
Philip Hallinger Lowe Jacky Deborah Outhwaite
Linda Hammersley-Fletcher Lumby Ioanna Palaiologou
Graham Handscomb Gerry Mac Angelo Paletta
Matthew Harris Ruairc Trevor Nkobi Pansiri
David Hartley Male Gareth Parry
Janet Harvey Felix Maringe Petros Pashiardis
Richard Hatcher Scott Marsh Maarten Penninckx
Pan He Fatemeh Masouleh Jane Perryman
Ronald Heck Troy McCarley Juliet Perumal
Ayman Hefnawi Norman McCulla James Pounder
Mar´ıa J. Herna´ndez Gerry McNamara Martin Prew
Jan Heystek Maria Menon Haiyan Qian
Brendan Higgins Raj Mestry Stephen Rayner
Ron Hill David Michael Reed
Asa Hirsh Middlewood Paul Vicente Reyes
Craig Hochbein Miller Susan Robinson
Marlies Honingh omar mizel Viviane Robinson
Edith Hooge Hairuddin Mohd Ali Beatriz Rodrigo-Moya
Max Hope Jorunn Moller Ali Sabanci
Chiungwen Hu Connie Moloi Reza Salehzadeh
Raphael Imoni Carmen Montecinos Sue Saltmarsh
Paul Irvine Pontso Moorosi Eugenie Samier
Ian James Jesu´s Morcillo-Bellido David Sassoon
Adrian Jarvis Andrew Morris Elinor Schad
Vahid Javadi Jonathan Morris David Scott
Lauri Johnson Allan Morrison Saeeda Shah
Deborah Jones Marlene Morrison Haim Shaked
Maria Kaparou Bernard Moswela Charol Shakeshaft
Maria Karamanidou Vuyisile Msila Tamar Shapira
Siphiwe Mthiyane Orly Shapira - Lishchinsky
Daniel Muijs
Elizabeth Murakami Ramalho
Bush: Transformational 887
leadership

Victoria Showunmi Tadele Akalu Tesfaw Caryn Wells

Tim Simkins Meng Tian John West-Burnham
Catherine Simon Leon Tikly Philip Whitehead
Margaret Sims Celina Torres Helen Wildy
Anit Somech Andrew Townsend Jeffery Wilson
Krishan Sood Chris Turner Michael Wilson
Anugamini Srivastava Herman Van Christian Winterbottom
Louise Starkey Vuuren Jef Peter Wolstencroft
Michael Strain Verhoeven Joan Woodhouse
Martin Stynes Namrata Verma Philip Woods
Houshang Taghizadeh Paulo Volante Cathy Ping Xie
Lokman Tahir Johanna Vuori Ali Yasini
Jason Tan Zarina Waheed Miri Yemini
Kelzang Tashi Khuan Wai Bing Hongbiao Yin
Allison Tatton Allan Walker Helen Young
Phil Taylor Jenestar Wanjiru Xiao-feng Zhang
Berhane Adam Weaver Jia Zhang
Tedla Jose´ Weinstein