EDCC 413

EDUCATION MANAGEMENT
AND LEADERSHIP
Dr Edwin Darrell de Klerk
Building A2A, Block B, Office: G83
018 389 2519
darrell.deklerk@nwu.ac.za
How will you describe/define
an Organisation?
• Study Unit 1:
• The school as an Organisation
An Organisation
• A social unit of people
• That is structured and
• Has managed to meet a need or pursue collective goals.
(Business Dictionary, 2018)
An Organisation (Daft,
2009)

Social entities that

Are goal-directed

Designed as deliberately
structured and
coordinated systems, and

Are linked to the external

environment
An Organisation (Theron, 2013)

A FORMAL STRUCTURE IN WHICH PEOPLE SOCIAL RELATION TO IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE

STAND IN A CERTAIN ONE ANOTHER CERTAIN COMMON
WORKING/AND OR OBJECTIVES
 Possess a formal structure of authority

Characteristics of
Certain hierarchical order of authority
Organisations
Structure of authority presumes → person of
authority & persons subject to authority
General

The formal structure of authority makes it

possible to regulate life within the organisation

Regulation differ from organisations → unique

 Theron (2018):

• Particular composition & structure

Typical • More than 1 person with prescribed &

differentiated tasks

Characteristics of • Specific aims & objectives

• Managed to achieve its objectives

an Organisation • Exposed to external influences

• Coordinated activities
• Collective activities
Conclusion:
An • Is characterised by a certain
composition and structure
• Is orientated towards aims and

Organisati
objectives
• Makes use of certain methods to
realise its objectives, such as
differentiated tasks and

on management
• Is characterised by the continuity of
events in an organisation, and
• It has a formal structure.
TYPES OF
ORGANISATIONS

– Organisations and their

societal roles
– Organisations and the
controls they use
 Organisations and their societal roles

Production or Adaptive/Renewal
Managerial or Maintenance
Economic and research
Political organisations organisation
organisations organisations
• Provide clothing, • Adjudicate, • Socialise people by • Create knowledge
food, transport, coordinate & control teaching them the and develop & test
shelter, etc. to resources, people & values & behavioural theory, & apply itself
society other institutions norms that are to solve problems
(law firms) necessary to and/or improve
maintain social order society (Schools,
(schools) universities)
 Coercive

• Use force or coercion to control or change

(Prisons, armies, certain hospitals)

Organisatio Utilitarian organisations

ns and the • Use remuneration as basis of control

• Supply services in exchange for remuneration
controls they (Businesses, educational institutions, state
departments)

use Normative

• Use moral controls to influence behaviour

(Religious organisations, political parties,
voluntary organisations, schools)
Organisations and the controls they use

Mutual benefit Organisations → trade

unions

Business concerns → Industrial firms,

retail stores (owners benefit)

Service organisations → Police, fire

dept artment, etc. (General public
benefits: Commonwealth)

Public organisations → Schools,

hospitals, post office, legal aid, prisons
(Specific communities benefits)
 Perspective:

With regard to societal

roles schools may be
classified as:

Maintenance • Expected to maintain existing social order

organisations:

• Teachers seeing their role as one of changing & improving society

Adaptive organisations: • School principals must maintain a balance between these two
functions
Perspective of
the school as
an
organisation
The school as an
organisation
• Is characterised by a certain composition and structure
• Is orientated towards aims and objectives
• Makes use of certain methods to realise its objectives, such
as differentiated tasks and management
• Is characterised by the continuity of events in an
organisation, and
• It has a formal structure.
The school as a social
system
Schools are social systems in which two or more people work together in a coordinated
manner to attain common goals.

This specifies several important features of schools, namely that schools

• Ultimately consists of people,
• Are goal-directed in nature
• Attain their goals through some form of coordinated effort, and
• Interact with their external environment

Social System Model (pp. 10-12)

Structural dimension of schools (pp. 12-13)

Contextual dimension (pp. 14-15)

The school as Open and
Closed Organisation
• Openness or closeness is determined by degree of
interaction with external environment with respect to
specific decisions, pressures or materials

• Not Open or Closed system in an absolute sense

• School may be quite open to advice from parents on one

matter; but quite closed on advice on another

• Openness and closeness are based on the bureaucratic &

professional dimensions
Open and closed
organisations
 Always exchange feedback with its external environment

All schools are open systems

Schools need to structure themselves to deal with forces in the world around them

An Open A Closed System

Features opposite to those of open system

System Has closed boundaries

Limited interaction with its external environment

Schools can be considered closed in so far as its unique features concerned

These are the professional work features

School as a Formal
Organisation
• Clearly defined policies and goals
• Hierarchical structure of authority
• Tasks entrusted to people in clearly
described posts
• Suitable rules and regulations for
performing functions
• Coordinated activities with effective
control mechanisms
• Official membership
• Organisation does not dissolve if
members leave
School as an Informal Organisation

• Informal task groups

• Interaction while working on undesignated tasks; bond
may continue

• Informal communication group

• Voluntarily developed certain types of interactions

• Informal friendship groups

• Voluntarily interaction during work periods or non-
working periods
 Formal vs Informal Organisations

BASIS FORMAL INFORMAL

Objective Consciously created to achieve
predetermined objectives
Structure Official hierarchy of relations; well-
defined authority & responsibility
No predetermined objectives; created
because of integration
Based on emotions & sentiments;
personal relationships which develop
automatically when working together

Formation Formal relations well planned & created Informal relations are unplanned &
deliberately originate automatically
Chain of Command Official chain of command which cannot No fixed chain of command. Is based on
be changed. Communication follow sentiments of members. No fixed
formal channels patterns of communication

Stability Usually stable; continue to exist even Life span is generally short; disintegrate
when some members leave if some members leave
 BASIS FORMAL INFORMAL
Authority Authority is institutional; attached to a Authority is personal; attaches to a person.
position. Authority flows downward as Flows downward, upward and/or horizontal.
delegated Authority is replaced by informal influence

Leadership Managers with formal authority provide Leaders are not appointed but chosen by
leadership members
Human Relations Reflect technocratic aspects of Reflect human aspect. Based on attitudes,
organisation. Does not take care of likes & dislikes, tastes, language, etc. of
sentiments people

Flexibility Rigid structure of relationships. Lines of Loosely structured & highly flexible.
communication & flow of authority are Communication is quite free as there are no
pre-decided barriers to downward, upward or horizontal
communication

Pattern of Behaviour Prescribed pattern of behaviour. System Develop social norms of behaviour through
of reward & punishment to regulate mutual consent. Rewards include satisfaction,
behaviour social esteem, recognition, etc. Punishment
includes censure, isolation, boycotting, etc.
School as an Educational Organisation

A school has unique functions that distinguish it from other organisations

A school has characteristics similar to those of other organisations

A school is a social organization with features of open, closed, formal and informal
organisations

Schools are structures qualified by educational factors → they cannot, like industry or
business, be explained i.t.o. certain input-output processes or a profit motive
Schools deal exclusively with teachers as
professionals who are concerned with teaching
learners in teaching & learning spaces

As formal organisations → schools are structured

systematically in ordered structures where the
main activity of concern is educative teaching

This is what constitutes a school’s uniqueness → its

educative mission

A school aims at enhancing the continuous

development of people to become fully functional
individuals
Thank you!