Linda Bendikson, Mark Broadwith, Tong Zhu and Frauke Meyer
This article investigates goal pursuit practices in a sample of 31 New Zealand high schools. It examines goal knowledge of middle and senior leaders, the alignment of this…
Abstract
Purpose
This article investigates goal pursuit practices in a sample of 31 New Zealand high schools. It examines goal knowledge of middle and senior leaders, the alignment of this knowledge and factors related to improvement.
Design/methodology/approach
Goals from schools' annual improvement plans were identified and counted at the beginning of the academic year. Senior and middle leaders were asked to recall their school's academic goals from memory. Responses were scored against the goals in the schools' plans to produce an accuracy score for each leader and for each middle and senior leadership team (SLT). At the end of the academic year, leaders recounted their goals and rated and commented on their SLT’s goal focus. Data analysis examined goal knowledge, alignment of middle and senior leaders' goal knowledge and SLT's goal focus. Comments were analyzed thematically in regard to the number and clarity of the goals and how goals were communicated, enacted and monitored.
Findings
Our findings show a lack of goal clarity, persistence across the year and effective strategy hampered the majority of schools in their goal pursuit. Only a few schools had a strong and aligned goal focus. Factors influencing perceived improvement included: fewer and greater clarity of goals, engagement of middle leaders in setting goals, establishing sound supporting structures and regular monitoring of progress.
Originality/value
While annual improvement plans outlining multiple goals are often compulsory for schools, little is known about their impact on practice. This research clarifies the state of goal pursuit in a sample of high schools.
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Frauke Meyer, Deidre M. Le Fevre and Viviane M.J. Robinson
The notion of vulnerability underlies relationships of trust. Trust between leaders and staff is needed to solve concerns that hinder equity and excellence in teaching and…
Abstract
Purpose
The notion of vulnerability underlies relationships of trust. Trust between leaders and staff is needed to solve concerns that hinder equity and excellence in teaching and learning. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether and how leaders show vulnerability by disclosing own possible contributions to concerns they try to resolve.
Design/methodology/approach
Data included transcripts of conversations held by 27 educational leaders about a concern with another staff and a questionnaire about the nature, causes and history of the concern. Questionnaire analysis identified if and how leaders described their own possible contribution prior to the conversation. Transcript analysis identified instances of leaders’ contribution disclosure.
Findings
Results indicate that while two-thirds of leaders identified an own contribution, when prompted prior to the conversation, one-third saw no own contribution. Leaders indicated contributing by not acting on the concern, by acting in ways inappropriate or insufficient to resolve the concern, or by not clearly communicating their concern in the past. Eight of the 27 leaders publicly disclosed their contribution in the actual conversation. In some conversations this disclosure prompted reciprocal disclosure of information about the concern and its causes by the other person, aiding a more effective concern resolution.
Originality/value
Through examining leaders’ interpersonal behavior in difficult conversations, the importance of leaders’ acknowledgments of own mistakes and communication of their own vulnerability is highlighted. A positive view of vulnerability is argued for, epistemic vulnerability, which manifests itself in the willingness to be honest and open to learning by accepting one’s own fallibility.
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Deidre Le Fevre, Frauke Meyer and Linda Bendikson
The purpose of this research is to use a collective responsibility theoretical lens to examine the work of three school principals as they focussed on school-wide goal-setting…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this research is to use a collective responsibility theoretical lens to examine the work of three school principals as they focussed on school-wide goal-setting processes to achieve valued student achievement goals. The tensions principals face in creating collective responsibility are examined so that these might be intentionally navigated.
Design/methodology/approach
Qualitative case studies of three New Zealand schools include data from interviews with principals, middle leaders and teachers. An inductive and deductive thematic analysis approach was employed.
Findings
Principals face four key tensions: (1) whether to promote self or centrally directed and voluntary or mandatory professional learning; (2) how to balance a top-down versus a middle-up process for accountability; (3) ways to integrate both educator and student voice and (4) the complexity of both challenging teachers' beliefs and providing support. These challenges seemed inherent in the work of developing collective responsibility and leaders tended to move along response continuum.
Research limitations/implications
This research highlights the importance of being intentional and transparent with staff members about both the nature of these tensions and their navigation, and opens up further questions in relation to leader, and teacher perceptions of tensions in creating collective responsibility for achieving school-improvement goals.
Practical implications
An understanding of the tensions that need to be navigated can help leaders and other educators to take effective action, scrutinize the reasoning behind decisions, and understand the inherent challenges faced.
Originality/value
Leadership tensions in creating collective responsibility are explored and implications for leadership practice and learning considered.
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Frauke Mattison Thompson and Sven Tuzovic
The purpose of this study is to investigate the extent to which loyalty programs can prevent switching, and how individual level cultural values impact this. Loyalty programs are…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the extent to which loyalty programs can prevent switching, and how individual level cultural values impact this. Loyalty programs are designed to create switching costs, which reduce customers’ desire to leave. However, in practice, these programs are often misapplied; that is, most companies inadvertently treat all customers as equal. While ample research has examined the role of loyalty reward programs in facilitating customer loyalty, little is known about the extent to which individual-level cultural values moderate customer loyalty measures of trust and affective commitment and how this impacts the effectiveness of loyalty programs; that is, consumers’ intentions to “stick” with the program or to switch.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a quasi-experiment combined with an extensive survey to collect the data.
Findings
Based on data collected from one industrial country and four emerging countries, the results show that loyalty programs do not universally prevent switching behavior. Instead, this study finds that individual-level uncertainty avoidance and collectivist values significantly moderate the effects.
Originality/value
This study helps advance the understanding of how international retailers can increase their loyalty program effectiveness and reduce customer switching to competitors.
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The purpose of this paper is to examine how geographic diversification affects the performance of international new ventures.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine how geographic diversification affects the performance of international new ventures.
Design/methodology/approach
This study develops hypotheses about the individual and joint effects of geographic diversification and industry life cycle on the performance of international new ventures. This paper also introduces industry technology characteristics as a contingent factor for the above relationships and tests the hypotheses on a large panel data set.
Findings
Based on the analyses of the strategies and performance of 699 listed Chinese international new ventures between 1991 and 2014, this study finds that the impact of geographic diversification on performance is contingent on the stage of the industry life cycle and that the moderating effect differs across high-technology and low-technology industries. The results suggest that it is fruitful for international new ventures in high-technology industries to undertake geographic diversification in earlier stages of the industry life cycle, but international new ventures in low-technology industries are better off undertaking geographic diversification during the later stages of the industry life cycle.
Originality/value
The study contributes to the literature on international entrepreneurship by identifying the industry life cycle conditions under which the learning advantages of international new ventures are effective and facilitate the achievement of better performance. This paper also shows that industry technology type matters for geographic diversification strategies of international new ventures.