Izhar Oplatka

Universities in a competitive global marketplace

Purpose – The purpose of this systematic review was to explore the nature of the marketing of higher education (HE) and universities in an international context. The objectives of the review were to: systematically collect, document, scrutinise and critically analyse the current research literature on supply‐side higher education marketing; establish the scope of higher education marketing; identify gaps in the research literature; and make recommendations for further research in this field.Design/methodology/approach – The approach for this study entailed extensive searches of relevant business management and education databases. The intention was to ensure that, as far as possible, all literature in the field was identified – while keeping the focus on literature of greatest pertinence to the research questions.Findings – The paper finds that potential benefits of applying marketing theories and concepts that have been effective in the business world are gradually being recognised by researchers in the ...

The principalship in developing countries: context, characteristics and reality

This article seeks to shed light on the contexts and characteristics of principalship in developing countries, as well as to examine similarities and differences between principals in developed and developing countries. Twenty‐seven papers constitute the data on which external influences on principalship, patterns of leadership styles and managerial aspects of the principals role are analysed. Although there is no one portrait of school principalship in developing countries, some common features were revealed, such as limited autonomy, autocratic leadership style, summative evaluation, low degree of change initiation, and lack of instructional leadership functions. Theoretical implications and suggestions for educational policy and reforms are presented.This article seeks to shed light on the contexts and characteristics of principalship in developing countries, as well as to examine similarities and differences between principals in developed and developing countries. Twenty‐seven papers constitute the data on which external influences on principalship, patterns of leadership styles and managerial aspects of the principals role are analysed. Although there is no one portrait of school principalship in developing countries, some common features were revealed, such as limited autonomy, autocratic leadership style, summative evaluation, low degree of change initiation, and lack of instructional leadership functions. Theoretical implications and suggestions for educational policy and reforms are presented.

Going Beyond Role Expectations: Toward an Understanding of the Determinants and Components of Teacher Organizational Citizenship Behavior

Purpose: To fill the gap in theoretical and empirical knowledge on the patterns of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) in school, the aim of this study was to explore the components of teacher OCB as well as its personal and contextual determinants. Research Design: Semistructured interviews were conductedwith 50 schoolteachers, 10 principals, and 10 supervisors, all from the elementary and secondary educational systems of Israel. The analysis followed the principles of qualitative research. Findings: The article presents an initial conceptualization of the components of teacher OCB. Among these components are supportive behaviors toward students and colleagues, initiation of changes and innovations in teaching, strong orientation toward the organization, and strong loyalty to the teaching profession. In addition, the study identified a variety of determinants of teacher OCB, such as the school principal, the teachers character, and the schools climate. Conclusions: Empirical and practical implications for the educational system and the educational research are suggested. Principals are strongly encouraged to establish a school environment that promotes OCB-oriented teachers and to create workshops to help him or her in this task. Researchers of educationalsystems are provided with new directions for research on the teachers role and behavior.

Women in educational administration within developing countries: Towards a new international research agenda

Purpose – This paper seeks to set the stage for the exploration of female leadership in educational systems within developing countries by reviewing the current research on women in educational administration within developing countries and suggesting future directions for further research on this subject in non‐western countries.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based partially on a systematic review of 13 English‐language papers that have been published in peer‐reviewed journals in educational administration, gender studies in education, and comparative education.Findings – The review points to particular barriers to womens career advancement in educational systems within developing countries (e.g. strong family obligations, low levels of girl education, majority of men in teaching positions), unique career experiences (e.g. the important role of the father), and to the adoption of “androgynous” leadership style by the few women administrators in these countries.Practical implications – Future...

The research on school marketing: Current issues and future directions

This review provides a synthesis of the scholarship that has sought to expand the understanding of educational marketing practice in schools. The following research questions guided this review. What are the common themes and characteristics that emerge from research about marketing in schools? What remains underdeveloped in the characterization of the school marketing and what are the topics for future research? Based on 25 studies identified as pertinent to the current review the topics of: marketing perceptions, marketing planning, marketing strategies and promotion are discussed. The paper concludes by providing an analysis of the limitations of the current research and discussing future directions for research on school marketing.

The field of educational administration: A historical overview of scholarly attempts to recognize epistemological identities, meanings and boundaries from the 1960s onwards

Purpose – Based on journal articles that focused on epistemological issues in the field (e.g. the fields nature, purposes, borders, knowledge base, uniqueness, etc.), this paper seeks to outline the intellectual discussions in the field of educational administration (EA) since the foundation of its major journals and suggest some lessons for the state of the field at the present time.Design/methodology/approach – The review is based on all papers, scholarly, historical or empirical, that observed philosophical, epistemological and methodological issues and concerns in this field. The papers were analyzed and coded by their purposes, arguments, epistemological questions, criticism, findings and insights.Practical implications – The major concluding epistemological message of this historical account is of “recycling,” i.e. the field is typically embedded with debates over similar ideas, assumptions, and insights about EA as a field of study throughout the last five decades. Therefore, it is a time for radi...

The principal's career stage: an absent element in leadership perspectives

This article revisits the major perspectives of educational leadership, and challenges their assumptions from the standpoint of the career stage approach, that postulates that individuals progress through a series of stages, each of which is characterised by a relatively unique set of issues, themes, or tasks. The author claims the need to consider the principals career stage in theoretical perspectives of educational leadership, on the grounds that the assumptions underlying different leadership styles are more likely to be appropriate for a principals particular career stage, rather than for any career stage. Principals should be expected in theory to adopt a leadership style which is more compatible with the unique features and context of a certain career stage, and to refrain from employing a leadership style that is in contrast with those features and context.

Mentoring Novice Teachers: Motives, Process, and Outcomes from the Mentor's Point of View

The purpose of this paper is to present the major motives leading senior teachers to be involved in a mentoring process of newly appointed teachers and its benefits for the mentor teacher. Based on semi-structured interviews with 12 experienced teachers who participated in a university-based mentoring program in Israel, the current study found a wide variety of motives, difficulties, and benefits during the mentoring process, including intrinsic and extrinsic motives, emotional rewards, professional benefits, and negative outcomes. Practical implications for mentoring programs are suggested.

School Change and Self-renewal: Some Reflections from Life Stories of Women Principals

The current article provides insight into thesubjective meanings attached to school changeby women school principals and the ways theyconstruct and interpret the relation between adesired school change and their own self-renewal.Through an inductive analysis of life storydata of 6 women principals in mid-career, thestudy unearthed school change-renewal cyclesthat prevail throughout their career span.Every cycle links four personal experiences:lack of stimulation in their work, search forchanges and innovation at school,energy-replenishing, and a sense ofself-fulfillment. Our results show that throughthe construction of school change-renewalcycles in the life stories, the initiation andimplementation of school change is implicitlyconceived as a positive contributor of onesrenewal and growth.

University Choice: What Do We Know, What Don't We Know and What Do We Still Need to Find Out?.

– The purpose of this paper is to systematically document, scrutinise and critically analyse the current research literature on higher education choice to: establish the scope of the studies; map the factors associated with choice; identify the key strengths and weaknesses in the research literature; critically analyse the extant research and make recommendations for further research in this field. , – The authors conducted extensive searches of relevant and education and management databases. The search is limited to publications between 1992 and 2013 and is intended to cover national and international research. The review is based on 75 papers which focus on institutional choice, assembled on an Excel database (45 surveys, 13 secondary data studies, one experimental study, two longitudinal studies, 11 qualitative studies and three studies that use both qualitative and quantitative techniques). , – Results are presented under thematic headings which emerged from the analysis: first, demographics and academic factors; second, factors which relate to the institution: quality, outcomes and benefits, facilities, and characteristics of institutions. Finally factors which affect both the institution and the students: price and price sensitivity, information and information sources, and travel and geographical factors are considered. , – Comprehensive analysis of prior research in the field of institutional choice is long overdue. Theoretical models for future research are presented as a result of the findings.