A Phenomenological Evaluation of Administrative Processes

Abstract

In this study, it was aimed to determine the opinions of school administrators about management processes. For this purpose, interviews were conducted with 25 school administrators working in private and public schools. The data of the study, which was conducted in phenomenology design, one of the qualitative research methods, were analysed by content analysis. In the study, school administrators' views on the management processes of decision-making, planning, organising, communication, influencing, coordinating and evaluating were taken and these views were divided into themes and codes and findings were formed. According to the findings, school administrators perceive the decision-making process as theoretical decisions, organisational decisions, personal decisions, aesthetic decisions, economic decisions and bureaucratic decisions. Similarly, the planning process is perceived as acting in accordance with the law and meeting the expectations of the central organisation. The organising process, which is one of the management processes, is perceived by school administrators as providing support to in-school groups, establishing effective and open communication within the school, and taking responsibility by leading groups and teachers. Another finding obtained in the study is related to the communication process. Accordingly, school administrators categorised the communication process as personal communication, professional communication and effective communication. Regarding the influence process, it can be said that school administrators perceive this process as providing motivation. The coordination process, which is one of the management processes, is seen as resolving conflict, establishing relevant groups for in-school activities and ensuring communication-oriented harmony between these groups. According to the findings, school administrators perceive evaluation as guidance rather than inspection and need some competencies and evaluation models to provide this.