Striking a Balance between Centralized and Decentralized Decision Making: A School-Based Management Practice for Optimum Performance
Abstract
This study explores the balance between centralized and decentralized decision-making within school-based management systems. The aim is to identify how combining these approaches can enhance school autonomy, improve staff performance, and increase accountability. A systematic literature review was conducted, involving an extensive search of major academic databases. Out of 35,822 studies initially identified, 9 studies met the inclusion criteria for in-depth analysis. The selected studies were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify key patterns and themes related to decision-making in school management. Two major themes emerged from the analysis: (1) decision-making as a school-based management practice, and (2) decision-making towards school performance. The findings highlight that while decentralized decision-making empowers schools and fosters a sense of autonomy, a balanced approach incorporating both centralized and decentralized strategies is essential for optimal educational outcomes. The study concludes that a hybrid approach to decision-making, which blends centralized and decentralized methods, is most effective in enhancing school performance. This approach not only strengthens the decision-making process within schools but also aligns school management with broader educational goals. The findings suggest that increasing the involvement of internal and external stakeholders in decision-making processes can significantly boost school autonomy and accountability. Further research is recommended in two key areas: (1) the decision-making practices of school principals, and (2) decision-making related to school operating expenses and expenditures. These insights will be valuable for policymakers, school administrators, and educators aiming to improve educational outcomes through effective decision-making practices.
Full text article
References
Agha, R. A., Fowler, A. J., & Limb, C. (2016). Impact of the mandatory implementation of reporting guidelines on reporting quality in a surgical journal: A before and after study. International Journal of Surgery, 30(1), 169-172. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsu.2016.04.032
Bandur, A. (2009). The implementation of school-based management in Indonesia: Creating conflicts at regional levels. Journal of NTT Studies, 1(1), 16-27.
Bandur, A. (2012). School-Based Management Developments: Challenges and impacts. Journal of Educational Administration, 50(6), 845-873. https://doi.org/10.1108/09578231211264711
Barnett, E. (2012). An analysis of community involvement in primary schools in Malawi. International Journal of Educational Development, 33(5), 497-509. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2012.06.007
Bicer, A. (2021). A systematic literature review: Discipline-specific and general instructional practices fostering students' mathematical creativity. International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science, and Technology (IJEMST), 9(2), 252-281. https://doi.org/10.46328/ijemst.1254
Bjork, C. (2006). Conclusion: Connecting theory and practice in efforts to decentralize education systems in Asia. In Educational Decentralisation: Asian Experiences and Conceptual Contributions, 1(1), 149-158. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-4358-1_15
Botha, N. (2006). Leadership in school-based management: A case study in selected schools. South African Journal of Education, 26(3), 341-353.
Brunsson, N. (2007). The consequences of decision-making. In Oxford University Press, 355-360.
Caldwell, B. J. (2005). School-based management (Vol. 3). International Institute for Educational Planning.
Çankaya, I., Tan, C., & Bal?kç?, S. (2020). Generation Z support autonomous management in school: Evaluation of teacher candidates' views. International Journal of Education, 8(4), 38-44. https://doi.org/10.34293/education.v8i4.3311
Daresh, J. C. (1998). Professional development for school leadership: The impact of US educational reform. International Journal of Educational Research, 29(4), 323-333. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0883-0355(98)00036-6
Dixon-Woods, M. (2011). Systematic reviews and qualitative methods. In D. Silverman (Ed.), Qualitative research, 331-347.
Dykstra, A. H., & Kucita, P. (2008). School-based management through cluster schools: A case study from Cambodia. In UNICEF, Education for All: Making it Work, 15-20.
Edwards Jr., D. B., & Mbatia, P. (2013). Education decentralisation and school clusters in Namibia: Technical, institutional, and political dimensions. Education International, 55-73. http://hdl.handle.net/11295/81125
Forman, A., & Selly, M. A. (2001). Decision by objectives: How to convince others that you are right. World Scientific Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1142/4281
Gamage, D., & Zajda, J. (2005). Decentralization and school-based management: A comparative study of self-governing schools models. Educational Practice and Theory, 27(2), 35-58. https://doi.org/10.7459/ept/27.2.04
Gamage, D. (2003). School-based management leads to shared responsibility and quality in education. James Nicholas Publishers, 20(1), 61-77. https://doi.org/10.7459/ct/20.1.05
Gill, C. M., & Berezina, E. (2020). School performance in three South East Asian countries: Lessons in leadership, decision-making, and training. European Journal of Training and Development, 36(1), 8-9. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJTD-01-2020-0014
Gough, D., Thomas, J., & Oliver, S. (2019). Clarifying differences between reviews within evidence ecosystems. Systematic Review, 8(1), 170. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-019-1089-2
Gurevitch, J., Koricheva, J., Nakagawa, S., & Stewart, G. (2018). Meta-analysis and the science of research synthesis. Nature, 555(1), 175-182. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature25753
Hawkins, J. N. (2000). Centralization, decentralization, recentralization - Educational reform in China. Journal of Educational Administration, 38(5), 442-455. https://doi.org/10.1108/09578230010378340
Hussain, A., Ahmad, S., Misbah, M., & Batool, A. (2017). Principals' leadership styles and teachers' job satisfaction: A correlation study at secondary level. Bulletin of Education and Research, 39(3), 45-56.
Jensen, M. C., & Meckling, W. H. (1992). Specific and general knowledge and organizational structure. In L. Werin & H. Wijkander (Eds.), Contract Economics (pp. 355-360). Basil Blackwell Ltd.
Juharyanto, I., Bafadal, I., Arifin, B. R., Saputra, M. A., & Adha, M. A. (2020). The use of conventional communication technology as an effective principal leadership strategy in strengthening the role of multi-stakeholder's forum for school quality improvement. Elementary Education Online, 19(4), 1963-1973. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.201214.312
Karmila, N., & Wijaya, A. (2020). Implementation of school-based management in Tambilung Elementary School. Journal of Humanities and Social Studies, 4(1), 71-73. https://doi.org/10.33751/jhss.v4i1.2044
La Rooy, G. (2012). Executive management in a flat organization. Human Resources Magazine, 17(1), 18-19.
Lazwardi, D. (2018). Implementation of school-based management. Al-Idarah: Jurnal Kependidikan Islam, 8(1), 32-49. https://doi.org/10.24042/alidarah.v8i1.3115
Leclercq, V., Beaudart, C., Ajamieh, S., Rabenda, V., Tirelli, E., & Bruyère, O. (2019). Meta-analyses indexed in PsycINFO had a better completeness of reporting when they mention PRISMA. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 115(1), 46-54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2019.06.014
Liberati, A., Altman, D. G., & Tetzlaff, J. (2009). The PRISMA statement for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses of studies that evaluate health care interventions: Explanation and elaboration. Annals of Internal Medicine, 151, W65-W94. https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-151-4-200908180-00136
MacLure, M. (2005). Clarity bordering on stupidity: Where's the quality in systematic review? Journal of Education Policy, 20(4), 393-416. https://doi.org/10.1080/02680930500131801
Mailool, J., Kartowagiran, B., Retnowati, T., Wening, S., & Putranta, H. (2020). The effects of principal's decision-making, organizational commitment, and school climate on teacher performance in vocational high school based on teacher perceptions. European Journal of Educational Research, 9(4), 1675-1687. https://doi.org/10.12973/eu-jer.9.4.1675
Martinez, R. (2014). School-based change in the era of high accountability and low autonomy. International Journal of Educational Organization Leadership, 20(3), 15-22. https://doi.org/10.18848/2329-1656/CGP/v20i03/48482
Moher, D., Liberati, A., Tetzlaff, J., Altman, D. G. (2009). Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: The PRISMA statement. PLoS Medicine, 6(7), e1000097. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000097
Montgomery, D. C. (2009). Introduction to statistical quality control (6th ed.). John Wiley & Sons.
Nair, R. (2009). Comparing evaluation approaches: School-based management and teacher efficacy. Journal of Education Evaluation, 55(1), 82-91. https://doi.org/10.1108/09578230910948583
North, D. C. (1990). Institutions, institutional change, and economic performance. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511808678
Nunokawa, J. (2010). A comparison of school-based management and centralized control in Japan: Results from the field. Educational Review, 62(1), 21-34. https://doi.org/10.1080/00319100903566308
Patel, K. (2012). A comparative analysis of education management systems. Education Policy Review, 14(3), 20-32. https://doi.org/10.1080/02680930601141044
Pong, K. (2016). School-based management in the context of a large-scale reform: Evidence from a study in Hong Kong. Journal of Education Policy, 31(2), 204-221. https://doi.org/10.1080/02680939.2015.105842 1
Salvatore, S., & Hofmann, T. (2019). Systematic review of systematic reviews: Publication bias and its effects on research conclusions. Journal of Research Synthesis, 7(3), 88-102. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12030-019-09850-3
Shah, H., & Furlong, J. (2012). Examining teacher efficacy and school-based management in developing countries: Case studies from Bangladesh. International Journal of Educational Development, 32(1), 85-96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2011.05.003
Williams, C., & Dall, R. (2007). School-based management and student outcomes: A review of international evidence. Journal of School Leadership, 17(4), 110-127. https://doi.org/10.1177/10526846070170040 3
Wood, D. (2008). The impact of leadership style on the effectiveness of school-based management. Journal of Educational Leadership and Administration, 25(2), 45-67. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220671003728246
Authors
Copyright (c) 2021 Celinmar M. Cornito
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright / Open Access Policy
This journal provides immediate and free open access to all its content and is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). This means readers are permitted to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of articles, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without asking prior permission from the publisher or the author, as long as proper attribution is given. This policy is consistent with the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI) definition of open access.