Constitution and culture : Exploring the deep leadership structures of Hong Kong schools

Constitution and culture : Exploring the deep leadership structures of Hong Kong schools

• Walker, Allan Dept. of Educational Administration and Policy, Chinese University of Hong Kong

Discourse, 25(1), 75-94, 2004

Routledge

2004

• R Educational Policy & Administration
  • RH Supervisors, School Principals & Administrators

Administrative Organisation Chinese Culture Cultural Context Cultural Influences Educational Change Educational Development Educational Leadership Leadership Styles Power Structure Principals School Administration Schools Primary Secondary Education Hong Kong

• Hong Kong

• 1997.7 onwards

• Primary Education
• Secondary Education

This article aims to contribute to an understanding of principalship in Hong Kong through probing the formation and preservation of the deep leadership structures that shape its practice. Deep structures are formed partly through a dynamic relationship between constitution and culture which forms bounded "codes" of understanding, conduct and behaviour which combine to shape principalship in Hong Kong and power relationships within schools and collections of schools. After providing a brief historical snapshot of Hong Kong education development since 1945, the paper explores the recent context of principalship and how this influences its shape in schools. Discussion of context focuses on the interconnected elements of constitution and traditional culture. These factors are illustrated using the issues of principal selection and teacher and parent empowerment to show the influence of deep leadership structures on the principal and the system. Depending on the perspective taken, these can be understood as either supportive or obstructive to better school leadership.
[Copyright of Discourse is the property of Routledge. Full article may be available at the publisher's website:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0159630042000178491]

• English

Journal Articles

• 01596306

• 10.1080/0159630042000178491

https://bibliography.lib.eduhk.hk/bibs/19b19cab

2010-09-08