The Relationship between the School Administrators’ Organizational Commitment Levels and Problem Solving Skills
Journal Name:
- Eğitim Bilimleri Araştırmaları Dergisi (EBAD)
Keywords (Original Language):
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Abstract (2. Language):
Introduction
Organizational commitment, as a concept and comprehension, exists in all areas where the feeling of society resides, and it is an emotional way of expression for social instinct. It expresses loyalty in traditional terms. It describes committing ourselves to an idea, an institution, something superior to us, and a responsibility we must obey (Ergun, 1975, 12).
The complicated situation encircling the individual may be defined as problem, and being rescued from it as problem solving (Gelbal, 1991). Problem-solving is closely related to decision process, which may be defined as choosing the best option out of various others. Eliminating the deficiencies and faults in an organization is one of the essential tasks of an administrator. The administrator should hear the problem, collect information, resolve and comment on it, formulate solutions, choose the best solution and apply it, evaluate it, and have knowledge on decision types and factors. The reason for the existence of the administration is ensuring efficacy and productivity in the organization by solving any problems that occur during operation. Moreover, since administration is a process for people, subordinates’ behaviors should be directed towards organizational aims. Hence, “decision-making” may be considered problem solving for the individual and the organization (Bursalıoğlu, 1987).
It is possible to find many studies focusing on organizational commitment and problem solving skills in Turkey (Varoğlu, 1993; Tuncer; 1995; Celep; 1998; Balay, 2000; Bülbül, 2001; Kamer, 2001; Yıldırım, 2002; Keskin & Erdil, 2003; Akınaltuğ, 2003; Sarıdede & Doyuran, 2004; Dilek, 2004; İrban, 2004; Erdoğan, 2004; Tok, 2007; İnce & Gül, 2005; Kaya, 2005; Zeyrek, 2005; Güven, 2006; Güçlü, 2006; Özkaya, Kocakoç & Kara, 2006; Gözen, 2007; Mahmudoğlu, 2007; Yılmaz, 2008; Yılmaz & Çoluk-Bökeoğlu, 2008; Çokluk & Yılmaz, 2010). Moreover, it is observed that only the studies of Celep (1998), Balay (2000), Bülbül (2001), Yıldırım (2002), Tok (2004), Sarıdede & Doyuran (2004), Yılmaz (2008), Yılmaz & Çoluk-Bökeoğlu, (2008), and Çokluk & Yılmaz (2010) focus directly on teachers’ and school administrators’ organizational commitment levels.
Many studies may be found on problem solving skills in the literature similar to those on organizational commitment (Ulupınar, 1997; Keleş, 2000; Çelikten, 2001; Tokyay, 2001; Albayrak, 2002; Ülger, 2003; Güçlü, 2003; Üstün & Bozkurt, 2003; Erdoğmuş, 2004; Çinko, 2004; Sevgi, 2004; Güler, 2006; Arın, 2006; Kösterelioğlu, 2007; Eves, 2008; Altuntaş, 2008; Yerli, 2009; Esen, 2012). Excluding Güler’s study (2006), all others aim at revealing the school administrators’ problem solving skills.
It is observed that the studies on school administrators’ organizational commitment and problem-solving skills are independent from each other in the literature. Therefore, any study handling and investigating school administrators’ organizational commitment and problem-solving skills together was not found in the literature. Thus, the research is expected to contribute to the literature. Answers were sought for these questions: 1) How do school administrators perceive organizational commitment? 2) Do the school admnistrators’ perception of organizational commitment differ in any meaningful way according to their age, position, education level and administrative experience? 3) How do school administrators perceive problem-solving skills? 4) Do the school administrators’ perception of problem-solving skills differ in any meaningful way according to their age, position, education level and administrative experience? 5) Is there any relationship between the administration’s perception of organizational commitment and problem-solving skills? At what level is this relationship, if it exists?
Method
The current study is a relational survey model. The research population is comprised of principals, head assistants and assistants working at public primary schools in the central and other districts of Kastamonu Provincial Directorate of National Education during the 2010-2011 academic year. According to the data from Kastamonu Provincial Directorate of NE, the number of administrators working in the central district of Kastamonu along with other districts was 230 during the 2010-2011 academic year. (kastamonu.meb.gov.tr). The data collection tools were sent to 216 of 230 administrators, 93.98% returned. The data was collected via “the Organizational Commitment Scale” developed by the researchers, and “the Problem Solving Inventory” (1982) by Heppner and Peterson. Besides descriptive statistics, the data was analyzed using a t-test, ANOVA, and Kruskal Wallis H and Pearson Correlation analysis.
Findings
When the administrators’ organizational commitment levels were examined according to variables, it was noted that as administrators got older, their organizational commitment levels increased in the “continuance commitment” sub-dimension. The meaningful difference between the administrators’ educational background and organizational commitment levels was observed in the “continuance commitment”, “emotional commitment” and “commitment to school” sub-dimensions.
As the education level increased, the administrators’ organizational commitment levels decreased. A meaningful relationship was viewed between the administrators’ seniority and organizational commitment levels. Another variable about the organizational commitment is how long they worked in the organization. When the administrators’ teaching experiences were reviewed, statistically meaningful differences were observed in the “continuance commitment” sub-dimension.
Regarding whether the administrators attended in-service training, a meaningful difference was seen in the “continuance commitment” and “normative commitment”. The administrators’ attending in-service training on organizational commitment raised their organizational commitment levels.
When the administrators’ problem-solving skills were examined, the age variable differed meaningfully in the “thinking approach” whereas it did not differ meaningfully in the other dimensions. The administrators’ opinions on the problem-solving skills in view of their positions differed meaningfully in only the “hasty approach” sub-dimension. The meaningful difference between the administrators’ education levels and problem-solving skills was observed in the “thinking approach”, “self-confidence approach”, and “planned approach” sub-dimensions. As the education level decreased, it was understood that their solving skills increased. A negative meaningful difference was determined between organizational commitment levels and problem-solving skills.
Conclusion, Discussion and Recommendations
It was observed that the administrators’ organizational commitment levels and problem-solving levels differed in such variables as age, position, educational background, administrative experience, and participation in in-service training. Moreover, a negative meaningful difference was detected between the organizational commitment and problem-solving skills.
Reviewing the administrators’ organizational commitment levels regarding the age variable revealed their organizational commitment increased in “continuance commitment” sub-dimension as they got older. This finding complies with the related literature (Mathieu & Zajac, 1990; Allen & Meyer, 1993, 26; Kamer, 2001, 28; Güven, 2006).
While the administrators’ opinions on their organizational commitment according to position areas differed meaningfully in the “emotional commitment” dimension, they did not differ meaningfully in the others. This finding complies with the other findings in the literature (Akınaltuğ, 2003; Kaya, 2005).
It was observed that, as the administrators’ education levels increased, their organizational commitment levels decreased. This may result from the increase in expectations from the organization for the administrators with increasing education levels. Likewise, in parallel with the increase in education level, job opportunities also increased. This finding complies with other studies in the literature (Tuncer, 1995; Akınaltuğ, 2003; İrban, 2004; Güçlü 2006; Gözen, 2007; Mahmutoğlu, 2007).
The findings indicate a meaningful relationship between the administrators’ seniority levels and organizational commitment levels. In examining the studies revealing the relationship between the seniority variable and the commitment level, it was noted that the findings comply with others (Cohen, 1992; Tuncer, 1995; Tok, 2004; Erdoğan, 2004; İnce & Gül, 2005; Kaya, 2005; Güçlü, 2006; Mahmutoğlu, 2007).
The administrators’ problem-solving skills differ meaningfully only in the “thinking approach” sub-dimension. This finding complies with the literature (Esen, 2012; Ulupınar, 1997; Kösterelioğlu, 2007). Furthermore, this complies with the findings of Güçlü (2003), Yerli (2009), Arın (2006), Albayrak (2002), Çinko (2004), Altuntaş, (2008), and Eves (2008).
This differentiation observed only in the “hasty approach” dimension in view of the administrators’ positions might be explained as head principal assistants’ being hastier in solving problems than principals and principal assistants. This finding complies with those found by Esen (2012).
According to these findings, as the education level decreased, the administrators’ problem-solving skills increased. This finding obtained in the research complies with the findings obtained by Esen (2012), but they do not comply with those found by Albayrak (2002), Güçlü (2003), Bozkurt (2003), Sevgi (2004), Arın (2006), Kösterelioğlu (2007) and Eves (2008).
The administrators’ problem-solving skills differed meaningfully only in the “hasty approach”, “thinking approach”, “evaluating approach”, “self-confident approach”, and “planned approach” dimensions according to their administrative experience. While this finding complies with those found by Albayrak (2002), Erdoğmuş (2004) and Altuntaş (2008), it does not comply with those found by Üstün & Bozkurt (2003), Güçlü (2003), Arın (2006), Kösterelioğlu (2007) and Eves (2008).The research suggests that the administrators’ organizational commitment levels and their problem-solving skills change in an inverse proportion. Thus, it may be said that as the school administrators’ organizational commitment levels increased, problem-solving skills decreased, or as the organizational commitment decreased, problem-solving skills increased.
The following may be recommended based upon the findings and conclusions: 1) The organizational commitment and problem-solving perceptions of public and private school administrators may be specified and compared. 2) How school administrators affect organizational commitment should be investigated.
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Abstract (Original Language):
İlişkisel tarama modelinin kullanıldığı çalışmanın amacı, okul yöneticilerinin örgütsel adanmışlık düzeyleri ile problem çözme becerileri arasında anlamlı bir ilişkinin olup olmadığını ortaya koymaktır. Araştırmanın çalışma evrenini Kastamonu ili şehir merkezi ve ilçelerinde bulunan Milli Eğitim Müdürlüğü’ne bağlı ilköğretim kurumlarında görev yapan 203 okul yöneticisi oluşturmaktadır. Veriler araştırmacılar tarafından geliştirilen “Örgütsel Adanmışlık Ölçeği” ve Heppner ve Peterson (1982) tarafından geliştirilen “Problem Çözme Envanteri” ile toplanmıştır. Verilerin analizinde t-testi, ANOVA, Kruskal Wallis H Testi ve Pearson Korelasyon Analizi kullanılmıştır. Araştırma bulgularına göre, okul yöneticilerinin adanmışlık düzeyleri ve problem çözme becerileri yaş, görev alanı, eğitim düzeyi ve meslekteki kıdemine göre farklılaşmaktadır. Araştrımada örgütsel adanmışlık düzeyleri ile problem çözme becerileri arasında negatif yönde anlamlı bir ilişki olduğu gözlenmiştir.
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