Strategic Management in Education

Due to the level of political violence over a
thirty-year period in Northern Ireland, there have
been numerous calls for change in the educational
system to allow Catholic and Protestant children to
attend the same schools (e.g. Fraser, 1974; Heskin,
1980; Spencer, 1987). There are perhaps two separate
issues. The first is whether or not the claims for
the effect of integrated education are valid, and the
second is whether the system that has developed has
done so in the most effective way and almost
regardless of the first issue. This research deals
largely with the second issue and has considered
integrated schools through an organisational lens
using strategic management literature. The research
identified the nature of the relationship between the
various stakeholders in the integrated sector and
found that there is a lack of awareness of
commonality or diversity between the schools. This
has resulted in a weak sectoral identity and a lack
of synergy. The research findings suggest that the
integrated education movement has reached a
cross-roads in its development and requires
appropriate strategic management for future
development, growth and maybe even survival!

Autorentext

Dr. John Milliken is a lecturer in education and has undertakenresearch in the primary, post-primary and tertiary sectors ofeducation. With an extensive, successful, business career beforebecoming an academic he has a strong strategic, organizationaland management focus and brings a different dynamic to hisresearch.

Klappentext

Due to the level of political violence over athirty-year period in Northern Ireland, there havebeen numerous calls for change in the educationalsystem to allow Catholic and Protestant children toattend the same schools (e.g. Fraser, 1974; Heskin,1980; Spencer, 1987). There are perhaps two separateissues. The first is whether or not the claims forthe effect of integrated education are valid, and thesecond is whether the system that has developed hasdone so in the most effective way and almostregardless of the first issue. This research dealslargely with the second issue and has consideredintegrated schools through an organisational lensusing strategic management literature. The researchidentified the nature of the relationship between thevarious stakeholders in the integrated 'sector' andfound that there is a lack of awareness ofcommonality or diversity between the schools. Thishas resulted in a weak sectoral identity and a lackof synergy. The research findings suggest that theintegrated education movement has reached across-roads in its development and requiresappropriate strategic management for futuredevelopment, growth and maybe even survival!