Deconstructing autonomy: The case of principals in the North of Europe

Principal autonomy has been identified as an important ingredient in effective and healthy schools. However, little is known about the various dimensions of the phenomenon and how it takes form in different contexts. This article presents an analytical device contributing to further understand the c...

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Published inEuropean educational research journal EERJ Vol. 23; no. 3; pp. 347 - 365
Main Authors Wermke, Wieland, Nordholm, Daniel, Anderson, Annika I, Kotavuopio-Olsson, Riitta
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published London, England SAGE Publications 01.05.2024
Subjects
Finland
Leadership autonomy
Norway
principal
Sweden
principal
Sweden
Norway
Leadership autonomy
Finland
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Summary:Principal autonomy has been identified as an important ingredient in effective and healthy schools. However, little is known about the various dimensions of the phenomenon and how it takes form in different contexts. This article presents an analytical device contributing to further understand the complex nature of principal autonomy. The device follows the seminal work of Richard Ingersoll on autonomy in school organisations operationalised as decision-making and control. Moreover, we put forward a multidimensional device to organise decisions and control in several schooling domains: educational, social, developmental and administrative. By exemplifying the device on principals’ perceptions of autonomy in the very North of Sweden, Norway and Finland, we can reveal important differences between the three Nordic neighbouring cases. Related to these reforms, principals’ work can be compared in terms of different grades of complexity and risk, with corresponding consequences for their autonomy.
ISSN:1474-9041
1474-9041
DOI:10.1177/14749041221138626