Abstract
Problem and purpose. Today's superintendents must be not only dynamic instructional leaders but also astute organizational leaders who are able to transform the educational system to meet the increasing demands and needs of our society. The purpose of this study was to describe the leadership orientations of superintendents, particularly in regards to Bolman and Deal's four-frame leadership orientations of (1) structural, (2) human resource, (3) political, and (4) symbolic. Also, this study investigated significant differences in superintendents' leadership orientations based on demographics and on their attitudes about change in their individual school districts, e.g., the perceived degree of the need, readiness, and support for change and the availability of the resources needed for change efforts. Methodology. Causal-comparative and descriptive research were used for a random sample of 150 of all 219 Southern California public school superintendents of districts with 30,000 or less students. A 76 percent response rate was obtained. The survey instruments used were the Leadership Orientations-Self questionnaire by Lee G. Bolman and Terrence E. Deal and a researcher-constructed questionnaire about superintendents' perceptions of change in their present districts. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Analysis of Variance, the Scheffe' F Procedure for Post-hoc Comparisons, the Chi-Square Test of Independent Samples, and the dependent two-tailed t-Test of Differences. Findings and conclusions. The data revealed significant differences in superintendents' leadership orientations based on gender, years of experience as a superintendent, and their perceptions about change in their individual districts, especially in regard to the readiness for change. The Political and Symbolic Frames were most affected by the readiness for change variables, particularly those associated with the community's and the overall district's readiness for change. Besides improving leadership effectiveness, an improved grasp of the political and symbolic perspectives of leadership may increase the efficacy of superintendents' change efforts.