Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine if there were differences in districts led by high visionary or low visionary superintendents in organizational culture and student achievement. In addition, the moderating demographic variables of tenure in position and job, academic background, and educational level were analyzed for their effect on leadership and culture. Procedure. One hundred-and-five (105) superintendents of midsized districts (1,000 to 50,000) who had been in their positions three or more years were surveyed. Sixty-nine returned the LBQ-Visionary Leader and Organizational Culture Questionnaire. Based on the LBQ-VL, twenty-three (23) low visionary and twenty-one (21) high visionary superintendents were identified. Their school districts became the study districts from which a random sampling of three hundred-and-nine (309) principals returned the Organizational Culture Questionnaire. California Assessment Program test scores from 1984-85 and 1987-88 were collected from the districts. Principal findings. High visionary superintendents perceived their districts' organizational culture significantly higher than low visionary superintendents in all five questionnaire subcomponents. Principals working with high visionary superintendents perceived their districts' organizational culture higher than principals working with low visionary superintendents in three areas. High visionary superintendents perceived organizational culture significantly higher than their principals in five areas, while low visionary superintendents perceived culture significantly higher than their principals in only one area. Two demographic factors, doctoral degree and years of experience, were significant moderating variables. No direct linkages to test scores were found. California superintendents scored significantly higher on the visionary leadership instrument than leaders in the norm group for the LBQ-VL which consisted of senior and mid-level managers from education, military and business organizations. Conclusions and recommendations. The study supported the hypothesis that visionary educational leaders perceive themselves and are perceived to develop strong organizational cultures. It lent support to the theory that leaders with forceful beliefs and visions have a "pull" effect on followers. Recommendations were made for selection and training of superintendents and for further study of the linkage between visionary leadership and culture. Because no direct linkages to CAP tests were found, recommendations were made for further investigation using different measures of student achievement.