To implement school restructuring, midcareer administrators must change their role conceptions. This article examines literature concerning the major issues of socialization to a role conception (including definitions, sources, and socialization mechanisms for changing role conceptions) and presents a research agenda focused on two reform…

Defining community politically (as a flexible arena for debating perspectives and achieving purpose) provides different ways to consider diversity. Diversity becomes not an anomaly but an integral part of the community process; conflict is legitimized as appropriate and inevitable in achieving school purposes. Administrators must mediate conflict,…

Discusses the institutional and organizational environment of schools of choice in the public sector, focusing on the role of the principal. The principal's leadership role is that of middle manager, entrepreneur responsible for attracting and holding parents and students, and symbol manager, responsible for developing an organizational…

The "ideal" principal is facing a world of decentralized school structures, increasing and changing environmental boundaries and roles, less homogeneous schools, closer contact with stakeholders, and a market-driven view of education. Principals should view themselves as environmental negotiators, not merely school-system managers.…