CC BY
15The Journal of Academic Social Science Studies Year: 16 - Number: 94, p. 55-70, Spring 2023
Level of Implementation of Mintzbergs' Coordination Mechanisms by School Principals in Turkiye*
Prof. Dr. Nezahat Guglu ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5345-0003 Yozgat Bozok University, Faculty of Education, Department of Educational Sciences, Yozgat - TURKIYE
Dr. Mirgul Enterieva ORCID ID: https://orcid. org/0000-0002-02 71 -2 699 Ankara - TURKIYE
Dr. Havva Durrusu ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2937-8886 Ministry of National Education, Mersin - TURKIYE
Uzm. Ahmet Uzundere ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-5968-4561 Ankara - TURKIYE
Artcile Histor
Submitted: 26.10.2022 Accepted: 17.03.2023 Published Online: 30.03.2023
Keywords
Mintzberg Coordination School School Principal Turkiye
Research Article
* This article was checked by Intihal.net. This article is under the Creative Commons license. Ethics committee approval is not required for this article.
DOI:
http://dx.doi.org/10.29228/lASSS.65973
Abstract
This study aimed to determine the level of implementation of Mintzbergs' coordination mechanisms by school principals. For this purpose, the phenomenology design, one of the qualitative research designs, was adopted in the research. The sample of the study includes 15 school principals of primary, secondary, and high school education levels in the 2015-2016 academic years. Data were collected with interview forms and content analysis and descriptive analysis were used. Based on the results of the study, it can be stated that the Mintzberg coordination mechanisms have an analog in schools and are being implemented. It can be stated that principals use mutual rapport, revealing it in the working activities of the school and that communication comes to the fore. School principals use the mechanism of direct control through the delegation of authority, standardization of work processes, the definition of duties and responsibilities of teachers, the fulfillment of duties and responsibilities with the regulations through deputy directors, control over administrative staff, holding meetings of boards, branches, and groups, achieving a certain standard in the training plan. It was determined that the standardization of school outcomes is done by providing students with knowledge and skills, preparing students for admission to universities, obtaining specific graduation standards values, standardization of employee skills through in-service training, and seminars, and aiming to achieve ordinary skills of students.
Reference Information / Atif Bilgisi
Gûçlû, N., Enterieva, M., Durrusu, H. & Uzundere, A. (2023). Level of Implementation of Mintzbergs' Coordination Mechanisms by School Principals in Türkiye. Jass Studies-The Journal of Academic Social Science Studies, 16(94), 55-70.
The Journal of Academic Social Science Studies Yil: 16 - Sayi: 94 , s. 55-70, Bahar 2023
Mintzberg'in Koordinasyon Mekanizmalarinin Okul Yoneticileri Tarafindan Uygulanma Duzeyi*
Prof. Dr. Nezahat Guglu Yozgat Bozok Universitesi, Egitim Fakultesi, Egitim Bilimleri Bolumu, Yozgat - TURKIYE
Dr. Mirgul Enterieva Ankara - TURKIYE
Dr. Havva Durrusu Milli Egitim Bakanligi, Mersin - TURKIYE
Uzm. Ahmet Uzundere Ankara - TURKIYE
Makale Gegmiji
Gelij 26.10.2022 Kabul: 17.03.2023 On-line Yayin: 30.03.2023
Anahtar Kelimeler
Mintzberg Koordinasyon Okul Okul Muduru Turkiye
Aragtirma Makalesi
* Bu makale, intihal.net tarafindan taranmijtir. Bu makale, Creative Commons lisansi altindadir. Bu makale igin etik kurul onayi gerekmemektedir.
Oz
Arajtirmanin amaci, Mintzberg'in koordinasyon mekanizmalarinin okul yoneticileri tarafindan uygulanma duzeyini belirlemektir. Arajtirmada nitel arajtirma desenlerinden olgubilim deseni benimsenmijtir. Arajtirmanin orneklemini 2015-2016 egitim-ogretim yilinda Ankara ilinde gorevli ilkokul, ortaokul ve lise egitim kademelerinden 15 okul yoneticisi olujturmaktadir. Veriler gorujme formlariyla toplanmijtir ve igerik analizi ile betimsel analiz kullanilmijtir. Arajtirmanin sonuglarina bagli olarak, Mintzberg'in koordinasyon mekanizmalarinin okullarda karjiligi oldugu ve okul yoneticileri tarafindan uygulanmakta oldugu belirtilebilir. Okul yoneticilerinin, karjilikli uyumu okulun ij faaliyetinde ortaya gikararak dogrudan kullandiklari, bu konuda iletijimin on plana giktigi belirlenmijtir. Yoneticilerin, iletijimi yonetimde bir arag olarak kullandiklari, bu konuda karjilikli uyum mekanizmasinin gorevlerin yerine getirilmesinde, iletijimin on plana gikarilarak saglandigi, iletijim araciligiyla galijanlari etkileyebildikleri ve koordine edebildikleri belirlenmijtir. Yoneticilerin dogrudan denetimi en fazla yetki devri araciligiyla kullandiklari belirlenmijtir. Ij sureglerinin standartlajtirilmasi mekanizmasini, ogretmen gorev ve sorumluluklarinin belirlenmesinde ve yerine getirilmesinde, mudur yardimcilari ve yonetmelikler araciligiyla kullandiklari belirlenmijtir. Ayrica, idari personelin ij takibinde, kurul, jube, zumre toplantilarinin yapilmasinda, ogretim anlaminda belirli bir standardin yakalanmasinda kullandiklari belirlenmijtir. Urunlerin standartlajtirilmasi mekanizmasini ogrencilere bilgi, beceri kazandirma, yuksekogretime girebilecek donanim ve yeterlilige sahip ogrenci yetijtirme, ogrencilerin degerler agisindan belirli standartlari yakalayarak mezun etmeyi saglamakla faaliyete gegirdikleri belirlenmijtir. ^alijanlarm becerilerinin standartlajtirilmasini, hizmet igi egitim, seminerler, ogrencilerin standart becerilere ulajmasini hedefleme yoluyla saglamakta olduklari belirlenmijtir.
DOI:
http://dx.doi.org/10.29228/JASSS.65973
INTRODUCTION
The aims of organizations can be listed as increasing efficiency, reducing the labor force, controlling material and human resources, minimizing conflicts, and so on. Organizations must use an effective management mechanism to achieve these goals. As management seeks to keep the organization centered around a certain common goal, following its goals (Aydin, 2010; Taymaz, 1989). Decision-making, planning, organization, communication, influence, coordination, and evaluation are the main elements of the management. Coordination, which is one of the seven main elements of management processes, is an activity that allows an institution to work and increases efficiency (Aydin, 2010). Actions aimed at achieving a common goal are not self-consistent. A measure of a manager's competence is the degree to which employees are motivated to contribute to planned, deliberate, and effective behavior to achieve set goals (Urwick, 1943). Organizational success usually depends on how well people coordinate their efforts (Pfeffer, 1999). Mintzberg (2014) identified five main coordination mechanisms for coordinating the work of organizations, these are; mutual rapport, direct control, standardization of work processes, standardization of products, and standardization of employee qualifications. It is important to determine whether these five main coordination mechanisms, which have been proposed in theory, have a counterpart in practice. Much research has been done on the application of management processes in schools. Girgin (2019) investigated the role of school principals' level of meeting teacher expectations in creating an effective school in the planning process. In the study of Agdelen and Agdelen (2017), the analysis of teacher perceptions regarding the functioning of management processes in primary schools was conducted. Karagoz (2009) studied the problems faced by school principals in terms of management processes. Yet, no attention was given to the implementation of the process of coordination of school administrations.
This study aims to determine in what situations and how these coordination mechanisms identified by Mintzberg are applied by school administrations. To this purpose, the following questions were answered. According to school principals, in the coordination of school work;
1) In what situations and how is the mechanism of mutual rapport used?
2) In what situations and how is the direct control mechanism used?
3) How is work processes standardized?
4) How is standardization of products or school outcomes are ensured?
5) In what situations and how are the skills of workers standardized?
The Importance of the Research
This study is important in promoting the use of coordination mechanisms in schools by school administration. Researchers and policy makers, according to the findings, can see underdeveloped areas of coordination mechanisms in schools and can develop policies and do research in these areas.
The results of this study; can contribute to the work of the provincial departments of national education, especially in the work of the Ministry of National Education (MEB), as well as state institutions and organizations related to this issue. It can support the projects of the Ministry of National Education related to the management and coordination.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
a. Organizational structure
Starting from the second half of the twentieth century, the basic concept of classical and neoclassical theory and the form of the concept of formal and informal organization, where are not independent of each other; it was argued that a real organization is a complex set of relationships that arise as a result of their mutual interaction. Today's modern organizational theories are variable.
However, there is no new theory that is easy to explain and that has proven to be superior to any other. Despite the lack of complete unity, modern organizational theories have led to the development of more new concepts and approaches than ever before. These new models are systems approaches, contingencies, and matrix organizations (Ta§kin, 1997).
The types of organizations commonly mentioned in the literature are bureaucratic (mechanical) organizations, organic (professional) organizations, and matrix-type organizations. Bureaucratic organizations are characterized by high formality, high stratification, low cohesion, high productivity, low job satisfaction, high centrality, and low complexity. An organic organization has high complexity, low centrality, low formality, low stratification, high cohesion, high job satisfaction, and low productivity (Morgan, 1998). In a matrix-type organizational structure, a matrix associated with the flow of authority is established. Within functional divisions, authority is transferred vertically from senior managers to lower-level managers and horizontally between project divisions and management levels of functional divisions. This bilateral power creates a matrix (Ta§kin, 1997).
Bureaucratic and participatory management models have laid the foundation for more complex organizational structures. High school leaders need to consider the relative appropriateness of alternative approaches to organizational structure depending on the environment in which they work and the challenges they face. In the context of organizational structure, there are some alternative approaches such as Etzioni's theory of adaptation, Hage's mechanistic-organic organizations, and Mintzberg's strategy structure typology (Lunenberg and Ornstein, 2013).
Nelson and Quick (2005), who define the concepts of organizational design and structure in different ways, defined organizational design as the process of creating, organizing, or adapting the organizational structure necessary for an organization to achieve its goals. In their opinion, organizational design begins with the goals and objectives of the organization. Champoux (2006) defined organizational design as the way managers structure their organizations to achieve organizational goals. In other words, it can be viewed as a whole, reflecting the division, specialization, and coordination of efforts necessary to achieve the goals of the organization (Turan, 2014).
The behavior of a group cannot be predicted simply by understanding the character of each of the members of the group. Group behavior is influenced by various social processes. The group develops a special group spirit and group atmosphere. When it comes to organizational context, it's also about style, culture, and personality (Hoy and Miskel, 2010).The structure of an organization can be defined as the sum of how the workforce is allocated to specific tasks and then coordinated between them (Mintzberg, 2014). The basic concept of the organizational structure is to divide the work into sections according to its specific areas and organize it into different divisions (Lunenburg and Ornstein, 2013).
The management process has certain processes that apply in each period and state. These are decision-making, planning, organization, communication, influence, and coordination (Aydin, 2010). The principle of planning, accepted as the basic principle of sound management, is a concept that regulates what is desirable to do and how and in what way it will be done. In research conducted by planning, this is especially important ensuring that the necessary decisions are made. The implementation of planning and the implementation of the outlined plans can only be achieved through organizations. In this sense, organizations play a very important role. The notion of oversight is an additional factor in controls. It arose as a result of the need to realize the intended goal in the desired way. Coordination is an activity that allows an institution to work regularly and collaboratively and improves efficiency (Aydin, 2010).Individual success in coordinating companies often requires working with and through other people. Organizational success usually depends on how well people coordinate their efforts (Pfeffer, 1999).
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b. Management processes
Management is the maintenance of an organization gathered around a certain common goal, under its goals, or the control, supervision and development of the work of an institution. Management processes usually consist of seven elements. These; decision making, planning, organization, communication, influence, coordination and evaluation (Aydin, 2010; Taymaz, 2008).
Decision making; This is an important issue in management. Performing the functions of planning, organizing, coordinating and controlling managerial work, the leader is in a constant decision-making process (Akat, Budak and Budak, 2002).The decision taken by the principals affect the whole organization and individuals and groups within the organization (^avu§, 2008).
Planning; is considered to be the basic principle of good governance. It is a concept that governs what needs to be done and how it will be done. In research conducted by planning, this is especially important in terms of ensuring that the necessary decisions are made on time. The implementation of planning and the implementation of the outlined plans can only be achieved through organizations. In this sense, organizations play a very important role (Pfeffer, 1999).
Organization; Organization is the process of creating order out of disorder. It is the act of creating a dynamic structure necessary for the realization of a goal that requires joint efforts. Establishment of the structure, determination of powers and responsibilities at all levels, appropriate distribution of personnel and clarification of the relationship between them (Aydin, 2010). The manager determines what work, how and who will perform it only after careful analysis. As a result of the organization, the operational characteristics (authoritative distribution, standardization, formalization, control) and behavioral outcomes (productivity, satisfaction, conflict, informal business relationships) of the organization arise.
--Communication process; It is used to change human behavior, establish a communication
network within an organization, improve relationships between individuals and groups, exercise authority, and ensure effective coordination. Act of influence is two-way as communication. Managers who influence their superiors find it easier to influence their subordinates, especially in terms of morale and motivation. Managers control by influencing (Bursalioglu, 1991).
Coordination; individual success in companies often requires working with and through other people. Organizational success usually depends on how well people coordinate their efforts (Pfeffer, 1999).
Evaluation; the goal is to impartially determine the degree of success. For an assessment to be objective, an assessment measure must be prepared before it is implemented. Evaluation is the normal interaction between the appraiser and the individual being appraised (Bursalioglu, 1991).
Managers should keep six basic elements in mind when designing the structure of their organization. It's about; job specialization (job description), subdivision, subordination, management area, centralization and formalization. The job description is used to describe the degree of separation of activities within an organization. Work can be classified as common tasks that can be coordinated when divided by specialization. Command, from the lowest to the highest level of the organization, explains who will report to whom. The control zone refers to the number of subordinates that a manager can effectively manage. Centralization is the concentration of decision-making power at a certain point in the organization. Finally, formalization is the degree to which workplaces are standardized across organizations (Robbins and Judge, 2013).
The organizational philosophy of the school organization is based on certain beliefs and values. This philosophy allows school staff to work together. The mission of the school becomes meaningful with this philosophy. The performance or retreat of the school from its duties is closely related to the
philosophy of the organization. The higher the degree of commitment to the organizational philosophy of the school, the higher will be the degree of accomplishment of the task. A philosophy that reinforces a sense of commitment will also contribute to the achievement of the school's goals (^elik, 2000). An effective reflection of this organizational philosophy on school performance is possible with the five Mintzbergs' Coordinating Mechanisms, which will be mentioned below and which form the basis of this study.
c. Concept and mechanisms of coordination
When people act within an organization, they create basic social interactions such as meaning, power, and norms. These concepts play a very important role in understanding the organization and the information network. Mentioned among alternative approaches are coordinating mechanisms that enhance the sense of commitment in the school's organizational philosophy in the Mintzbergs' organizational model. Organizational behavior can also be defined as coordination. An important goal of the coordination mechanism is to predict and shape behavior in the desired direction (Melin and Axelsson, 2005).
Coordination covers the actions taken to bring together material and human resources in an organization, harmonize knowledge and skills, and achieve organizational goals through these means. Coordination implies that the participants in the initiative are aware of each other's actions (Bursalioglu, 1991). These Mintzberg coordinating mechanisms are mutual rapport, direct control, standardization of work processes, standardization of results or school outcomes, and standardization of skills.
Mutual rapport; The coordination of work is achieved simply by informal communication. Even if other coordination mechanisms are used, success depends to some extent on mutual compatibility. In direct supervision, coordination is achieved by an individual taking responsibility for the work of others. That individual gives instructions and watches the movements of workers (Mintzberg, 2014).
The concept of supervision; Coordination is achieved by the fact that a person takes responsibility for the work of other people. The responsible person gives instructions and monitors the actions of others (Mintzberg, 2014).
Standardization of work processes; school leaders are responsible for setting clear, measurable goals and learning standards for the success of the school system (Balci, 2011). The principle of minimum detail requires that managers do not describe more than is necessary to initiate a particular initiative or activity. Managers should avoid the role of "great designer" and instead take on the role of catalyst, organizer, and boundary manager, creating an "enabling environment" that will leave the system to shape itself (Morgan, 1998).
Standardization of results; the result is standardized when the dimensions or performance of the product are specified specifically (Melin and Axelsson, 2005).
Standardization of employee skills; we cannot appoint people who do not have the necessary knowledge and skills to share the benefits of the information society and participate in society (Balci, 2011). Team members must have several skills to do each other's work and replace them when needed (Morgan, 1998).
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METHOD
This study is a qualitative study with a phenomenological study design. The study used the convenience sampling method, one of the purposeful sampling methods. The collected data analyzed using descriptive and content analysis methods.
Working group
Working group of the study consists of 15 school principals in three different levels of education (primary school, secondary school and high school) working in the province of Ankara in Turkiye, in the 2015-2016 academic year.
Table 1: Demographic Characteristics of Participants
Interviews
Participant Branch Level of education Date Hour Duration (minutes)
S1-P1 Motor vehicles tech. Vocational tech. 19.11. 15 15:00 50
school
S2-P1 Maths Medium school 11.11. 15 13:20 52
S3-P1 Information technologies Vocational tech. 06.11. 15 18:50 45
school
S4-P1 Biology Anatolian high 06.11. 15 12:20 40
school
S5-P1 Turkish lang. Medium school 20.11. 15 15:30 75
S6-P1 German lang. Anatolian high 12.11. 15 13:30 45
school
S7-P1 Religion culture Anatolian high 12.11. 15 15:30 45
school
S8-P1 Theology Medium school 17.11. 15 13.30 40
S9-P1 Social studies Medium school 17.11. 15 15.30 40
S10-P1 Turkish lang. Medium school 19.11. 15 14.30 45
S11-P1 Classroom teaching Primary school 19.11.15 10:30 45
S12-P1 Classroom teaching Primary school 19.11. 15 11:35 35
S13-P1 Classroom teaching Primary school 23.11. 15 10:30 40
S14-P1 Religion culture Primary school 25.11. 15 13:30 45
S15-P1 Classroom teaching Primary school 03.12. 15 11:30 35
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Data collection tools
The study used an interview form consisting of open-ended questions and probesdeveloped by the researchers. The items in the interview form were attempted to be determined according to the field literature following the objectives stated in the study, and care was taken to ensure that the items were understandable. On the reliability of the interview form, the opinions of field experts, Turkish language experts, and measurement and evaluation experts were taken into account.
Data analysis
Descriptive analysis was used in the analysis of the data obtained by the interview method. In this approach, the aim is to present the data obtained as a result of interview to the reader in an organized and interpreted way (Karata§, 2015). Content analysis methods were used to conclude the information that should be conveyed in the text of the interview.
Validity and Reliability
In order to increase the external reliability of the research, the interviews were collected from
participants who have the same characteristics, share a similar social environment and similar life processes. All participants were asked the same predetermined questions in the interview form. In order to get answers without intervention and to ensure the reliability of the research, no guidance was given to the participants. Among the strategies used to increase the internal and external validity of the study, participant confirmation, depth-oriented data collection, literature-based interpretation, and detailed description methods were used.
FINDINGS
Opinions of school principals about the reflection of the mutual rapport mechanism in schools where they work are given in Table 2. According to Table 2, almost all principals (n = 12) declared that they use the mechanism of mutual rapport. In the context of using the mechanism of mutual rapport in schools, S4P1 stated "I do my tasks following mutual rapport in the distribution of responsibilities", and S9P1 stated that "I strengthen mutual rapport by organizing extracurricular activities". Similarly, S10P1 stated that "good management of differences is a process of mutual rapport and has made a positive contribution to the school climate".
Almost half of the participants (n = 6) said that in the process of mutual rapport, communication comes to the fore. In this context S12P1 said "I meet teachers one on one. We make decisions collaboratively" and similarly, S5P1 used expressions such as "Mutual rapport is used more effectivelyin schools with fewer teachers. I see teachers every day and I can personally greet each one, this has a positive effect on mutual rapport".
Table 2: School Reflection of the Mechanism of Mutual Rapport
Category Topic Frequency ( n )
I use mutual rapport 12
-m Communication is at the forefront of the process of mutual rapport 6
o Çp Çp a r "tö I don't always use mutual rapport 5
The level of use of mutual rapport varies depending on the number of teachers 4
t s Strengthening mutual rapport by organizing extracurricular activities 2
Making a positive contribution to the school climate by effectively managing differences in a process of mutual rapport 1
62
Among the participants (n = 5) were those who expressed the opinion that they did not always use the mechanism of mutual rapport. In this context, S7P1 said "Sometimes it's unfair to be treated equally depending on the conditions. I adjust my informal relationships to the working consciousness of the other person. I don't force people to do what they can't." S11P1 stressed the importance of trust and goodwill in mutual rapport with the expression "For the mutual enforcement mechanism to work properly, there must be no trust issues or breaches of goodwill between responsible managers who take the initiative and staff."
Among the participants (n = 4) were those who expressed the opinion that the level of use of mutual rapport varies depending on the number of teachers. In this context, S2P1 used the expression "Although it is very easy to communicate with 8 teachers, it seems very difficult to work directly with 80 teachers and ensure mutual rapport." Some of the participants (n = 2) declared that they strengthen mutual rapport by organizing extracurricular activities. In this context, S9P1 used the expression "We organize picnics and excursions with students and parents to increase mutual rapport in the natural environment." One of the participants (n = 1) stated that they have made a positive contribution to the school climate by
managing differences well in the process of mutual adaptation. In this context, S6P1 said, "In our school, there are people of all kinds of views. We consider different views and different ethnic origins as wealth and make sure that this situation does not interfere with mutual rapport."
Table 3: School Reflection of the Mechanism of Direct Control
Category Topic Frequency ( n )
ct lo Ensuring direct control with a delegation of authority 12
e tr rie tn Ensuring direct control with written notices 2
o Dc Direct control varies depending on the number of employees 2
According to Table 3 regarding schools reflecting the mechanism of direct supervision by school principals, almost all school principals (n = 12) stated that they provide direct supervision through delegation of authority. In this context, S1P1 said "In the early years of my managerial career, I did not delegate authority because I wanted to have a control mechanism on my own. In later years, I realized that this was very tiring for me. By delegating authority, I launched a direct control mechanism." Similarly, S4P1 said "I delegate my authority to my assistant manager colleagues for direct control. I distribute the tasks of assistant managers as finance officers and human resources officers and ensure that they exercise direct control in these areas." Whereas some participants (n = 2) stated that they provide direct control with written notices, some participants (n = 2) stated that this varies depending on the number of employees. Some participants' views on this issue are presented below.
...S13P1 "An employee who does not fulfill his duties during inspections is warned orally, if the warning is not taken into account, it will be notified in writing."...
63 ...S7P1 "First, we give written warnings, such as communicating the curriculum in
writing. The word remains in the air, a written notice is very important for the order of things."...
...S1P1 "The use of direct supervision varies depending on the number of staff in the schools where we work."...
_Table 4: Standardization of Work Processes_
Category Topic Frequency
_( n )
Standardizing the definition of roles and responsibilities of teachers_5_
Standardization of workers -processes and maintenance of 4
administrative personnel by regulations_
Notifying the Human Resources Department of the Job Description in 3
Schools in Written Form
Holding board, chapter and group meetings at regular intervals 2
Reaching a certain standard in terms of training 1
o n
io ti
ta
iz
id r a d
ce
o
r pr
k r o
According to Table 4 regarding standardization of work processes, some school principals (n = 5) stated that the duties and responsibilities of teachers were previously defined and standardized, but the duties and responsibilities of teachers in the school have been redefined and regulated or standardized by the principals. In this context, S1P1 "An attempt has been made to set the standard by informing employees how and when they should perform their duties." Similarly, S2P1 "When we determine how schools will work, teachers do their job completely under these standards."
Another part of school principals (n = 4) stated that they standardized the work processes and control of the work of the administrative staff with the regulations. In this context, S6P1 used the expression "We emphasize the common lines under the disciplinary rules and regulations on education and training." Similarly, S3P1 used the expression "Because the assistant manager who oversees the personnel affairs of employees is given a list of operations that he will perform in salary changes, dismissal procedures, promotion through degrees and levels, and what documents he will need, he performs these works that include certain standards, without any control or supervision when needed."
Another part of school principals (n = 3) mentioned that they tried to standardize job descriptions in schools by submitting them to the human resources department in writing. In this context, S4P1 used the phrase "Formally, work processes are standardized. In this context, all job responsibilities and job descriptions have been set out and communicated in writing."
Some of the participants (n = 2) stated that work processes in schools were standardized by holding meetings of the board, affiliates, and groups at regular intervals. In this context, S7P1 "Three times a year there are council meetings with all teachers and information is given on work and innovations. Distribution of tasks and work planning are carried out. For example, it is determined with whom and how all events and ceremonies will be held. Group and industry meetings are being held."
One of the participants (n = 1) stated that a certain standard has been set in terms of teaching. In this context, S15P1 used the expression "The same teaching practice in all corners of the country within the framework of the curriculum determined by the Ministry of National Education represents a certain standard in terms of teaching."
According to Table 5 regarding standardization of products or school outcomes, some school principals (n = 5) stated that it is necessary to provide a certain standard to give students knowledge and skills. In this context, S8P1 used the expression "To enhance students' knowledge and skills, we provide a ^ daily study schedule and question limits, according to which students are tracked one by one, and we follow them every week. " Likewise, S10P1 stated "We open courses on weekdays and weekends to keep students knowledge and skills up to date. In addition, we conduct trial exams at least six times a year."
Another part of school principals (n = 5) stated that students must have the knowledge and competence to enter higher education institutions. In this context, S1P1 said "For academic achievement to reach a certain standard, teachers' lectures in certain parts of courses prepared for higher education and their test examinations were measured. Thus, a certain standard of academic achievement was set." In a statement, S13P1 said "We are trying to create a good foundation using technical and printed materials to provide education at the highest level to prepare students for higher education. In addition, our school has five classrooms. We allow our students to solve problems and repeat the subject with the teacher they need in their free time and during breaks."
Table 5: Standardization of Products or School Outcomes
Category Topic Frequency _( n )
Ensuring a certain standard in the acquisition of knowledge and skills 5
o o o by students
n io ti -5 CD s e Providing a standard for preparing students with qualifications for 5
a N r o S admission to higher education institutions
r a s t ct co t u Ensuring that students graduate with certain standards in terms of 4
-ö u -ö o values
t cn o r p Ensuring that students graduate to certain standards through 2
graduation exams
Another part of the participants (n = 4) stated that graduates must meet certain value standards. In this context, S4P1 "There is an orphan brother in every class and a project we are implementing in our school that teaches standard values by adopting orphans around the world, including Turkiye". Similarly, S7P1 said, "We watch films and hold conferences to talk about national consciousness and basic education policies. We organize excursions in Qanakkale."
Some of the participants (n = 2) stated that students pass final exams according to certain standards. In this context, S1P1 "Vocational high school students take a skills test in June in the last semester. They are taken in written and applied examinations by a committee of vocational education teachers. Students who achieve a passing score on this exam graduate. Students who do not receive a passing grade are unable to graduate, despite the success of other grades, they are left to catch up."
Table 6: Standardization of Employee Skills
Category
Topic
Frequency
(n)
s=
2 oj '■C OJ
S fy
N o
^ U is S
"ö oj
fi M-H
ta o
Through in-service training
Through seminars
By aiming to achieve standard skills for students
5
4
Standardize skills by assigning tasks to teachers according to their abilities and interests
3
2
According to Table 6 regarding the standardization of staff skills, some school principals (n = 5) 65 stated that employee skills were standardized through in-service training. In this context, S12P1 "Inservice training is often done. Good examples are shared. Through this training, teachers try to gain skills." S1P1 said "Assistant managers were constantly sent to retraining courses to learn certain subjects. At certain intervals, I advised teachers to participate in courses and service training to improve their professional skills."
Another part of school principals (n = 4) stated that skills were standardized through seminars. In this context, S6P1 used the expression "We try to inform our teachers at summer workshops and meet in groups, make presentations and hold informational meetings about the goals they need to achieve", S13P1 used the expression "Seminars are held in spring and autumn. Here they are preparing in every possible way for the next training session. For example, these workshops taught how to use smart boards."
Some participants (n = 3) stated that they standardize skills by assigning tasks to teachers according to their abilities and interests. In this context, S8P1 said "We hire teachers at the grade level according to their ability. For example, we replace teacher who failed in the seventh and eighth grades with the younger age groups. In addition, we provided teachers with assignments according to their hobbies and interests, which allowed them to develop their skills."
Some of the participants (n = 2) stated that it was aimed at getting students to achieve standard skills. In this context, S12P1 said "Individual reinforcement learning is provided in free activity classes for students who cannot achieve the desired level of academic skills."
CONCLUSION, DISCUSSION, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The results of the study showed that almost all school principals use the mechanism of mutual rapport. It is determined that principals use mutual rapport in the distribution of tasks and decision-making, meeting with teachers one on one and by organizing extracurricular activities, picnics, and trips with students and parents. The majority of participants stated that communication came to the fore
in the process of mutual rapport. The effective use of management mechanisms is essential to effective school management. It can be stated that communication is a priority in the use of mutual rapport, and that the communication mechanism is used as a tool in the management process, and mutual rapport is achieved by ensuring communication when performing a task. Thus, through communication, principals can influence employees and coordinate their actions.
Coordination is one of the functions of management that ensures the integrity and, thus, the existence of the organization (Tosun, 1990). Successful coordination increases regular collaboration and organizational success. In conditions of successful coordination, mutual rapport comes to the fore. In this context, it is important to establish mutual rapport in ensuring coordination. According to Mintzberg's mechanism of mutual rapport, coordination of work is provided simply by informal communication. While other coordination mechanisms are used, success depends to some extent on reciprocity. According to the results of the study, it can be stated that communication comes to the fore in the use of mutual rapport by school principals, which indicates that the mutual change mechanism is used at a high level through communication in schools. Organizational success usually depends on how well people coordinate (Pfeffer, 1999). It can be stated that school principals use coordination mechanisms effectively and contribute to increase the organizational efficiency. In this regard, the mutual rapport, one of Mintzberg's five main coordination mechanisms, has an analog in practice through communication in schools.
Some participants made a positive contribution to the school climate by managing differences well in a process of mutual rapport. In the organization, mention can be made of the style, culture, and personality of each member of the organization (Hoy and Miskel, 2012). Each person has different character traits. It can be stated that it is important to take into account individual differences to prevent possible conflict in a related organization. In this regard, it is important to contribute positively to the school climate by managing differences well in a process of mutual rapport.
The results of the study showed that most of school principals exercised direct control or direct supervision with a delegation of authority. Some argued that direct control was exercised through written notices and varied depending on the number of employees. The flawless functioning of the control area is important in terms of organizational effectiveness (Robbins and Judge, 2013). The characteristic of a manager is that he or she must be aware of what is happening and the process so that he or she can see a detail that no one else has seen and paid no attention to. In this context, it is important that control is carried out directly by managers or that control is provided at the highest level.
Another result of the study concerns the standardization of work processes. According to the results of the study, some school principals mentioned that, in addition to legislation, they tried to standardize the definition of teachers' duties and responsibilities within the school and course. Another part of the school principals stated that the work processes and follow-up actions of the administrative staff are standardized based on the rules. Yet, it was found that they are also trying to standardize the written communication of job descriptions in schools to the human resources department. While some participants expressed the view that work processes in schools have been standardized by holding board, branch, and group meetings at regular intervals, some stated that a certain standard has been achieved in terms of teaching.
A study in England found that standardization in primary schools has many benefits, such as facilitating the process of harmonization between levels of education and improving school efficiency (Yarovaya, 2015). The standardization of work processes is essential in terms of ensuring internal and interdepartmental coordination, execution and control of activities, operational results and efficiency. We can be sure that the system works great in a school where work processes are perfectly
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standardized, but more importantly, standardization is constantly should be restructured in line with the latest education and technological developments.
According to the results, some school principals stated that they tried to standardize school outcomes, by checking students one-on-one, give daily routines and limit questions, as well as conduct weekly observations, and by open courses on weekdays and weekends in getting knowledge and skills to students. They stated that they were trying to provide a certain standard by holding examination sat least six times a year.
Another part of the school administration said that they are trying to create a certain standard by graduating students with the competence and qualifications for admission to higher education. It has been found that students graduate to certain standards through a measure of graduation success. Some part of the participants were trying to create a standard for graduates, capturing certain standards in terms of values.
School leaders are responsible for setting clear, measurable goals and learning standards for the success of the school system (Bala, 2011). According to the research results, school principals and their stakeholders are using good practices and they are trying to set and put in place certain standards. However, an important issue here is skills and knowledge, the results of which should be standardized in terms of the knowledge and skills which are needed today.
Some school principals associated with the standardization of employee skills stated that employee skills have been standardized through in-service training and seminars. Some of the participants stated that they were trying to set a standard by trying to standardize the skills of school outcomes by assigning tasks to teachers according to their abilities and interests. In standardizing employee skills, it's important to employees to get a sense of self-organization, a need or obligation to gY constantly update themselves and standardize this.
In summary, we can state that the Mintzberg coordination mechanisms have an analog in schools and are being implemented. It can be stated that principals directly use mutual rapport, revealing it in the work activity of the school, and the communication comes to the fore in this regard. It can be stated that they use the mechanism of direct control mainly through the delegation of authority. It is established that they use the standardization of work processes in determining the duties and responsibilities of teachers, fulfilling duties and responsibilities with regulations through deputy directors, monitoring the work of the administrative apparatus, holding meetings of the board, branches and groups, and achieving a certain standard in terms of teaching. They were determined to provide standardization of products by providing students with knowledge and skills, developing students' qualifications and competencies for higher education, and achieving certain standards in terms of values. It has been found that the standardization of employee skills is achieved through inservice training, seminars, and by targeting and achieving student standard skills.
Based on the results obtained, it can be stated that it is necessary to increase organizational and interpersonal communication and trust in schools, as well as to strengthen the organizational culture to increase the mechanism of mutual rapport. There is a need to reconsider the skills and knowledge by which school outcomes should be standardized according to today's requirements. Increasing the effectiveness of in-service training in standardizing employee skills, enabling employees to self-organize, gaining a sense of constant self-renewal, and standardizing this will be beneficial in terms of efficiency. It is important if the control or supervision is carried out directly by managers or that control is provided at the highest level to be able to make supervision in schools more effectively. In this context, it's necessary that supervision be carried out directly by the school administrator.
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