CC BY
1
, „ , „„„„ Baltic Journal of Economic Studies Vol. 8 No. 1, 2022 ---
DOI: https://doi.org/10.30525/2256-0742/2022-8-1-111-117
THE MANAGEMENT ASPECT OF TRAINING FUTURE HEADS OF EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS FOR ECONOMIC ACTIVITY
Viktor Oharenko1, Olga Pokatayeva2, Mariia Diachenko3
Abstract. The purpose of the article is to elucidate the training of future heads of education institutions for economic activity in the modern context; cover the management aspect and the results of an experimental test on the readiness of master's students, specialty 073 Management (Educational institution management), for economic activity. A scholarly discussion on the problem of training future heads of education institutions for economic activity is presented. The authors describe the essence of the management aspect of training concerned. It is determined the levels (high, sufficient, average, low), structure, and criteria of the readiness of future heads of educational institutions for economic activity: motivational, cognitive, activity, and reflective. The foreign experience in training education managers for economic activity is considered. The requirements for training future heads of educational institutions for economic activity in Ukrainian universities are analyzed. The authors clarify the peculiarities of teaching the following disciplines of economics to master's students, specialty 073 Management (Educational institution management): "Management of financial and economic activity", "Legal and financial-economic fundamentals of educational institution management", and "Educational fundraising". It is identified core theoretical knowledge and practical skills that a graduate of the specialty 073 Management (Educational institution management) must possess. Emphasis is placed on the understanding of the principles of financial management of an educational institution; accounting organization as a separate area of an educational institution; the economic essence of salaries in educational institutions and accounting tasks; financial management of an educational institution, etc. Results. The authors have developed components of educational institution management amidst the educational system's modernization and economic progress of the state, as well as the main ways to train future managers of educational institutions for economic activity. The results of an experimental test on the readiness of future managers of educational institutions for economic activity are presented: in the process of professional training, the number of students with a high level of EA readiness increased by 22.2%, the low-level indicator significantly decreased - by 18.4%, and the indicator of a sufficient level increased by 14.2%. This is also confirmed by qualitative changes in the readiness of future education managers for economic activity.
Key words: higher education, economic activity, future head of educational institution, educational management, development, professional training.
JEL Classification: I23, F15, F63
1. Introduction
In the context of education modernization, the functions of the head of the educational institution, which involve not only planning, motivation, organization, control, and analysis but also an understanding of the strategy and ways of developing the educational institution, need updating. The education manager today should today take into account the best world practices in the management
Corresponding author:
1 Classical Private University, Ukraine E-mail: kpuinform@gmail.com
2 Classical Private University, Ukraine E-mail: pokataeva.olga1978@gmail.com
3 Classical Private University, Ukraine E-mail: m.d.dyachenko@gmail.com
of economic development and finances of the educational institution and marketing.
The realm of domestic scholarly research comprises many contributions devoted to the national economic management of Ukraine in the context of European integration (H. Kovalchuk, N. Tkalenko, V. Fedorchenko, et al.), the training of future specialists in education management (I. Abernikhina, O. Binytska, L. Zadorozhna-Kniahnytska, O. Kravchuk,
O. Lebid, V. Khomenko, N. Chernenko, et al.). However, the study of training master's students of the specialty 073 "Management", study program "Educational institution management", for economic activity requires thorough attention that emphasizes research relevance.
The purpose of the article is to elucidate the training of future heads of educational institutions for economic activity in the modern context; cover the management aspect and results of the experimental test on the readiness of master's students of the specialty 073 Management (Educational institution management) for economic activity.
2. Foreign experience in training education managers for economic activity
In the process of professional training, the future head of the educational institution needs to form managerial and economic culture. Only then will he be able to clearly identify problems, look for ways to solve them, and predict the effect of decisions made and planned measures, etc. Thus, for example, American management culture considers management as a specialized activity and manager as a professional with expert knowledge. Rationalism is at the heart of American management culture (just like in European culture). It is characterized by individualism, self-reliance, and calculated competitive pragmatism (Kravchuk, 2017).
The German model focuses on general intellectual abilities, punctuality, employability, flexibility, carefulness, independence, loyalty, a sense of duty, respect for corporate interests, the ability to negotiate, establish contacts, distribute tasks, make decisions, etc. The professional training of education managers involves blended learning -integration of group learning, independent learning in classrooms and online using electronic means, various interactive methods, and Internet resources (Katkova, 2002).
In France, significant attention is paid to economic and financial aspects of the management of educational institutions: statistics, logistics, the educational institution's information system, control and recording, financial management, accounting, and budget management (Khomenko, 2012).
On-the-job training of heads of educational institutions through the gradual career progress of future managers, starting from entry-level jobs, is peculiar to Japan (Kravchuk, 2017). It is worth noting that Japanese education workers are characterized by a high level of educational culture and very rarely change their place of work that facilitates their promotion.
3. Requirements for training future education managers for economic activity in higher education institutions of Ukraine
Modernization of the professional training of the future manager of the secondary educational institution entails improving the educational process aimed at updating the content of the professional training of master's students of the specialty 073 "Management", study program "Educational institution management" (Lebid, 2018). The Law of Ukraine "On Education" (On Education, 2017) marks that education is a state priority that ensures innovative, socio-economic, and cultural development of society.
In general, the professional activity of the head of the educational institution consists of administrative, economic, and pedagogical components. The education manager must be able to integrate the educational environment of the institution against internal and external factors that negatively affect it; ensure the organization of effective functioning of the educational institution (in the economic sense as well); solve the current problems of the staff; predict the strategy for the further development of the institution with extrapolation to its competitiveness in terms of the quality of educational services.
The head of the educational institution should focus his activities on making education a strategic resource for guaranteeing national interests, improving the lives of citizens, and strengthening the competitiveness of our state in the world (Figure 1).
Shortcomings in the activities of the head of the educational institution are complexity in making managerial decisions on problem solving, setting goals, processing information, planning, and control; labor time loss and inefficiency of working methods, etc. (Zadorozhna-Kniahnytska, 2007).
The training of education managers should focus on forming their readiness for professional, innovative economic activity. This is only possible if innovative economic technologies, which characterize the independent learning and cognitive activity of training future managers of education enterprises, institutions, and organizations and on-the-job training for innovative economic activity, are implemented (Binytska, 2013).
Today's head of the educational institution must keep track of the economic situation of the state, maintain the financial stability of the institution and, if necessary, be able to obtain a loan for its material needs, develop a budget, conclude contracts, and control payroll accounting.
The main ways to train future managers of educational institutions for economic activity are presented in Figure 2.
As part of the professional training of future heads of educational institutions, it is important to focus
Formulation of new educational strategies for the renewal of an educational environment
Formation of readiness for economic activity
Improvement of the professional training of future managers of educational institutions
Approximation of Ukraine's education to world educational standards
Laying the groundwork for an optimal strategy of economic behavior in management
Development of the ability to optimize the educational process and rational use of resources and funds
Figure 1. Components of educational management amidst the modernization of the educational system and economic development of the state
Educational management amidst the modernization of the education system and economic development of the state
Figure 2. The main ways to train future managers of educational institutions for economic activity
their education on economic activity in terms of pedagogical management; to introduce innovative educational technologies to develop managerial abilities and skills, etc.
A course from the compulsory part of the curriculum "Legal and financial and economic fundamentals of educational institution management" covers the peculiarities of the resource and adaptation approaches
to the strategic management of a general education institution, namely: management of the internal environment of an educational institution (resource, financial capacity) and response to possible alterations of the external environment (scientific and technological, environmental, regulatory, and economic).
An academic discipline "Educational fundraising" is intended to familiarize future heads of educational
institutions with attracting and accumulating financial means from various sources to formulate and implement a strategy for the innovative development of a general education institution. Under the course, students become acquainted with fundraising as a technique for attracting additional funds, fundraising goals, means of interaction with donors, forms and tools, prospects and rules for successful fundraising.
An academic discipline "Management of financial and economic activities" for master students of the specialty 073 Management (Educational institution management) is designed to master knowledge and skills in the organization of financial management under centralized and decentralized conduct of financial and economic activities in educational institutions as business entities. Within the discipline, strategic directions, technologies and mechanisms for making managerial decisions on the financial and economic activities of the educational institution are studied. During the course, students become acquainted with the organization of budget management and the rules for the institution's asset management, etc.
The practical part of the academic discipline provides analysis and additional information on the most common challenges of the financial and economic activities of education managers.
In studying the course "Management of financial and economic activities", future heads of educational institutions acquire a system of knowledge of theoretical and practical aspects of management of financial and economic activities of an educational institution; obtain skills in financial planning, making sound managerial decisions when using corporate financial resources, etc.
Education managers should be well-versed in the following issues: the provision of paid educational services by the educational institution
in a market economy; their authority to manage extrabudgetary resources of the institution and use them; the functioning of the charitable fund as an additional source of funding for the educational institution.
Knowledge and skills related to the economic activities of future education managers are specified in Table 1.
Graduates of the specialty 073 "Management", study program "Educational instituion management", must also understand: 1) the principles of financial management of an educational institution; 2) the organizational structure of the accounting department as a particular area of an educational institution;
3) requirements for the chief accountant of an educational institution and accounting employees;
4) the economic essence of wages in educational institutions and the task of accounting; 5) finance management of an educational institution; classification of employees; 6) recording of the staff number and working time; 7) forms of remuneration in educational institutions; 8) the procedure for the use and accounting of resources of a special fund; 9) the task of accounting for resources of a special fund;
10) accounting for special funds and other revenues;
11) business characteristics of the educational institution; 12) the powers and responsibility of the fund manager regarding the institution's financial and economic activities.
As a result of the study of economics-based courses, the future education manager in his managerial activity will be able to avoid financial and economic risks, incl. the promotion of financial funds in the educational institution: drawing up a budget and a financial plan, the formation of monetary resources and their distribution between the structural units that determine the organization's activity; assessment of the financial capacity of the educational institution (Chernenko, 2016).
Table 1
Expected economic knowledge and skills of future education managers
№ Knowledge Skills
1. Theoretical and practical fundamentals of financial and economic activity of the educational institution. To plan, manage and use the educational institution's financial resources.
2. Legislative and regulatory framework for the organization of financial and economic activities of the educational institution. To use various forms of financial support of the educational institution.
3. Mechanisms and technologies for planning, management and use of the educational institution's financial resources. To make and analyze the estimate and its capacity to maintain the educational institution's activities.
4. Organizational and economic model of financial support of the educational institution. To attract extrabudgetary resources using the knowledge of fundraising.
5. Particularities of the educational institution's activities in market conditions. To manage the attracted and own resources, optimize their structure.
6. Educational accounting and estimates. To exercise effective control over the educational institution's financial and economic activities.
7. Ways to find methods of financing educational institutions at the present stage. To conduct an assessment of the effectiveness of the management of the educational institution's resources
The head of the educational institution should be informed that "insurance as a target compensatory resource of the enterprise allows the recovery of losses on the realization of property risks and contributes to the sustainable, uninterrupted operation of the enterprise, which is the main purpose of the economic security system" (Abernikhina, 2007). Thus, the insurance of corporate facilities makes it possible to compensate for losses in case of emergencies and help restore facilities and resources.
In training managers for economic activity, the problem of optimizing energy saving in the institution is relevant. It entails the specification of means of accounting and control over the consumption of various energy resources; organization of consultations on energy cost reduction in the educational institution; establishment of control and responsibility for efficient electricity consumption, etc. Graduates of the specialty 073 "Management", study program "Educational institution management", should be trained to deal with the above-mentioned.
The authors have determined the readiness of future heads of educational institutions for economic activity in the process of professional training by following criteria, namely, motivational, cognitive, activity, and reflective.
4. Experimental verification of the readiness of future heads of educational institutions for economic activity
Under the investigation of the readiness of master's students of the specialty 073 "Management", study program "Educational institution management", the
motivational criterion has shown the following results (Table 2).
Table 2 shows that after repeated diagnostics of the EG, the percentage of students with a high level of motivation increased by 21.9% (from 11.1% to 33.3%), with sufficient - by 22.2% (27.8% to 50%); the indicators of the average level decreased by 33.3% (from 44.4% to 11.1%), and the initial level -by 11.1% (from 16.7% to 5.6%). Minor changes also occurred in the CG: compared to the original data, a high level increased by 5.5% (from 5.6% to 11.1%), sufficient - by 11.1% (from 38.9% to 50%); average - by 11.1% (from 44.4% to 33.3%), and low -by 5.5% (from 11.1% to 5.6%).
According to the cognitive criterion, analysis of the dynamics of readiness for economic activity during the experiment demonstrates significant positive changes in the EG and minor positive shifts in the CG. Based on the above results, it can be concluded that in the EG, the indicators of a high level increased by 22.2% (from 16.7% to 38.9%), a sufficient level increased by 11.1% (from 27.8% to 38.9%), and the indicators of an average level decreased by 16.6% (from 33.3% to 16.7%) and an initial level - by 11.1% (from 16.7% to 5.6%). In the CG, the percentage of an initial level decreased by 11.1% (from 22.2% to 11.1%), and minor changes are observed at a high level, the indicators of which increased by 5.5% (from 16.7% to 22.2%), and at an average level -by 5.6% (from 33.3% to 38.9%) (Table 3).
The findings of observation, requestioning on the readiness of future heads of educational institutions for economic actions are as follows according to the activity criterion: in the EG, the percentage with a high
Table 2
Dynamics of the levels of readiness of future heads of educational institutions
for economic activity according to the motivational criterion
Levels EG (experimental group) CG (control group)
Ascertaining stage Control stage Increment Ascertaining stage Control stage Increment
% % % % % %
High 11.1% 33.3% 21.9% 5, 6 11.1% 5.5%
Sufficient 27.8% 50% 22.2% 7 ( 38.9%) 50% 11.1%
Average 44.4% 11.1% 33.3% 8 ( 44.4%) 33.3% 11.1%
Initial 16.7% 5, 6 11.1% 2 ( 11.1%) 5, 6 5.5%
Levels EG CG
Ascertaining stage Control stage Increment Ascertaining stage Control stage Increment
% % % % % %
High 16.7% 38.9% 22.4% 16.5% 22.2% 5.5%
Sufficient 27.8% 38.7% 11.3% 27.8% 27.8% 0%
Average 33.3% 16.7% 16.6% 33.3% 38.9% 5,6%
Initial 16.7% 5,6% 11:1. 22.2% 11:1. 11:1.
Table 3
Dynamics of the levels of readiness of future heads of educational institutions for economic activity according to the cognitive criterion
Table 4
Dynamics of the levels of readiness of future heads of educational institutions for economic actions according to the activity component
Levels EG CG
Ascertaining stage Control stage Increment Ascertaining stage Control stage Increment
% % % , % % %
High 5,6% 44.4% 38.8% 22.2% 27.8% 5,6%
Sufficient 16.7% 38.9% 22.2% 27.8% 33.3% 5.5%
Average 27.7% 11:1. 16.7% 27.8% 22.2% 5,6%
Initial 50% 5,6% 44.4% 22.2% 16.7% 5.5%
Table 5
Dynamics of the levels of readiness of future heads of educational institutions for economic activity according to the reflective criterion
Levels EG CG
Ascertaining stage Control stage Increment Ascertaining stage Control stage Increment
% % % % % %
High 11:1. 27.8% 16.7% 16.7% 11:1. 5,6%
Sufficient 50.0% 55.6% 5,6% 38.9% 38.9% 0%
Average 22.2% 11.0% 11:1. 27.8% 38.9% 11:1.
Initial 16.7% 5,6% 11:1. 16.6% 11:1. 5,6%
Table 6
Dynamics of the levels of readiness of future heads of educational institutions for economic activity after the experiment
Levels EG CG
Ascertaining stage Formative stage Increment Ascertaining stage Formative stage Increment
% % % % % %
High 15.3 37.5 22.2 16.0 18.1 2.1
Sufficient 29.1 43.4 14.3 33.0 37.5 4.2
Average 30.6 12.5 18.1 33.0 33.3 0.3
Initial 25.0 6.6 18.4 18.0 11.1 6.9
level increased by 38.8% (from 5.6% to 44.4%), in the CG - by 5.6% (from 22.2% to 27.8%), a sufficient level in the EG increased by 22.2% (from 16.7% to 38.9%), in the CG - by 5.5% (from 27.8% to 33.3%), an average level in the EG decreased by 16.7% (from 27.7% to 11.1%), in the CG - by 5.6% (from 27.8% to 22.2%), an initial level in the EG decreased by 44.4% (from 50% to 5.6%), and in the CG - by 5.5% (from 22.2% to 16.7%) (Table 4).
Comparative analysis according to the reflective criterion showed that in EG, the percentage with a high level increased by 16.7% (from 11.1% to 27.8%), a sufficient level - by 5.6% (from 50% to 55.6%), and thus, the indicators of an average level decreased by 11.2% (from 22.2% to 11.0%) and an initial level - by 11.1% (from 16.7% to 5.6%). Minor dynamics can be seen in the CG: a high level decreased by 5.6% (from 16.7% to 11.1%), average increased by 11.1% (from 27.8% to 38.9%), an initial level decreased by 5.6% (from 16.6% to 11.1%), the indicators of a sufficient level remained unchanged (Table 5).
Therefore, the results indicate positive growth dynamics in the readiness of future heads of educa-
tional institutions for economic activity according to the reflective criterion in the EG, which significantly exceeds the results of the CG participants. Let us summarize all the experiment results (Table 6).
5. Conclusions
As a result of the experiment, which has engaged master's students of the Institute of Management of the Classical Private University of Zaporizhzhia, there are quantitative changes in the indicators which demonstrate qualitative transformations in the consciousness and behavior of future heads of educational institutions. It confirms the positive dynamics of their readiness for economic activity. Summarizing the quantitative indicators of both groups for the levels of readiness of future heads of educational institutions for economic activity, the authors obtained the following results: the number of students with a high level of readiness for economic activity by 22.2% in the EG increased, while the CG demonstrated minor changes - by 2.1%. An essential decrease in the number of students with an initial
level was recorded in the EG - by 18.4%, and in the CG - by 6.9%. The number of experiment participants with a sufficient level of readiness for economic activity increased by 14.2% in the EG, and in the CG - by 4.2%. The percentage of students with an average level in the EG decreased by 18.1%, the CG showed 0.3%.
During the professional training of future education managers, it is necessary to teach them to analyze and solve problems in the regulation of economic-social and labor relations; use analytical and methodological tools for economic substantiation of management decisions; identify economics-based problems in an educational institution, etc.
References:
Abernikhina, I. H. (2007). Zastosuvannia modeli zmishanoho finansuvannia pry upravlinni mainovymy ryzykamy pidpryiemstva [Application of the model of mixed financing in property risk management of the enterprise]. Ekonomika:problemy teorii tapraktyky: zb. nauk.pr., vol. 233, t. 4, pp. 1076-1084. (in Ukrainian) Binytska, O. P. (2013). Suchasnyi stan pidhotovky maibutnikh kerivnykiv ustanov ta orhanizatsii u sferi osvity do innovatsiinoi ekonomichnoi diialnosti [The current state of preparation of future heads of institutions and organizations in the field of education for innovative economic activity]. Pedahohichnyiprotses: teoriia ipraktyka, vol. 3, pp. 27-32. (in Ukrainian)
Zadorozhna-Kniahnytska L. (2014). Udoskonalennia profesiinoi pidhotovky menedzheriv osvity v suchasnomu vyshchomu navchalnomu zakladi na antropolohichnykh zasadakh [Improving the professional training of education managers in a modern higher education institution on anthropological principles]. Vytoky pedahohichnoi maisternosti. Seriia: Pedahohichni nauky, vol. 13, pp. 133-138. (in Ukrainian)
Katkova, T. I. (2002). Kompetentnyi vypusknyk - meta i rezultat diialnosti vyshchoho navchalnoho zakladu osvity [Competent graduate - the purpose and result of higher education]. Postmetodyka, vol. 2-3, pp. 79-82. (in Ukrainian)
Kravchuk, O. S. (2017). Vitchyznianii ta zarubizhnyi dosvid profesiinoi kerivnykiv navchalnykh zakladiv v umovakh mahistratury [Domestic and foreign experience of professional heads of educational institutions in the conditions of a magistracy]. Visnyk Zhytomyrskoho derzhavnoho universytetu imeni Ivana Franka. Pedahohichni nauky, vol. 4(90), pp. 77-86. (in Ukrainian)
Lebid, O. (2018). Zmistovyi komponent systemy formuvannia hotovnosti maibutnoho kerivnyka zahalno-osvitnoho navchalnoho zakladu do stratehichnoho upravlinnia v umovakh mahistratury [The semantic component of the system of forming the readiness of the future head of a secondary school for strategic management in the conditions of master's degree]. Naukovyi visnyk MNU imeni V. O. Sukhomlynskoho. Seriia: Pedahohichni nauky, vol. 2(61), pp. 144-149. (in Ukrainian)
Pro osvitu: Zakon Ukrainy vid 05.09.2017 № 2145-VIII. Available at: https://osvita.ua/legislation/law/2231/ (in Ukrainian)
Khomenko, V. V. (2012). Vykorystannia dosvidu pidhotovky menedzheriv osvity Frantsii u vyshchykh navchalnykh zakladakh Ukrainy [Using the experience of training French education managers in higher educational institutions of Ukraine]. Naukovi pratsi vyshchoho navchalnoho zakladu "Donetskyi natsionalnyi tekhnichnyi universytet". Seriia:pedahohika,psykholohiia i sotsiolohiia, vol. 2(12), pp. 28-35. (in Ukrainian) Chernenko, N. M. (2016). Teoretychni i metodychni zasady pidhotovky maibutnikh menedzheriv osvity do upravlinnia ryzykamy u navchalnykh zakladakh [Theoretical and methodical bases of preparation of future managers of education to risk management in educational institutions]. Odesa, 511 p. (in Ukrainian)
