A Discourse Analysis of Strategic Management in Public Education

• In Event: 72.064 - Roundtable Session 29
  In Roundtable Session: 72.064-1 - Data, Capital, and ... Oh Yeah, Children

Abstract

Public schools as social service organizations have traditionally been governed by logics of administration combining professional expertise with regulatory principles of rational administration to accomplish social welfare. However, these forms of governance of public education have increasingly been challenged by a trend towards adopting technologies, values, and practices typical of for-profit organizations. In this paper, we provide a critical analysis of the expansion of strategic management discourse into the realm of K-12 public education, by analyzing a selected discourse proclaiming to ‘create new knowledge’ for the strategic management of public school districts. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of our findings for public education administration.

Authors

• Thomas Greckhamer, Louisiana State University

• Sebnem Cilesiz, University of Louisiana at Lafayette