Cultural eclecticism or cohesion?

: A case study of the management of transformational change and its impact on the culture of three predecessor schools in their transition to an academy

Abstract

The thesis seeks to understand the process by which three schools have transformed into an Academy, focusing on the complex and dynamic nature of transformational change and the development of a dominant culture. Exploiting its interpretivist design, the research explores the social world of the case study from the viewpoint of its participants. The rhetorical nature of the title reflects a simple binary choice between cultural cohesion and cultural eclecticism, however through the course of the research, a third concept emerges, imposed cohesion, dispersed within the espoused beliefs and values of the Academy and its underlying assumptions. The data hint that the management practices, designed to transform the organisation and create consistency, have, conversely, created a separatist culture characterised by external compliance.

The study offers an historical account of the emergence of the Academy Programme, and considers the theoretical literature pertaining to change, culture and power, building on existing theories. The research is faithful to the virtues and limitations of its methodological provenance, making useful contributions to the field of practitioner-embedded case study research. The tentative conclusions suggest there is a case for exploring the way power operates culturally during transformational change, understanding how it circulates among the threads of the organisation and impacts on staff. It provides suggestive evidence of the need to balance task-orientated practices with relationship-focused leadership, signalling the importance of consultation, communication and collaboration. The data offer strategies to guide stakeholders through the change process, highlighting management practices which could be deployed in other academies. These insights could influence the Academies Programme and inform public policy, providing rich data for the research community, local authorities and head teachers contemplating conversion. In the future it would be useful to carry-out further research, exploring whether the cultural paradigm in the Academy has shifted or whether imposed cohesion remains entrenched.

Date of Award	2016
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Lancaster University University of Cumbria
Supervisor	Alison Jackson (Supervisor)