Evaluating the Relationships between School Culture and Conflict Management Styles of Primary School Administrators According to Opinions of Primary School Teachers

Abstract

The main aim of this study is to examine the relationship between the preferred conflict management style of school administrators and school culture according to the opinions of primary school teachers. The sample group of the study consisted of 831 primary school teachers who work at general primary schools affiliated to the directorate of national education of Tepebasi and Odunpazari central counties in Eskisehir. To collect data, a data collection tool which was developed by the researcher, consisting of 3 sections which are “Personal Information Form”, “School Culture Scale” and “School Administrators’ Conflict Management Styles Scale” respectively was used. The data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics and Pearson product-moment correlation analysis. According to the results of the study, primary school teachers indicated that school administrators prefer to use democratic/compromising style rather than authoritarian/indifferent style. With respect to results related to school culture, it was found that primary school teachers evaluated organizational culture of their school high. Lastly, it was determined that there is a negative, weak and statistically meaningful relationship between organizational culture and authoritarian/indifferent style while there is a positive, moderate and statistically meaningful relationship between organizational culture and democratic/compromising style. Based on the results of the study, it is suggested that school administrators should have democratic attitudes and behaviors to make the school culture stronger