ROLE SET CONFLICT AND ROLE BEHAVIOR IN AN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF THE ISRAELI GENERAL INSPECTOR OF SCHOOLS
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/eb009806 |
| Pages | 58-67 |
| Published date | 01 January 1979 |
| Date | 01 January 1979 |
| Author | H.H. GAZIEL |
| Subject Matter | Education |
THE JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION
VOLUME XVII, NUMBER
1
MAY, 1979
ROLE SET CONFLICT AND ROLE BEHAVIOR IN AN
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF
THE ISRAELI GENERAL INSPECTOR OF SCHOOLS
H.H. GAZIEL
The foci of this article are upon the conflict at supervisory level in a centralized edu-
cational system and the supervisory behaviour in such situations. Using an attitude
questionnaire it was found that the Inspector is in a conflicting situation. On the one
hand he is expected by his superior to be a bureaucrat, on the other he is expected by
his subordinates
to be
a professional educational leader. The Inspector has
no
clear self
image. He attempts to resolve such situations by adopting a "Moral
—
Expedient"
way of behaviour.
INTRODUCTION
The object of this study is to analyse and to understand the
determinants of role set conflict and role behaviour. The focus of research
is the role of the general Inspector-Supervisor1 in Israel.2
Our point of
view
as a supposition is that role set conflict has a negative
influence on the effectiveness and efficiency of organizations as indicated
in some studies.3 Therefore discovering the sources of conflict may be
reflected in improvement of supervisory performance and in teacher job
satisfaction.
Before presenting our findings it is important to clarify
role
set
conflict
and to outline patterns of behavior leading towards it.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
The key concepts of role and role conflict have been defined in varied
ways although important attempts have been made to produce conceptual
order4 of some kind. Despite variations in the definition of the term a
central component of all of the formulations is
incompatibility between
the
expectations
of a
role.
According to Merton5 the role-set is defined as that component of role
relationships which persons have by virtue of occupying a particular social
status.
Thus the role of
the
supervisor (Inspector) may be seen as a part of
a network in which the roles of the teacher, the principal and his
HA1M GAZIEL is Lecturer and Head of the Division of Educational Administration and
Supervision, School of Education at Bar-Ilan University, Israel. He is a member of edu-
cational research associations in Israel, France and the U.S.A. Formerly an Inspector of
Schools, Dr. Gaziel holds the degree of
M.A.
(Hebrew University of Jerusalem) and Ph.D.
(Sorbonne).
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