The Role of Proactive Behaviors in the Organizational Socialization of K-12 Principals: A Sequential Mixed Methods Design
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Authors
Nobili, Thomas J.
Issue Date
2018-10-18
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Leadership , Mixed methods , Newcomer learning , Organizational socialization , Principals , Proactive behaviors
Alternative Title
Abstract
A new employee being successfully socialized into the organization and their role in particular is associated with overall individual and organizational success. Moreover, newcomer proactivity is a critical component of the organizational socialization process as individual socialization tactics can contribute to increased newcomer learning. The process of principals being effectively socialized into the role is worthy of investigation since there is ample empirical evidence, which supports how essential the principal is in facilitating school improvement. However, the organizational socialization of principals is an underrepresented topic in the literature. This mixed methods study examined the proactive role principals play in facilitating their own organizational socialization. Phase I of the research utilized data collected from two quantitative questionnaires designed to elicit the information seeking behaviors of K-12 principals as well as how they perceived the information they obtained to enhance their overall knowledge base. Phase II of the study used interview data which provided insight into the other proactive behaviors principals utilized as well as how they made sense of their individual socialization experiences. Furthermore, a never before tested four theory framework was employed as the study’s conceptual foundation in order to determine if (The Need to Belong, Uncertainty Reduction Theory, Social Exchange Theory, and Social Identity Theory) serve as an accurate theoretical foundation for the organizational socialization experiences of K-12 principals. Findings showed principals play an active role in their socialization, which is motivated by great amounts of uncertainty and a need to belong. Moreover, they utilize multiple forms of proactive behaviors such as information seeking and inquiry, relationship building, and feedback seeking through engaging in social exchanges in an effort to fashion a positive social identity within the organization.
Description
Citation
T. Nobili, "The Role of Proactive Behaviors in the Organizational Socialization of K 12 Principals: A Sequential Mixed Methods Design", Ph.D. dissertation, School of Education, Univ. of Bridgeport, Bridgeport, CT, 2018.