Negotiating Needs in an Accountability Regime
A Culturally Mediated Hierarchy of Needs Among Chinese Novice Teachers
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21297121 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Zihan Dai (0009-0000-4449-3052, Chinese University of Hong Kong), Menghua Zhu (0009-0005-6691-7086, Shanghai Normal University), Jocelyn L N Wong (0000-0002-2408-2616, Chinese University of Hong Kong, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-23 |
| Publication date | 2026-05-06 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | British Journal of Educational Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0007-1005 • E-ISSN: 1467-8527 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/00071005.2026.2669663 |
| OpenAlex | W7160410477 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 33 |
This study examines how novice teachers in a Confucian-heritage context negotiate their personal needs while responding to external accountability demands. The purpose is to understand how these teachers navigate tensions between workplace expectations and their own perceptions of what they require to work sustainably. Interviews were conducted with fourteen early-career teachers, and the data were analyzed thematically with reference to a revised hierarchical needs framework. The results suggest that teachers’ needs can be described in hierarchical terms, but cultural norms and liangxin (an internalized moral conscience) often prompt participants to move beyond unmet basic needs in order to meet what they view as the moral expectations of teaching. Security and belonging emerged as interrelated forms of perceived support, while accountability pressures contributed to increased workload and emotional strain. Despite these challenges, many teachers continued to pursue what they understood as professional fulfillment, indicating a form of needs-level crossover shaped by both external cultural expectations and internal moral commitments. These findings point to policy and school-level arrangements that may help teachers address essential needs more consistently, while also enabling them to engage in meaningful professional development without compromising their well-being
Accountability · Hierarchy · Negotiation · Qualitative research · Semi-structured interview · Work (physics) · Cultural Differences and Values · Innovative Education and Learning Practices · Teacher Education and Leadership Studies
Novice teachers and how they cope
Cultural foundations of teacher occupational health
Leadership of Class Teachers (Banzhuren) in Improving Student Learning
Teacher job satisfaction and motivation to leave the teaching profession
Be passionate, but be rational as well
Ethical dilemmas and well-being in teachers’ work
Subdued by the system
Leaving the teaching profession
Learner-centred education in developing country contexts
Pressure, Bureaucracy, Accountability, and All for Show
The Neo-Performative Teacher
What Motivates People to Teach, and Why Do They Leave? Accountability, Performativity and Teacher Retention
A Tipping Point’ in Teacher Retention and Accountability
The Instrumental Motivation of Teachers
A theory of human motivation
Teachers’ workload, turnover intentions, and mental health
Three Types of Preschool Teachers’ Identity and Occupational Well-Being in Mainland China
Teaching with Liangxin (Virtuous Heart) Held in Hands or Not
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |