‘Al Faza’a’ leadership

An implicit cultural barrier to distributed leadership in Jordanian public schools

Bibliographic Data

ID21784342
AuthorsReem Hashem (0000-0003-1327-8960, corresponding author)
Year2022
Volume50
Issue1
Pages26-42
Publication date2022-01-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEducational Management Administration & Leadership (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1741-1432 • E-ISSN: 1741-1440
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/1741143220932580
OpenAlexW3036025650
LanguageEN
Citations received8
References cited41

In 2003, the Jordanian government launched an ‘education reform for knowledge economy’ leadership programme in Jordanian public schools. The programme transformed school leadership structures by advocating patterns of distributed leadership. However, growing evidence in cross-cultural research shows the influence of local culture on implementation of foreign reform programmes. This paper aims to examine a culture-bound leadership practice during the implementation of the education reform for knowledge economy programme and the tensions it holds to the intent of distributed leadership. This leadership practice was identified by Jordanian school principals who participated in qualitative research to examine factors affecting the implementation of the education reform for knowledge economy programme. The research employed a grounded theory methodology for data collection and analysis. Principals termed this leadership practice ‘al faza’a’ leadership which is anchored in al faza’a social practice of Jordanian tribes. Findings demonstrate that Jordanian tribal leadership styles are seen in Jordanian public schools. ‘Al faza’a’ hegemonic leadership practices in the Jordanian public schools signify the embodiment of the tribal social and cultural values of solidarity and kinship. These values can be incongruent with the core values underlying the education reform for knowledge economy’s advocated distributed leadership programme. This paper concludes that ‘al faza’a’ practice can represent an implicit leadership theory in Jordanian schools

Educational leadership · Entrepreneurial Leadership · Entrepreneurship · Leadership · Leadership studies · Leadership style · Pedagogy · Political science · Public relations · Shared leadership · Sociology · Education and Islamic Studies · Public Administration · Socioeconomic Development in MENA · Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

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