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Gender differences in school leadership

Collaborative and task-oriented styles of principals in Andalusia, Spain

Bibliographic Data

ID21784424
AuthorsFrancisco Javier Gil‐Espinosa, Francisco Javier Gil-Espinosa (0000-0002-8845-4060), Iván López-Fernández (0000-0003-0632-3532), José Daniel Jiménez‐García (0000-0002-4219-3993, corresponding author), Cristina Cadenas‐Sanchez (0000-0002-4513-9108)
Year2026
Volume54
Issue2
Pages407-428
Publication date2026-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEducational Management Administration & Leadership (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1741-1432 • E-ISSN: 1741-1440
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/17411432241267873
OpenAlexW4402137967
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited52

School leadership plays an integral role in meeting educational quality standards. In recent years, the interplay between gender and leadership has emerged as a contentious subject of discussion. This study delves into how the gender of school principals influences their perception and administration of designated professional competencies. Engaging 470 school leaders from state-owned schools from Spain (Andalusia), this analysis uncovers notable distinctions in the leadership styles and approaches employed by male and female principals, underscoring the significance of acknowledging the cultural and societal backdrop. Our findings indicate a pronounced appreciation for competencies linked with collaborative and transformational leadership among female principals. This observation underscores the imperative for the development of inclusive educational policies that recognize and leverage gender diversity as a pivotal resource for augmenting leadership in educational settings. The study accentuates the essential need for the establishment of educational strategies and policies that not only discern gender differences but also valorize them, enhancing the caliber of leadership across educational frameworks

Economics · Educational leadership · Instructional leadership · Leadership style · Management · Mathematics education · Pedagogy · Political science · Sociology · Education in Rural Contexts · Gender Diversity and Inequality · Psychology · Social Psychology · Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

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Unique citing works1
Citations per year1
Citation span2025 - 2025 (1)
Citation velocityrecent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 1

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