Organization theory, educational leadership and educational research Introduction

Purpose - This essay argues that it is time to revisit and reintegrate the contributions of organization theory to the understanding of educational organizations and leadership. Design/methodology/approach - The arguments presented in this essay are predicated on the following assumptions: a collective recognition of the rich theoretical and conceptual contributions the field of organization has made to the understanding of educational organizations and leadership; a concern that the pragmatic press of the current reform movement - with its preoccupation with outcome measures - would discourage efforts to pursue a theoretical and conceptual understanding of educational organizations; and a recognized need to re-articulate the utility of the frameworks and concepts provided by organizational theory literature to the larger research community. Findings - As a defining venue for social interaction, the organization provides a context for understanding this interaction. Organizations exhibit tendencies that exist in various human groups and provide the context for a variety of basic social processes. The numerous activities witnessed in educational organizations - leading, teaching, learning, counseling, coaching, etc. - take place in an organizational context. One cannot discuss these activities without considering the context in which they occur. Originality/ value - The value of this essay lies in the message it seeks to convey: it is time to revisit and reconsider the important role and contributions of the organizational theory literature with regard to educational research and the larger educational enterprise.