| Abstract [eng] |
The intense geopolitical, social, economic, cultural, and technological changes occurring worldwide are transforming societal needs, and education plays a key role in responding to these shifts. In this context, the mission of educational organizations becomes particularly important: to develop innovative, high-quality strategies that address both global changes and local challenges. One of the most effective ways for an educational organization to adapt and thrive in today’s society is by strengthening its internal culture of collaboration. Effective internal collaboration contributes to the achievement of common goals and fosters the commitment of the entire community to a shared vision (Starkutė, 2024). Collaborative culture is a vital part of organizational culture, shaping new approaches to relationships within institutions. Modern educational institutions are increasingly prioritizing the development of internal collaboration as a means of enhancing the learning process and improving student outcomes. In this regard, the role of leadership styles in promoting a culture of internal collaboration within general education schools is becoming increasingly evident. By applying an appropriate leadership style, the head of an educational institution can enhance staff motivation, cultivate a collaborative culture, improve adaptability to changing conditions, encourage staff participation in decision-making, and foster a creative, innovative teaching environment (Shahbaz, 2024). Managerial leadership has been extensively studied in academic literature, with transformational and transactional leadership styles being the most prominent. Researchers agree that to implement organizational change effectively, modern leaders must be capable of combining various leadership styles and adapting them to different contexts, considering both organizational characteristics and employee needs. In Lithuania, managerial leadership has also been actively explored; however, there is still a lack of specific research on its role in fostering internal collaboration in educational institutions. The research problem addressed in this study: what is the role of managerial leadership styles in fostering a culture of internal cooperation in general education institutions? The object of research – the role of managerial leadership styles in promoting internal collaboration within these institutions. The aim of the project – to assess the role of managerial leadership styles in fostering internal cooperation in gymnasiums within Kaunas municipality. The tasks of the project are as follows: 1. to theoretically justify the role of managerial leadership styles in promoting internal cooperation in general education institutions; 2. to analyze international and national documents on leadership and the promotion of internal cooperation in general education institutions; 2. to investigate the role of managerial leadership styles in promoting internal cooperation in gymnasiums in Kaunas municipality. The following methods were used to conduct the study: analysis of scientific literature, analysis of strategic documents and legal acts, and questionnaire survey. The first chapter explores the significance of the manager's role within an organization, defines the concept of public sector organizations, outlines leadership concepts and styles, and examines the expression of internal collaboration culture in public sector organizations. It pays particular attention to the functions and specific activities of general education institutions and presents a theoretical model for the manager’s role in promoting internal collaboration. The second chapter reviews international and national legal documents that regulate education systems, shape education policy, and define the roles and responsibilities of the heads of schools. It also explores the principles of leadership, and the promotion of internal cooperation as outlined in these documents. The third chapter presents the research methodology, analyses strategic documents of Kaunas City Municipality gymnasiums related to internal collaboration, and discusses the findings of empirical research. The document analysis shows that the official materials from the participating institutions do not clearly and specifically outline measures to promote internal cooperation. The measures that are present tend to align more closely with transactional leadership styles. Empirical data analysis reveals that heads of gymnasiums in Kaunas city municipality tend to use an integrated leadership style, combining factors of transformational, transactional, and empowering leadership. Based on the findings, conclusions and recommendations are provided for the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport of the Republic of Lithuania, the Kaunas city municipality administration, and heads of Kaunas gymnasiums. The project concludes with lists of literature, information sources and appendice. |
