The Work Behavior of Israeli Elementary School Principals: Expectations Versus Reality

Abstract

The work behavior of 94 elementary school principals in Israel was examined using a structured observation technique. The work finctions of these principals was compared with a formal job description document which was used as a performance criterion. The Israeli principals exhibited the work characteristics of brevity, variety, and fragmentation, supporting previous research on the nature of administrators'work. However, the Israeli principals were different in various dimensions, including higher levels of initiation and planning and strong social orientation. They also exhibited a unique profile of functional prioritization in terms of time allocation. These results are explained in light of sociocultural features of the Israeli work environment and structural characteristics of the Israeli educational system.