Cognitive Perspectives on Values in Administration: A Quest for Coherence and Relevance

Abstract

This article considers the special function of values as an influence on administrative action. Because a significant portion of the practice of educational administration requires rejecting some courses of action in favor of others, values are generally acknowledged to be central to the field. In this article, theories of cognition are employed as a conceptual lens for reviewing and classifying the theoretical and research literature on values. Adopting this perspective allows the reconciliation of several theoretical and conceptual difficulties and maps out various values theories in a manner that is perhaps more relevant to educational leadership and administration.