Science in Educational Administration: A Postpositivist Conception

Abstract

Arguments about the strengths and weaknesses of traditional logical empiricist conceptions of science have figured prominently in debates over the nature and content of theories of educational administration. In this article, we briefly review some of these debates and their consequences for administrative theory, concluding that much of the dispute is misconceived owing to the widespread acceptance of foundational assumptions about knowledge justification. As an alternative, we urge the adoption of a nonfoundational, coherentist view of knowledge justification that leads to a much broader conception of science, one we think is more suitable for developing a systematic new science of administration. We conclude by outlining some consequences of our new science for postmodern developments in the field and approaches to organizational design and leadership.