Learning, Power and Culture Schools

Learning, Power and Culture Schools

Learning, Power, and Culture in Schools

When one uses incrementalism one adds to a plan bit by bit, rather than attempting to do something all at once. By making these kinds of incremental changes, a person can make course corrections and also build upon what was done in the past to create a positive future for himself or herself. This can be done in personal or professional situations, as well. Logical incrementalism is when something is added to in increments through a sensible process of careful steps (i.e. logic) (Mintzberg, 2005). This is a focus on planning with a behavioral approach, instead of a formal systems approach to planning (Mintzberg, 2005). It can be used in public policy, but there are other ways to use it, as well. It is often used in strategic planning, and it relates to that type of planning very strongly. The reason logical incrementalism works so well in strategic planning, is because logic and strategy often go hand in hand.

When a person is logical and focused on strategy, it only makes sense that the strategy would be created one step at a time and that person would also carefully look into issues such as which step should come first and what should follow (Mintzberg, 2005). It is not always possible to be completely logical about something, but it is important to inject as much logic as possible into strategic planning so a person is able to move the plan forward and have success with it. Those who plan and use a strategy to get ahead in the business world are generally logical people anyway, because they are serious about their course in life and they spend time figuring out how they are going to move forward with that course. Then they take steps to make their goals (or dreams) happen. When they do that, they often plan appropriately because they are careful about the strategy they have and aware that there are logical ways to attain what they want from their careers.

The Five Forces model of strategy formation is highly valuable in business today (Mintzberg, 2005). According to Michael Porter, the creator of that model, there are five specific forces that affect a company. These are the bargaining power that is held by customers, the bargaining power that is held by suppliers, the threat that is posed by new entrants to a particular industry, the threat that is posed by substitute products appearing on the market, and the competitive rivalry that is seen within any industry (Mintzberg, 2005). The reason this resonates so strongly with so many people who are focused on strategic management today is because it is a highly valid strategy that takes into account a large number of factors that are important in business. Many people begin to plan their strategy well, but they end up with problems because they do not take everything else into account. They may ignore a section of the issue, and when they do that they can end up missing out on something that could allow them to get ahead in business. The Five Forces model, though, if followed properly, protects individuals who are creating strategic plans and moving forward in the business world.

When a person uses the Five Forces model, it is more likely that he or she will have covered every important angle for the business (Mintzberg, 2005). The reason the model works so well is based on the fact that everything that really matters in a business is covered - customers, suppliers, new entrants, and substitute products, along with the rivalry that is seen within the industry. That last issue is one about which many individuals forget when they are planning for a business. They focus on customers and suppliers, and they consider their products, but they fail to acknowledge the idea that there is already a rivalry in that industry and that it is only going to become more significant. It is not always the customers or the product that causes an issue. It can also be the other competitors and their ways of bringing business to them and away from the "new guy" on the scene.

Edgar Schein (1978) dealt with the dynamics of a person's career, and he also addressed the "anchors" used in that career (Schein, 1985). In careers that involve the school system, there is a culture that actually hinders the strategic direction and goals of the organization. One would think that those goals would be enhanced because everyone who works for the school would be interested in moving in the same direction. Unfortunately, however, that is generally not the case. Instead of enhancing things for a school, the fact that everyone is interested in education causes problems because they all have different ideas based on the best way to educate other people. Those ideas clash, and when they do it can be difficult to get enough people to come to an agreement to move forward in a productive way. When educators and management have different plans and goals, the culture of one group compared to the culture of another group can be enough to cause a high degree of friction.