RELATIONSHIPS AMONG PERCEIVED IMPOSED ROLE AND DESIRED ROLE, PERCEIVED PERFORMANCE, AND JOB SATISFACTION OF JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among (1) the perceived imposed role, (2)the desired role, (3)the perceived performance, and (4)the job satisfaction of the junior high/middle school principal. The major problem was to ascertain whether the perceived imposed role was compatible, or in conflict, with the desired role of the junior high/middle school principal; in addition, to ascertain whether any discrepancy had a significant relationship with the levels of perceived performance and job satisfaction of the junior high/middle school principal. For the purpose of this study, a questionnaire was piloted with selected junior high/middle school principals in Tucson, Arizona. It was then submitted to 115 junior high/middel school principals in Arizona. The questionnaire consisted of 14 components of the junior high/middle school principal's role. Each administrator was asked to respond to each component according to (1) how important that component was in his/her present role, (2)how important that component should be in his/her role, (3)the level of his/her performance on that component, and (4)his/her level of job satisfaction associated with that component. Sixty-five percent of the junior high/middle school principals in Arizona responded to the questionnaire. The findings of the study were: (1)There was no significant difference between the perceived imposed role and the desired role of the junior high/middle school principal; (2)there was no significant relationship between the lack of conflict found between the perceived imposed role and the desired role, and the level of performance as perceived by the junior high/middle school principal; (3)there was a significant negative relationship between the lack of conflict found between the perceived imposed role and the desired role, and the level of job satisfaction of the junior high/middle school principal; (4)there was a significant relationship between the perceived imposed role and the desired role of the junior high/middle school principal; (5)there was a significant relationship between the level of performance experienced by the junior high/middle school principal and the level of job satisfaction, (6)there were significant corelations between 12 of the components of the perceived imposed role and the corresponding components of the desired role of the junior high/middle school principal. The two components that showed no correlation were building school climate and selecting and orientating staff; (7)there were significant correlations between all of the components of perceived imposed role and the corresponding components of job satisfaction of the junior high/middle school principal. The findings imply that (1)the junior high/middle school principals in Arizona are performing their role as they desire; (2)perceptions of role conflict or compatibility do not have an effect on how a principal rates his/her performance; (3)as the discrepancy between the perceived imposed role and the desired role becomes larger, job satisfaction goes down, or as the job satisfaction goes down, the discrepancy gets larger; (4)a significant relationship exists between the perceived imposed role and the desired role of the junior high/middle school principal; and (5)a significant relationship exists between the level of perceived performance and the level of job satisfaction.