Designing better schools: The meaning and measure of enabling school structures

Common usage of the term bureaucracy is pejorative. To most people, bureauc racy is synonymous with red tape, rigid rules, autocratic superiors, and al ienated and apathetic employees. But organizations of any size. including s chools, have bureaucratic structures because they need appropriately design ed formal procedures and hierarchical structures to prevent chaos and promo te efficiency. Two conflicting views of the consequences of bureaucracy eme rge from the literature. Some studies demonstrate that structure alienates and frustrates, whereas other research finds structure increases satisfacti on and innovation. This study is consistent with an earlier attempt to reco ncile these two theoretically opposing perspectives by creating and testing a new construct termed enabling structure. Evidence is mounting that schoo ls can be designed with formalized procedures and hierarchical structures t hat help rather than hinder.