AMBIGUITY MODEL OF EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND

MANAGEMENT

- Dr. V. THANIKACHALAM

Goal?• No. of diploma programmes?• Field of specialization?• Regular? Year-wise? Semester?• Flexible?• Sandwich / co-operative?• Staff / Student Ratio?• Strength of the students / class?• Industrial Training?• Placement?• Fees?

Ambiguity over Process ?• Autonomous.• Affiliated to the State Board.• Academic Council.• Controller of Examination.• E-learning.• Audio-visual uses?• LRDC?• Continuing Education?• Consultancy Services.• Community polytechnic programmes?

Ambiguity on the Products

• Diploma and Degree.• Terminal Programme.• Lateral Entry.• Jobs – Govt.? Private? Self-

employment?• Ratio of theory to practical.• 60 : 40?• IT enabled technicians

Industrial Participation ? Fluid!

• Curriculum Development?• Industrial Exposure?• Industrial Training?• On the job Training?• Campus Placement?• Guest Lecturers?

Features of Ambiguity Models• Stress uncertainty and unpredictability in

organizations.• Emphasis is on the instability and

complexity of institutional goals, programmes and activities.

• Institutional objectives are problematic.• Difficulty in ordering priorities.

Departments / Extension Centers

• Autonomous group?• Loosely connected?• Accredited?• Testing services?• ?

Decision -Making• Participation is fluid.• Ambiguity is a prevalent feature of

complex institutions.

Ambiguity Models• Assume that turbulence and

unpredictability are dominant features of institutions.

• No clarity over the goals, and objectives of institutions.

• No clarity over the transformation processes.

Demands on the Institutions• Stakeholders.• Govt. (State / Centre).• AICTE.• State Board of Technical Education.• Governing Council.

Problems of Ambiguity• Prevalence of unplanned decisions.• Lack of agreed goals.• Decisions have no clear focus.• Decisions are unimplementable.

Faculty – Decision Makers or Implementers?

• No sharing of attitudes.• Sustenance is not thought of.• Other problems absorb the energies

of the organization as new crises arise.

Problems• Lack of information.• Unmatched inputs and outputs.• Unclear means and ends.

If Ambiguity Prevails…• Then it’s not possible to have clear

goals and objectives.

Solutions• Decentralization.• Decisions should be developed by

departments and expert faculty.• Coherent departments.• Avoid delays and uncertainties.

Departmental Autonomy• Professional faculty.• Exercise judegement in dealing with

clients.

Institutional Autonomy• Professional staff.• Required to exercise their judgement

in dealing with clients.

Successful Departments• Able to expand and thrive.

Weaker Departments• May contract.• Even close during difficult periods.

Devolution• Enable organizations to survive.• Transfer of authority in decision-

making.

If there is a Breakdown in One Portion?

Seal Off the Breakdown• Should not affect other departments.• Check the deterioration or decay.

Decision Maker• His/her expertise.• Views on the problem.• May not be dependent on the

intrinsic merits of the potential solutions.

Vague Purposes• Unclear.• Inadequate guide to behaviour.• Events are not dominated by intension.• Processes and outcomes are likely to

appear to have no close relation with the explicit intension of actors.

Decision -Making under Ambiguity

• An opportunity for discovering goals.

• Determine by what process particular goals become salient.

• Determine what factors lead to choices.

Organizational Structure• Problematic.• Subject to change.• Loosely coupled.• Policy is determined primarily by committees

rather than individuals.• Committees and working groups collectively

comprise the structure of the organization.• Institutional structure may be subject to a

variety of interpretations.

Interpretation of Structure• Responsibilities into decision areas.• Allocate to different bodies.• Issues

- Long-term / short-term.- Major / minor.- Urgent.- Rules and regulations – unlcear.

• Elements designed to deal with emergencies or procedural conflicts.

External Environment• Source of ambiguity.• Unpredictability of institutions.• Unstable environment.• Exert modest control.• Unable to discord pressures from

wider environment.

Countering External Pressures• Buffer themselves against the

unforeseen source.• Gain control over the source of

uncertainty.

Institutions which Fail to Meet the Requirements of their

Environments?• May have to suffer the penalty.• Contraction.• Closure.

Assessing the Events• Inability to interpret the wishes of the

environment.

Ultimate Solution• Recognize unpredictability.• Predict the consequence.• Form committees.• Delegate.• Provide autonomy.• Allow professional decisions.• Update the curriculum.• Improve the implementation.• Network with the external agencies.• Include industrial participation.

THANK YOU!Your Questions Please?