Conflict may occur in any organization (and hence school) and, for schools, conflict management style is a joint activity and the degree of its effectiveness determines the type of impact of conflict on school performance. This empirical study investigates the potential sources of conflict in Greek primary schools, determine appropriate approaches for the handling of conflicts and offers recommendations, based on the findings, for a more creative conflict management style in order to enhance school performance. Anonymous questionnaires were distributed to primary school educators in two Greek regions, one of which was the metropolitan area of Athens, resulting in a sample of 414 completed questionnaires. The results showed that school conflicts often arise in the school and that when school conflicts did occur they were mainly attributed to both interpersonal and organizational reasons. Moreover, the results showed that there is a greater likelihood for these conflicts to arise in urban schools than in other regions. This study supports the view that integration, collaboration and coherence are the key factors for cultivating a constructive conflict management strategy and enhancing better school performance.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper (based on the relevant literature) is to: investigate, through empirical analysis, primary school teachers’ perceptions regarding their job satisfaction, and examine whether or not the personal characteristics of primary school educators (such as gender, age, family status, educational level, and the total years of service in public primary education) have any impact on their job satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach – In total, 360 questionnaires were administered to primary school teachers in the metropolitan area of Athens (region of Attiki). The sample was randomly selected. The questionnaire was based on 41 closed and was divided into two sections. The Job Satisfaction Survey developed by Spector (1985) was implemented. Findings – Greek school teachers are generally satisfied with their profession. There is no statistical correlation between personal characteristics and the overall satisfaction while indicated that teachers are more satisfied with three aspects (subscales) of job satisfaction, namely, “administration,” “colleagues” and “nature of work” and less satisfied with “salary,” “benefits” and “potential rewards.” Age correlates with the levels of satisfaction with reference to administration, potential rewards, colleagues and the nature of work. The overall satisfaction positively correlates with all nine aspects of job satisfaction (subscales) and gender affects the aspects of “promotion” and “colleagues.” Research limitations/implications – This study only analyzes a small sample from the Athens region and hence the results cannot be used to generalize about the whole of Greece. Since other Greek regions operate in different socio-economic environments, an analysis of additional data from other regions (rural and urban areas) would be necessary to compare and confirm the results. Originality/value – The findings of this study a valuable extension of other relevant research as it provides the first empirical study of the Greek school system, investigating the relationship between certain aspects of job satisfaction and the personal characteristics of school educators as well as the relationship between these aspects of job satisfaction and total satisfaction. In the context of efficient educational policy, a greater understanding of educators’ job satisfaction could facilitate the development of more effective policy practice that would increase not only the level of educators’ satisfaction, commitment and morale but also improve the performance of the school system.

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The paper presents the findings of a study of the decision-making process which precedes the choice of a university in Greece. Specifically, the degree of rationality exhibited by prospective students is assessed in an attempt to provide a test for the economic approach to the explanation of human behaviour. Information search is used as an indication of rationality and measured through a survey conducted among 220 university students in the academic year 2003/2004. The findings provide weak support for the rationality postulate in that they indicate that more than 40% of respondents could not be classified as information seekers. Logistic regression analysis was used in order to identify characteristics associated with the propensity to engage in information search: high socioeconomic status students, students who perceived the decision as important, and students who had acquired information prior to the choice of a university were found to be more likely to engage in information search. The paper draws attention to the limitations of the economic rational man model of human behaviour and discusses the implications of the findings for the promotional strategy of universities.

The purpose of this paper is to examine teachers perceptions of the effectiveness of training for teachers who work in 'full-day' schools in the professional development of teachers and the implications for education policy. Through an empirical investigation this paper points out that recent education reforms regarding in-service teacher training cannot be considered as the most important positive influence on teachers' progression and consequently on meeting the learning needs of pupils in full-day schools. The lack of encouragement and motivation offered by the Greek school administration is linked to the unwillingness of Greek school teachers to participate in in-service training. As a result of the latter, there are teachers in full-day schools offering extra curricula activity who are without the appropriate knowledge and the skill of reflection, teachers who have not developed the qualifications to teach effectively. Thus, it is evident that teacher in-service training in Greece needs careful reconsideration by the Ministry of Education. All schools (all types) should have appropriately-trained teaching staff and teachers that adjust more easily to the social, technological and academic changes that naturally occur in the school environment. L'objectif de cette étude est d'examiner les perceptions des instituteurs au sujet de l'efficacité de la formation reçue par les instituteurs travaillant dans les écoles à horaire élargi sur leur développement professionnel ainsi que sur la politique éducative. Basée sur une approche expérimentale, cette étude constate que les reformes éducatives récentes concernant la formation des instituteurs lors de leur horaire de travail ne saurait avoir un impact positif et considérable sur leur progrès ni les aider à répondre aux besoins éducatifs des élèves des écoles horaire élargi. Le manque d'encouragement et de motivation de la part de l'administration scolaire grecque est étroitement lié aux réticences des instituteurs grecs de suivre une formation supplémentaire après leur nomination. Par conséquent, il y a des instituteurs dans les écoles à horaire élargi chargés d'animer des activités hors programme sans posséder ni les connaissances nécessaires ni la compétence de transmission, à savoir des instituteurs complètement démunis de toute aptitude qui leur permettrait d'enseigner efficacement. Il est donc bien évident que la formation des instituteurs en Grèce, après leur nomination, nécessite une réforme adéquate de la part du Ministère de l'Education. Chaque école, indépendamment de sa catégorie devrait être équipée d'un personnel formé et les instituteurs devraient s'adapter plus facilement aux changements sociaux, technologiques et académiques advenant dans le milieu scolaire.El objetivo de este artículo es analizar las percepciones de los profesores sobre la efectividad que tienen los cursos de formació n para profesores en activo en colegios de día completo, en su desarrollo profesional, así como sobre sus implicaciones en la política de educació n. A través de un est...