En resa du inte kan välja bort? : En studie av skolledares upplevelser och erfarenheter av förändringsprocesser

Sammanfattning: It might be assumed that principals play a critical role in school organizational change processes. Evidence that both decision makers and relevant authorities share this assumption is found in the Swedish Education Act (SFS 2010:800) as well as the objectives and guidelines set down in relevant curricula (Skolverket 2011). Drawing its inspiration from phenomenological life-world research, the overarching aim of this study is to explore and describe the professional and personal experiences of school principals involved in organizational change processes in the educational system. As a consequence of this theoretical grounding in life-world phenomenology, our study has adopted the methodology of semi-structured interviews, with the aim of gaining access to regional life-worlds of principals by exploring narratives relating to their understandings and experiences of organizational change processes in the educational system. The themes brought up in the three conducted interviews provide the basis for interpretation that produces empirical evidence in the form of narratives. The results of this study highlight substantial divergences in the themes identified in the narratives of the principals: there is simply more setting the experiences related apart than that which draws them together. Furthermore, our results also indicate that the personal and professional experiences of organizational change processes in schools related by the interviewees likely constitute information of interest for other involved parties. From this we can make the assumption that an improved support for principals should involve a mutual exchange of experiences between school authorities and principles; this while at the same taking into account individual needs of principals. Based on the narratives of the interviewees in this study, there are four main conclusions to be drawn from this study: -       Change requires organization if it is to be successful and lasting -       Developmental change draws it power from a feeling of community and motivation -       Managing co-workers specifically in relation to organizational change projects constitutes a problem for solitary principals -       Studying organizational change projects as phenomena is problematic with regards quantifiable success rates and crowding out effects Keywords: experiences, change, journey of change, change processes, principals, headmaster, school development