ABSTRACT
This part introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters. The part illustrates some initial forays into the Asian school leadership knowledge base. It provides a collective portrait of Chinese school principals. The part aims to touch upon each of the first three questions in the proposed framework to underpin the construction of a stronger knowledge base, namely, an initial understanding of who Chinese principals are, what leadership strategies they employ and why they do what they do. It describes how creativity and leadership can be conceptualised as vectors of force within an organisational field. The part provides an example of a narrowly focused area, one whose aim is to identify the possible cultural blockages to successful reforms across Asian societies. It discusses how leadership and creativity are privileged in the region, applying primarily to people or groups with formal rank or socially ascribed status, which serves to limit the potential for educational innovation.
