ABSTRACT
This opening chapter is concerned, with the way in which the central task of managers – human resource management – may be best achieved. The author identifies as fundamental the problem of defining and meeting the needs of school managers. Needs vary according to different perspectives, for example, Government and DES, the LEA, school and the individual. She argues that needs can only be defined on the basis of the tasks (the ‘what’ of management) and the skills necessary for the achievement of those tasks (the ‘how’ of management), but that this is complicated because needs of the individual and the organisation inevitably change over time. The author suggests that needs may be met by both training for short term objectives (‘on-the-job’, ‘near-the-job’ and ‘away-from-the-job’) and longer term development (which can only be achieved by linking the growth of the individual with the development of the organisation. In presenting these two themes of training and development, and individual and organisational needs, the author highlights the need for managers who are highly skilled in the business of time management, interpersonal relationships and target setting and appraisal. These and other themes are examined in detail in the other chapters of this book.
