A Journey into the World of Educational Administration: In Search of a Narrative Beyond Narratives

Articles in Press

Document Type : پژوهشی

Authors

• Rezvan Hoseingholizadeh ¹
• Mahdieh Dezburd ²
• Fateme Enayatizadeh ²

¹ Associate Professor, Department of Educational Management & Human Resource Development, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

² Ph.D. student in Educational Administration and Human Resources Development, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

10.22067/fedu.2025.90475.1381

Abstract

Abstract
The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive overview of research on educational administration and leadership across diverse regions, including Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Africa. To achieve this objective, a systematic literature review methodology was employed. Following a rigorous process of searching, identifying, and refining studies across international databases such as Google Scholar, Scopus, ERIC, and Web of Science, as well as national databases including the Scientific Information Database and Humanities databases due to their extensive coverage, a total of 68 studies were purposively selected and analyzed through interpretive analysis. The findings revealed considerable dispersion and diversity in the topics investigated, with particular emphasis on leadership and its models, school effectiveness and improvement, higher education, human resource management, organizational behavior, characteristics and competencies of school principals, organizational change, and leadership training and development. The analysis further indicates a predominance of quantitative research methods and a reliance on Western theoretical frameworks to guide empirical inquiry, alongside relatively limited attention to context-specific studies. When examined across different geographical regions, this pattern reflects a form of scientific imperialism in the field of educational administration and leadership. Moreover, the global knowledge map highlights gaps in the distribution of formal and internationally recognized research across societies, pointing to the uneven production of scholarly knowledge. In this context, Iran’s contribution to global knowledge in educational administration and leadership remains relatively limited, underscoring the need for more localized and contextually grounded research.
Synopsis
In recent decades, knowledge production in the field of Educational Administration, Management, and Leadership (EAML) has undergone profound and multifaceted transformation on a global scale. The expansion of cross-border scholarly exchanges, the emergence of international research networks, and the dominance of Western theoretical paradigms have collectively intensified the need for critical reflection and re-mapping of the epistemic landscape of educational management. Against this backdrop, the present study aims to map and analyze global patterns of knowledge production in EAML across diverse geographical regions—Asia, Europe, North America, and Africa. The study employed a documentary research design using a comprehensive scoping review guided by the PRISMA framework for systematic reviews. A systematic search was conducted using key terms such as “educational administration and review,” “educational leadership and review,” and “educational management and review.” Data were collected from major international databases including Google Scholar, Scopus, ERIC, and Web of Science, as well as national repositories such as the Islamic World Science Citation Center (ISC) and the Humanities and Social Sciences Database. Thematic analysis was applied to examine prevailing topics, methodologies, publication venues, and leading versus peripheral centers in the field, thereby constructing a systematic and integrative portrayal of global and local knowledge production in EAML. The findings yielded several significant insights. First, scholars across world regions have primarily engaged with meta-themes such as leadership models, school effectiveness and improvement, higher education, human resources, organizational behavior, principals’ competencies, organizational change, and leadership training and development. This thematic diversity—what Oplatka (2018) terms intellectual vitality—reflects the growing maturity of the field. However, the evidence also reveals a limited inclination toward indigenous research and contextual theorization, with the field remaining largely aligned with a homogenized global paradigm dominated by Western epistemologies. The conceptual and analytical frameworks employed are predominantly imported, illustrating what has been described as “scientific imperialism” in EAML, wherein conventional Western—particularly Anglo-American—models shape the epistemic architecture of the discipline worldwide. Nonetheless, signs of intellectual pluralism are emerging. In China, Israel, and Malaysia, scholars and academic institutions have begun to indigenize theoretical frameworks and cultivate independent scholarly traditions. Similarly, in South America and parts of Africa, efforts to integrate educational management knowledge with critical theories of power and social inequality signal a turn toward context-sensitive scholarship. In Iran, knowledge production reflects broader Asian trajectories, with increasing attention to higher education management and leadership. However, school management and learning-centered leadership remain marginal areas, necessitating renewed scholarly attention and strategic development to enhance both theoretical and practical impact nationally and internationally. Second, the results reveal variations in regional contributions to EAML publications. The Educational Management Administration & Leadership journal publishes the highest number of articles in the field, followed by Educational Administration Quarterly. Asian scholars show a stronger inclination to publish in Management in Education and Leadership, while Iran’s share of global EAML scholarship remains minimal—underscoring the need for greater international collaboration and presence in high-impact journals. Third, the analysis indicates the predominance of quantitative research methodologies in global EAML studies, with comparatively limited use of qualitative and mixed-methods approaches. Iranian researchers largely mirror this pattern, highlighting a methodological imbalance and the need for greater diversification to illuminate the cultural, social, and behavioral dimensions of educational management and leadership. Fourth, a comparative analysis of knowledge production across continents revealed distinct patterns of scientific leadership and dependency. In Asia, Hong Kong and Israel stand as leading hubs supported by regional research centers, strong international networks, and robust funding structures. In contrast, nations such as Iraq, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Palestine, Jordan, and Lebanon remain peripheral, constrained by weak research–practice linkages, a shortage of trained leaders, dependence on Western frameworks, and institutional limitations. In Europe, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Belgium, Norway, and Spain dominate, leveraging English-language publication and transnational networks. In the Americas, the United States, Canada, and Australia constitute the central axis of production, while Chile emerges as a regional leader within Latin America. In Africa, South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya show potential for leadership, though Egypt, Morocco, and Algeria continue to face structural and financial constraints.
Conclusion
Despite the evident intellectual dynamism and thematic diversity within EAML, fundamental challenges persist, including Western paradigmatic hegemony, insufficient indigenous theorization, and methodological uniformity. Advancing the field requires the development of contextually grounded theoretical models, methodological diversification, and policy mechanisms that support localized knowledge production. The future of EAML lies in intercultural and dialogical scholarship that balances global universality with local authenticity. By mapping the global terrain of knowledge production, this study contributes to critical awareness and comparative reflection on Iran’s position within the international scholarly community. The findings offer valuable implications for researchers, policymakers, and educational leaders seeking to strengthen scientific and institutional capacities. Ultimately, educational excellence depends on knowledge-based, human-centered, and culturally responsive leadership—a foundation for cultivating empowered individuals and sustainable learning societies.

Keywords

• Over review
• Educational Administration and Leadership
• Scientific Imperialism
• Continents

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