Is It Rational or Intuitive? Factors and Processes Affecting School Superintendents’ Decisions When Facing Professional Dilemmas

Oct 15, 2026

School superintendents’ decisions shape outcomes and community perceptions, so understanding influencing factors and decision processes is essential. A qualitative study interviewed 13 school superintendents to examine which factors affected their choices and how often they used rational versus intuitive decisionmaking models. Findings link decisions to protecting students’ interests, expectations of community acceptance, and guidance from trusted consultants. Responses indicate leaders blend rational analysis with intuition, resembling dual-process approaches.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages12

Reading Time30 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

The Role of Decisions in Organizational Success

Key Concepts: Decisions and Decision Making

Professional Dilemmas for Superintendents

Rational and Intuitive Approaches to Decision Making

Related Research: The Rational Versus the Intuitive Approach

Is It Rational or Intuitive? Factors and Processes Affecting School Superintendents’Decisions When Facing Professional Dilemmas Walter H. Hart, Ed.D. Winthrop University Abstract Given the critical impact of their decisions and of the community’s perception of their performance, it is reasonable that school superintendents would seek to understand the factors that influence their decisions and the processes used to make them. The researcher in this study used a qualitative approach, interviewing 13 school superintendents about the factors that affected their decisions and the extent to which they utilized a rational or intuitive decisionmaking model. The results show that superintendents’decisions are influenced by the belief that they must safeguard the interests of students, by their perceptions about community acceptance of their decisions, and by the advice of trusted consultants. Their responses suggested that superintendents blend a rational approach with their intuition when making decisions, a strategy that mimics dual process approaches. 14 Educational Leadership Administration: Teaching and Program Development March 2018; Vol.29: Issue 1 Every aspect of an organization’s success depends upon leaders making effective decisions. Hiring and retaining personnel, long-range planning, goal setting, resolving conflict, professional development, and budgeting are just a few examples of functions that depend upon quality decisions, and within every major decision lies the opportunity for success or failure (Lunnenburg & Ornstein, 2012) . Before we delve into this matter, it is important to clarify some key terms. A decision is a choice among alternatives; decision making is the process used to make that choice. Because decision making is part of all administrative functions, effective leaders must be adept at this skill (Kowalski, 2013) . Individuals occupying mid-level management positions often rely on established policies to guide their actions, making what Lunnenburg and Ornstein (2012, p. 136) call “programmed decisions.”Kasten and Ashbaugh (1988) found that whereas routine programmed decisions required discretion, enforcing existing policy is less challenging than the creative problem solving and complex decision making that executives engage in when facing professional dilemmas. Unlike routine decisions, a dilemma is a predicament for which there is no clear solution, unclear or nonexistent policy, and typically no precedent (Hoy & Tarter, 2008) . Executives at the highest level of the organizational hierarchy frequently face dilemmas (Agor, 1985) . Like CEOs in major organizations, school superintendents frequently face dilemmas (Touchton & Acker-Hocevar, 2011) . Limited resources, relations with elected boards, conflicting community values, teacher performance issues, and curriculum changes are just a few examples of such challenges (Noppe, Yager, Webb, & Sheng, 2013) . Dilemmas faced by superintendentsoften stem from political and external forces that manifest through state and federal mandates. Dilemmas require creative thinking and may cause discrepancies between the superintendents’values and the organization’s expectations. Superintendents are committed to following the rules of the organization, a belief system called the “standard administrative orientation”(Langlois, 2004, p. 78) . Experienced superintendents understand the difficulties associated with resolving dilemmas and develop mechanisms for coping with this uncertainty (Langlois, 2004) . In fact, superintendents must learn to accept ambiguity and conflict (Litchka, Fenzel, & Polka, 2009) . The lively nature of organizations, coupled with the multiple demands placed on executives, requires efficient and logical decision making. The traditional response to this challenge has been to use rational analysis, a process taught in leadership programs for decades (Sadler-Smith & Shefy, 2004) . However, Sadler-Smith and Shefy (2004) suggested

FAQs

What decision factors influenced school superintendents’ choices in the study?

Superintendents’ decisions were influenced by safeguarding students’ interests, perceptions of community acceptance, and advice from trusted consultants.

How did the study compare rational and intuitive decisionmaking?

The research examined the extent to which superintendents used rational versus intuitive models when facing professional dilemmas.

What does the study suggest about how superintendents make decisions?

Superintendents blend rational approaches with intuition, mirroring dual process theories rather than choosing only one model.

Oct 15, 2026

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