The appeal of school based financial management in contrasting public education systems
Warwick Baines
Working Paper 10/06
August 2006
About the Author
Warwick Baines, Associate Lecturer, School of Accounting, Charles Sturt University, Bathurst NSW 2795, Australia
The author wishes to acknowledge the assistance and support of Ms Kay Plummer, Senior Lecturer in Accounting, Charles Sturt University
Charles Sturt University – Faculty of Business Working Paper Series
Managing Editor: Associate Professor Jayne Bisman, School of Accounting, Bathurst
Editors: Dr P. Mathews, School of Commerce, Wagga Wagga
Associate Professor M. O'Mullane, School of Business, Albury
Dr R. Tierney, School of Marketing and Management, Bathurst
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Table of Contents
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Review of literature
- Research question
- Methodology
- Results
- Conclusion
- References
- Appendix 1
- Appendix 2
Abstract
Administration of education systems is invariably on the public agenda. Governments have sought to meet dual objectives of equity and efficiency by devolving resource allocation decisions to individual schools. Devolution has been undertaken across contrasting educational management systems. In Australia this is exemplified in the largely decentralised Victorian and the largely centralised New South Wales systems. To date insufficient consideration has been given to the appeal of school level financial management in the context of these differing education administration systems. –The aim of this research therefore was to explore whether the type of school system has any effect on the claimed value of financial management at school level. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with fifteen participants from two large regional high schools, one in New South Wales and the other in Victoria. –The idea of allowing schools to be responsible for their financial management decisions held universal appeal for all research participants, irrespective of role and education administration system. A number of practical and theoretical problems with school level financial management raised by participants from both schools meant that support was qualified but to varying degrees.