The personal values of school leaders in Pakistan: A contextual model of regulation and influence

This paper illuminates the sources of personal values and their influence on the leadership practices of two school head teachers in the particular context of Pakistan. A comparative case study method has been followed within the qualitative research paradigm where semistructured interviews, observations, and document analyses were used as the main data collection tools. This study finds that the types of personal values and the motivational bases for the acquisition of such values are very much contextually-centered. The data for both principals, despite the exceedingly different characteristics of their childhood communities, reveals that the inherent religious and communal values of their divergent communities remain a strong motivational base for each head teacher. Their leadership practices are considerably influenced by their personal values in terms of cultivating a school culture, establishing structures, and fostering relationships with the external community. Based on the study’s findings, a contextualized model has been proposed