ISSN: 2320-5407 Int. J. Adv. Res.

11(04), 1689-1701

Journal Homepage: - www.journalijar.com

Article DOI: 10.21474/IJAR01/16840

DOI URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.21474/IJAR01/16840

RESEARCH ARTICLE
PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR ACADEMIC TRAINING FOR THE HUMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT
FUNCTIONS OF THEIR ROLE

Darron L. Shell, Anika Burtin, Sylvia Morrison and Angela Henderson

……………………………………………………………………………………………………....
Manuscript Info Abstract
……………………. ………………………………………………………………
Manuscript History The principal manages many employees, including teachers and other
Received: 28 February 2023 certified staff. Therefore, they need to receive specialized training
Final Accepted: 31 March 2023 toward this end. Unfortunately, previous research has shown that many
Published: April 2023 principals do not receive this training and education. This study
explores principals’ perceptions of the academic training they received.
Key words:-
Principals, Principalship, Human Capital Specifically, the study examines their thoughts and opinions regarding
Management how well they were trained for their role's human capital management
functions. This study utilized a mixed-method survey research design
to obtain information from a sample of PK-12 school principals. The
researchers employed a 25-item online questionnaire to assess the
principals' perceptions of the principal preparation programs they
participated in before initiating their principalship. This questionnaire
included open- and close-ended questions to evaluate their perceptions
and thoughts. One-Way ANOVA was used to analyze Likert-style data
and explore the perceptions of completing a human resource capital
management course. A thematic qualitative analysis was also used to
identify and analyze themes within qualitative data. The findings
revealed that respondents shared the same desire to complete a human
capital management course, principals with varying degrees of
experience perceived their master's degree in educational leadership as
preparing them for the post of principal in the same way, and principals
must believe they have the relevant knowledge and skillsto help them
perceive that they are operating as efficient and effective human capital
managers.
Copy Right, IJAR, 2023,. All rights reserved.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………....
Introduction:-
This research study explores factors surrounding a school principal's ability to function as a human capital manager
and the essential academic preparation needed for effective performance in this capacity. The study examines
principals' perceptions of their academic preparation for their role as human capital managers. According to Liu et
al. (2017), a human capital manager is any person within an organization entrusted with overseeing human capital
functions. The primary role of the human capital manager is to recruit and train employees, manage talent, and
appraise performances (Liu et al., 2017). It is expected that principals of schools learn how to embody this human
capital manager role through the academic preparation they receive. Academic preparation is defined as a person's
life-long skills development, utilizing a proactive approach that focuses on achieving personal and professional
growth (Hepworth et al., 2018).

Corresponding Author:- Darron L. Shell

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This study explores principals' perceptions of their academic preparation for their role's human capital management
functions. It determines how they view their academic preparation to be human capital managers. The research
question for this study focuses on how principals perceive the effectiveness of their academic preparation
concerning their role's human capital management functions. This study hypothesizes that school principals perceive
that they are not fully academically prepared for the role of human capital manager, as they may lack specific
training and education in areas related to human capital management, such as personnel selection/recruitment,
evaluation, and training and development. Conversely, principals who perceive their academic preparation as
inadequate are less likely to implement effective human capital management practices, which may lead to teacher
turnover, low morale, and poor student outcomes. Therefore, it is hypothesized that a positive relationship exists
between principals' perceptions of their academic preparation for human capital management and their perceived
effectiveness in managing human capital in schools.

Methodology:-
The study utilized a mixed-method survey design, incorporating qualitative (subjective and narrative) and
quantitative (objective and measurable) components. This approach was chosen to provide a comprehensive
understanding of how principals perceive the effectiveness of their academic preparation regarding managing human
capital in their role. A mixed-method survey design allows more robust data to address the research question.

Population and Sample

This study focuses on principals currently employed by PK-12 schools in the United States, with the population of
interest being those who have received academic preparation for their role. The sample of participants for this study
was selected using a combination of convenience sampling and purposive and homogenous sampling. The sample
can be considered a convenience sample because it was collected from school principals willing to participate in the
study. At the same time, the sample was purposive and homogenous because the researchers specifically targeted
principals with a graduate-level education to ensure that the sample was composed of individuals who met the
research criteria.

The participant recruitment strategies for this study included a clear and concise recruitment message that was
disseminated electronically and explained the study's purpose, the benefits of participation, and the rationale for
their participation. The researchers utilized the internet and social media, including Google Ads, Twitter, and
Facebook, to share the study information and request principal participation throughout the United States.

Instrumentation
The study utilized an online questionnaire that consisted of 25 items to gather data from current principals who
voluntarily participated in the study. Analysis suggested a Cronbach’s Alpha of 0.899, indicating that our construct
has high reliability. The questionnaire included open- and close-ended questions to assess participants' perceptions
of the principal preparation programs they completed before assuming their role. The questionnaire also gathered
information on participants' years of experience, education level, and desire for future professional development.
The study excluded participants who did not provide consent, were not currently employed as a principal, or did not
meet the minimum educational requirements for participation. The questionnaire included Likert-style questions to
rate participants' previous education, academic preparation, and future professional development related to
managing school-based human capital. Additionally, the study included open-ended questions to gather participants'
perceptions on the necessary skills and knowledge for managing school-based employees, elements to include in a
professional development course, and relevant ongoing professional development in human capital management.

The survey's first seven questions collected demographic information from participants, such as their current
employment status, years of experience, and geographic location. The study excluded participants who did not meet
the minimum educational requirements or had not completed coursework related to educational leadership. The
questionnaire used Likert-style questions to assess participants' perceptions of their previous education, academic
preparation, and future professional development related to managing school-based human capital. The survey also
included open-ended questions to gather participants' perceptions on the necessary skills and knowledge for
managing school-based employees, elements to include in a professional development course, and relevant ongoing
professional development in human capital management.

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Data Analysis
We collected 230 survey responses from current school principals. The data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel
and SPSS. We conducted descriptive statistics to explore the relationship between principals' academic training and
their perception of preparedness for their role's human capital management functions. Quantitative measures were
computed using descriptive statisticsfor questions 3 through 11 in the survey. In addition, forquestions 3 through
10,frequencies and proportions of each category were tabulated, showing how common specific categories were
among the participants.

For Likert-style questions 12 through 22, the data collected were analyzed using ANOVA (analysis of variance) to
investigate the difference in ratings for each aspect of human capital management among principals based on their
current employmentbecause it can be used to test the significance of differences between three or more groups or
variables (Howell, 2007). The study collected Likert-style data, commonly used in research to measure the attitudes
and opinions of participants. The researchers investigated the differences in mean scores of the Likert-style
questions.

Finally, for questions 23 through 25, qualitative measures were computed in Microsoft Excel. The National
Association of Secondary School Principals guided the work of Hoyle et al. as essential skills that school principals
need to be successful in today’s schools. Therefore, applying the work of Hoyle et al. (2010), The 10 Skills for
Successful 21st Century School Leaders were used to define the themes used to code responses in Question 23.
Applying Liu et al.’s (2017) definition of human capital management, four themes of human capital management
were used to define the themes used to code responses in questions 24 and 25.

Results:-
A total of 230 principals were surveyed for this study, but 26 respondents were excluded from the final sample due
to various reasons such as not agreeing to consent in question 1, not currently working as a principal in question 3,
or not meeting the educational requirements in questions 9 and 10. Therefore, the final sample size for the study
consisted of204 principals.

The primary objective of this study is to understand principals' perceptions of the training they received in human
capital management. The quantitative results presented here show the differences in principals' perceptions based on
different groupings, such as by the type of school, geographic region, or experience. Four participants did not
provide their perception of whether their master's degree prepared them for employee management and was
excluded from the calculations. Demographics analysis of the respondents suggested that the highest percentage of
respondents (n=81,40.7%) were principals of high schools, followed by principals of elementary schools
(n=61,29.9%). The lowest number of respondents (n=27, 13.2%) were principals of other P-12 settings, while only
one of the respondents did not mention their type of school.

Demographics of Respondents
Analysis suggested that most respondents (n=34, 65.7%) had experiencebetween 1 to 7 years. Whereas only 5.9%
(n=12) of the respondents indicated, their experience was less than one year.Most of the respondents (n=84, 41.18%)
were principals of public schools from urban areas, followed by principals of private schools (n=33, 16.18%) that
were also in urban areas. None of the principals identified as working in suburban charter schools. The lowest
number of respondents remain from other P-12 schools from all three areas, i.e., urban, suburban, and rural.

Further analysis also suggested that out of all US states, 83.7% of the respondents belonged to 18 US states, i.e.,
California (22), Florida (18), Georgia (17), Alaska (11), and Texas (9). Arizona (8), Arkansas (8), Alabama (8), New
York (8), Maryland (7), Colorado (6). New Jersey and Illinois (5 each), Hawaii and Indiana (4 each), and the
District of Columbia, Connecticut, and Kentucky (3 each).

Principal Perceptions of Whether Master's Degree Prepared them to Manage All School-Based Employees
We first look to understand principals' perceptions of whether their master's degree in educational leadership
prepared them to manage all school-based employees (question 12).

Figure 2 groups principals by four different types of schools: elementary school, middle/junior high school, high
school, or other P-12 settings. The frequency and percentages of each category are provided as well. One participant
did not provide their school type and was excluded from the calculations. Descriptive analysis indicates that 35.2%

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(n=81) of the participants strongly agreed that their master's degree in educational leadership prepared them to
manage all school-based employees. The histogram of responses from participants also suggested a bimodal
distribution that is negatively skewed, indicating thatthe group of participants who strongly perceived that their
master's degree in educational leadership prepared them to manage all school-based employees were more than
those who rated their perception as lower on this question.

Figure 1:- Perception of IfTheMaster's Degree in Educational Leadership Prepares to Manage All School-Based
Employees.

Note:The numbers 1-5 in Figure 1 represent a rating scale used to assess participants’ perceptions of whether their
master's degree in educational leadership prepared them to manage all school-based employees: (1) Strongly
disagree, (2) Somewhat disagree, (3) Neither agree nor disagree, (4) Somewhat agree, and (5) Strongly agree

Analysis revealed that most respondents who strongly agreed that their degree prepared them for the position of
principal also strongly agreed that their degree prepared themfor management of all school-based employees.
However, only 0.5% (n=11) of the respondents somewhat disagreed that their degree prepared them tomanage all
school-based employees. Those who strongly disagreed that their degree prepared them for the position of principal
also strongly disagreed that their degree prepared themfor management of all school-based employees
(n=28,14.0%).

Correlation Analysis of Principals' PerceptionsofPreparedness for Human Capital Factors

Next, we conducted a correlation analysis ofprincipals' perceptions of preparedness for human capital factorsto
determine if there was an association between the perception of principals who think that their master's degree in
educational leadership prepared them for the position of principal (Q11) and their preparedness for management of
all school-based employees (Q12), for selection and recruitment of all school-based employees (Q14.1), for
evaluating all school-based employees (Q14.2), for training and development of all school-based staff (Q14.3) and
for retaining school-based staff (Q14.4).

Table 1:- Correlation Analysis of Principals' Perceptions of Whether TheirMaster's Degree in Educational
Leadership Prepared Them for the Position of Principal.
Degree Prepared for the Position of
Principal
Q12 Management of all school-based Pearson Correlation .834**
employees Sig. (2-tailed) .000

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N 200
Q14.1 Selection and Recruitment Pearson Correlation .707**
Sig. (2-tailed) .000
N 200
Q14.2 Evaluating Pearson Correlation .635**
Sig. (2-tailed) .000
N 197
Q14.3 Training and development Pearson Correlation .653**
Sig. (2-tailed) .000
N 199
Q14.4 Retaining Pearson Correlation .543**
Sig. (2-tailed) .000
N 202
**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).

The correlation analysis indicated that principals’ perception that their master's degree in educational leadership
prepared them for the position of principal has a strong positive correlation with their perception of their
preparedness for management of all school-based employees (r=0.834, p-value=0.000), for selection and recruitment
of all school-based employees (r=0.707, p-value=0.000), for evaluating all school-based employees (r=0.635, p-
value=0.000), for training and development of all school-based staff (r=0.653, p-value=0.000) and for retaining
school-based staff (r=0.543, p-value=0.000).

Principals' Perceptions Concerning Current Employment as a Principal

Next, a One-Way ANOVA was carried out to investigate whether ratings differed on master's degree preparation for
the discrete human capital management factors.

Table 2:- One-Way ANOVA of Principals' Perceptions of Whether Their Master's Degree in Educational
Leadership Prepared Them for Human Capital Management Concerning Current Employment.
Sum of df Mean F Sig.
Squares Square
Q11 Degree Prepared for Between Groups 24.562 3 8.187 3.874 .010
the Position of Within Groups 416.364 197 2.114
Principal Total 440.925 200
Q12 Management of all Between Groups 18.665 3 6.222 2.762 .043
school-based Within Groups 439.285 195 2.253
employees Total 457.950 198
Q14.1 Selection and Between Groups 21.568 3 7.189 4.217 .006
recruitment Within Groups 332.422 195 1.705
Total 353.990 198
Q14.2 Evaluating Between Groups 19.365 3 6.455 3.879 .010
Within Groups 319.507 192 1.664
Total 338.872 195
Q14.3 Training and Between Groups 6.524 3 2.175 1.299 .276
development Within Groups 324.748 194 1.674
Total 331.273 197
Q14.4 Retaining Between Groups 3.727 3 1.242 .648 .585
Within Groups 377.865 197 1.918
Total 381.592 200

Results from One-Way ANOVA suggested that based on their current employment, principals’perceptions differed
for whether their degree preparedthem for a position of principal (p-value=0.010<0.05), management of all school-
based employees (p-value=0.043<0.05), selection and recruitment (p-value=0.006<0.05) and evaluation of
employees (p-value=0.010<0.05). However, based on their current employment as a principal, respondents had the
same perception about their academic preparation for training and development of employees (p-value=0.276<0.05)

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and theirretention (p-value=0.585<0.05). Additionally, based on current employment, no statistically significant

difference was found in a rating of employer-provided training to prepare principals for employee selection and
recruitment (p-value=0.865), for employee training & development (p-value=0.385), for employee evaluation (p-
value=0.793) and employee retention (p-value=0.449) since their respective p-values were greater than our
significance level.

Analysis revealed that respondents have the same perception of completing a college or university course in
employee selection and recruitment, training and development, and retention based on their current employment.
However, their difference in perceptions wasstatistically significant concerning completing a college or university
course in employee evaluation (p-value=0.021).

Principals' Perceptions in Relation to Type of School of Employment

Results from ANOVA based on responses to Q11, Q12, and Q14 suggested that principals from all four types of
schools of employment, i.e., Elementary School, Middle/ Junior High School, High School, and Other P-12 Schools,
had the same perceptions of their master's degree in educational leadership preparing them for the position of
principal (p-value=0.773>0.05) as evident from respective p-value which is greater than our significance level. Also,
these principals have the same perceptions oftheir master's degree in educational leadership,preparing them for the
other factors of human capital management: for management of all school-based employees (p-value=0.141), for
selection and recruitment of all school-based employees (p-value=0.613), for evaluating all school-based employees
(p-value=0.990), for training and development of all school-based staff (p-value=0.626) and for retaining school-
based staff (p-value=0.228).

Principals' Perceptions in Relation to Their Experience Level

Results from ANOVA suggested that we may conclude that principals with different levels of experience had the
same perception of their master's degree in educational leadership,preparing them for the position of principal, as
evident by the corresponding p-value of 0.062 which is greater than our significance level of 0.05Analysis also
suggested similar results for other human resource capital management aspects except for effectiveness of master's
degree in preparing for selection and recruitment of employees (p-value=0.018<0.05) where respondent's perception
statistically significantly differed based on their experience level.

Table 3:- One-Way ANOVA of Principals' Perceptions of Whether Their Master's Degree in Educational
Leadership Prepared Them for the Position of Principal in Relation to Experience Level.
Sum of df Mean Square F Sig.
Squares
Q11 Degree Between Groups 19.880 4 4.970 2.284 .062
Prepared for Within Groups 428.714 197 2.176
Position of Total 448.594 201
Principal
Q12 Management Between Groups 20.679 4 5.170 2.291 .061
of all school- Within Groups 439.941 195 2.256
based Total 460.620 199
employees
Q14.1 Selection and Between Groups 21.384 4 5.346 3.057 .018
recruitment Within Groups 340.971 195 1.749
Total 362.355 199
Q14.2 Evaluating Between Groups 15.180 4 3.795 2.224 .068
Within Groups 327.571 192 1.706
Total 342.751 196
Q14.3 Training and Between Groups 12.700 4 3.175 1.879 .116
development Within Groups 327.892 194 1.690
Total 340.593 198
Q14.4 Retaining Between Groups 8.835 4 2.209 1.142 .338
Within Groups 381.071 197 1.934
Total 389.906 201

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ANOVA revealed that based on experience, principals had the same perception regarding course or training
provided by the employer for selection and recruitment of employees, their training and development, and retention;
however, their perception regarding employer-provided training or course on employee evaluation (p-
value=0.047<0.05) statistically significantly differed based on their experience level.

Table 4:- One-Way ANOVA of Principals' Perceptions of Desire to Complete a Course Related to Human Capital
Management in Relation to Experience Level.
Sum of df Mean F Sig.
Squares Square
Q17.1 Desire to complete a course Between Groups 5.759 4 1.440 .908 .460
in employee selection and Within Groups 309.236 195 1.586
recruitment Total 314.995 199
Q17.2 Desire to complete a course Between Groups 12.776 4 3.194 1.887 .114
in employee training & Within Groups 331.821 196 1.693
development. Total 344.597 200
Q17.3 Desire to complete a course Between Groups 13.833 4 3.458 2.186 .072
in employee evaluation Within Groups 310.088 196 1.582
Total 323.920 200
Q17.4 Desire to complete a course Between Groups 4.883 4 1.221 .764 .550
in employee retention Within Groups 311.497 195 1.597
Total 316.380 199

ANOVA suggested that based on the experience level of principals, their perception of improving effectiveness by
undertaking courses in employee selection and recruitment (p-value=0.082), their evaluation (p-value=0.424), and
retention (p-value=0.600) were the same. However, with respect to their perception of improving employee training
and development by undertaking a course or training statistically significantly differed (p-value=0.003).

Table 5:- One-Way ANOVA of Principals' Perceptions of Improvement in Effectiveness for Human Capital
Management in Relation to Experience Level.
Sum of df Mean F Sig.
Squares Square
Q18.1 Improve Effectiveness Between 12.905 4 3.226 2.106 .082
by a course in employee Groups
selection and Within 295.685 193 1.532
recruitment Groups
Total 308.591 197
Q18.2 Improve Effectiveness Between 25.722 4 6.431 4.240 .003
by course in employee Groups
training/development. Within 294.258 194 1.517
Groups
Total 319.980 198
Q18.3 Improve Effectiveness Between 5.412 4 1.353 .973 .424
through a course in Groups
employee evaluation Within 265.650 191 1.391
Groups
Total 271.061 195
Q18.4 Improve Effectiveness Between 4.174 4 1.043 .690 .600
through a course in Groups
employee retention Within 296.463 196 1.513
Groups
Total 300.637 200

Principals' Perceptions in Relation toType of School Community

ANOVA results suggested that based on the type of school community, principals' perceptions of their degree
prepared them for the principal position differed (p-value=0.000). Similarly, their perception of whether the degree

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prepared them to manage all school-based employees (p-value=0.044) also differed. However, their perception of
the degree preparing them for selection and recruitment (p-value=0.281), evaluation of employees (p-value=0.085),
training and development (p-value=0.275), and retention (p-value=0.536) remained the same as observed from
respective p-values.

Table 6:- One-Way ANOVA of Principals' Perceptions of Whether Their Master's Degree in Educational
Leadership Prepared Them for the Position of Principal in Relation to the Type of School Community.
Sum of df Mean F Sig.
Squares Square
Q11 Degree Prepared for Between Groups 33.289 2 16.644 7.975 .000
Position of Principal Within Groups 415.305 199 2.087
Total 448.594 201
Q12 Management of all school- Between Groups 14.361 2 7.181 3.170 .044
based employees Within Groups 446.259 197 2.265
Total 460.620 199
Q14.1 Selection and recruitment Between Groups 4.644 2 2.322 1.279 .281
Within Groups 357.711 197 1.816
Total 362.355 199
Q14.2 Evaluating Between Groups 8.599 2 4.300 2.496 .085
Within Groups 334.152 194 1.722
Total 342.751 196
Q14.3 Training and development Between Groups 4.454 2 2.227 1.298 .275
Within Groups 336.139 196 1.715
Total 340.593 198
Q14.4 Retaining Between Groups 2.435 2 1.218 .625 .536
Within Groups 387.470 199 1.947
Total 389.906 201

Results from ANOVA suggested that principals' perceptions regarding employer-provided courses or training in
employee selection and recruitment (p-value=0.051), employee training and development (p-value=0.371), and
employee evaluation (p-value=0.073) remained the same. However, they differed in their perception regarding
employer-providedcourses or training in employee retention (p-value=0.010).

Table 7:- One-Way ANOVA of Principals' Perceptions of Whether Employer-Provided Training Prepared Them for
Human Capital Management in Relation to the Type of School Community.
Sum of df Mean F Sig.
Squares Square
Q15.1 Course or training in Between .984 2 .492 3.020 .051
employee selection and Groups
recruitment Within Groups 32.240 198 .163
Total 33.224 200
Q15.2 Course or training in Between .300 2 .150 .997 .371
employee training & Groups
development Within Groups 29.923 199 .150
Total 30.223 201
Q15.3 Course or training in Between .867 2 .434 2.654 .073
employee evaluation Groups
Within Groups 32.356 198 .163
Total 33.224 200
Q15.4 Course or training in Between 1.757 2 .878 4.742 .010
employee retention Groups
Within Groups 36.857 199 .185
Total 38.614 201

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Analysis revealed that respondents have the same perception of completing a college or university course in
employee selection and recruitment, training and development, and evaluation based on their current employment.
However, the analysis suggested that principals' perceptions differed with regard to completing a college or
university course in employee retention (p-value=0.23).

Table 8:- One-Way ANOVA of Principals' Perceptions of Completing College or University Course in Human
Resource Capital Management in Relation toSchool Community of Employment.
Sum of df Mean F Sig.
Squares Square
Q16.1 College or university Between .726 2 .363 2.251 .108
course in employee Groups
selection and recruitment Within 31.911 198 .161
Groups
Total 32.637 200
Q16.2 College or university Between .028 2 .014 .089 .915
course in employee training Groups
&amp; development. Within 30.752 197 .156
Groups
Total 30.780 199
Q16.3 College or university Between .106 2 .053 .300 .741
course in employee Groups
evaluation Within 34.769 197 .176
Groups
Total 34.875 199
Q16.4 College or university Between 1.347 2 .674 3.854 .023
course in employee Groups
retention Within 33.912 194 .175
Groups
Total 35.259 196

Principals' Perceptionsin Relation to Geographical Location

When analyzed with respect to their region, respondents' perceptions regarding their degree preparing them for the
position of principal, management of all school-based employees, selection and recruitment, training and
development, evaluation, and retention did not differ.

Similarly, respondents' perceptions of employer-provided courses or training on employee selection and recruitment,
training and development, evaluation, and retention did not differ with their location.

Analysis revealed that based on their current employment, respondents have the same perception of completing a
college or university course in employee selection and recruitment, training, and development, their evaluation and
retention as evident from respective p-values, which are greater than our significance level of 0.05.

With regards to the desire to complete a course in employee selection and recruitment, their training and
development, evaluation and retention, respondents’perceptions did not statistically significantly differ.

Human Capital Management Skills Considered Essential for a Principal to Possess Before They Manage
School-Based Employees
We also examined responses to questions 23, 24, and 25, which were included in the survey as open-ended
(qualitative) questions. Table 9summarizes the frequency of skills survey respondents found essential for a principal
to possess before they manage school-based employees.

Table 9:- Frequencies of Skills are Deemed Essential for a Principal to Have Before TheyManage School-Based
Employees.
Skills N % Description
Skills in Visionary 26 12% Set of abilities that enable educational leaders to establish a

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Leadership clear and compelling vision for their organization or school,

create a positive and innovative culture, and inspire and
motivate all stakeholders to work towards achieving the
vision.
Skills in Policy and 9 4% Set of abilities that enable educational leaders to establish
Governance effective policies and procedures and to ensure that they are
implemented and followed consistently.
Skills in Communication 56 26% Set of abilities that enable educational leaders to establish
and Community Relations and maintain positive relationships with all stakeholders,
including students, parents, staff, and the community.
Skills in Organizational 24 11% Set of abilities that enable educational leaders to manage the
Management various aspects of the organization effectively and
efficiently.
Skills in Curriculum 7 3% Set of abilities that enable educational leaders to design and
Planning and Development implement a comprehensive and effective curriculum that
meets the needs of all students.
Skills in Instructional 10 5% Set of abilities that enable educational leaders to support and
Management enhance the quality of instruction and learning in their
organization.
Skills in Staff Evaluation 14 7% Set of abilities that enable educational leaders to effectively
and Personnel Management manage and support the performance of all personnel within
their organization.
Skills in Staff Development 22 10% Set of abilities that enable educational leaders to support and
enhance the professional growth and development of all
personnel within their organization.
Skills in Educational 11 5% Set of abilities that enable educational leaders to effectively
Research, Evaluation, and plan, evaluate, and improve their organization's performance.
Planning
Skills in Values and Ethics 34 16% Set of core beliefs and principles that guide the behavior and
of Leadership decision-making of educational leaders.

Principals primarily identified skills in communication and community relations (N = 56, 26%), followed by skills
in values and ethics of leadership (N = 34, 16%) as skills for a principal to possess before they manage school-based
employees. Skills in policy and governance (N = 9, 4%) and curriculum planning and development (N = 7, 3%)
were identified as the least essential for a principal to possess before managing school-based employees.

Table 15 summarizes the frequency of skills principals identify as critical to include in instructing new principals in
human capital management.

Table 10:- Frequencies of EssentialHuman Capital Management Skills for a Principal to Possess Before They
Manage School-Based Employees.
Theme N % Description
Selection and Recruitment 29 33% Critical processes ensure that an organization can attract,
identify and hire the most qualified and suitable
candidates.
Training and Development 21 24% The process of enhancing employees' knowledge, skills,
and abilities in an organization to improve their job
performance and prepare them for future roles and
responsibilities.
Employee Evaluation 13 15% A process by which an employer assesses and evaluates
an employee's job performance.
Retention 24 28% The ability of an organization to retain its employees and
prevent them from leaving their jobs or the company
altogether

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Principals identified selection and recruitment (N = 29, 33%) and retention (N = 24, 28%) highest as the most
critical human capital management skills for new principals, while employee evaluation (N = 13, 15%) ranked
lowest. Some links were observed between the qualitative data on essential skills for principals and the quantitative
data on the effectiveness of achievements in human capital management. For example, in the qualitative data, the
finding that communication and community relations skills were identified as essential human capital management
skills aligns with the statistically noteworthy result that the school community had an impact on the effectiveness of
academic qualifications in selection and recruitment.

Discussion:-
The present study examined the perceptions of principals regarding their human capital management training based
on their current employment as principals, experience level, geographic location, and type of school community.
The results of the One-Way ANOVA analysis revealed significant differences in principals' perceptions based on
their current employment, suggesting the need for targeted professional development and training opportunities to
address potential gaps in knowledge and skills. Moreover, a statistically significant difference was found in
principals' perceptions of completing a course in employee evaluation, indicating the importance of providing
targeted training and professional development opportunities in this area.

However, the analysis indicated no significant differences in principals' perceptions regarding the value and
effectiveness of their respective employers' training and development programs. This suggests that while principals
have a consistent perception of the value of training and development programs, further research is needed to
determine their effectiveness in improving human capital management skills. Additionally, the study found that
principals with more experience may value training in employee training and development more highly, indicating
the need to explore the factors contributing to this difference and evaluate the effectiveness of training and
development programs in improving employee performance.

The results of this study also suggest that regional location and current employment impactprincipals' perceptions
regarding their preparedness and need for further training in various aspects of human capital management, such as
employee selection and recruitment, training and development, evaluation, and retention. This finding implies that
educational institutions do not develop training programs that cater to the needs of educators across different regions
and employment levels.

Furthermore, the results of the study suggest that principals' perceptions of their degree preparation may vary
depending on the type of school community they work in. Thus, it may be valuable to investigate the factors
contributing to these differences and evaluate the effectiveness of educational programs in developing the necessary
skills for effective human capital management in different types of school communities. Finally, the study found that
principals may perceive the importance of retention strategies differently, indicating the need to explore the factors
contributing to this difference and evaluate the effectiveness of retention programs provided by employers.

The present study provides insights into principals' perceptions of their human capital management skills and
highlights the need for targeted professional development and training programs to address potential gaps in
knowledge and skills. Future research could investigate the effectiveness of training and development programs in
improving human capital management skills, explore the factors contributing to differences in perceptions, and
evaluate the effectiveness of educational programs in developing necessary skills for effective human capital
management in different school communities. Overall, the findings suggest that a better understanding of principals'
perceptions of their human capital management skills could enhance their ability to effectively manage and develop
their school's workforce.

Smith and Snyder (2018) found that effective principal preparation programs should focus on human resources
management and developing interpersonal skills. In contrast, a study by Hitt and Tucker (2016) found that
traditional principal preparation programs do not adequately prepare principals for human capital management
challenges. This study suggests that traditional programs may not be as effective in preparing principals to manage
human capital as programs with a more targeted focus.When comparing these previous studies to the current study's
findings, most principals perceived their master's degree program as effective.The effectiveness may vary depending
on the specific geographical location or community type, as this study indicates that principals in rural communities
perceive their training as insufficient. Specifically, programs that effectively prepare principals to manage human

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capital may positively impact their perceptions of their preparation for the role. Additionally, traditional programs
may not always be the most effective preparation for this particular aspect of the role.

The findings of this study have several implications for policymakers and educators involved in designing and
implementing principal preparation programs. Firstly, the study highlights the necessityof training in human capital
management, which can be achieved through coursework, the incorporation of longer internships, field experiences,
and job-embedded professional development opportunities. Secondly, the study emphasizes the importance of
designing principal preparation programs tailored to principals' specific needs and backgrounds, considering their
prior teaching experience, career goals, and educational background. Finally, the study suggests the need for
ongoing professional development opportunities for principals, particularly in employeeselection/recruitment and
retention.

This study was significant, as it provided a more in-depth understanding of the current situation regarding principal
preparation within master’s degree programs in educational leadership. There are many unanswered questions, such
as why principals in urban and suburban areas report better perceptions regarding how prepared they were for their
position as principals. Therefore, future research is recommended, with additional studies being undertaken to
explore this topic more fully. This study provides valuable insights into principals' perceptions regarding their
academic training in human capital management. The findings suggest that while some principals perceived their
master's degree programs as helpful, others expressed the need for more training and tailored programs.
Policymakers and educators can use these findings to design more effective principal preparation programs that meet
the specific needs of principals and provide them with the necessary knowledge and skills to manage human capital
effectively.

Conclusion:-
Effective human capital management is crucial for every educational institution's success. According to the study,
principals with more experience believe their master's degree programs are of greater assistance in preparing them
for this critical job. According to the research, the essential skills required for efficient human capital management
are selection/recruiting and retention. However, the study demonstrates that principals in rural regions perceive
themselves as less prepared to manage human capital effectively. This suggests that policymakers and preparation
programs should undertake specific strategies to improve principals' skills and preparation in rural
areas.Furthermore, the ANOVA analytic approach utilized in this study was an effective tool for investigating
variations in principals' assessments of their preparation for human capital management. Future studies might build
on this methodology to investigate the aspects that lead to effective human capital management.

Overall, the study's findings highlight the need to invest in effective human capital management practices, especially
in rural locations where principals may require more assistance. Educational institutions may improve their ability to
recruit, train, and retain skillful educators by implementing policies and procedures, resulting in improved outcomes
for students and communities.

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