The impact of positive-negative affect, automatic thoughts, and certain personal variables upon school administrators' belief levels about innovation management efficacy

This is a descriptive study conducted to examine the impact of positive or negative affect, positive or negative automatic thoughts, marital status, education level, and seniority upon school administrators' belief levels about innovation management efficacy. The study universe consists of 2230 school administrators (principals, senior deputy principals, and deputy principals) who were employed in public primary and secondary schools (elementary, secondary, and high schools) in Bayrampaşa, Fatih, Eyüp, Gaziosmanpaşa, Sultangazi, Bakırköy, Esenler, Beylikdüzü, Bahçelievler, and Beşiktaş districts in the European Side of İstanbul in 2014-2015 academic year. Out of this universe, 304 school administrators were selected by random sampling method to form the study sample. "Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS)," "Automatic Thoughts Scale (ATS)," "Innovation Management Scale for Schools (IMSS)," and a "Personal Information Form" were employed to obtain the data for the study. These scales were administered to the School Administrators for data collection. SPSS Software Pack was used for data analysis. A parametric statistical tool, MANOVA (Multivariate Analysis of Variance) was employed to determine whether the school administrators' belief levels about innovation management efficacy significantly differ according to positive and negative affect, automatic thoughts, and personal variables. Tukey Test, Games-Howell Test, and t-test were used in order to identify the causes of difference. The study examined whether positive or negative affect has significant impact upon school administrators' belief levels about innovation management (input management, innovation strategy, organizational culture, project management). The results of the study revealed significantly higher belief levels about innovation management among school administrators with positive affect when compared to those with negative affect. The results also demonstrated that the school administrators scored significantly differently according to positive or negative affect in the sub-constructs of efficacy belief about innovation management; i.e., input management, innovation strategy, organizational culture, and project management. The study also examined whether the school administrators' belief levels about innovation management (input management, innovation strategy, organizational culture, project management) are significantly affected by positive or negative automatic thoughts. The results revealed significantly higher belief levels about innovation management for the school administrators with positive automatic thoughts when compared to those with negative ones. Another study result was that school administrators had significantly different scores according to automatic thoughts in input management, innovation strategy, organizational culture, and project management, all being sub-constructs of efficacy belief about innovation management. Another study question was whether gender has any significant effect on the school administrators' belief levels about innovation management (input management, innovation strategy, organizational culture, project management) and the results showed no significant difference between their belief levels about innovation management according to gender. The study further examined whether marital status has any significant effect on the school administrators' belief levels about innovation management (input management, innovation strategy, organizational culture, project management) and it was demonstrated that the belief levels about innovation management of single administrators were significantly higher those of divorced administrators. Moreover, according to marital status, significant difference was found between the administrators' scores in the sub-constructs of efficacy belief about innovation management; i.e., input management, innovation strategy, organizational culture, and project management. Any possible significant effect of education level upon the school administrators' belief levels about innovation management (input management, innovation strategy, organizational culture, project management) was also examined in the study. However, the results revealed no significant difference between their belief levels about innovation management according to their education levels. Finally, the study examined whether seniority has any significant impact upon the school administrators' belief levels about innovation management (input management, innovation strategy, organizational culture, project management). According to seniority, significantly higher belief levels about innovation management were found among the administrators with 6-11 and 12-17 years of seniority when compared to those with seniority years of 24 years and longer. The results further revealed significant differences between the administrators' scores according to seniority in the sub-constructs of efficacy belief about innovation management; i.e., input management, innovation strategy, organizational culture, and project management. Keywords: Innovation Management, Positive-Negative Affect, Automatic Thoughts, Administrator, Subjective Wellbeing