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"Structural contingency theory holds that there is no one best way, meaning that no single structure or structural type is optimal for all organizations. Instead, the structure that is most effective is the structure that fits certain factors, called contingencies. Thus the effectiveness of a structure depends on the degree to which it fits the contingencies".

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Educational leaders must adapt structural contingency theories to promote change and stay relevant to the needs of its students and staff.  Stages of the structural contingency model are

1.    An organization is in fit

2.    There is a contingency change

3.    The organization is in misfit and performance suffers

4.    The organization does structural adaption

5.    The organization achieves a new fit and performance recovers

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“Contingency theory requires that when a mismatch occurs between the leader and the situation, either the leader is changed or the situation is engineered to fit the leader” (Owings & Kaplan, 2012, p. 155).  Strictly following this model leaves little room for flexibility.  “Fiedler believed that because our natural leadership style is fixed, the most effective way to handle situations is to change the leader” not for the leader to try and adapt to his or her environment.

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Contingency factors can differ amongst organizations.  In education, one must take into account size, task, technology, accountability, and shareholder involvement.  There is not any optimal way to organize and exceptional organization is contingent on environmental components.

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Fred Fiedler was a “professor of management and research sociologist at the University of Illinois and later the University of Washington” was on the forefront of developing a model to outline some potential leaders “leadership orientation” (Owings & Kaplan, 2012, p. 153).  Fiedler was instrumental in his work on defining characteristics of good leaders and how they might apply to different situations.

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Owings, W. A., & Kaplan, L. S. (2012). Leadership and organizational behavior in education:     theory into practice. Boston: Pearson.

(n.d.). Fiedler's Contingency Model: Matching Leadership Style to a Situation. Retrieved from https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/fiedler.htm

Donaldson, L. (2013, January 28). Structural Contingency Theory/Information Processing Theory. Retrieved from https://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780199846740/obo-9780199846740-0062.xml

Powers, J. (2000). Organizational Theories and the Educational Organization. Retrieved from http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.468.6669&rep=rep1&type=pdf