A quantitative analysis of human values and leadership behavior among child care center directors

Scope of study. This research project is a quantitative, descriptive, and correlational study of the human values and leadership behavior of child care center directors within Prince George's County, Maryland. Evidence suggests that child care center directors are not trained adequately to handle the leadership role in operating child care centers (Targos, 2001). The evidence also suggests that early childhood education programs and work experience provide insufficient training child care center directors need to function as leaders within a child care organization (Whiteside & Sakai, 2004). The purpose of this dissertation project is to evaluate the human values of the child care center directors and their leadership behaviors as related to individual demographics, size/capacity of the child care centers, and the ownership status of the child care centers. This project also seeks to evaluate how the child care center staff view the human values and leadership behaviors as modeled by their child care center directors. Survey responses from the child care center directors and staff were quantitatively compared with the demographic characteristics, size/capacity of the child care centers, and ownership status of the child care centers as well as compared to the four leadership behaviors noted in the research developed Nayak Leadership Model. Similar statistical procedures will be used to analyze the survey results of the child care center staff.; Findings and conclusions. Out of 201 participants, the majority of child care center directors was female, possessed at least 10 years of director experience, in the 40 to 49 age range, and held a bachelor's degree. The majority work for corporations and centers licensed for 8 to 50 children. Directors ranked themselves above neutral on the human values and leadership behaviors. The staff also rated their directors above neutral on the human values and leadership behaviors. The study found a significant difference between the human values of the directors, and the ownership status and size/capacity of the child care center. Significant differences were found between the demographic characteristics and the human values of directors. A significant correlation was found between the human values and leadership behaviors.