A STUDY OF MANAGEMENT BY OBJECTIVES AS AN ACCOUNTABILITY TOOL FOR SUPERINTENDENTS AND DIRECTORS OF ADULT AND CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN MIDDLE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITHIN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN

Numerous factors have forced school administrators to scrutinize closely the use of personnel and monies that are spent within school districts. As a result, administrators have turned toward management systems, more specifically Management By Objectives.;A questionnaire was developed and used as a standard format to interview these superintendents and directors. The results were stated in descriptive statistical terms.;There was 100 percent response. Ninety percent of the school districts were commited to written goals and objectives. It was felt that MBO was a system which would provide direction for what, why and how. There were some problems with MBO in the beginning but necessary steps were used to remedy these problems.;Management By Objectives was used for planning, organizing, supervising, budgeting and evaluating. There had been individual input and a mutual agreement of establishing goals and objectives. Goals and objectives were not rank ordered although in some cases were used for salary increases or merit pay. Both superintendents and directors reviewed these goals and objectives in a written and/or oral form bi-annually or annually.;The purpose of this study was to identify the number of school districts in a sample of 20 which were using MBO and the extent to which they were using the system. The population was the 20 school districts within the State of Michigan that comprise the Middle Cities Education Association. The sample consisted of 20 superintendents (or designees) and 20 Directors of Adult Education Programs within MCEA.;There were numerous motivating factors stated for achieving goals and objectives. The superintendents and directors were pleased with the present system of MBO and felt it gave the school district a sense of direction and consistency which forced people to review where they were, what they had done and where they were going.