Effective strategies for developing school organizational culture by junior high school principals
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59672/ijed.v6i4.5677Keywords:
Development strategy, Junior high school, Organizational culture, Principal leadership, School effectivenessAbstract
School organizational culture has a strategic role in character development, work ethic, and the quality of education. However, many junior high schools still face challenges, including low discipline, limited teacher participation, and a weak culture of leadership and collaboration. This study aims to analyze and describe the strategies school principals use to develop an effective school organizational culture at the junior high school level. This study uses a descriptive qualitative design with a case study method at SMP Negeri 1 Teunom. Data were collected through interviews, observations, and documentation of the principal, teachers, and educational staff, then analyzed through a process of reduction, data presentation, and conclusion. The results of the study show three main strategies: (1) strengthening religious and academic literacy culture to shape the religious and intellectual character of the school community; (2) exemplary behavior, communication, and responsibility; and (3) the application of collaborative, transformational, and managerial leadership styles that encourage participation, innovation, and professionalism among teachers. These three strategies create an adaptive, disciplined, and quality-oriented organizational culture. This study contributes to strengthening educational leadership theory and provides practical recommendations for principals on creating a collaborative, character-building work environment.
Downloads
References
Brata, A. K., Gusmian, I., & Salman, A. M. bin. (2025). Role of schools in spiritual education and the formation of children’s islamic character. Buana Gender: Jurnal Studi Gender Dan Anak, 10(2), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.22515/bg.v10i2.12552
Cita Suci Soleha, U Abdullah Mu’min, Mahamadaree Waen, Shifa Aulia Firnanda, & Ahmad Ripa’i. (2025). Utilization of interactive digital platforms in pai learning to improve religious literacy of elementary school students. LECTURES: Journal of Islamic and Education Studies, 4(3), 386–399. https://doi.org/10.58355/lectures.v4i3.171
Djasda, D., & Faeni, D. P. (2025). The influence of leadership, motivation, and work discipline on performance employees at the directorate of vocational high schools of the ministry office education and culture. Sinergi : Jurnal Riset Ilmiah, 2(9), 4500–4510. https://doi.org/10.62335/sinergi.v2i9.1720
Fan, Z., Zheng, Y., & Mohd Isa, Z. (2025). Exploring leadership models in education: transformational, transactional, and situational approaches. International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research, 7(4). https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i04.53112
Hallinger, P., Liu, S., & Chen, L. (2025). Principal instructional leadership and teacher attitudes: A meta‐analytic review, 1989–2024. European Journal of Education, 60(4), e70199. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejed.70199
Hamid, S. H. M., Suyuthi, N. F., & Samad, A. (2025). Style influence transformational leadership and organizational culture on employee performance: JEL Classification: M12, M14, M54, J24, O15. Journal La Bisecoman, 6(3 SE-Articles), 734–745. https://doi.org/10.37899/journallabisecoman.v6i3.2517
Harianto, J. E. (2024). The role of participatory management in improving teacher performance and student achievement. Global International Journal of Innovative Research, 2(9), 2152–2164. https://doi.org/10.59613/global.v2i9.306
Khofifah, J. M., Nurdin, D., & Herawan, E. (2025). Enhancing teacher professionalism through academic supervision: A CIPP model evaluation. Indonesian Journal of Educational Development (IJED), 6(2), 380–392. https://doi.org/10.59672/ijed.v6i2.4727
Kholidin, A., Zuhairi, & Syukron, B. (2025). Implementing character education in secondary schools: a case study of muhammadiyah 4 metro utara, indonesia. Journal of Literacy Education, 1(3), 140–150. https://doi.org/10.64780/jole.v1i3.95
Monggun Maulidiya Siregar, M. Joharis, Nova Muhairani Nasution, & Yolanda Vera Nicole Sitinjak. (2025). The importance of literacy in the world of education: “how important is literacy really.” International Journal of Educational Development, 2(2), 46–48. https://doi.org/10.61132/ijed.v2i2.297
Mopangga, B., Pomalingo, S., & Husain, R. I. (2025). Upaya guru mengembangkan budaya literasi dalam pembelajaran di kelas awal sdn 12 anggrek (Teachers' Efforts to Develop a Culture of Literacy in Early Learning at SDN 12 Anggrek Sinergi Elementary School). Jurnal Riset Ilmiah, 2(1), 507–517. https://doi.org/10.62335/0vr5sv42
Nikmah, R., Ahadiat, A., & Mardiana, N. (2025). The impact of transformational leadership and personality on organizational citizenship behavior (OCB): The Moderating Role of Organizational Culture. South Asian Journal of Social Studies and Economics, 22(9), 309–320. https://doi.org/10.9734/sajsse/2025/v22i91158
Nurfajrina, S. (2025). Pengaruh budaya organisasi terhadap mutu pendidikan di sekolah (The Influence of Organizational Culture on the Quality of Education in Schools). Pedagogi: Jurnal Pendidikan Dasar, 11(2), 27–38. https://doi.org/10.23960/pdg.v11i2.676
Nurhamdi, N., Bukit, P., & Akbar, A. (2025). The influence of transformational leadership and organizational culture on public service quality through innovation at the transportation agency of west tanjung jabung regency. Journal of Accounting and Finance Management, 6(4), 2180–2190. https://doi.org/10.38035/jafm.v6i4.2415
Pangestu, F. A., & Wijayanti, W. (2025). Examining teacher performance from the perspective of principal academic supervision, work environment, and compensation. Indonesian Journal of Educational Development (IJED), 6(2), 575–590. https://doi.org/10.59672/ijed.v6i2.4735
Purnadewi, G. A. A., & Widana, I. W. (2023). Improving students’ science numeration capability through the implementation of the PBL model based on local wisdom. Indonesian Journal of Educational Development (IJED), 4(3), 307-317. https://doi.org/10.59672/ijed.v4i3.3252
Ramli, Y., Permana, D., Shiratina, A., & Sofriana Imaningsih, E. (2025). Implementing green transformational leadership to provide sustainable organizational performance. Jurnal Aplikasi Bisnis Dan Manajemen, 11(3), 1111. https://doi.org/10.17358/jabm.11.3.1111
Sabariah, S., Hartono, H., Zairunah, Z., & Lian, L. (2024). Budaya sekolah dalam mendorong pembinaan guru (School Culture in Promoting Teacher Development). Thawalib: Jurnal Kependidikan Islam, 5(1), 55–66. https://doi.org/10.54150/thawalib.v5i1.289
Salsabila, A. Z., Junaidi, A. R., Ediyanto, Hastuti, W. D., & Novianti, R. (2025). Optimizing teachers’ role in developing responsibility as a social skill of autistic children in inclusive schools. Indonesian Journal of Educational Development (IJED), 6(1), 254–263. https://doi.org/10.59672/ijed.v6i1.4595
Satiri, Fathurrohman, M., & Yuhana, Y. (2024). Enhancement of differentiated learning efficacy via academic supervision in senior high school settings: A comprehensive optimization approach. Indonesian Journal of Educational Development (IJED), 4(4), 424-437. https://doi.org/10.59672/ijed.v4i4.3311
Schlebusch, G., & Mokhampanyane, M. (2024). Financial management in South African public schools: Perspectives from principals. Indonesian Journal of Educational Development (IJED), 5(1), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.59672/ijed.v5i1.3628
Sherazi, S. A. S. (2025). Evaluating the impact of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) on leadership competencies of school heads. Journal of Social Sciences and Economics, 4(2), 203–216. https://doi.org/10.61363/jsse.v4i2.253
Sumarsono, R. B., Gunawan, I., Sunarni, Kusumaningrum, D. E., & Asimiran, S. Bin. (2025). Does principal leadership make a difference in school-based management in indonesia? The balanced scorecard lenses. Journal of Research on Leadership Education, 19427751251368864. https://doi.org/10.1177/19427751251368865
Sutapa, M., Syam, A. R., Arifin, I., Bafadal, I., & Burhanuddin. (2025). Learning leadership in building a culture of information technology in elementary schools. Al-Hayat: Journal of Islamic Education, 9(3), 678–688. https://doi.org/10.35723/ajie.v9i3.35
Tadesse Bogale, A., & Debela, K. L. (2024). Organizational culture: A systematic review. Cogent Business & Management, 11(1), 2340129. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2024.2340129
Tiara Ramadhani, Danar Widiyanta, Yena Sumayana, Rengga Yudha Santoso, Puspita Dian Agustin, & Al-Amin. (2024). The role of character education in forming ethical and responsible students. IJGIE (International Journal of Graduate of Islamic Education), 5(2), 110–124. https://doi.org/10.37567/ijgie.v5i2.3064
Torres, L. (2022). School organizational culture and leadership: Theoretical trends and new analytical proposals. Education Sciences, 12, 254. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12040254
Wahyu hidayat, Junaidah, & Muhammad Suhardi. (2025). Peran kepemimpinan religius dalam membangun budaya organisasi pendidikan yang humanis dan etis (The Role og Religious Leadership in Building a Humane and Ethical Educational Organizational Culture). Al-Mahabbah : Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan Islam, 1(2), 89–99. https://doi.org/10.62448/ajmpi.v1i2.315
Widana, I. W. & Ratnaya, I. G. (2021). Relationship between divergent thinking and digital literacy on teacher ability to develop HOTS assessment. Journal of Educational Research and Evaluation, 5(4), 516-524. https://doi.org/10.23887/jere.v5i4.35128
Widana, I. W., Sumandya, I. W., Citrawan, I. W. (2023). The special education teachers’ ability to develop an integrated learning evaluation of Pancasila student profiles based on local wisdom for special needs students in Indonesia. Kasetsart Journal of Social Sciences, 44(2), 527–536. https://doi.org/10.34044/j.kjss.2023.44.2.23
Yang, Q., Alias, B. S., & Nor, M. Y. M. (2025). Principals’ technology leadership and teachers’ ict integration: A systematic review on capacity building for quality improvement and sustainable education. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 24(9), 211–234. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.24.9.11
Yasa, I. P. G., Widana, I. W., & Aisyah, S. (2023). The determination of the principal’s leadership style, teachers’ work motivation, and the mindset of the performance of elementary school teachers. Edukasi: Jurnal Pendidikan dan Pengajaran, 10(1), 42-50. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.19109/ejpp.v10i1.16790
Yuni, S. W., Iqbal, M., & Victorynie, I. (2024). Pengaruh gaya kepemimpinan, budaya organisasi dan sarana prasarana terhadap mutu pendidikan di sdit almanar kota bekasi (The Effect of Leadership Style, Organizational Culture, and Infrastructure on the Quality of Educational at SDIT Almanar in Bekasi City). Idarah Tarbawiyah: Journal of Management in Islamic Education, 5(4), 383–394. https://doi.org/10.32832/itjmie.v5i4.16758
Zarkasi, Elizabeth, M. Z., Ma’arif, S., Abdullah, I., Djamil, A., & Mas’ud, A. (2025). Literacy-based knowledge integration (AKMI) in Indonesian madrasahs. Discover Global Society, 3(1), 113. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44282-025-00271-9
Zeng, M., Cheah, K. S. L., & Abdullah, Z. (2025). The influence of school principals’ digital leadership on teachers’ competency in integrating artificial intelligence: a systematic thematic review. Frontiers in Education, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2025.1655967
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Nurul Aflah, Nasir Usman, Murniati, Bahrun, Raudhatul Hayati
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material.
