Abstract:

Introduction:
A number of researches conducted in last two decades have established a key function of educational leadership in development of quality schools. There is emerging evidence that leadership is a significant factor in development of quality organization( Blanton,1991 ; Robinson,1996).The significance of leadership in development of quality in school education is also recognized by Paine et al.(1992,p 40),who have discussed concept of Total Quality Education as Model for schools.
However concept of Total Quality Management perceives school as a service organization designed to fulfill the needs of their clients. Within the educational context services include educational programs, advice, care, information and opportunities to participate and skills up gradation. In school principal is the leader to lead such management system and my experience as teacher, school leader and now school leadership trainer explores the influence of principals’ leadership through Total Quality Management dimensions on clients’ satisfaction in terms of ownership for school, fulfilling higher needs of self esteem and actualization etc. Though various researches have been conducted on studying teacher’s perception on Total Quality Management in schools but none has taken into consideration the impact of leadership on teacher’s satisfaction independently in their country or cross country.

Objectives of the study:
This research therefore explores the influence of principals’ leadership through Total Quality Management Dimensions on satisfaction of teachers initially in Malaysia and Portugal to study the similarities and differences in perceptions, in order to develop a model later expanding study to other countries

Methodology:
Being quantitative in nature this study utilizes collection of data through administration of self developed questionnaire by researcher on 100 teachers each from secondary schools in Malaysia and Portugal. Data will be analyzed using SPSS to identify the impact of leadership dimensions, Total Quality Management Dimensions on dimensions of Client satisfaction.

References:
[1] American Association of School Administrators (1992). Creating Quality Schools. AASA, Arlington.
[2] Blanton, C. (1991). A principal’s vision of excellence: achieving quality through empowerments. Praxis Vol.3, pp.4-6, 23.
[3] Plaine, J., et al. (1992).Total Quality in Education.Ashton Scholastic, Sydney.

Keywords:

School Leadership, TQM, Teachers' satisfaction.