An Investigation of Teachers’ Perceptions of School Competitiveness and Organizational Work Environment in a Rural Area

Abstract School choice is expected to generate competition and thereby lead to organizational improvements. Using teachers’ original survey responses, this study uses the market culture within the competing values framework and finds substantial variation in how rural schoolteachers perceive competitive pressure and school climate. When we restricted our analysis to teachers from low-income schools, the relationship between competition and work environment is amplified for some organizational climate variables. Findings, which suggest that higher levels of perceived competition are associated with somewhat higher morale and stronger organizational cultures, are important for school leaders and policymakers.