Innovative School Leadership in Centralized Systems: A Narrative Review of Roles, Antecedents, and Outcomes

Aslı Çetinkaya

doi:10.63612/ijesp.1910623

Innovative School Leadership in Centralized Systems: A Narrative Review of Roles, Antecedents, and Outcomes

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the evolving roles of school principals in the age of innovation and the contribution of this transformation to schools’ development capacity in light of the existing literature. In order to clarify conceptual ambiguities within the field of educational administration, a narrative review method was adopted, and 51 studies meeting the specified criteria were included in the analysis. The findings indicate that innovative school leadership (ISL) represents a distinctive paradigm that synthesizes instructional, transformational, and distributed leadership models within a hybrid meta-synthesis, while simultaneously differentiating itself through its emphasis on risk tolerance and organizational flexibility. The review also reveals that the concept has not yet reached full theoretical maturity in the literature. In particular, empirical evidence regarding the impact of ISL on school outcomes remains limited, and potential risks (such as change fatigue) have largely been overlooked. Furthermore, in centralized educational systems such as Türkiye, innovation appears to emerge within “micro-autonomy” spaces created through the entrepreneurial mindset of school principals. The study highlights the necessity of a school climate that incorporates psychological safety and tolerance for error in order to ensure the sustainability of innovation. The findings provide a strategic guide for school administrators and establish a theoretical foundation for future research.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Education Management

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Aslı Çetinkaya ^*
0000-0001-5977-0067
Türkiye

Early Pub Date

April 28, 2026

Publication Date

May 12, 2026

Submission Date

March 16, 2026

Acceptance Date

April 27, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 7 Number: 2

DOI

https://doi.org/10.63612/ijesp.1910623

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA65BY72KU

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Çetinkaya, A. (2026). Innovative School Leadership in Centralized Systems: A Narrative Review of Roles, Antecedents, and Outcomes. International Journal of Educational Studies and Policy, 7(2), 245-268. https://doi.org/10.63612/ijesp.1910623

AMA

1.Çetinkaya A. Innovative School Leadership in Centralized Systems: A Narrative Review of Roles, Antecedents, and Outcomes. IJESP. 2026;7(2):245-268. doi:10.63612/ijesp.1910623

Chicago

Çetinkaya, Aslı. 2026. “Innovative School Leadership in Centralized Systems: A Narrative Review of Roles, Antecedents, and Outcomes”. International Journal of Educational Studies and Policy 7 (2): 245-68. https://doi.org/10.63612/ijesp.1910623.

EndNote

Çetinkaya A (May 1, 2026) Innovative School Leadership in Centralized Systems: A Narrative Review of Roles, Antecedents, and Outcomes. International Journal of Educational Studies and Policy 7 2 245–268.

IEEE

[1]A. Çetinkaya, “Innovative School Leadership in Centralized Systems: A Narrative Review of Roles, Antecedents, and Outcomes”, IJESP, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 245–268, May 2026, doi: 10.63612/ijesp.1910623.

ISNAD

Çetinkaya, Aslı. “Innovative School Leadership in Centralized Systems: A Narrative Review of Roles, Antecedents, and Outcomes”. International Journal of Educational Studies and Policy 7/2 (May 1, 2026): 245-268. https://doi.org/10.63612/ijesp.1910623.

JAMA

1.Çetinkaya A. Innovative School Leadership in Centralized Systems: A Narrative Review of Roles, Antecedents, and Outcomes. IJESP. 2026;7:245–268.

MLA

Çetinkaya, Aslı. “Innovative School Leadership in Centralized Systems: A Narrative Review of Roles, Antecedents, and Outcomes”. International Journal of Educational Studies and Policy, vol. 7, no. 2, May 2026, pp. 245-68, doi:10.63612/ijesp.1910623.

Vancouver

1.Aslı Çetinkaya. Innovative School Leadership in Centralized Systems: A Narrative Review of Roles, Antecedents, and Outcomes. IJESP. 2026 May 1;7(2):245-68. doi:10.63612/ijesp.1910623