Constructing Motivation to Lead in a Centralized Education System: A Qualitative Elaboration of the MTL Framework

Authors: Ömer Öz - Gökhan Arastaman

This study qualitatively examines teachers’ motivations to pursue school principalship through the lens of Motivation to Lead (MTL) theory within the context of a centralized public education system. While prior MTL research has largely relied on quantitative designs, less is known about how its dimensions are narratively constructed and contextually activated in specific organizational environments. Adopting a theory-informed qualitative case study design, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 14 teachers in Türkiye who formally declared their candidacy for principalship during the 2023–2024 EKYS cycle. Thematic analysis, employing a hybrid abductive approach, generated 127 initial codes consolidated into 13 sub-themes and three overarching themes. By providing an empirical audit trail and thick descriptions, the findings reveal that affective-identity motivation is forged through "crucible moments" of crisis management and social recognition; non-calculative motivation manifests as "sacrificial ethics" where leaders prioritize institutional integrity over personal status; and social-normative motivation is activated as an action-oriented "corrective duty" triggered by moral evaluations of administrative dysfunction. Rather than merely confirming MTL dimensions the study offers a qualitative elaboration of how these dimensions are narratively constructed and contextually interpreted within centralized governance structures. The findings highlight leadership motivation as a context-sensitive process shaped by professional identity, moral reasoning, and institutional arrangements. The study contributes to the global MTL literature by providing a qualitative elaboration of how leadership aspirations are constructed within structurally regulated systems, offering concrete implications for merit-based principal selection and ethical leadership preparation policies.

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