According to the theory propounded by Douglas Mitchell and Sandra Tucker, frontier cultures are more likely to require managers and leaders than they are likely to need supervisors and administrators. Mitchell and Tucker have conceptualized these quadrants as described in the paragraphs that follow. Supervisors see the school as a stable, broadly supported social institution. They think about interpersonal influence on the basis of transactions and extrinsic incentives. Supervisors generally believe that the goals of education are obvious to everyone and that teachers can be effective if they implement good standard classroom practices.
Student achievement is equated with mastering materials.
Administrators believe that school effectiveness is highly associated with the attitudes of teachers and students, rather than with the implementation of specific programs or through the distribution of material or psychological incentives. Administrators emphasize the importance of interpersonal dynamics and good communication as substitutes for material incentives. Administrators pay particular attention to their role in supporting and coordinating staff activities. Managers tend to sense that broad social support for education is no longer available. Change, then, becomes more important than implementation of established programs.