Research on school principals in the Gulf states: A systematic review of topics and conceptual models

In view of the growing emphasis by educational leadership and management (EDLM) scholars on diversifying the existing knowledge base in the field, this review of research analysed topics and conceptual models employed in 104 studies on school principals from the Arabian Gulf states published between 2000 and 2019. Systematic review methods were used to identify relevant studies documented in Arabic databases hosted by Dar Almandumah. Information was extracted from the articles and analysed using quantitative methods. The results revealed similarities between the data set under review and EDLM research from other developing countries in terms of research topics and conceptual development. Weaknesses are highlighted and recommendations are offered for strengthening future studies on school principals in the region.