Abstract

This study aims to analyze in depth the implementation of strategic management through the transformational leadership of school principals in improving the quality of graduates at SMA Negeri 1 Mataram and SMA Negeri 8 Mataram. This study uses a qualitative, multi-case design, allowing researchers to comprehensively understand leadership and strategic management through in-depth analysis of each case and cross-case analysis. Data collection techniques were carried out through in-depth interviews, participant observation, and documentation studies with research subjects of principals, vice principals, teachers, and school planning documents. Data analysis was carried out thematically through the stages of data reduction, data presentation, drawing conclusions, and cross-case analysis to identify patterns of similarity and uniqueness across schools. The results of the study indicate that improvements in graduates' quality in both schools are the result of the integration of systematically implemented strategic management and strong transformational leadership by school principals. In the environmental scanning stage, principals at both schools actively read internal and external conditions based on data, program reflections, and the dynamics of educational policies, resulting in a mapping of student needs, environmental characteristics, and opportunities for developing graduate quality. In the strategy formulation stage, the results of the environmental scan are translated into visionary and contextual strategic policies and programs, with graduate quality as the main objective, encompassing attitudes, knowledge, skills, and career paths. In the strategy implementation stage, transformational leadership is realized through teacher empowerment, proportional role distribution, school culture, and the implementation of academic and non-academic programs that have a direct impact on the learning process and student development. Furthermore, in the strategy evaluation stage, evaluation is carried out continuously and based on data through the use of Education Report Cards, internal reflection, and stakeholder involvement, thereby providing a basis for continuous improvement and strengthening strategies. Cross-case analysis shows that SMA Negeri 1 Mataram tends to optimize the advantages of input and strong institutional capital to strengthen the achievement of graduate quality, while SMA Negeri 8 Mataram emphasizes the ability to transform input limitations through adaptive and humanistic management of the educational process. This finding confirms that graduate quality is not solely determined by the quality of student input, but is highly dependent on the principal's transformational leadership in integrating all stages of strategic management consistently, reflectively, and continuously improving.

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