PurposeThe purpose of this research paper is to explore the proposition that diversifying the board in terms of gender, ethnicity or skill base may require consideration of the specific strategic environment of the organisation. The proposition arises from the question as to whether or not greater diversity in board configuration is desirable in certain circumstances and considers the group dynamics, skill mix and capabilities that are required by boards under different conditions of change and strategic complexity.Design/methodology/approachThe study examines the financial performance of New Zealand publicly listed companies over a five‐year period and focuses on changes in board composition, strategic activity and implications for corporate performance.FindingsThe study finds limited support for the idea that board configuration, strategic context and corporate decision quality may be linked.Originality/valueThis paper will be of particular value to those involved in the appointment of directors within the private and public sectors. In particular, it focuses discussion on the strategic environment faced by the organisation and the relevance of a range of potential selection criteria when appointing new directors. It is also of interest to researchers evaluating the value of social capital and gender equity in contemporary organisations as, based on empirical reseach, it challenges conventional thinking. By implication, the paper also questions whether or not boards are actually able to influence key outcomes in the manner expected by legislators.

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A range of different constructs are used to describe and define the way that leadership operates in education settings. This can be presented as binary categories of leadership, in which either one, or the other form of leadership is preferred, but not both. An example of this is the contrast made between solo and distributed leadership. A more sophisticated alternative has been proposed which is to consider leadership as a hybrid activity, one which entails a range of approaches inspired by varying ideals. Taking this 'hybrid' notion of leadership this article explores the nature of leadership in networks of schools. Illustrated with data from three case studies of school networks this article highlights some of the issues and tensions in the enactment of the hybrid forms of leadership encountered in these networks. This concludes with some reflections on the adoption of hybrid notions of leadership in researching and enacting educational leadership and on the place of school networks in that consideration.

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