Qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) in education management research

This study aims to analyse the potential application of the Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) method in uncovering the configuration of managerial factors that contribute to the effectiveness of education management, and to evaluate the relevance of QCA as a set-theoretical approach in strategic decision-making of the Internal Quality Assurance System (SPMI) in higher education. QCA is a configurational method that combines set theory and Boolean algebra to examine complex causal relationships among managerial conditions. This research employs a qualitative approach, drawing on systematic literature reviews and case studies from educational management, particularly those examining university governance and institutional performance. The results show that (QCA) has a strong potential to uncover the configuration of managerial factors that contribute to the effectiveness of education management and the (SPMI) in higher education, not through a single variable but through a combination of conditions such as the strength of SPMI implementation, the application of Good University Governance (GUG) principles, Leadership support, and a consistent quality evaluation system. This research contributes by offering a conceptual framework for applying QCA in educational management, providing research recommendations, and then testing this conceptual model empirically using fsQCA with a sample of universities across various regions of Indonesia.