This paper presents arguments for the notion that as a field of study, educational administration is necessarily undergoing change and development within the context of the culture in which it is being studied. For this reason the paper concludes that the field cannot justifiably be viewed as producing conclusive end products (rules for effective administrative procedure) that can be transferred to other organizational and cultural settings. The paper begins with a brief, fictional dialogue that clarifies the different perspectives of those seeking the growth of educational administration in their own developing nations and those visiting these nations as experts from more developed countries. The problematic aspects of the application of the concept of "development" to the field of educational administration are introduced next, in the context of historical and cultural trends. Reflection on these factors leads to the conclusion that challenges to the West's prevailing theory regarding educational administration must be welcomed and all issues must be debated vigorously. The paper concludes by examining the debate's ramifications in terms of the roles in educational administration of reflection, ethics, and morality on one hand, and of action, authority, and the use of power on the other. (PGD)