Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques

What makes organizations so similar? We contend that the engine of rationalization and bureaucratization has moved from the competitive marketplace to the state and the professions. Once a set of organizations emerges as a field, a paradox arises: rational actors make their organizations increasingly similar as they try to change them. We describe three isomorphic processes-coercive, mimetic, and normative—leading to this outcome. We then specify hypotheses about the impact of resource centralization and dependency, goal ambiguity and technical uncertainty, and professionalization and structuration on isomorphic change. Finally, we suggest implications for theories of organizations and social change.

The iron cage revisited: Institutional isomorphism and collective rationality in organizational fields (Chinese Translation)

This report examines the changes that have taken place since the 1998 UNESCO World Conference on Higher Education, in particular the main engines of change and their impact on higher education. This trend report is intended to provide background analysis and to animate discussion at the 2009 UNESCO World Conference on Higher Education. It examines the central issues and the contextual factors that have shaped higher education in the past decade, and presents prospects for the immediate future. Much of this report is concerned with the ways in which higher education has responded to the challenge of massification. Other issues examined include globalisation; inequalities in access; increasing student mobility; teaching, learning and curricula; quality assurance, accountability and qualifications frameworks; financing and the public good-private good debate; the growth of private higher education; the academic profession; the research environment; information and communications technology; and the impact of demographics and the economic crisis on the development and reform of higher education in the immediate future.

Trends in Global Higher Education: Tracking an Academic Revolution: A Report Prepared for the UNESCO 2009 World Conference on Higher Education

This article focuses on the steering of higher education systems in the light of political science and public management approaches. It first recalls that an important part of the existing literature on higher education is focused on public policies in terms of reforms and decision-making, while the other part is dedicated to discovering and understanding the policy network or the policy regimes producing these policies. Both perspectives tend to look at higher education as a specific field. By contrast, the authors state that the transformations experienced in higher education are similar to those experienced by other key public services, an can be understood as a redefinition of the role of the nation state in the public generally. They therefore suggest to look at the steering patterns in higher education by investigating the underlying ‘narratives’ of public management reform and their variation or combination from one European nation state to another. Three main narratives of public services reform are discussed: the New Public Management (NPM), the Network governance and the Neo-Weberian narrative. For each narrative, the authors try to predict some ‘signs and symptoms’ that should be observed in higher education. Drawing on this reflection, the authors finally suggest further research perspectives which could be developed.

The steering of higher education systems: a public management perspective

Tertiary education policy is increasingly important on national agendas. The widespread recognition that tertiary education is a major driver of economic competitiveness in an increasingly knowledge-driven global economy has made high-quality tertiary education more important than ever. The imperative for countries is to raise higher-level employment skills, to sustain a globally competitive research base and to improve knowledge dissemination to the benefit of society.

Tertiary education for the knowledge society

List of Contributors. Preface A. Amaral, P. Maassen. Introduction M.I. Reed, et al. The Emergent Role of External Stakeholders in European Higher Education Governance A. Amaral, A. Magalhaes. Organisational Strategies and Governance Structures in Dutch Universities P. Maassen. Trust, the Essence of Governance? H.de Boer. The Recent Evolution of French Universities C. Musselin, S, Mignot-Gerard. University Governance and Finance: The Impact of Changes in Resource Allocation on Decision Making Structures T. Chevaillier. Between Control, Rituals and Politics: The Governing Board in Higher Education Institutions in Norway I. Marheim-Larsen. The Construction of New Curricula in a New Educational Context: Roles and Responsibilities in Nursing Education in Norway B. Karseth. Interdepartmental Functional Integration and Decentralisation of Decision Making in the Merged Colleges of Higher Education in Flanders, Belgium J.C. Verhoeven, G. Devos. New Managerialism, Professional Power and Organisational Governance in UK Universities: A Review and Assessment M.I. Reed. Higher Education Governance in the UK: Change and Continuity O. Fulton. The Structure of University Governance in Canada: A Policy Network Approach G.A. Jones. On the Road to Mediocrity? Governance and Management of Australian Higher Education in the Market Place V.L. Meek. Governance in US Universities: Aligning Internal Dynamics with Today's Needs E. El-Khawas. Governing Higher Education: Comparing National Perspectives A. Amaral, et al.

Governing higher education : national perspectives on institutional governance

Shifts In Governance Arrangements: An Interpretation Of The Introduction Of New Management Structures In Higher Education.- New Public Management And Finnish Public Sector Organisations: The Case Of Universities.- Departmental Leadership In Norwegian Universities-In Between Two Models Of Governance?.- Who'S Afraid Of Red, Yellow And Blue? The Colourful World Of Management Reforms.- In Search Of A New Profession: Transformation Of Academic Management In Austrian Universities.- The Rise Of Academic Managerialism In Portugal.- Managerialism In Uk Universities: Unstable Hybridity And The Complications Of Implementation.- Governance And Management Of Australian Higher Education: Enemies Within And Without.- Contested Intellectual Property: The Role Of The Institution In United States Higher Education.- Managerialism Within A Framework Of Cooperative Governance?.- Institutional Evaluation, Management Practices And Capitalist Redesign Of The University: A Case Study.- A Managerial Revolution?.

http://content.ub.hu-berlin.de/monographs/toc/hochschulwesen/BV017446532.pdf

The Higher Education Managerial Revolution

Markets in Higher Education: Do They Promote Internal Efficiency? - Cost-sharing and Equity in Higher Education: Implications of Income Contingent Loans.- Transparency and Quality in Higher Education Markets.- Regulation and Competition in Higher Education.- The Evaluation of Welfare Under Alternative Models of Higher Education Finance.- Higher Education Policy as Orthodoxy: Being One Tale of Toxological Drift, Political Intention and Changing Circumstances.- Market Coordination of Higher Education: The United States.- ?Madly Off in all Directions?: Higher Education, Marketisation and Canadian Federalism.- Australian Higher Education National and Global Markets.- The Higher Education Market in the United Kingdom.- Rapid Expansion and Extensive Deregulation: The Development of Markets for Higher Education in the Netherlands.- Is There a Higher Education Market in Portugal?- Higher Education and Markets in France.- Conclusion.- Glossary.

Markets in Higher Education. Rhetoric or Reality

Reform and Change in Higher Education

Over the last few decades, higher education institutions have been confronted with increasing outside pressures aimed at institutional change. The conceptual frameworks that are used to envision, and to a certain extent legitimise, change are increasingly influenced by organisational sciences and theories. In this type of approach, concepts such as ‘adaptiveness’, ‘environmental awareness’, ‘responsiveness’, etc., become central, both as analytical devices and as values to be pursued.

Alberto Amaral

Papers

Governing higher education : national perspectives on institutional governance

The Higher Education Managerial Revolution

Markets in Higher Education. Rhetoric or Reality

Reform and Change in Higher Education

The Emergent Role of External Stakeholders in European Higher Education Governance