This qualitative study identified the best practices utilized by community colleges to achieve systemic and cultural agreement in support of the integration of institutional effectiveness measures (key performance indicators) to inform decision making. In addition, the study identifies the relevant motives, organizational structure, and processes…

This article develops a methodology, based on the concepts of a results-referenced needs assessment, to determine and prioritize perceived areas of existing or potential concern in an academic institution. The results were used to develop a baseline against which progress in addressing those concerns can be measured over time for the purpose of…

Some of the internal effects of external conditions in higher education are examined in this essay. Four false correlates are identified: inherent merit and rational decisions; growth and change; relativity and responsiveness; and tough decisions and participation. (LBH)

This article focuses on the notion of institutional reflexivity. Its theoretical framework is based on the views of a group of sociologists--Anthony Giddens, Ulrich Beck, Scott Lash--who developed the concept of reflexive modernization. The article applies the notion of institutional reflexivity to the field of higher education and reviews the…

An approach to college budgeting that encompasses strategic as well as operational decisions is proposed. Strategic decisions focus on creation and maintenance of institutional capacity, whereas operational decisions focus on use of that capacity to accomplish specific purposes. Strategic budgeting must emphasize institutional assets and their…

Organizational barriers to information use vary with types of decisions and the phases of information collection, analysis, and communication. Strategies suitable for one environment will not always work in others. (Author/MSE)

Argues that community college administrators have placed too much time and hope in new management systems. Considers clarity of institutional goals, technological knowledge, decision making stability, and reliable information to be essential to effective management. Offers eight tactical rules for influencing institutional decisions. (DMM)

Higher education differs from other service enterprises in its social responsibility and the context for decision making. An integrated marketing strategy based on the identified positioning of the institution plays a crucial role in successful enrollment and long-term institutional development. Marketing can make a significant contribution to…

A study was made of the campus governance experience at the University of California at Berkeley during the turbulent decade of 1966 through 1975. In addition to an overview of Berkeley's institutional mission and its structure of governance, the study considered the matters of: (1) whether dual jurisdiction (one for faculty and one for…

Quadrant analysis, a widely-used research technique, is suggested as useful in college or university strategic planning. The technique uses consumer preference data and produces information suitable for a wide variety of curriculum and marketing decisions. Basic quadrant analysis design is described, and advanced variations are discussed, with…

An economic model for evaluating the cost performance of academic and administrative programs in higher education is described. Examples from its application at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis are used to illustrate how the model has been used to control costs and reengineer processes. (Author/MSE)

While colleges and universities debate the value of teams, businesses use teams as a matter of survival. Motivated by competition and high cost, business leaders have created a new culture based on shared risk and reward. Decision making is no longer the responsibility of the few at the top, but is shared within and between most segments of an…

Major reforms brought about in July 1969 at the Free University of Berlin in its organization, planning, and decision making are reviewed. Specific problems are addressed, such as plans for introducing an information system on technical data and space use, plans for an information system on personnel employed by the university, and plans for an…

One methodology for strategic planning and management is described along with related process concerns. If institutions are to plan well, they must conduct a review of their values, ambitions, and image, and they must examine the nature of the external environment in which they operate. (MLW)

This study attempted to determine whether strategic planning would enhance a higher education institution's fiscal condition. It also systematically evaluated the extent of institution-wide strategic planning among private four-year postsecondary institutions in the United States. A definition of strategic planning and a conceptual framework based…