Decentralization, for the purpose of this study, is defined and variations in control patterns actually found in eleven nationally known university organizations are presented. Sections of the research instrument used to collect the data are included. (Author/CK)

Computerized management information systems have long been used in business, and data integration and sophisticated programing now enable many businesses to decentralize their information operations. This approach has advantages and disadvantages that colleges and universities must weigh and plan for carefully. (MSE)

Compares the operation and control of public schooling in Australia and the United States by exploring and contrasting the changing roles, concerns, and activities of school administrators, the federal government, the courts, elected officials, citizens, pressure groups, and "new breed" professionals. (Author/MP)

Arguments for and against decentralization of data management, analysis, and planning systems are presented. It is suggested that technological advances have encouraged decentralization. Caution in this direction is urged and the development of an articulated decentralization program is proposed. (SF)

This paper describes the history, organization, and administration of vocational education in the United States and Iraq, contrasting the highly centralized Iraqi system with the decentralized system in the United States. The paper also compares and contrasts the possible strengths and weaknesses of the two systems in terms of their organization,…

Five college and university fund-raising professionals discuss ways in which uncoordinated solicitations of gifts from the same prospective donor(s) by different schools or departments can be avoided by planning, coordination, and communication. Advantages and disadvantages of centralized and decentralized administrative approaches are considered.…

The author describes the challenges of society and schooling in Canada, and concludes that the autonomous community school, though not Utopia, has the potential to restore public confidence in schooling and to provide a bridgehead to the decentralization of political authority. (KC)

The feasibility of replacing existing central processing units with a single computer facility is discussed. An analysis of the computing facilities for the Iowa state universities is presented and supports the retention of decentralized facilities. Efficiency, costs, and operating considerations are examined. (SF)

Because colleges and universities have adopted new information technology idiosyncratically, formal structures to manage and govern its use have not evolved at the same pace. In creating such structures, issues to be considered include centralization vs. decentralization, attitudes toward change, institutional diversity, entrepreneurial spirit,…

Both centralized and decentralized college or university development programs have advantages, depending on the nature and needs of the institution. Changing program structure may have consequences that reach far beyond fund-raising details. A survey of 10 institutions revealed some common characteristics and many hybrid forms of organization.…

Based on survey data from 70 universities, this study concludes that differences in the organizational structure of development offices have no significant effect on fund-raising efficiency. However, because decentralized offices may be able to expand their activities more rapidly than centralized programs, decentralization may facilitate overall…

The decade 1980-90 saw a spate of educational reconstruction occurring simultaneously in many countries. This book argues that the school restructuring of the past 10 years has been called the "education-reform movement," but that term is somewhat misleading. The current reform efforts seem to aim primarily at the control and governance of both…

The planning processes at two universities are contrasted as they relate to styles of data management and institutional research required to support two different planning philosophies--centralized planning and decentralized planning. (Author/BH)

College and university fund-raising programs that combine some characteristics of centralization and some of decentralization can be very successful and also pose unique administrative challenges, as illustrated in the experiences of a number of diverse institutions. Collaboration and clear communication are keys to effective administration. (MSE)