This Problem of Practice study explored and synthesized the lived experiences of specialized project managers as they grappled with the challenges of aligning technical and people-centric change. For these individuals within a fast-growing organization in a complex and rapidly evolving higher-education marketplace change is mandatory and…

Problems associated with managerialism are well established in Higher Education. Driven by pressures of funding cuts, league tables and the associated competitive environment, Higher Education followed other public sector bodies in adopting Lean Management principles. While there is scepticism about Lean Management because it is seen as an…

Little is known about how the complex notion of higher education quality is understood and (strategically) handled by a specific group of key university actors: directors of educational programmes. A framing analysis of in-depth interviews was conducted to explore how bachelor-programme directors in Dutch social science departments understand and…

This is the first in a series of forum articles on applying project management (PM) techniques and tools to the nonprofit sector with a focus on higher education. The authors will begin with a traditional look at project management because they believe that the integration of the tools and the processes associated with PM into many campus offices…

The public higher education economic and competitive environments make it crucial that organizations react to the circumstances and make better use of available resources (Duderstadt, 2000; Floyd, 2008; Shulman, 2007; State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO), 2009). Viewing higher education through the perspective of new institutionalism…

This column explores the world of Gene, a composite CIO who leads a sizable IT organization for a top 100 university somewhere in America. The author's goal is to help him navigate the tough times ahead of higher education IT. The author peeks into Gene's daily goings-on, investigates his problems, and helps him to not only survive, but prosper.

Web 2.0 is the term used to describe a group of web-based creativity, information-sharing, and collaboration tools including wikis, blogs, social networks, and folksonomies. The common thread in all of these tools is twofold: They enable collaboration and information sharing, and their impact on higher education has been dramatic. A recent study…

Possible changes in U.S. Postal Service rates and services, resulting from a planned restructuring, are discussed. College administrators are encouraged to review mail class use, available discounts, and even the design and quantity of materials mailed out. (MSE)

To manage enrollments, today's colleges and universities must incorporate marketing strategies and organizational changes that until now have generally been used only by business and other private sector professionals. (MSE)

The implementation of a matrix structure as an alternative to the traditional collegial/bureaucratic form at a college of education in a medium-size state university is described. Matrix organizational structures are differentiated from hierarchical bureaucratic structures by dividing the organization's tasks into functional units across which an…

The most critical challenge for higher education institutions in the near future will be to develop capacity for change, remove constraints to rapid response, remove unnecessary processes and administrative structures, question existing premises and arrangements, and challenge, excite, and empower all members of the academic community. (MSE)

Strategic planning models seek order in a disorderly world. However, chaos science offers a language of concepts to discern deeper patterns in organizational life that appears out of control. Many of these concepts apply to higher education institutions. Interpretation of chaos theory principles suggests five tools for making high-leverage change…

Advancements in information technology have caused many colleges and universities to reconsider the organization of the units providing information services. Ranging from joint planning exercises to full vertical mergers, changes in organizational structure are powerful tools administrators can use to integrate and effectively manage information…

Argues that the Botswana National Literacy Program curriculum does not support linguistic, cultural, or socioeconomic diversity. Suggests that the program should be decentralized to accommodate cultural and ethnic diversity, that language policy should be reformed to permit the use of other languages, and that curriculum developers should network…

This article argues that, while college and university programming for leadership development may depend initially on the creativity of a few supporters, such programming should also be positioned in a unit within the institution that has the resources and support to nurture it over the long term. (MSE)