Enacting the common script: management ideas at Finnish universities of applied sciences

This paper discusses the work of mid-level management at Finnish universities of applied sciences. Based on in-depth interviews with 15 line managers, this study investigates how the standardised management ideas of rational management and employee empowerment affect the sensemaking processes of middle-managers at these institutions. The findings indicate that the work of middle managers is characterised by the consistent pursuit of rationality, strenuous efforts to provide individualised attention to every staff member and the promotion of cooperation. This study concludes that the global management script has firmly shaped the work of middle management at Finnish universities of applied sciences, as demonstrated by their commitment to strong managerial practices and distributive leadership

international scientific committee of TAW2018 International Scientific Conference CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS from 20th to 23rd September 2018 / POLIS University

The Scientific committee is firstly responsible for the coordination, implementation and management of the activities, is also entitled to develop and implement measures of strategic alignment of the Action to European and international policies and visions (EU 2020 strategy, UN frameworks, others). The members have to help in reviewing and publicity as well as chairing sessions at the Foru

Does It Really Matter? Assessing the Performance Effects of Changes in Leadership and Management Structures in Nordic Higher Education

publishedVersio

Nordic Higher Education in Flux: System Evolution and Reform Trajectories

QC 20190516</p

Does It Really Matter? Assessing the Performance Effects of Changes in Leadership and Management Structures in Nordic Higher Education

Universities are public organisations, which operate in a highly institutionalised environment. They are heavily dependent on public resources. As such, universities are susceptible to shifts in governance arrangements but are also far from being passive recipients of reform agendas. They face demands from multiple internal constituencies (academics, administrators, students, managers) and from a variety of external stakeholders. This chapter explores the interplay between governance arrangements resulting from policy shifts and university dynamics. It sets the stage for the book, asking the following research questions: (1) what characterises changes in governance regimes in Nordic universities in the last decade and a half, and (2) what effects have these changes had in the evolution of higher education systems? The chapter takes a comparative approach and identifies similarities and differences across the Nordic countries. This chapter serves as a frame of reference for the book and includes a common methods and data section