Guest editorial : Accounting and performance measurement in the age of rankings, quality assurance, accreditation, and excellence frameworks

©2023 Emerald Publishing Limited. This manuscript version is made available under the Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY–NC 4.0) license, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

Tutkimus- ja opetushenkilökunnan määräaikaiset työsuhteet suomalaisissa yliopistoissa

Fixed-term employments among academic personnel at Finnish universities This study focuses on fixed-term employments in Finnish universities. The relative amount of fixed-term employments in different career phases, universities and fields are described. The analyses reveal that the fixed-term employments are considerably more common in universities than in other areas of the labor market. While 71,7% of the Finnish scholars are in fixed-term employments, the equivalent number in the Finnish labor market in total is 14,9%. The role and nature of fixed-term employments in the Finnish academia is further discussed and it is suggested that the transition from the previous to the new career model divides the fixed-term employees into more fortunate and less fortunate ones. The tenure-track assistant and associate professors seem to be favored by of the new career system while the rest of the fixed- term employees seem less fortunate.©2023 Hallinnon tutkimuksen seura.fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

Talent Management in the Business School Context

In this chapter, the authors review talent management in the research university sector, business schools in particular. The authors adopt an “exclusive” perspective on talent management, assuming that some scholars contribute disproportionately to organizational performance. The authors identify two particular groups of scholars likely to be the target of exclusive talent management practices in business schools: (i) faculty on a tenure track career path and (ii) “star” tenured faculty with exceptionally strong track records. Focusing on these current and potential future “stars,” the authors review and discuss talent management practices related to talent identification, recruitment and selection, performance management, talent development, benefits and rewards, and tenure, promotion, and retention. In the extant literature, these topics have been mostly examined in the general university environment and less so in the business school context. This is somewhat problematic given that business schools have their own special characteristics. Moreover, some of the reviewed topics – especially talent development – have received only marginal scholarly interest thus far. Based on this literature review, and by drawing on their own experience working in different roles in academia, the authors highlight some of the gaps in the current body of knowledge and propose an agenda for future research.©2022 Emerald Publishing Limited. This manuscript version is made available under the Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY–NC 4.0) license, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

Balancing between accountability and autonomy : the impact and relevance of public steering mechanisms within higher education

Purpose This article studies the tensions between universities' accountability and autonomy in response to the demands of public steering mechanisms coordinating higher education institutions. Design/methodology/approach Demonstrating the tension between accountability and autonomy, the impact and relevance of public steering mechanisms coordinating higher education are studied via a survey with selected representative Finnish universities. The response rate was an exceptionally high 94%. In addition to the statistical analysis of the survey, open-ended questions were also analyzed to give a more in-depth understanding of the findings. The study uses paradox theory and institutional complexity as its theoretical lenses. Findings The empirical analysis of this study shows a considerable gap between the experienced impact and the experienced relevance of the steering mechanisms in higher education. The authors’ further analysis of the open-ended data shows that indicator-based funding allocation has undermined the perceived university autonomy. The authors highlight the paradoxical tensions of university autonomy and higher education institutions' steering mechanisms' requirement for accountability. Finding an acceptable balance between accountability and institutional autonomy plays an important role in designing higher education policies. Originality/value The authors found that even if a steering mechanism is experienced as impactful, it is not necessarily considered relevant. One of the key aspects in understanding the reasons behind this mismatch is related to university autonomy. Most impactful steering mechanisms become considered less relevant because they also endanger institutional autonomy. In this sense, it could be expected that steering mechanisms should better balance accountability and autonomy.© Tomi J. Kallio, Kirsi-Mari Kallio, Mira Huusko, Riitta Pyykkö and Jussi Kivistö. Published by Emerald Publishing Limited. This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licence. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this licence may be seen at http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode.The authors would like to thank FINEEC for providing the data for this study.fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

From professional bureaucracy to competitive bureaucracy – redefining universities’ organization principles, performance measurement criteria, and reason for being

PurposeThis purpose of this study is to understand how the spread of audit culture and the related public sector reforms have affected Finnish universities’ organization principles, performance measurement (PM) criteria and ultimately their reason for being.Design/methodology/approachApplying extensive qualitative data by combining interview data with document materials, this study takes a longitudinal perspective toward the changing Finnish higher education field.FindingsThe analysis suggests the reforms have altered universities’ administrative structures, planning and control systems, coordination mechanisms and the role of staff units, as well as the allocation of power and thus challenged their reason for being. Power has become concentrated into the hands of formal managers, while operational core professionals have been distanced from decision making. Efficiency in terms of financial and performance indicators has become a coordinating principle of university organizations, and PM practices are used to steer the work of professionals. Because of the reforms, universities have moved away from the ideal type of professional bureaucracy and begun resembling the new, emerging ideal type of competitive bureaucracy.Originality/valueThis study builds on rich, real-life, longitudinal empirical material and details a chronological description of the changes in Finland’s university sector. Moreover, it illustrates how the spread of audit culture and the related legislative changes have transformed the ideal type of university organization and challenged universities’ reason for being. These changes entail significant consequences regarding universities as organizations and their role in society.</p

Tarvitaanko luovan työotteen johtamista? Näkökulmia teoriasta ja empiriasta

Tarkastelemme artikkelissa luovuuden käsitettä suomalaisen työelämän kontekstissa. Erityisenä fokuksenamme on työministeriön hiljattain julkaiseman ”Luova työote – tuottava työ: työelämälähtöiseen luovuuteen perustuva tuottavuusstrategia” -raportin pohjalta johdettu käsite luovan työotteen johtaminen. Pohdimme mitä luovan työotteen johtaminen tarkoittaa ja lisääkö se aihepiirin ympärillä käytävään tieteelliseen ja/tai pragmaattiseen diskurssiin jotakin sellaista, mikä legitimoi uuden käsitteen. Aihepiiriä lähestymme sekä teoreettisesti että empiirisesti. Määrittelemme käsitteen analyysimme pohjalta. Tarkastellessamme tutkimuskysymyksemme toista puolta toteamme organisaatio- ja johtamistutkimuksen kentällä olevan erinäisiä teorioita, jotka sisältävät luovan työotteen johtamista vastaavia ajatuksia ja sisältöjä. Samalla kuitenkin esitämme, että käytännön työelämän näkökulmasta voisi olla paikallaan eksplisiittisesti korostaa ratkaisuja, joilla luovuutta työelämässä voitaisiin edistää. Tästä syystä luovan työotteen johtaminen saattaisi näkemyksemme mukaan osoittautua hyödylliseksi, koska käsite nostaa varsin suoraviivaisesti esille luovuuden johtamisen merkityksen. Esitämme lisäksi, että käsite saattaisi tuoda alalle paljon kaivattua teoreettista ja käsitteellistä eksplisiittisyyttä ja selkeyttä