Understanding quality and its relevance to higher educationThe impact of quality on reputation is nowhere more marked than in higher education. Indeed, reputation is the most important -and marketable -good of every higher education institution (HEI): "Ours is a reputational business -an enterprise whose revenues are driven by the perception and substance of its reputation for quality and the skill with which that reputation is marketed" (Tulane University, 1989).Since no one has yet satisfactorily defined or measured quality, the marketing of quality remains problematic. Most HEIs are highly complex entities, both in their objectives and in their structure: they possess or are perceived as possessing different kinds and levels of "quality". TQM provides a set of techniques through which the difficult concept of quality can be approached.HEIs have been quoted as examples of "professional bureaucracies" by Mintzberg (1983) and as comprising departments lacking "the appropriate structure for proper decision making, problem solving, strategic planning, team building, market analysis and professional development of both individuals and the department itself" (Gray, 1989). They traditionally operate in ways not conducive to the goals of TQM: they discourage the active leadership and management of themselves, the concept of the customer is problematic because there are different customers, the student-as-customer is to be evaluated as well as serviced, individuals' achievements are ranked above their contributions to teamwork, there are insufficient rewards and sanctions for variable levels of performance, and change is difficult to implement.HEIs may differ from business organizations in that, for many of their members, excellence in satisfying the needs of the student-as-customer is not the most important form of excellence. Quality of output and reputation in academic research are most likely to be valued in many HEIs. Even if the concept of the customer were agreed, many academic staff would still be uncomfortable with the priority which TQM gives to the customer's needs. When performance measurement and quality assurance are added to the process, TQM may be perceived as alien and inappropriately demanding. The lan-13

Qualitative research based on in-depth interviews with seventeen deans of schools of business in US and European universities reveals that morale is higher than has been suggested despite great pressures on the deans' leadership and management abilities. The deans report spending an average of forty-five percent of their time working with external constituents and suffering from excessive workloads. They regard themselves as less powerful than leaders in business whilst being equally accountable financially. They see themselves as facilitators for their colleagues. Whilst acknowledging mistakes and the major scale of challenges ahead, most report a high degree of commitment and enthusiasm. There was no evidence of national cultural differences in organisation or attitudes. None of the deans experienced formal training and development to prepare them for their role. The study may provide some pointers to the possible content and appropriate means of delivering such provision.

No abstract

Criticisms of business schools for their MBA and other provision have resulted in leading members of schools collaborating with human resource professionals in redefining corporate requirements for management development. They are creating a programme which is innovative, international, practical and reflective, embodying collaboration both between sponsoring companies and between five leading business schools spanning three continents.