Is leadership possible at loosely coupled organizations such as universities?

Management Science in Higher Education Institutions: Case Studies From Greece

“…Indeed, previous research studies (Saitis, 1993(Saitis, , 1999a(Saitis, , 1999b on Greek higher education have shown that a balanced delegation of management power at departmental level, as well as the transferring of duties to specific councils for the implementation of university policy, is bound to make a positive contribution to university efficiency and productivity. This result has also been supported by Reponen (1999) and Smith (2005) and reached by White (1987) in the United States, where the implementation of management techniques in higher education has demonstrated a high degree of successful performance down to departmental level. Indeed, responsibility is a poignant issue and needs careful examination.…”

“…Although the applicability of business models in universities has attracted many researchers such as Dearlove (1998), Mattheou & Saiti, (2005), Reponen (1999), Rochford (2001), Saitis (1997), Sanyal, Martin, & D'Antoni (1996) and so forth, there is much skepticism regarding the application of a business management system to higher education (Bessant, 1995;Reponen, 1999;Rochford, 2001). These doubts have their roots in the differences between the nature of business managerial style and the collegiate styles of universities (Baldridge, 1971;Pitman, 2000), most notably in the decision-making processes.…”

“…While profiles of higher education systems in countries around the world do not exhibit exact similarities and differ, to a degree, from each other, the current environment in higher education management in many countries does reflect similarities with the business sector. In the context of the doubts and criticism that universities have been facing in recent years regarding their performance and productivity (Reponen, 1999), an adoption of management principles and techniques from the corporate sector without altering their public designation perhaps would enhance their effective performance. Such considerations have opened the debate on management development in universities through the adoption of some principles from business management -a debate which ought to be stimulated in Greece.…”

“…Such considerations have opened the debate on management development in universities through the adoption of some principles from business management -a debate which ought to be stimulated in Greece. Within this framework, Reponen (1999) and Smith (2005) discussed management development for universities and suggested that leadership at all university levels is the key for change and development. The roles of rector and faculty head are of particular importance as they help the university to maintain productivity and effectiveness.…”

“…Like all formal organisations, however, universities have to operate by means of a number of clearly defined activities (e.g., allocation of planning and controlling duties to individuals or to groups of individuals) in order to achieve their goals. Over the last few decades, relations between universities and the State have become a more prominent issue, particularly focusing on how management mechanisms, techniques, and principles are implemented and, most of all, on the changing role of the government in university management (Casu & Thanassoulis, 2006;Bessant, 1995;Mattheou & Saiti, 2005;Reponen, 1999;Teichler, 2003).…”