Segmentation in the Academic Labor Market

Higher Education: Handbook of Theory and Research

“…These faculty help the institution strive toward greater prestige research wise, but may come in conflict with faculty hired in previous decades with more of a teaching and service orientation (Wolf-Wendel & Ward, 2005). Finnegan (1993) conducted case study research on hiring cohorts in comprehensive universities over three time periods. Her research found that the more research-oriented the faculty, the greater the pursuit of prestige.…”

“…Her research found that the more research-oriented the faculty, the greater the pursuit of prestige. Considering current forces impacting faculty and campuses to strive as "generational" can help us understand present behavior (Finnegan, 1993;Finnegan & Gamson, 1996).…”

“…Both Finnegan (1993) and Wolf Wendel and Ward (2005) observe that this group in the "middle of the institutional hierarchy" (Clark, 1987) is under-studied but includes campuses that were formerly liberal arts colleges, teacher colleges, and/or has land-grant status and have always offered undergraduate and masters degrees. Morphew and Huisman, (2002) found that non-flagship universities were more likely than flagship universities to add duplicative degree programs, overall and at the graduate degree level (p. 501).…”

“…Wolf-Wendel and Ward (2005) refer to faculty life at striving comprehensives as, "between a rock and a hard place," because the local traditions of teaching and service conflict with institutional aspirations related to more faculty publications and external grant funding. In addition, generational conflicts have emerged among faculty in comprehensive institutions as the job market has brought many research-oriented faculty to campuses with faculty who over the last 3 decades have emphasized teaching and service (Dubrow, Moseley, & Dustin, 2006;Finnegan, 1993;Wolf Wendel & Ward, 2005). Thus, research has begun to identify the striving comprehensive institution as an important institutional type for future study.…”

“…Historical research that examines striving within the context of women's colleges or faith-based institutions would help illuminate how the organizational saga of specific institutional types is connected to striving. Finnegan's (1993) examination of hiring cohorts over time in comprehensive universities provides an example of an examination of striving set within specific institutions and market conditions that might be replicated. Also, what campuses are striving for and what they are doing to get there changes somewhat each year, as the recent changes in higher education away from early decision to early action demonstrate.…”