Outline of the problem

• Many researchers, including Robert Birnbaum, argue that education institutions often squander their budget on management fads or approaches—such as benchmarking or management by objectives—that elicit optimism but are ultimately abandoned, costing the sector dearly

• Yet, even if tertiary institutions conduct a rigorous cost benefit analysis or apply similar methods, this problem is hard to prevent

• For example, because this sector is competitive, tertiary institutions might want to introduce a management approach before their rivals attempt this initiative—and hence before comprehensive evidence has been accrued

• Similarly, management approaches that research initially demonstrates is effective are not always successful in the future or in other institutions.

 

 

Outline of a solution

• To evaluate management approaches effectively, tertiary institutions could perhaps conduct a project that uncovers suitable guidelines.

• For example, academic staff in management, finance, psychology, or other fields could be encouraged to conduct research that generates these guidelines

• To motivate academics to participate in this project, the institution might facilitate the collection of data.  For example, the institution might include questions in the staff survey or conduct focus groups, Delphi surveys, or other methods to collect relevant insights.

• Academics might also participate in this project because they want to shape the decisions of this institution.

 

Examples of these guidelines

• To illustrate these guidelines, institutions should reject management approaches that seem to disadvantage introverted, unconfident, or cautious staff.  Executives are not as  likely to exhibit these traits and, thus, tend to underestimate the likelihood that many staff will dislike these approaches

• Institutions should embrace management approaches that resolve a challenging paradox.  For example, some initiatives enable institutions to fulfill one goal, like productivity, but also impede another goal, like job satisfaction.  Effective approaches introduce measures that resolve these paradoxes. 

• Institutions should embrace approaches that inspire staff to pursue challenging goals but simultaneously instil a greater sense of autonomy or choice.

• Institutions should embrace management approaches that have been assessed in a department or institution that was randomly selected and in which the underlying mechanisms have been corroborated.  Approaches that are effective in pioneering or innovative teams are often ineffective elsewhere