Higher Education Organizational Theory and Leadership :: Public Administration

Higher Education Organizational Theory and leadershipThe following briefing paper has been prepargond to assist you in preparing your wrangle to the local chamber of commerce. The division you have been asked to speak on is outlining the differences in leading an institution of higher genteelness as opposed to track a for-profit business. The briefing highlights key points from three oft-referenced scholarly articles on the topic of higher learning organizational theory and leadership. These points explain higher education structures and the differences between higher education organization and leadership and what your audience efficacy be accustomed to. I have included references for your aid.Introduction. Higher education and head-to-head business have much in common. They use resources to raise a product for a defined client base. They are lead by individuals with vision, passion, and leadership for their organizations. At their heart are dedicated throng that m ake up the organization. However, there are also many differences, oddly in making these organizations work healthful.The Complex Structure of Higher Education. The university is a complex organization. Baldridge, Curtis, Ecker and Riley (1982) found that colleges and universities have characteristics that distinguish them from private enterprises as well as other government organizations. They describe the higher education environs as one where resources allow individuals within the organization room to generate in unlike directions without the tight restraints seen in other types of environments. They go on to describe the role of the professorship and other university leaders as catalysts or facilitators rather than the my way or the highway mentality of some private CEOs. Baldridge et al. describe this environment as organized anarchy where this facilitation role, also describe as collegial decision making, leads to an environment where decisions happen rather than are made. Politically, this environment tends to be mostly inactive with very fluid, fragmented participation. The president assumes the role as first among equals, a mediator between position blocs on campus. This is very different in all but a few private corporations.Loosely Coupled Systems. Weick (1976) takes a very exchangeable view of this organizational theory but from a slightly different perspective. He writes of the higher education institution as a broadly conjugate constitution, a system that differs markedly from the organization system of a private enterprise. The basic theory is that, unlike the militaristic beau ideal of the tight ship that many private organizations have adopted, loosely coupled systems have softer linkages between each unit of the organization.