This article presents a review of current leadership practices of principals in further education colleges and suggests that principalship is more than a two-dimensional functional model comprising internal or externally focused activities. During the past 20 years further education leadership has become more demanding, with greater accountability…

At 12.51 p.m. on Tuesday, 22 February, Christchurch and the Canterbury region were hit with a 6.4 magnitude earthquake. While not as strong as the 7.1 magnitude earthquake experienced in September, this one was much more violent in its intensity and also occurred in the middle of a busy working and school day. A hundred and eighty people died in…

This paper discusses the neglected theme of job design in education. It argues that the traditional top-down method of designing work roles ignores the interests, abilities and needs of employees and leads to individuals adopting an unsanctioned approach to job design, "job crafting". It is posited that a third approach is needed, that of…

In 1993, colleges in Scotland became independent corporate bodies, funded directly by central government. This article is a review of the evolution of college management practice within the context of the political reform of the public services and recent educational policy developments in Scotland. It is an analysis of a complex and continuous…

Examines an important new issue for university administration: the complexity of managing corporate knowledge. Presents a case study of Australian universities' evaluation and quality assessment activities, through which unprecedented databases, particularly on teaching quality, have been collected. Questions whether this "corporate intelligence"…

A research program at Trinity College in Ireland is reported that focused on the decision-making process, particularly the committee structure. Described are the role of individuals within committees, centralized versus decentralized decision-making, costs, sources of rigidity, and problems of the concentration of power. (Author/LBH)

The management of higher education institutions is discussed in light of the exponential expansion of universities during the last century. It is suggested that universities embrace social relevance as a major goal. The proper social relevance of universities and its effects on their objectives and methods of management are discussed. (Author/SF)

Autonomy in Swedish universities is investigated. A new approach to the analysis of the concept of university autonomy and an outline of a theory on university autonomy are presented. Autonomy is viewed as a vital characteristic of higher education; its role in Swedish education throughout history is analyzed. (Author/SF)

The concept of collective autonomy is discussed as it refers to cooperation between universities. The need for a collective autonomy of universities, the aims and limits of such a concept, and means and opportunities for creating and fostering it are examined. (Author/SF)

The reorganization of the German universities between the end of the 1960s and the early 1970s into "Group Universities" is discussed. It is suggested that this new organizational system, modeled along the lines of a corporate state, has destroyed the communication system of the university and introduced discontinuity into the academic…

Difficulties encountered by policy makers as they seek to preserve and increase efficiency in university management are discussed, using the system of higher education in West Germany as a frame of reference. Topics include the training, research, and service functions of the university, educational finance, and the state-university relationship.…

Transitions in the social and economic circumstances of Western postsecondary education are: changing numbers of students and jobs; the shift from elite values to educational goals that promote equality; the growing significance of the school government relationship; and stability rather than expansion. (JMD)

Austerity management of universities over a ten-year period is examined. Some theoretical solutions likely to curb the escalation of higher education costs or to contribute to some leveling-off are discussed, and it is suggested that the need for lengthy research will postpone any real innovation in management until the 1990s. (Author/JMD)

The process of institutional performance assessment in higher education carries with it potential liabilities and warrants careful consideration. The political, methodological, economic, and philosophical cautions to be considered are described and procedures for effectively dealing with these issues are suggested. (Author/JMD)

The evolution of management information systems in higher education is traced, with contributing factors noted. Benefits are summarized and shortcomings are discussed with emphasis on their limitations as the basis for resource allocation during an era of budgetary stringency. (Author/JMD)