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ERIC Number: ED518932
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2010
Pages: 174
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: ISBN-978-1-1242-5529-3
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Creating the College Catalog: A Case Study of Stakeholder Perceptions and Organizational Decision-Making at Two Private Colleges Differing in Degree of Entrepreneurialism
Vavolizza, Ann Marie
ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, Teachers College, Columbia University
Will the differing degree of entrepreneurialism of two colleges affect their perceptions about the college catalog and/or academic online information or their production processes? I researched these questions in my dissertation study, a qualitative case study at two colleges selected for their demonstrably different degrees of entrepreneurialism. The study involved an analysis of the content, perceptions about that content, and processes of producing print catalogs and online academic information at two liberal arts colleges in the Northeast. Twenty-two open-ended interviews of representative constituents on both campuses and of an external accreditor were conducted, along with a detailed analysis of the printed catalogs and online information. I found surprising homogeneity in the content, perceptions about, and production processes for the print catalogs. More specifically, across the two colleges, I discovered an equivalent percentage of non-academic content and a more even distribution of academic and entrepreneurial words and phrases than expected. And a majority of respondents at both colleges articulated the perception that "shared practices" account for the general similarity of all college catalogs. Finally, their production processes for the print catalogs were also surprisingly similar. Overall, my findings for the print catalogs seemed in concert with institutional theory, with a focus on the homogeneity of these two colleges' approaches--and that of higher education institutions in general--rather than on their dissimilarities. However, I found greater variation when it came to the online content. I did discover some distinguishing technological features in the two colleges' online information, and a majority of faculty on one campus cited the entrepreneurial function of online information. Perhaps because of the non-academic personnel involved in the production of this medium, perhaps because of its relative newness, I discovered less entrenched homogeneity of products, perceptions, and processes. Here entrepreneurialism, not shared practices, seemed most significant. Overall, however, the findings of the study were not as clearly dichotomous as I had hypothesized they would be. The colleges' differing degree of entrepreneurialism did not result in as great a difference in the content, perceptions of, and production process for printed catalogs and online academic information as expected. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Tel: 800-521-0600; Web site: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml
Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A