The three-part book takes a critical look at the rise and fall of management fads in higher education since the 1960s. Part 1 introduces the fad concept and analyzes the development of seven new management systems in higher education. The chapters for Part 1 include: Chapter 1 "Seeking the Grail: The Never-Ending Quest"; chapter 2 "We're from the Government, and We're Here to Help"; chapter 3 "Survival in a Changing Environment"; and chapter 4 "Higher Education as a Commodity." Part Two addresses how fads begin and end, why some organizations are vulnerable to fads, and why some managers adopt them. The chapters in Part 2 include: chapter 5 "The Life Cycle of Academic Management Fads"; chapter 6 "Organizations and Fads"; and chapter 7 "Managers and Fads." Part Three deals with outcomes. The chapters in Part 3 include: chapter 8 "The Legacy of Fads" and chapter 9 "Managing Fads." Contains over 300 references. (EMS)