The development and implementation of strategy in a university faculty : a strategy -as -practice study

Abstract

Political demands for universities to develop closer links with industry and society (i.e. an enhanced utilitarian focus) has resulted in reduced autonomy and increased scrutiny of their impact on society. The advent of the new managerialism or new public management has led to professionalisation of institutional management and governance structures in university environments and has resulted in the harnessing of managerial tools and techniques to assist in managing the modem university. There has been a considerable level of criticism of attempts to apply strategic planning in professional or non-mechanistic organisations such as universities. Universities can be described as pluralistic organisations characterised by multiple objectives, diffuse power and knowledge-based work processes that present a complex challenge for strategy researchers and strategy practitioners.