The impact of managerialism on the strategy work of university middle managers
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Authors
Davis, Annemarie
Jansen van Rensburg, Mari
Venter, Peet
Issue Date
2014
Type
Article
Language
en
Keywords
middle managers; , university management; , managerialism; , university management; , academic managers; , strategy work
Alternative Title
Abstract
In an attempt to understand the effects of managerialism on university managers in a developing country, we set out to gather rich data on the strategy work of middle managers through a single case study at a South African university. Managerialism has the potential to solve inefficiencies in university systems and processes, as it could help to simplify the complex university management environment. Yet, our findings show that middle managers at the chosen institution are constrained by the effects of managerialism. Managerialism has resulted in a tyranny of bureaucracy which translates into disempowered middle managers, a culture of conformance over collegiality, control at the cost of innovation and experimentation and an over-articulation of strategy which devalues the strategy. To cope with the identified negative effects of managerialism, middle managers create their own systems outside the bureaucracy and provide more support to peers and subordinates.
Description
Citation
Davis, A., Jansen van Rensburg, M. and Venter, P.(2014). The impact of managerialism on the strategy work of university middle managers. Studies in Higher Education, DOI:10.1080/03075079.2014.981518;
Publisher
License
Journal
Volume
Issue
PubMed ID
DOI
ISSN
0307-5079