Comparative Perspectives: Emerging Findings and Further Investigations

Abstract

In this concluding chapter, we re-examine the working hypothesis of the book in the light of the foregoing analyses by individual country. We explore where and how the hypothesis outlined in the Introduction seems to work, or not, and why. In particular, we begin to make comparisons and summaries of the foregoing material by looking at each analytical component of the working hypothesis, such as shared governance, consultative management, and so on. We examine each of these factors in turn, looking across the countries participating in the CAP study and drawing out patterns as they appear to support or contradict the general hypothesis about institutional governance and management and faculty engagement in academic decision-making. Our overall conclusion is that the hypothesis has some merit, but raises questions for further analysis of the CAP data. Indeed, the findings included in this book point to a number of areas for further research identified by the CAP study, which are outlined at the end of this chapter.