Abstract
This chapter deals with stakeholders and academics as stakeholders. We examine responses to several questions from the EUROAC/CAP survey and seek to establish whether or not European responding nations fit into any obvious blocs. Academics’ perceptions of their influence at various levels within their institutions have been analysed against attitudes to management and governance. Both of these questions are compared and contrasted with responses to perceptions about which groups exert influence and the respective influence of internal and external stakeholder groups. In particular, the role of academics themselves and the influence they have are examined. Conclusions based on the analysis show that members of the academic staff themselves are major internal stakeholders and control many elements of their own destinies. However, there are considerable variations between the 12 participating European countries but less variation between senior and junior academics within each country. External stakeholders are active more in issues related to research than to teaching, as they have very little influence in academic core. The key to strengthening academic freedom is internal stakeholders’ social, reputational and social participatory role at the department and faculty levels.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Aarrevaara, T. (2010). Academic freedom in a changing academic world. European Review, 18(Suppl. 1), 55–69.
Aarrevaara, T., Dobson, I., & Elander, C. (2009). Brave new world – Higher education reform in Finland. Higher Education Management and Policy, 21(2), 89–104.
Alves, H., Mainardes, E., & Raposo, M. (2010). A relationship approach to higher education institution stakeholder management. Tertiary Education and Management, 16(3), 183–209.
Benneworth, P., & Jongbloed, B. W. (2010). Who matters to universities? A stakeholder perspective on humanities, arts and social science valorisation. Higher Education, 59(5), 567–588.
Bess, J. L., & Dee, J. R. (2008). Understanding college and university organization: Theories for effective policy and practice. Sterling: Stylus.
Conway, M. (2000). What’s in a name? Issues for ATEM and administrators. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 22(2), 199–201.
Davies, J. L. (2001). The emergence of entrepreneurial cultures in European universities. Higher Education Management, 13(2), 25–43.
Dobbins, M., Knill, C., & Vögtle, E. (2011). An analytical framework for the cross-country comparison of higher education governance. Higher Education, 62(5), 665–683.
Dobson, I. R. (2000). Them and us: General and non-general staff in higher education. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 22(2), 203–210.
Dobson, I. R. (2010). Uneven development: The disjointed growth of university staffing since Dawkins. People and Place, 18(4), 31–38.
Dobson, I., & Conway, M. (2003). Fear and loathing in university staffing: The case of Australian academic and general staff. Higher Education Management and Policy, 15(3), 139–152.
Elena-Pérez, S., Saritas, O., Pook, K., & Warden, C. (2011). Ready for the future? Universities’ capabilities to strategically manage their intellectual capital. Foresight, 13(2), 31–48.
Estermann, T., & Nokkala, T. (2009). University autonomy in Europe – Exploratory study. Brussels: European University Association.
Ferlie, E., Musselin, C., & Andresani, G. (2008). The steering of higher education systems: A public management perspective. Higher Education, 56(3), 325–348.
Fisher, D., Locke, W., & Cummings, W. K. (2011). Comparative perspectives: Emerging findings and further investigations. In W. Locke, W. K. Cummings, & D. Fisher (Eds.), Changing governance and management in higher education: The perspectives of the academy (pp. 369–380). Dordrecht: Springer.
Harvey, L., & Green, D. (1993). Defining quality. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 18(1), 9–34.
Jesiek, B. K., Newswander, L. K., & Borrego, M. (2009). Engineering education research: Discipline, community or field? Journal of Engineering Education, 98(1), 39–52.
Jongbloed, B., Enders, J., & Salerno, C. (2008). Higher education and its communities: Interconnections, interdependencies and a research agenda. Higher Education, 56(3), 303–324.
Larsen, I. M., Maassen, P., & Stensaker, B. (2010). Four basic dilemmas in university governance reform. Higher Education Management and Policy, 21(3), 1–18.
Leisyte, L., Enders, J., & de Boer, H. (2009). The balance between teaching and research in Dutch and English universities in the context of university governance reforms. Higher Education, 58(5), 619–635.
Lizzio, A., & Wilson, K. (2009). Student participation in university governance: The role conceptions and sense efficacy of student representatives on departmental committees. Studies in Higher Education, 34(1), 69–84.
Locke, W. (2011). The institutionalization of rankings: Managing status anxiety in an increasingly marketized environment. In J. S. Shin, R. K. Toutkoushian, & U. Teichler (Eds.), University rankings – Theoretical basis, methodology and impacts on global higher education (pp. 201–228). Dordrecht: Springer.
Monks, J. (2012). Job turnover among university presidents in the United States of America. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 34(2), 139–152.
Neave, G. (2005). Universities’ responsibility to society: A historical exploration of an enduring issue. In G. Neave (Ed.), The universities’ responsibilities to society (pp. 1–28). Oxford: Pergamon.
Schmidt, E. (2012). University funding reforms in Nordic countries. In F. Maruyama & I. Dobson (Eds.), Cycles in university reform: Japan and Finland compared (pp. 31–56). Tokyo: Center for National University Finance and Management.
Szekeres, J. (2004). The invisible workers. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 26(1), 7–22.
Szekeres, J. (2011). Professional workers carve out a new space. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 33(6), 679–691.
Teichler, U. (2004). Changing structures of the higher education systems: The increasing complexity of underlying forces. In Diversification of higher education and the changing role of knowledge and research (UNESCO Forum Paper No. 6, pp. 3–16). Paris: UNESCO.
Teichler, U. (2008). Diversification? Trends and explanations of the shape and size of higher education. Higher Education, 56(3), 349–379.
Teichler, U. (Ed.). (2011b). University rankings – Theoretical basis, methodology and impacts on global higher education. Dordrecht: Springer.
Trigwell, K. (2011). Measuring teaching performance. In J. S. Shin, R. K. Toutkoushian, & U. Teichler (Eds.), University rankings – Theoretical basis, methodology and impacts on global higher education (pp. 165–181). Dordrecht: Springer.
Vabø, A. (2007). Norway: The principal-agent relationship and its impact on the autonomy of the academic profession. In W. Locke & U. Teichler (Eds.), The changing conditions for academic work and careers in select countries (Werkstattberichte, 66, pp. 177–194). Kassel: INCHER, University of Kassel.
Whitchurch, C. (2006). Who do they think they are? The changing identities of professional administrators and managers in UK higher education. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 28(2), 159–171.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Aarrevaara, T., Dobson, I.R. (2013). Movers and Shakers: Do Academics Control Their Own Work?. In: Teichler, U., Höhle, E. (eds) The Work Situation of the Academic Profession in Europe: Findings of a Survey in Twelve Countries. The Changing Academy – The Changing Academic Profession in International Comparative Perspective, vol 8. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5977-0_8
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5977-0_8
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-007-5976-3
Online ISBN: 978-94-007-5977-0
eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and LawEducation (R0)