Reconstructing Relationships in Higher Education: Challenging Agendas / Edition 1

by Celia Whitchurch, George Gordon

Overview

Drawing on two international research projects, Reconstructing Relationships in Higher Education: Challenging Agendas looks behind formal organisational structures and workforce patterns to consider the significance of relationships, particularly at local and informal levels, for the aspirations and motivations of academic faculty. In practice, and day-to-day, such relationships can overlay formal reporting lines and therefore inform, to a greater or lesser extent, the overall relationship between individuals and institutions.

As a result, from an institutional point of view, relationships may be a critical factor in the realisation of strategy, and can in practice have a disproportionate effect, both positively and negatively. However, little attention has been paid to the role that they play in understanding the interface between individuals and institutions at a time of ongoing diversification of the workforce. For instance, they may provide space, which in turn may be implicit and discretionary, in which negotiation and influence can occur. In this context, Reconstructing Relationships in Higher Education also reviews ways in which institutions are responding to more agentic approaches by academic faculty, particularly younger cohorts, and the significance of local managers, mentors and academic networks in supporting individuals and promoting career development.

The text, which examines the dynamics of working relationships at local and institutional level, will be of interest to senior management teams, practising managers at all levels, academic faculty, and researchers in the field of higher education.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781138810822
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	06/02/2017
Series:	Research into Higher Education
Pages:	206
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

About the Author

George Gordon is Emeritus Professor, University of Strathclyde and Honorary Research Fellow, University of Durham.

Celia Whitchurch is Senior Lecturer in Higher Education, University of London Institute of Education

Table of Contents

Preface Part 1 Structures 1 Introduction 2 Organisational frameworks Part 2 Workplace relationships 3 Working relationships 4 Individual responses 5 The role of middle managers Part 3 Towards a constructive alignment 6 Emergent practices – bottom up 7 Emergent practices – top down 8 Reconstructing relationships 9 Conclusions References Appendix 1 Details of the two studies