European universities as complete organizations? Understanding identity, hierarchy and rationality in public organizations

Marco Seeber, Benedetto Lepori, Martina Montauti, Jürgen Enders, Harry De Boer, Elke Weyer, Ivar Bleiklie, Kristin Hope, Svein Michelsen, Gigliola Nyhagen Mathisen, Nicoline Frølich, Lisa Scordato, Bjørn Stensaker, Erica Waagene, Zarko Dragsic, Peter Kretek, Georg Krücken, António Magalhães, Filipa M. Ribeiro, Sofia SousaAmélia Veiga, Rui Santiago, Giulio Marini, Emanuela Reale

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

134 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

This article investigates the form of European universities to determine the extent to which they resemble the characteristics of complete organizations and whether the forms are associated with modernization policy pressure, national institutional frames and organizational characteristics. An original data set of twenty-six universities from eight countries was used. Specialist universities have a stronger identity, whereas the level of hierarchy and rationality is clearly associated with the intensity of modernization policies. At the same time, evidence suggests limitations for universities to become complete, as mechanisms allowing the development of some dimensions seemingly constrain the capability to develop others.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1444-1474
Number of pages32
JournalPublic Management Review
Volume17
Issue number10
Early online date28 Jul 2014
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2015

Keywords

  • identity
  • hierarchy
  • rationality
  • modernization policies
  • NPM
  • Neo-Weberian state
  • universities

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