This study was directed toward building a theory of retrenchment. To understand better institutional behavior during decline, it seemed pertinent to determine whether a patterned sequence of institutional responses to fiscal stress existed. Previous studies suggested a pattern of responses but had not analyzed those actions over a long period of time. This study examined the responses, over a ten-year period, of twenty-three, four-year colleges and universities that were observed in A Report on the Financial Conditions Project (1981) by the American Council on Education and the National Association of College and University Business Officers. Data collection centered around five response categories--operations, programs, faculty and incentives, policy development, and severe responses. Analysis was a two-phase process: secondary analysis of the ACE/NACUBO report provided data for FYs 1975-78, and analysis of questionnaire results revealed institutional responses during FYs 1979-81 and 1982-84. Institutions were grouped by enrollment experience. It was hypothesized that more political, less reactive measures would be used in the early stages of stress, but that more reactive, traditionally rational actions would become commonplace and more acceptable once the need for change was apparent. In the aggregate, the study found a pattern of responses: More political operational and programmatic responses preceded the more traditionally rational responses. With time, rational actions associated with policy development and the faculty and incentives category increased. The severe responses, though small in number, were confined to the declining institutions. Disaggregated data showed that institutional behavior was individualistic. Contrary to what was anticipated, more rational decisions frequently were not associated with decline; growing/stable institutions often were more responsive than declining ones. The study found that, since 1978, faculty participation in planning and implementation of retrenchment strategies increased; such responses likely attempt to make the change more agreeable. Contrary to the literature, respondents indicated that innovative activity increased as the result of fiscal stress, and that faculty morale improved. Furthermore, there is an apparent relationship between decline and the appointment of new presidents.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 2006. / Title from title page screen, viewed on April 26, 2007. Dissertation Committee: James C. Palmer, Phyllis McCluskey-Titus (co-chairs), W. Paul Vogt, Dianne C. Gardner. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 195-200) and abstract. Also available in print.

Abstracts The study was designed to achieve three purposes : the first was to explore the categories of universities in China, Netherlands, Taiwan, Japan, United Kingdom and United States. Second one was to build an evaluation model of performance indicators of colleges & universities in terms of three functions : research, instruction and service¡Fand to figure out a model of factorial structure which could grasp the conditions of colleges & universities. Finally, to categorized each college & university in Taiwan accordingly. In order to achieve the above aims, the researcher adopted questionnaire survey as the major research method. Two questionnaire were filled out by three groups of samples - scholars majoring in higher education, the administrators in Section of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, and college deans in nine different academic fields. The total percentage of response was 49.59%. The following six findings have been concluded : 1.There are two reasons for the categorization of colleges & universities in most other foreign countries ¡V natural formation or man-made. Titles of each category was given accordingly. 2.The subjects of this study were in great agreement with what the most important evaluation indicators were, but a trivial discrepancy toward the indicators for service function existed. 3.The theoretical model of performance indicators for colleges & universities was in good fittness for actural data. It could help understand the performance of a higher education institution. 4.The background variables of colleges & universities was significant in influencing the categories, they beloged to, e.g. public or private, scale of institution or number of professors, history of the institution. 5.The researcher, through the method of hierarchical cluster analysis, combined the mean of raw scores and standard score to categorize colleges & universities in Taiwan. 6.According to the deans of colleges & universities, four categories were suggested for colleges & universities in Taiwan. Finally, ten suggestions were raised to the authority in charge of higher education institutions, general colleges & universities in Taiwan and future research. Keyword : functions of colleges & universities, categories of colleges & universities, evaluation indicators of colleges & universities

Thesis (D.Phil.(Educational Management, Law and Policy))-University of Pretoria, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--State University of New York at Buffalo, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 166-176).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 2001. / Title from title page screen, viewed March 14, 2006. Dissertation Committee: James C. Palmer (chair), W. Paul Vogt, Mohamed A. Nur-Awaleh, David L. Tucker. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 106-114) and abstract. Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 1994. / Title from title page screen, viewed April 13, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Robert L. Arnold (chair), John R. McCarthy, Kenneth H. Strand, Louis G. Perez. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 95-103) and abstract. Also available in print.

This study investigated stakeholder participation in strategic planning processes in three teacher training colleges in Zimbabwe. The study was conducted within the qualitative research methodology. Three colleges of education were purposively sampled. All principals in the sampled sites took part in the study. Two Heads of Departments (HODs), two Lecturers in Charge (LICs) two Students Representative Council (SRC) members as well as College Advisory Council Board Members (CACBM) participated in this study. A total of 18 informants participated through interviews. Documents such as strategic planning minutes were scrutinized. Strategic planning meetings were also observed at two sites. The findings were that the practice of strategic planning still appears to be rigid and bureaucratic for organizations that operate in rapidly changing environments such as those in Zimbabwe. Secondly, participation in strategic planning is not all inclusive; only a select few individuals do take part in the planning exercise. Colleges of education and the Ministry focus on the product activities, that is, crafting the strategic plan. They seem to ignore the process activities such as reviewing plans periodically and taking note of key performance indicators which promote continuous improvement. The study also found that participants received no formal training in strategic planning and that the planning process was skewed towards control and compliance; and exhibited managerial accountability tendencies which lie within central bureaucratic approaches. The main recommendations were that the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education and the Department of Teacher Education, at the University of Zimbabwe, in consultation with relevant stakeholders should, develop norms and standards for teacher education to align Zimbabwe‟s stakeholder participation in strategic planning to the global trends. Colleges should supplement their understanding of operational contexts by exploring possible future trends and circumstances. The criteria for reviewing strategic plans should be developed by peers, and practitioners in the field, in consultation with national norms and standards for teacher education.

D.Ed. / This thesis provides an analysis of the essentials of effective and efficient management of the curriculum for Further Education and Training (FET) colleges in South Africa through the examination of the effective management of FET. The aim of the research is to explore the perceptions of FET councils, principals and educators on the management of FET colleges. It is believed that these perceptions have far-reaching implications on the aspirations of the stakeholders with regard to the implementation and success of the curriculum for FET colleges. The literature revealed that the legislation, namely, the FET Act 98 of 1998, the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998, the SAQA Act 58 of 1995 and the Skills Development Act 97 of 1998 form an indispensable part of the FET sector and also that the new legislation provides all the stakeholders (councils, principals and educators of FET colleges) with a stance, frame of reference and guidelines to manage the curriculum for FET colleges in South Africa effectively and efficiently. The study also revealed that a success in FET sector will be achieved by closing the gap between "education and training" and also "theory and practice". Removal of the fragmentations in education through a co-coordinated, flexible and high-quality FET system will result in employability and employment opportunities for FET learners of the future. It emerged that the above objective may best be achieved by strengthening cooperation between the Department of Education and Department of Labour, in which case a new system of learnerships was identified as a mechanism to enhance collaboration between the aforementioned departments. In order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the perceptions of the aforementioned FET stakeholders on the dynamics of management of the curriculum for FET colleges, the research design is qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual (Mouton & Marais, 1991:43-44, 51). The literature study; individual and focus group interviews, observations and field notes; and site analysis were employed as research methods. From the analysis of the data, four major themes, namely, transformation of FET sector, redress of the past injustices of the FET sector, ensuring equity in all respects regarding FET matters and ensuring equality in all aspects within the FET sector. Categories and sub-categories were also obtained from the analysis of data and they were used as strategies to achieve the objectives of the themes in question. The important findings were discussed at length and thereafter, conclusions, shortcomings, recommendations and guidelines

Tsui Hi Yi. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 54-60). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract (in English) --- p.2 / Abstract (in Chinese) --- p.3 / Acknowledgement --- p.4 / Introduction --- p.6-21 / Method --- p.21-33 / Results --- p.34-40 / Discussion --- p.41-52 / Footnotes --- p.53 / References --- p.54-60 / Tables --- p.61 -80 / Figures --- p.81-84