This thesis traces the development of the New Zealand education reforms which began in the late 1980s from their ideological and theoretical foundations, especially those of human capital theory, through policy development and implementation. Polytechnic business programmes are used as a case study to illustrate the impact of the reforms and of one of the principal mechanisms by which the reforms were expected to be implemented-the National Framework. Evidence is provided that leads to policy questions regarding the implementation of the Framework under the aegis of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority. These concerns include competency based learning and administration and delivery complexities. The links between the reform intentions and the actuality of implementation are also examined. The assumption that the education reforms are expected to have significant impact on the country's economic performance is examined and factors which impact on workplace organisation and productivity and which may constrain the effects of improved worker education and training are discussed. The instrument of ‘the market’ as a means of achieving both efficiencies and effectiveness in tertiary education is also reviewed. There appears to be an absence of a common understanding of the nature, composition and behaviour of education markets. Indicative evidence is also provided regarding the complexity of student investment decisions with regard to tertiary education decisions. This study provides evidence to support human capital theory as a force influencing the decision to undertaken tertiary education, but as part of a much more complex model of the tertiary education decision making process than it would appear that policy makers have considered. Evidence is presented that leads to questions regarding the assumption that industry will take ownership of the reform processes. Evidence is presented of industry indifference and inertia to the reforms. Recommendations for the re-examination of developments to date are made, together with research programmes to provide a sound empirical base for future policy making. Without a structured critical review of the reform intentions versus the emerging actuality, there is a danger that the reforms may, in part at least, prove to be both inefficient and ineffectual. / Subscription resource available via Digital Dissertations only.

This thesis traces the development of the New Zealand education reforms which began in the late 1980s from their ideological and theoretical foundations, especially those of human capital theory, through policy development and implementation. Polytechnic business programmes are used as a case study to illustrate the impact of the reforms and of one of the principal mechanisms by which the reforms were expected to be implemented-the National Framework. Evidence is provided that leads to policy questions regarding the implementation of the Framework under the aegis of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority. These concerns include competency based learning and administration and delivery complexities. The links between the reform intentions and the actuality of implementation are also examined. The assumption that the education reforms are expected to have significant impact on the country's economic performance is examined and factors which impact on workplace organisation and productivity and which may constrain the effects of improved worker education and training are discussed. The instrument of ‘the market’ as a means of achieving both efficiencies and effectiveness in tertiary education is also reviewed. There appears to be an absence of a common understanding of the nature, composition and behaviour of education markets. Indicative evidence is also provided regarding the complexity of student investment decisions with regard to tertiary education decisions. This study provides evidence to support human capital theory as a force influencing the decision to undertaken tertiary education, but as part of a much more complex model of the tertiary education decision making process than it would appear that policy makers have considered. Evidence is presented that leads to questions regarding the assumption that industry will take ownership of the reform processes. Evidence is presented of industry indifference and inertia to the reforms. Recommendations for the re-examination of developments to date are made, together with research programmes to provide a sound empirical base for future policy making. Without a structured critical review of the reform intentions versus the emerging actuality, there is a danger that the reforms may, in part at least, prove to be both inefficient and ineffectual. / Subscription resource available via Digital Dissertations only.

<p> The purpose of this study was to examine the ways in which business-led advocacy coalitions are developed, used, and maintained to advance higher education as a state budgetary priority; policy participants&rsquo; perceptions of the effectiveness of these coalitions in the state budget process, and factors that policy participants believe impede or facilitate business-led coalition advocacy on behalf of public higher education. To address these research questions, I employed a thematic analysis of qualitative data derived from interviews with policy participants and an analysis of documents in two states. </p><p> Themes garnered from the data indicated that the coalitions arose as the result of state economic downturns. The coalitions established and advanced public agendas that linked state needs, higher education reform, and increased funding for higher education. Coalition leaders maintained these efforts by combining long- and short-term goals, keeping stakeholders abreast of their progress, and celebrating successes. Policy participants perceived the coalitions to be effective because of the credibility they derived from their independence, economic understanding, and leadership experience. The effectiveness of coalitions was enhanced through access to policymakers, experienced and respected staff, and a far-reaching vision for higher education. Coalition advocacy was facilitated by higher education leaders&rsquo; dedication to improved campus performance, the identification of a cadre of business leaders who understand and believe in the purposes of public higher education, and continuous communication between business leaders and higher education officials. Despite these efforts, many policy participants stated that budgetary constraints still play a major role in determining funding levels. </p><p> The findings of the study signified that business-led advocacy coalitions can have a strong voice in making public higher education a state priority, but rely on a group of business leaders who believe in higher education, as well as a well-connected, experienced coalition staff that advances the coalition&rsquo;s agenda. This study is relevant to higher education and political science because it adds to existing knowledge of the process in state higher education appropriations, provides clarity to the state-level political relationship between business and higher education, and offers new information on the role of state-level business coalition advocacy in higher education policy.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to empirically analyze the determinants of charitable giving rates generationally among alumni of a private business college in the northeastern United States, with a focus on three areas: the unique cultural component of giving as it relates to the college and its entrepreneurial focus; the level of connectedness and involvement of the students to the college through co-curricular and affinity activities; and the demographics of the college, including the high number of international students that are attracted to study at this business college. These are examined through Park and Smith&rsquo;s (2007) framework of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), which is an adaptation of Ajzen&rsquo;s (1991) model of Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Background data for this study was provided by the Office of Alumni and Friends at Northeast College, which in April 2015 partnered with the Performance Enhancement Group Ltd. (PEG) to administer the <i>Alumni Attitude Study</i>. This survey instrument measures alumni perceptions and attitudes about their alma mater as well as their student and alumni experiences, and served as a basis for this study on alumni charitable giving. In addition, this particular study synthesizes literature related to affinity giving across a broad spectrum of colleges and universities.</p><p>

M. Ed. / The new government that came into power in 1994, brought with it changes to the education legislation, which emphasised the parents as important partners for schools. This partnership was formalised by the South African Schools Act (SASA), which identifies school governing bodies (SGBs) as official partners in school governance. Thus, the new structure of school governance has resulted in the development of new relationships between parents and (SGBs). Collaboration may be viewed as a significant requirement in the relationship between the principal and SGB in order for them to effectively manage their school’s financial resources. Clearly, financial constraints can constitute one of the most significant, inhibitory factors in the creation of good, quality education in schools. Schools therefore need to ensure that financial resources are effectively managed so that quality education is sustained. As schools in South Africa are increasingly functioning as Section 21 schools, there is a stronger emphasis on financial management. However, if collaboration between the principal and SGB is not enhanced, this could ultimately affect the management of financial resources negatively. This places a heavy burden on principals, as they now need to cultivate genuine processes of collaboration in order to empower SGB members in the management of financial resources. This study focuses on the crucial need for schools to initiate and maintain a collaborative relationship between the principal and SGB. Without this, mutual trust, teamwork, collaborative decision-making, open-communication and co-operation will be absent, and can therefore impact negatively on the management of the school’s financial resources. Further, the government’s intention to transform schools and redress past education inequalities may prove futile.

The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of internal financial controls with specific reference to the Eastern Cape provincial department of basic education. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. The questionnaire was filled by the respondents who are directly involved in processing payments and procuring for the departments. The findings have shown that Internal control system does exists within the department however the implementation and monitoring of its effectiveness needs to be strengthened. The findings show that the internal control system have an important role to play in attaining desired positive results within the department. Internal control effectiveness is one of the most important aspects in any organisation, whether in a private sector or in the public sector. It determines the stewardship of an entity’s management. The PFMA states that the accounting officer of a department must ensure that that department has and maintains effective, efficient and transparent systems of financial and risk management and internal control. If public officials could strictly adhere to the stipulated internal controls, there will be a positive response to accountability and also in service delivery as expected by the citizens. Public accountability gives a reflection on how does the entity conducts its business affairs in terms of adhering to the norms and standards as prescribed by the law and whether there are any strong controls to prevent acts of fraud and corruption.

<p> The rising cost of higher education has positioned federal financial aid as an inescapable part of the college experience for a growing number of incoming students (Baum, 2006). In the 2014&ndash;2015 academic year, the U.S. Department of Education allocated more than $150 billion of federal financial aid for eligible college students (Federal Student Aid, 2014). Although billions of dollars in federal student aid have been made available, finances or lack thereof, remain an oft-cited barrier to student success (Long &amp; Riley, 2007; Myers, 2008). Community college student support services such as financial aid advising, contribute to promoting successful student outcomes (Cooper, 2010). More research is needed regarding the role of the campus financial aid adviser as it relates to community college student outcomes (McKinney &amp; Roberts, 2012). </p><p> The purpose of this study was to use the theory of student engagement as defined by Kuh et al. (2006) as it relates financial aid advising to the engagement of community college students. Ex post facto data from the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) 2014 Cohort was used to investigate whether a difference in student engagement existed between students who reported use of financial aid advising and those who did not. The researcher also examined the relationship between the frequency of use, satisfaction with, and importance of financial aid advising and student engagement as well as the five CCSSE benchmarks of effective practice. </p><p> The results of the study show students who indicated use of financial aid advising reported significantly higher levels of student engagement than those who did not. The researcher found weak to moderate positive relationships between the frequency of use, satisfaction with, and importance of financial aid advising and student engagement. Additionally, each of the financial aid advising variables served as predictors of at least one CCSSE benchmark and student engagement. These findings provide meaningful information regarding the relationship between financial aid advising, particularly student satisfaction with the advising, and student engagement.</p><p>

<p> With changing funding models and increased competition, academic institutions are increasingly looking for new ways to finance their missions. Business schools are turning to revenue diversification through new venturing to offset declining MBA enrollment, high business faculty salaries, and changes in accreditation standards that require more engagement with industry. Diversifying revenue streams is an important challenge for business schools in California, which has experienced significant cuts in public funding since 2000. With thousands of business students across 23 campuses representing the largest concentration of future business professionals in the country, the California State University (CSU) is on the frontlines of needing to innovate for new revenue and funding sources. Despite not having the expertise or infrastructure needed to successfully launch new ventures, CSU business schools recognize the need for revenue diversification strategies and are finding ways to implement these initiatives. The purpose of this study was to examine how business schools in the CSU system diversify revenue streams. Qualitative methods were used for this study in order to uncover the stories behind the success or failure of revenue diversification strategies intended to lead to new sources of revenue and increased investment for these institutions. The research questions addressed by this study included examining what CSU business schools have done to diversify revenue streams, who were the entrepreneurs in this context (i.e., who were the drivers and implementers of these initiatives), what organizational and financial structures were used for launching these ventures, how have these schools measured success, and what have they learned. The study findings are presented as descriptive case studies of four CSU business schools that represent new venturing lessons learned that ideally could be extended to other contexts and other institutions. These institutions are finding ways to be entrepreneurial despite the lack of resources, infrastructure, or support. They are launching new initiatives designed to generate revenue; throwing mud at the walls, and seeing what sticks!</p><p>

Doctor of Education / Department of Educational Leadership / David C. Thompson / The purpose of this study was to examine selected financial implications of various mandates in the No Child Left Behind Act (P.L. #107-110 popularly known as NCLB) of 2001 on Kansas public school districts. Specific mandates included accountability for student achievement, more educational choices for parents, teaching methods that produce results, emphasis on reading, emphasis on math, hiring highly qualified teachers, and teaching English to all students. Expenditures for these mandates were identified and analyzed to estimate which mandates were perceived as having the greatest financial impact on Kansas school districts’ budgets during FY 2006—the fiscal year of record for this study. A survey research design was utilized for this study. The survey instrument sought opinions about expenditure items categorized according to the selected mandates. A seven-point one-directional intensity scale was used to determine school superintendents’ attitudes toward the financial impact of selected mandates on their school districts’ budget. Data were analyzed and reported using measures of central tendency, range, inter-quartile analysis, and standard deviation. Narrative responses from respondents were also presented. Analysis of data revealed that many Kansas public schools are presently experiencing economic and political conditions that could interfere with the state’s ability to provide a quality education for all students under NCLB. Such conditions often include: (1) decreasing student enrollment, resulting in consolidation of some school districts; (2) difficulty hiring and retaining highly qualified teachers and administrators: (3) increasing numbers of superintendents with less experience in a position that has become more demanding and complex; (4) increased need to use existing funds to improve the academic performance of economically disadvantaged and special education students; and (5) having to rely on the singular standard of annual assessment of student performance in math and reading to determine accreditation success or failure.

<p> Resource dependence has been evidenced among private HBCUs that obtain as much as 90% of operating revenue from tuition and fees. Without alternative funding strategies in place, small declines in enrollment can lead to a major budget crisis. The basic premise of this exploratory inquiry was that fundraising represents an opportunity that has been successfully utilized by many large, predominantly White institutions, but ineffectively by most private HBCUs. Focusing on five private HBCUs in the southeastern United States, this exploratory study investigated the challenges development and fundraising leaders from these institutions have experienced and strategies they have implemented to mitigate these challenges. Three themes emerged from the interviews with the five fundraising leaders: (a) lack of access to wealth, (b) understaffing with inadequate stewardship, and (c) church resource dependence. What was evident from the findings was the usefulness of fundraising dollars in helping the institutions meet critical needs, such as keeping student tuition affordable, providing students with scholarships to fill in gaps between the financial aid they receive and the cost of tuition and fees, and conducting much-needed campus maintenance and repairs. However, though the institutions made strides toward measured fundraising successes, the results revealed that these private tuition-dependent HBCUs were still challenged with securing funds above and beyond the basic fiscal needs of the day-to-day operation of the institutions. In short, the identified fundraising successes paled in comparison to the fundraising successes of many large, predominately White institutions and equated to little more than crisis fundraising typical among HBCUs.</p><p>