This thesis explores the implications of the changes in the political and social conceptions of higher education and the resulting crisis of higher education in the UK. The specific focus is placed on business schools as institutions operating in increasingly competitive management education markets, and on postgraduate students as key stakeholders that are largely neglected in academic and public discussions. It explores how the emerging characteristics of the management education, such as the reliance on specialised rankings and corporate-inspired business school designs, influence student perceptions of the purposes of education and their experiences of their chosen the programmes of study. In doing so, the thesis draws from theoretical discussions on mechanisms for mediation of market values and principles to students. Specifically, the thesis focuses on commodification of education through commensuration and standardisation embedded in specialised media rankings, and the representation of market values through the features of business school space. A qualitative exploratory study was conducted over a period of one academic year with 61 students enrolled on a postgraduate taught (MSc) programme in Management at a reputable UK business school. Data was collected on student behaviours, activities, opinions and views, as well as on their relationship with their social and organisational surroundings. Student views and perceptions were gathered through observations, informal conversations and 20 in-depth interviews from the chosen programme. Additional interviews with 12 postgraduate students from other schools informed the discussion by providing insights into the similarities and differences between student perceptions and experiences in different institutional settings. Data collection was supplemented with secondary data, including policy documents and visual data. Contrary to the prescriptive, linear and goal-oriented perspective on students dominating contemporary academic and policy discourses, findings suggest that students experience education as a messy and a transformative process, with ambiguous and uncertain outcomes. The thesis contributes to academic debates on the social roles and functions of specialised rankings by providing insights into the nature of the student consumption of rankings, and their influence on student experiences. Furthermore, it contributes to the literature on the implicit and informal elements of business school settings by recognising space as an active and constitutive part of student experience. The thesis challenges the prevalent institutional and political reduction of students to consumers of education, and instead implies that student experience should be treated as a complex, multi-layered and, above all, fluid process. In doing so, the thesis offers a novel approach towards a more comprehensive understanding of the roles and purposes of higher education in contemporary society.

D.Technologiae / Higher education, as both a “place” and a “paradigm”, has throughout its history confronted challenges in the internal and external environments of its functioning (Brennan et al., 1999; Hirsch & Weber, 1999). In the twenty-first century, the nature of these challenges has necessitated that both the organizational character and curriculum offerings of higher education institutions be adaptive and responsive to changes occurring in the external environment. How institutions of higher learning react to these changes, is an issue of divergent viewpoints. “Reform” and “transformation” – in the same mould as “adaptation” and “responsiveness” – are viewed in this study as the fundamental points of departure in articulating a trajectory along which change in the curriculum perspectives has to occur. As a ‘product’ offered to its ‘consumers’ – the paying students – the higher education curriculum has been a fiercely contested epistemological terrain. On the one hand is the concern that it services the interests of industry and commerce, to the detriment of society; while on the other, the curriculum has been viewed as reproducing elitist values. The problem then, is located in the realm of the curriculum’s capacity to respond to the contradictory nature of the multiple stakeholder interests. The South African higher education system is faced with the problem of firstly, de-contextualizing and disengaging the curriculum from its erstwhile political ramifications (CHE, 2000b). Secondly, affordable and quality higher education is expected to be assimilated into the broader national socioeconomic imperatives. From this study’s perspective, the problem statement is situated in the context of the curriculum’s capacity to meet the local reconstruction and developmental needs; while also adhering to international imperatives ushered in mainly by globalisation and the concomitant proliferation of alternative providers who have challenged the claim to epistemological hegemony by traditional universities. In other words, are current curriculum trends in higher education directed at meeting society’s needs; or is the entrepreneurial imperative more sacrosanct? One of the main challenges for South African higher education curriculum reform/transformation policy concerns then, should be to define and determine how the local and global curriculum polemics are to be reined-in in the broader ‘public good’ and social contract in improving the lives of all citizens. Through its empirical phase, the study has attempted to investigate the extent to which higher education curriculum trends ‘conform’ or ‘deviate’ from worldwide curriculum practices. In that regard, policy rhetoric was able to be differentiated from actual policy implementation. In order that problems of critical generalisability be obviated, data and method triangulation were utilised; also taking into account the institutional reconfiguration that had major consequences for the curriculum, especially at institutions undergoing “comprehensive” organizational and curriculum restructuring. The extent of institutional curriculum ‘deviation’ or ‘conformity’ was therefore determined on the basis of the collective integration of literature-based and empirical data and information/knowledge. The case study research conducted through questionnaires and interviews at the designated research sites (two higher education institutions with disparate academic cultures) therefore serves as the basis upon which larger investigations and broader perspectives could be incorporated, particularly from the extensive literature review. While the two case studies could have limitations of generalisability, some practices and trends lend themselves to a greater degree of the transferability of the findings. For instance, the knowledge stratification inherent in the Western university model (Makgoba, 1998; Scott, 1997) has perpetrated an environment of epistemological ‘supremacy’ within local higher education curriculum policy formulation frameworks. In that regard, it has emerged from the case study that Africanisation (in its epistemological, rather than ‘anthropological/cultural’ sense) is not part of a critical and mainstream curriculum organization tenet. While this observation could be argued to be institution-specific, it certainly also reflects a systemic trend. In the light of the epistemological context cited above, is it to be assumed then that the ‘politics of knowledge’ (Apple, 1990; Lyotard, 1994; Muller, 2000) is an extant curriculum/epistemological nuance even in the twenty-first century? The realizable outcomes of the study materialized in the conceptualisation and development of a trilogy of models on Africanisation; in which the input, mediating/modulating, and output triad factor characterises an environment of possibilities for its integration into the mainstream higher education curriculum.

Doctor Educationis / In view of my extensive experience as an educator and currently as an Educational Psychologist serving schools in the eastern Education Management and Development Centre (EMDC) of the Western Cape, I have become acutely aware of the occurrence of truant behaviour particularly among fourteen to fifteen year old secondary school learners. On the one hand I am moved by the plight of many learners particularly in the afore-mentioned age group, for whom the education system appears irrelevant or of little value and is apparently failing them. Some communicate this attitude by their frequent and at times prolonged absence from school. On the other hand, many educators have little sympathy with truants, since as professionals, educators feel that consistent school attendance is essential if learners are to make satisfactory progress. Moreover, it is also my perception that educators' work loads and the organisation of schools, currently ensure that very few educators have the time to become closely acquainted with those individual learners who manifest their displeasure with schools - and them - by truanting. In turn, this breakdown in communication between educators and truants, makes implementing successful reintegration strategies immensely difficult. In fact, such is the pressure on today's educators, that some staff are greatly relieved at the prospect of instructing fewer learners, especially if the absentees are those who may be troublesome, backward, require extra attention in class or behave badly (Reid, 2002:5). Furthermore it has also come to my attention that educators feel that their prime duty and responsibility is to regulate attendees, higher achievers, as well as learners who conform and wish to do well at school. Hence, regular attendance appears to be the best barometer of this conformist attitude.

"In this study the purposes of the school activity program in the field of administration and supervision have been examined. These purposes, as they relate to the total school program, have been examined also. As a result of the careful examination of the purposes of the school activity program it is the purpose of this study to set forth a practical criteria for administering and supervising a school activity program"--Introduction. / Typescript. / "August, 1952." / "Submitted to the Graduate Council of Florida State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science." / Advisor: H. W. Dean, Professor Directing Paper. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 41-43).

The use of collaborative methods in the college classroom is increasing in popularity due to an interest in more active forms of learning, increased recognition of the value of the experience of adult students, and the demand by organizations for workers who can work productively in a group. The purpose of this case study was to look at collaborative learning from the perspective of one aspect of student differences--cognitive style as defined by Witkin's field-independence and field-dependence. This research involved the analysis of data obtained from interviews, classroom observations, student evaluations, and questionnaires from 28 management students from Quinsigamond Community College. Analysis of the data, through qualitative and quantitative methods, revealed that in this study cognitive style did not make a difference in student perceptions of the effectiveness of the instructor or of a group based learning methodology. Field-independent students described their behavior more in terms of task roles, while field-dependent students reported themselves more in terms of maintenance roles. While field-dependent students in this study seemed to place a value on the sharing of tangible resources and the social aspects of the collaborative experience, the field-independent students were more apt to lead the discussion by asking questions that stimulated the collaborative conversations. There was no statistical difference between five prior years of non-collaborative student evaluations of this teacher and those of the collaborative class, nor did cognitive style seem to make a difference in the way that the students evaluated the instructor. The data on cognitive style and the students' satisfaction with the method of reaching consensus were inconclusive due to a lack of agreement on the construct of consensus within collaborative learning and limitations in the methodology. Field-dependent, field-independent and mixed cognitive style students all rated the field-dependent students as the most helpful to their own learning. Replication on a larger scale or with an emphasis on other aspects of individual student differences such as race, gender, age, grade point average etc., was recommended.

A qualitative case study traced the evolution of a family-run entrepreneurial organization through six periods of development. The company, with approximately fifty employees, manufactures custom molded rubber parts. The development of the organization was analyzed using two models: Noel Tichy's (1983) technical, political, cultural framework and Cameron and Whetten's (1983) summary model. Tichy's open system model was used as the structure upon which data were collected on eight organizational dimensions. Those data were analyzed using both Tichy's (1983) and Cameron and Whetten's (1983) schema's. Tichy's (1983) framework was used to describe and explain the organization's three subsystems (technical, political, cultural) and their adjustments to uncertainties in the external and internal environments. Cameron and Whetten's (1983) model was used to trace the organization's evolution through four distinct stages of development. Both models were then combined in an integrated format to describe and explain JRW's evolution. This research study found that JRW did evolve through four stages of development from 1975 to 1989. The findings also confirmed that the organization's subsystems (Technical, Political, Cultural) adjusted to events in and outside of the organization during that period. The dissertation concluded with a discussion of the significance of the study and suggestions for future research.

This study investigated management development as a task of school managers by focusing on: • the need for a new education management development approach in South African schools; • the nature and scope of management development; • the international and national perspectives on the education management development practice; • current education management development activities in Gauteng schools; and • an education management development model for Gauteng schools. The literature study exposed the need for a new education management development approach in South African schools, the nature, scope and major aspects of management development. Furthermore, management development approaches, techniques and methods as well as guidelines for a new holistic approach are described. The investigation into the education management development practice for school managers exposed advanced levels in this regard in the UK and USA. Malaysia, Zimbabwe and Namibia are engaged in customising effective programmes for school managers. South Africa is focusing on a holistic approach, with a significant step taken being, the establishment of the National Institute for Education Management Development. The empirical study consisted of a structured questionnaire distributed to a sample population of I 08 school principals, 80 deputy principals and 210 heads of departments to investigate their management development needs, experiences and activities. Main findings revealed a lack of training for school management, uncoordinated education management development programmes, with existing ones being reactions to crisis situations, and ill-defined management roles for school managers. School principals seem solely responsible for school management, thus exposing a need for a school-based management development approach. The management development model developed for Gauteng schools focuses on whole-school development, recognises the participatory management vision of the new education system, includes stakeholder involvement in education management development and provides school managers with a model that employs the ODE Quality Assurance Framework. The major recommendations flowing from this study include customising education management linguistics for South Africa, defining job descriptions for school managers, preparing and inducing school managers, setting education management qualifications for education management posts and institutionalising the National Institute for Education Management Development. / Thesis (PhD)--PU for CHE, 1999

This study investigated management development as a task of school managers by focusing on: • the need for a new education management development approach in South African schools; • the nature and scope of management development; • the international and national perspectives on the education management development practice; • current education management development activities in Gauteng schools; and • an education management development model for Gauteng schools. The literature study exposed the need for a new education management development approach in South African schools, the nature, scope and major aspects of management development. Furthermore, management development approaches, techniques and methods as well as guidelines for a new holistic approach are described. The investigation into the education management development practice for school managers exposed advanced levels in this regard in the UK and USA. Malaysia, Zimbabwe and Namibia are engaged in customising effective programmes for school managers. South Africa is focusing on a holistic approach, with a significant step taken being, the establishment of the National Institute for Education Management Development. The empirical study consisted of a structured questionnaire distributed to a sample population of I 08 school principals, 80 deputy principals and 210 heads of departments to investigate their management development needs, experiences and activities. Main findings revealed a lack of training for school management, uncoordinated education management development programmes, with existing ones being reactions to crisis situations, and ill-defined management roles for school managers. School principals seem solely responsible for school management, thus exposing a need for a school-based management development approach. The management development model developed for Gauteng schools focuses on whole-school development, recognises the participatory management vision of the new education system, includes stakeholder involvement in education management development and provides school managers with a model that employs the ODE Quality Assurance Framework. The major recommendations flowing from this study include customising education management linguistics for South Africa, defining job descriptions for school managers, preparing and inducing school managers, setting education management qualifications for education management posts and institutionalising the National Institute for Education Management Development. / Thesis (PhD)--PU for CHE, 1999

Higher Education Institutions are worth £45 billion to the UK economy, according to a report published in 2006 by Universities UK (UUK), the representative organization of the United Kingdom’s universities. The higher education sector has undergone considerable change with the introduction of the marketplace, tuition fees and business management structures and methods. Managing change as a middle manager is acknowledged to be important activity (see for example, Beer, Eisenstat and Spector, 1990) and yet there is a limited amount of empirically research that has been conducted to discover how change is managed in the higher education sector in England by these staff. This study explores the perceptions of higher education managers about their role in managing change in the higher education sector. It is an exploratory study based on thirty-one interviews with managers in nine universities from across the higher education sector in England. The universities were chosen to ensure there was a representative sample from the main groups within the sector and a geographical spread across the country’s regions. The literature review found a wide range of contrasting viewpoints that provided a myriad of support and confusing messages. There was a lack of information about how higher education managers manage and, in particular, how they manage change. Managers, and those who seek to help them, face challenges in seeking and providing guidance and improving practice. The middle manager has to manage change and use a variety of means to achieve it. They are caught in the middle between senior managers and staff and other stakeholders. They have primarily learned from experience but need support and guidance when they come across change projects of which they have no knowledge. This can be provided by access to case based practice and a network of experienced experts. This research recommends the creation of such support using new media available via the internet provided through professional associations such as the Association of University Administrators (AUA).

Set against a changing backdrop of reforms in higher education and English language teaching (ELT), the thesis explores the notion of professionalism for university English teachers in Vietnam: What is defined as professionalism in this particular period of time? How is professionalism constructed in this context? The research approaches professionalism as a critical concept: A list of aspired traits and features are always value-laden and concern the question of power. From this premise, the thesis discusses a “kaleidoscope” relationship between different actors in the making of professionalism. Using Freidson’s (2001) ideas on the contingencies of professionalism, the study views the notion as a process rather than a product. Professionalism has its own logic that needs to be respected, but this logic is also incidental to other logics for its establishment and development. The study uses embedded case study to address its research questions. Defining the case as professionalism for university ELT teachers in contemporary Vietnam higher education, the thesis studies the notion as articulated at national, institutional, and individual levels. The primary data sources include five national policies, institutional policies and management practices at a university and its foreign languages department, and interviews with six academic managers and eleven ELT lecturers. The data were analysed using thematic analysis approach within constructivist, interpretive traditions. The results show that professionalism for ELT lecturers in Vietnam can largely be characterised as a professionalism of entrepreneurship, measurability and functionality. ELT is largely considered as a tool for international integration. Each type of professionalism project involves several actors (the state, expert groups, the institution, and ELT academics) with their own logic, but they interrelate in responding to the imperatives of the knowledge-based economy and globalisation. How the meaning of professionalism is established and argued for by the different actors in this study reveals that it is not easy to conceptualise the notion in a binary system of “from above” professionalism versus “from within” professionalism; and “organisational” professionalism versus “occupational” professionalism. The complexities of the logics of professionalism – with an ”s”, affect whether a professionalisation project can be perceived as being positive or negative – Is it professionalisation or is it deprofessionalisation? The relativity of “from above” and “from within” reflects the contingencies of professionalism, and also suggests authority power is plural, shifting, and fluid, rather than single, normative, and static. Meanwhile, it means human’s individual power is not of an ultimate freedom but dependent on external conditions. With these considerations, the study proposes interpreting professionalism as a ”social contract”. This helps not only recognise a mutual relationship between the state, the institution, and academics, but also illuminate how each party enables, maintains, and contributes to this relationship.