Explores the nature of academic enterprises, including why they work the way they do and where such enterprises are headed, with the goal of gaining insights into where change can and will happen
This book looks at universities from a whole-enterprise perspective. It explores the steady escalation of the costs of higher education and uses a computational economic model of complex academic enterprises. This model includes component models of research, teaching, administration, and brand value. Understanding the relationships among practices, processes, structure, and ecosystem provides the basis for transforming academia, leveraging its strengths and overcoming its limitations. More specifically, this architecture helps the reader understand how various elements of the enterprise system either enable or hinder other elements of the system, all of which are embedded in a complex behavioral and social ecosystem. Each topic is explored in terms of the levels of the architecture at which it primarily functions. Levers of change within each area are discussed, using many experiences of pursuing such issues in a range of academic enterprises.
Provides a new methodology by taking a more systems-oriented approach to education systems as a whole
Shows how various elements of the enterprise system either enable or hinder other elements of the system
Offers alternative strategies for transformation of academic enterprises
Universities as Complex Enterprises: How Academia Works, Why It Works These Ways, and Where the University Enterprise Is Headedis a reference for systems scientists and engineers, economists, social scientists, and decision makers.
William B. Rouse is the Alexander Crombie Humphreys Chair within the School of Systems& Enterprises and Director of the Center for Complex Systems and Enterprises at Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey. He is also Professor Emeritus, and former Chair, of the School of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia. Rouse has written hundreds of articles and book chapters, and has authored many books, including most recentlyModeling and Visualization of Complex Systems and Enterprises(Wiley, 2015).
Preface xi
1 Introduction and Overview 1
Overall Approach 4
Universities as Complex Systems 5
Complex Adaptive Systems 6
Universities as Complex Adaptive Systems 8
Nonlinear, Dynamic Behavior 8
Independent Agents 8
Goals and Behaviors That Differ or Conflict 8
Intelligent and Learning Agents 9
SelfOrganization 9
No Single Point(s) of Control 9
Implications 9
Overview of Chapters 10
Chapter 1: Introduction and Overview 10
Chapter 2: Evolution of the Research University 10
Chapter 3: Mission and Structure 10
Chapter 4: Leadership and Governance 11
Chapter 5: Administration 11
Chapter 6: Money and Space 11
Chapter 7: Promotion and Tenure 11
Chapter 8: Education Programs 12
Chapter 9: Research and Intellectual Property 12
Chapter 10: Rankings and Brand Value 12
Chapter 11: Transformation Scenarios 12
Chapter 12: Exploring the Future 13
References 13
2 Evolution of the Research University 15
Early Universities in Europe 16
University of Bologna 16
University of Paris 17
University of Oxford 17
University of Padua 17
University of Cambridge 18
Summary 18
Early Universities in America 19
Humboldts Innovation 19
Morrill Acts 20
Bush and NSF 22
Engineering Science 24
Todays Research Universities 24
Conclusions 26
References 27
3 Mission and Structure 29
Mission 29
Athletics 31
Structure 32
Ecosystem: Society and Government 32
Structure: Campuses, Colleges, Schools, and Departments 33
Processes: Education, Research, and Service 34
Practices: Education, Research, and Service 35
Research Centers 35
Appointments 38
Conclusions 39
References 39
4 Leadership and Governance 41
Leadership 42
Leadership and Change 42
Leadership and Time 44
Stewards of the Status Quo 46
Leading Research Centers 48
Leadership Experiences 49
Governance 51
Governing Boards 51
Administration and Faculty 51
Other Players 52
Governance Experiences 52
Conclusions 55
References 55
5 Administration 57
Number of Administrators and Costs 59
Performance Evaluation 61
Conflict Management 64
Conflicts within Organizations 64
Conflicts across Organizations 64
People Conflicts 65
Compliance and Abuse 66
Marketing and Communications 66
Book Series 67
The Costs of Conformity 67
Conclusions 68
References 69
6 Money and Space 71
Economics of Higher Education 72
Value of Education 72
Economists Views 73
Government Subsidies 74
Higher Education Bubble 74
Public Endowment 75
Costs of Higher Education 75
Cost Disease 75
Cost Analyses 76
Indirect Costs 77
Staffing Patterns 77
Student and Institutional Debt 78
Revenue: Tuition 79
Revenue: Government Dependencies 80
Revenue: Fundraising 81
Fundraising Experiences 82
Summary 83
Lessons Learned 83
Overall Economic Model 85
Space 86
Conclusions 87
References 87
7 Promotion and Tenure 89
Nature and Roles of Faculty 90
Academic Disciplines 90
Faculty Impact 91
TT versus NTT Faculty 92
Availability of Faculty Positions 92
Faculty Turnover 93
Nature of Tenure Decisions 95
Promotion and Tenure Experiences 97
What Really Counts 98
Making the Case 98
Model of Tenure Decision Making 99
Conclusions 103
References 103
8 Education Programs 105
Stem Challenges 106
Student Population 106
Value of Education 107
Degree Programs 108
Curricula and Courses 109
Delivery of Education 110
Teaching Experiences 112
Workforce Model 114
Conclusions 118
References 119
9 Research and Intellectual Property 121
Challenges 122
Peer Review 122
Bibliometrics 122
Funding 124
Research Experiences 125
Libraries and Networks 125
Limits of Modeling 125
Healthcare Delivery 126
Interactive Visualization 126
Government Sponsors 127
Industry Sponsors 127
Research Model 128
Submission of Articles 128
Citation of Articles 130
Submission of Proposals 131
Overall Model 132
Intellectual Property 135
SpinOff Experiences 135
Conclusions 137
References 137
10 Rankings and Brand Value 139
Ranking Schemes 140
Example of Moving Up 142
Determinants of Rankings 143
Brand Value 146
Model of Brand Value 146
More on Metrics 148
Example 149
Conclusions 150
References 151
11 Transformation Scenarios 153
Forces for Change 153
Costs and Benefits 154
Globalization 154
A Tsunami of Talent 156
Technology 157
Organizational Change 158
Theory and Practice 159
Four Scenarios 160
Driving Forces 161
Clash of Titans 161
Hot, Flat, and Crowded 162
Lifespan Mecca 162
Network U. 163
Implications 163
Transforming Academia 164
Clash of Titans 165
Hot, Flat, and Crowded 165
Lifespan Mecca 166
Network U. 166
How Change Happens 167
Conclusions 168
References 169
12 Exploring the Future 173
Sensitivity Analyses 176
Scenario Variations 180
Clash of Titans 180
Hot, Flat, and Crowded 180
Lifespan Mecca 181
Network U. 181
Projections 182
Policy Implications 185
Across Scenarios 185
Within Scenarios 186
Summary 187
Extensions 187
Conclusions 189
References 189
Index 191
