Course Description
Consideration of how higher education institutions develop and implement strategy, including drawing on the base of theory, research, and cases from business. Topics include industry structure; competition and differentiation; integration, diversification, and expansion; market selection and business plans; developing and maintaining brands; strategic management; organizational culture; and organizational change.
Athena Title
Strat and Mgmt in HE
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
The primary objective of the course is for students to explore issues related to strategy and management in higher education. Because writing specific to higher education on strategy and management is neither abundant nor particularly satisfying, the course primarily draws upon the richer base of theory and research, as well as case studies, from business, always relating it to environment in higher education. So, one specific objective in the course is to examine the differences and parallels between corporations and universities and colleges. A related objective is considering trends and issues in higher education through a review of the recent major writing related to strategic concerns. The course explores corporate strategy; considers industry structure and competition in higher education, as well as differentiation as a basic strategic approach; and examines standard strategies within an organization such as integration, diversification, and expansion, as well as discussing market selection, developing business plans, and branding. Making the transition from strategy to management, the course examines strategic management frameworks and looks at systems approaches and organizational learning, organizational culture, management fads and the dangers of conventional wisdom, and organizational change.
Topical Outline
1. Introduction and Overview 2. Trends and Issues in Higher Education 3. Perspectives on Higher Education 4. What is Strategy? 5. Industry Structure 6. Competition and Differentiation 7. Integration, Diversification, and Expansion 8. Market Selection and Business Plans 9. Developing and Maintaining Brands 10. Strategic Management Frameworks 11. Systems Approaches and Organizational Learning 12. Organizational Culture 13. Management Fads and Conventional Wisdom 14. Organizational Change