Organizational culture and the transformation of higher education institutions

This chapter examines the extent to which the organizational cultures of higher education institutions have become corporatized. Neoliberalism suggests that higher education institutions can become more effective and efficient if they adopt the practices and values of the corporate sector. As corporate values become more prevalent in the organizational cultures of higher education institutions, long-standing academic values and commitments to serving the public good might be displaced. While previous research has documented a shift in higher education toward corporate values and managerial practices, not all organizational cultures have changed in the same way. In some cases, higher education institutions have been able to engage with the neoliberal policy environment, while still retaining an organizational culture that is committed to academic values and serving the public good. This chapter presents a case study of two regional public universities in the United States. Findings suggest that the ability to maintain academic values and public good commitments in the organizational cultures of higher education institutions may be related to how university leaders draw upon institutional logics during periods of strategic change.