Entrepreneurial vs. Administrative Management in Not-for-Profit Organizations – Public Administration and Universities

Amid several ways to describe the managers’ and management typology, there is the entrepreneurial vs. administrative manager / management dichotomy. Hence, the authors propose the model of balanced manager and balanced management. The proposed model is based on the core-concept of opportunity – as developed by Howard Stevenson. Other entrepreneurial attributes centered on the concept of opportunity are used as well. This paper is based on authors’ previous research work as well as H. Stevenson’s theory and model of entrepreneurship. Burton Clark’s studies on entrepreneurial universities are also considered. The main objective of this paper is to develop and test an instrument aiming to assess the entrepreneurial side of managers in two types of not-for-profit organizations: public administration and universities. As a pilot study, managers from two Romanian organizations (one of each category) were surveyed. The results allow extending the concept of entrepreneurial university on entrepreneurial public administration. The immediate consequence is that H. Stevenson’s theory is applicable not only in the case of universities but public administration organizations as well. The implications are important for both theorists and practitioners: new research approach and new facets of entrepreneurial management are explored. The paper conclusions are aimed at improving the current management and performance of the universities and local public administration units, giving directions to stimulate their entrepreneurial behavior. Some directions to continue, extend and deepen the research are proposed as well.