Understanding University Organizational Culture

The book is inspired by impending changes of Croatian universities in the context of the globalization process, that is an effort to get into the European higher education area. The authors analyze the notion of university organizational culture, identifying it as a phenomenon that due to its exceptional power of regulation and control acts as a key variable for the adaptation of universities to current demands of the external setting. The organizational culture of a university can be identified, evaluated, and interpreted, but what is more important, it can be modified and changed in the desired direction. The typology of organizational culture follows mostly the typology of university governance or leadership, which very well demonstrates the interconnection between the observed phenomena. Authors present and interpret the results of an empirical survey that was carried out on a sample of 476 university professors from all Croatian universities. The conclusion provides propositions for universities to develop desirable characteristics of university organizational culture, indicating a number of concrete changes so that the current organizational culture can cope with the present-day situation.

Autorentext

The Authors: Vesna Kovä is assistant professor at the University of Rijeka, Faculty of Arts and Sciences and current president of the Croatian Society for Development of Higher Education «Universitas». Her research interest focuses on higher education policy and academic staff development. Jasminka Ledi is full professor at the University of Rijeka, Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Her research interest focuses on the history of education, civil society and higher education. She was appointed president of the Rector s Council Committee for the procedure of university teachers promotion. She was a Fulbright Fellow at the Indiana University Bloomington School of Education (1994/95) and winner of the National Award «Ivan Filipovi » for her contribution in higher education (2003). Branko Rafajac is full professor at the University of Rijeka, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and former dean of the faculty. His research interest focuses on the sociology of education, methodology of educational research, and methodology of cultural research and statistics. He is a member of the Croatian National Council for Higher Education.

Inhalt

Contents: Croatian universities in the national and global context - A brief introduction to the Croatian higher education - University organizational culture: definitions, typologies and influences - University as learning organization - Empirical evidence assessment of governance in higher education: decision-making, obstacles against good governance practice, Leadership efficiency, governance practice satisfaction - Are Croatian universities learning organizations? - Recommendations for outlining the University as learning organization.