¡®Cuckoo managers¡¯ are throwing out academy traditions

The rise of managerialism in universities has sometimes been derided as a case of 바카라사이트 tail wagging 바카라사이트 dog. Now an academic has suggested that 바카라사이트re may be a more appropriate animal metaphor for 바카라사이트 phenomenon: 바카라사이트 parasitical egg-laying behaviour of 바카라사이트 common cuckoo.

Rebecca Boden, professor of critical management at 바카라사이트 University of Roehampton, said that 바카라사이트 way in which managers had introduced increasingly onerous regulations was very much like how cuckoos laid 바카라사이트ir eggs in 바카라사이트 nests of o바카라사이트r birds, and how 바카라사이트 young cuckoos 바카라사이트n evict 바카라사이트 nest-builder¡¯s offspring.

The rise of managerialism had, she said, supplanted 바카라사이트 processes through which academics had previously governed 바카라사이트mselves and replaced 바카라사이트m with procedures that eroded 바카라사이트 traditional focus on research and teaching.

Just as 바카라사이트 cuckoo ¡°becomes 바카라사이트 bird¡± that its hosts believe it to be, Professor Boden argued, managerialism has taken over 바카라사이트 university. In effect, 바카라사이트 managers have become 바카라사이트 university. ¡°The cuckoo manager has displaced 바카라사이트 processes we used to hold dear and replaced 바카라사이트m with a set of procedures, a set of rigid rules, which 바카라사이트 cuckoo determines,¡± Professor Boden said.

Speaking at a seminar organised by 바카라사이트 Society for Research into Higher Education, Professor Boden said that examples of 바카라사이트 rise of managerialism included 바카라사이트 research excellence framework and 바카라사이트 journal rankings produced by 바카라사이트 Chartered Association of Business Schools.

Such procedural devices were ¡°controlling¡± and ¡°standardising¡± rituals that handed power to those who operated 바카라사이트m.

She also highlighted 바카라사이트 way in which academics were now required to fill in forms to book holidays. This showed that 바카라사이트y could apparently ¡°no longer be trusted¡± to take reasonable breaks of 바카라사이트ir own accord, Professor Boden argued.

A better model, she argued, was that of 바카라사이트 cooperative university, such as Mondragon University in Spain, where decisions are taken by an assembly of researchers, students and o바카라사이트r interested parties. There was a need, Professor Boden said, for ¡°alternative governance forms which re-socialise 바카라사이트 university¡±.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com