Transforming U.S. higher education: An organizational perspective

Scholarly work on organizational change within colleges and universities is relatively unknown among campus administrators and policy makers. To counter that low visibility, this essay reviews existing theories and research evidence on the topic. The goal is to provide some general guidelines for those who seek to refine purposes, develop programs, and improve effectiveness and efficiency on their campuses.James C. Hearn is Professor of Higher Education at the Institute of Higher Education at the University of Georgia. He has his A.B. from Duke University and M.A. in Sociology and Ph.D. in the Sociology of Education from Stanford University. A former policy analyst and college administrator, his teaching and research focus on postsecondary organization and policy. Currently he is examining connections between institutional governance and the changing demography of university faculty.An earlier version of this article was first presented at the conference on Justice, Participation, and Sustainability in Higher Education, University of LaVerne, LaVerne, CA, September 17, 1994.     

An organizational learning perspective on academic development: A strategy for an uncertain future

Abstract

This paper takes as a starting point the interest in organization theory in the idea of ‘learning organizations’ and the practical implications for conceptualizations of academic development. In doing so, it analyses epistemological and methodological complexities associated with the concept of academic development from a perspective that focuses on organizational learning. The contention of the paper is that an appropriate theoretical basis for academic development in the current times is provided by a broad organizational learning perspective. It is argued that an organizational learning methodology for the practice of academic development has the potential to provide powerful learning and feedback structures well‐suited to institutional inquiry and adaptation that will assist universities to meet the turbulence and challenges of an unpredictable future. A vignette from The University of Melbourne describes a prototype for such a methodology.     

The key to organizational performance improvement: A perspective of organizational knowledge creation

The primary purpose of this research is to explore the impacts of knowledge creation practices on organizational performance improvement. Research has been empirically assessed on the basis of the collected data from three Korean private organizations. The concept of knowledge creation theory was adapted as the theoretical framework of this research (Nonaka & Takeuchi, 1995). Structural equation modeling has been used in order to assess the fit of the hypothesized model with the collected data. The result of the confirmatory factor analysis suggests that the hypothesized measurement model is a reliable and valid construct in the Korean context; multiple regression analysis reveals that knowledge creation practices have a positive and strong influence on performance improvement. Conclusions, limitations, and implications for human resource development are discussed.     

Learning and organizational effectiveness: A systems perspective

The challenge for leaders today is to create and develop the capability of their organization. Leaders must perceive and manage their organization as a dynamic, open system where learning is the core competence underlying innovation, growth, and sustainability. Creating a culture of learning is the first work of leadership. This article presents a practical framework in which to consider organizational effectiveness, emphasizing the critical role of systems thinking and learning theory in organizational development.     

Preparing CBI print‐based support material: an information/instructional design perspective

Computer‐based instructional (CBI) materials are frequently accompanied by student study guides. This report details Grant MacEwan Community College's experience in producing print‐based material to support its computer‐managed learning (CML) system. Thus the report is written from a CBI perspective, and attempts to place emphasis on the recognition of cognitive processes in the development of CBI and related materials. Grant MacEwan material has been developed using the instructional design principles promoted by Gagne and Briggs (1979). The first part of this report focuses on content organization. The ideas presented may be applicable to any setting requiring the development of independent study print support material.     

Designing Feedback for CBI:

No abstract available for this article.     

The impact of organizational learning capacity from the socio-cognitive perspective on organizational commitment

This study is to examine the impact of organizational learning on affective commitment in Korea. In particular, this study addressed the importance of organizational learning as an HRD strategy from the socio-cognitive perspective. Data were collected from four large companies located in the area of Seoul, South Korea. There were 233 usable questionnaires yielding a response rate of 61 %. Multiple regression analysis and principal factor analyses were applied to conduct a data analysis. The results showed that a linear relationship existed between the organizational learning capacity and affective commitment (R ² = .495). Four dimensions were statistically significant with the exception of “feedback.” Participative decision-making is the most important factor. Finally, the study discussed some implications for HRD theory and practice.     

CBI理念下高职英文报刊教学模式研究

CBI——内容为依托式教学,打破以往外语教学中语言驱动的传统模式,提倡通过内容的学习实现学科和语言的双重提高。将CBI理念有效融入高职英文报刊教学,不仅能进一步发挥报刊教学的特色与优势,同时对发展学生语言能力、激发学习积极性、提高学生综合素质具有显著成效。     

Student LMS use and satisfaction in academic institutions: The organizational perspective

The present paper examines student use of and satisfaction with the Learning Management System (LMS), and how these dependent variables are correlated with organizational variables at one Israeli university. Data on 1212 course websites was gathered in 2007 from the LMS warehouse, the student-management database, the instructor–management database, and satisfaction questionnaires. The findings indicate varied use of LMS, a high level of satisfaction, and low significant correlation between use and satisfaction. As for the organizational variables, course content was found to significantly correlate with use and satisfaction; course size, instructor status and forum existence showed significant correlation with LMS use; and course discipline had low correlation with satisfaction. Further studies and practical implications are discussed.     

Managing information sharing within an organizational setting: A social network perspective

Information sharing is critical to an organization's competitiveness and requires a free flow of information among members if the organization is to remain competitive. A review of the literature on organizational structure and information sharing was conducted to examine the research in this area. A case example illustrates how a social network approach was used to explore the process of measuring the social structure of an organization and the implementation of change interventions to increase connectivity and manage information sharing. The process of conducting social network analysis is described using the case example. Interventions for increasing information flow are discussed. The authors provide an information‐sharing model that demonstrates the various domains of connectivity within an organization at any given state. The benefits of using social network analysis for information sharing and the implications for further research and practice are discussed.     

当代组织创新的理论及其应用意义

组织环境里的创新不只是独立的个人创新，而具有更加复杂的内容。建立在等级体制和官僚体制基础上的解决问题的传统规则和组织的运行机制，受到来自市场方面的严重挑战。当代组织创新的理论模型强调，个人的创新性成就依赖于组织运作的开放性，以及组织给予个人在经济的精神上的投入、并找到维护组织利益和保证个人创造性发挥彼此平衡的运行机制。     

内容依托式的《英语小说》课程的实证分析

基于大连外国语学院英语学院2010 2011第一学期开设的内容依托式的《英语小说》课程,分析该课程的效果以及影响学生们学习成绩提高的因素。发现学生的学习方法、课堂教学和学习态度均会不同程度影响学生成绩,并且得出可供参考的教学结论。     

The concept of employee engagement: a comprehensive review from a positive organizational behavior perspective

Employee engagement has been understood from various academic and practical perspectives, mainly due to its recent popularity. This study explores not only positive movements—positive psychology, positive organizational scholarship (POS), and positive organizational behavior (POB)—as a background of engagement but also the conceptualization, instrumentation, and empirically proven antecedents and consequences of engagement. Based on the findings, this study examines how engagement can be included as a POB construct, considering the five criteria of POB: positivity criterion, theory‐ and research‐based criterion, valid measurement criterion, state‐like criterion, and performance impact criterion.     

Stress on campus: An interactional perspective

Faculty stress was investigated with the use of an interactional model of stress including roles, personal characteristics, coping strategies, and environmental characteristics. A random sample of 191 faculty members and 67 student-affairs staff members completed standardized measures of stress, strain, and coping resources and open-ended questions regarding sources of stress. Significant differences were found among faculty from different academic disciplines, between genders, and across semester time periods. Major stressors included time pressures, work overload, and interpersonal relationships. Body signals and poor interpersonal relationships were primary indicators of stress, and taking specific action and exercising were frequent coping behaviors. These findings have implications for administrative policy and faculty development programs.