Change Management at a Danish University: the Introduction of a common Market for Education

TY - JOUR

T1 - Change Management at a Danish University: the Introduction of a common Market for Education

AU - Bundgaard, Helle

PY - 2012

Y1 - 2012

N2 - The article discusses the approach to the management of change used at the University of Copenhagen in an attempt to introduce a common market of education. I argue that the failure of implementation represents a classic exampleof misguided planned change management. Based on strategy papers, memorandums and detailed observations of meetings, I analyse the reception given by study boards and their heads to a specific social technology, a year and time table structure. I offer an explanation of their reactions which draws on an anthropological approach to organizations. I call for an alternative to the current authoritative and instrumental management and argue that university leadership will improve significantly if leaders aim for an experimental democratic process inspired by 'bricolage'.

AB - The article discusses the approach to the management of change used at the University of Copenhagen in an attempt to introduce a common market of education. I argue that the failure of implementation represents a classic exampleof misguided planned change management. Based on strategy papers, memorandums and detailed observations of meetings, I analyse the reception given by study boards and their heads to a specific social technology, a year and time table structure. I offer an explanation of their reactions which draws on an anthropological approach to organizations. I call for an alternative to the current authoritative and instrumental management and argue that university leadership will improve significantly if leaders aim for an experimental democratic process inspired by 'bricolage'.

M3 - Journal article

SN - 1740-5866

VL - 5

SP - 5

EP - 26

JO - Learning and Teaching in the Social Sciences

JF - Learning and Teaching in the Social Sciences

IS - 2

ER -