Collegial Entrepreneurialism: Australian Graduate Schools of Business

Presented to the 5th International Conference on Accounting, Auditing and Management in Public Sector Reforms, 3-5 September 2008, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

26 Pages Posted: 13 Mar 2009

See all articles by Suzanne Ryan

Suzanne Ryan

University of Newcastle (Australia) - Newcastle Business School

James Guthrie

Macquarie University - Department of Accounting and Finance; University Of Bologna - Department of Management; Macquarie University, Macquarie Business School

Date Written: September 3, 2008

Abstract

In recent decades, Australian universities have corporatised. Encouraged by a range of Federal Government policies, universities have adopted New Public Management practices, the relevance of which to academia has been questioned (Ryan, Guthrie and Neumann, 2008; Parker, 2007). The term 'collegial entrepreneurialism ' refers to an approach by universities that confronts the challenges presented by decreasing government funding and increasing commercialisation of higher education by building on traditional academic processes of collegiality (Clark, 2000). This paper examines the consequences for Australian academics of working in a commercialised educational environment in three autonomous graduate schools of business. The experience of these academics in dealing with managerialism, academic consumerism and fragmentation of work, provides insight into whether collegial practices can exist within an entrepreneurial academic unit. Results indicate evidence of 'collegial entrepreneurialism', although the balance between collegiality and entrepreneurialism is tempered by leadership and relations with central university management.

Keywords: Collegial Entrepreneurialism, Australian graduate schools of business, Corporatised, New Public Management Practices, Academic Consumerism

JEL Classification: M4, M40, M41, M49

Suggested Citation

Ryan, Suzanne Erina and Guthrie, James, Collegial Entrepreneurialism: Australian Graduate Schools of Business (September 3, 2008). Presented to the 5th International Conference on Accounting, Auditing and Management in Public Sector Reforms, 3-5 September 2008, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1358742

Suzanne Erina Ryan

University of Newcastle (Australia) - Newcastle Business School ( email )

NE1 8ST
Australia

James Guthrie (Contact Author)

Macquarie University - Department of Accounting and Finance ( email )

Sydney - NSW, 2109
Australia

University Of Bologna - Department of Management ( email )

P.Le Vittoria 15
Forli', 47121
Italy
+39-0543-374-621 (Phone)

Macquarie University, Macquarie Business School ( email )

New South Wales 2109
Australia