A Critical Appreciation of the Uses for Strategic Management Thinking, Systems and Techniques in British Universities

Abstract

The Dearing Commission’s examination of British higher education has given further impetus to the need for strategy making at an institutional level. Recent policy developments are examined as a background and rationale for the use of institutional strategy. Intrinsic difficulties are then considered in managing universities strategically. Several techniques and ideas are evaluated to help resolve such problems, before adapting Porter's generic strategies and value chain concepts and placing them within a stakeholder focus group framework. Critical conclusions are then drawn on current higher education policy and the consequent use of institutional strategy in a fast changing environment.