The virtual delivery and virtual organization of postsecondary education.
Carchidi, Daniel Matthew
1999
Abstract
Rapidly advancing technology, increasing market orientation and development of innovative educational services and products are intensifying competition among postsecondary education organizations. In this environment, new organizational forms are emerging that are little understood and highly controversial. Often called virtual universities, virtual postsecondary educational organizations combine technology-mediated distance education with network organization forms. How do virtual postsecondary educational organizations function? What do their values, purposes, and products and services reveal about the manner in which they function? And what might their workings reveal about a successful knowledge service organization in a Knowledge Industry environment? These questions were explored through a comparative case study involving observation, document analysis and interviews (N = 72) with administrators, faculty members and students from five virtual postsecondary educational organizations. A framework drawn from open systems, resource dependence and institutional theories structured the initial stages of field research. Virtual postsecondary education organizations function differently in response to four adaptive problems. The adaptive cycle: Matching environmental opportunities with internal capacity; Designing systems to interpret markets and structure functional areas; Controlling and stabilizing the system; and Legitimizing the system and its products. Successful virtual postsecondary educational organizations use seven strategic levers. Their organizing strategy uses small periodic shifts in structure and processes to align external opportunities with internal capacity. Their products and services strategy emphasizes distributed and interactive learning tools and an ability to scale up development quickly to meet increasing demand or demand for more diversified learning products. Their market strategy seeks a keen understanding of the student as customer through a well developed marketing function. Their financial strategy seeks self-sufficiency and adequate slack resources to test new innovations or withstand product failures or other organizational shocks. Their organizational image strategy projects a high quality brand name in their respective product area, as evidenced by steady enrollments and repeat enrollments. They have an alliance strategy intended to create deep and diverse internal and/or external partnerships. Their technology strategy emphasizes constant refinement of technology tools and instructional delivery approaches incorporating learner and instructor feedback. The implications of these findings for organizational scholars and Knowledge Industry constituencies were also addressed.Subjects
Education Organization Postsecondary Virtual Delivery
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