Reviving the sociology of organizations in higher education: the case of how global university rankings influence the strategic management of Canadian universities

ABSTRACT

This article aims to counter the prevailing pessimism about the state of organizational sociology by examining the contributions of this line of inquiry to higher education studies. It contends that, despite sociologists’ concerns over the usefulness of organizational sociology for informing comprehension of today's organizations, this subfield of sociology continues to hold tremendous promise for higher education scholars interested in understanding how and why higher education institutions behave the way they do, and with what consequences. I focus on organization theory. I first review the contributions of this theoretical lens to higher education studies, commenting on current problems and future prospects. Then, drawing on a study of the influence of global university rankings on the strategic management of Canadian universities, I demonstrate the explanatory power of organizational frameworks regarding the dynamics of change occurring at universities due to a major issue in contemporary higher education as rankings. Special attention is given to resource dependence theory and network influences. I conclude with the suggestion that given evidence of epistemic authority, organization theory provides valuable investigative tools for exploring the inner workings of universities and mobilizing these fundamental organizations to address fundamental sociological concerns such as power, social justice, and sustainable development.

KEYWORDS:

• Organizational sociology
• organization theory
• open systems models
• network influences
• higher education
• rankings
• Canada

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Edmund Adam

Edmund Adam is a post-doctoral fellow at the Department of Communication Studies and Media Arts of McMaster University, Canada. His research includes organizational studies, accountability systems, comparative education, and the politics of higher education. Dr. Adam is currently leading a research project on how college-to-university pathways contribute to social equity and justice.