Organizational responses to the marketization of higher education institutions: a comparative case study of South Korea and Hong Kong

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to investigate the organizational changes in higher education institutions across different regional contexts, with a special focus on the trends towards marketization in South Korea and Hong Kong. The study employs a qualitative case study approach to understand the organizational responses to the marketization from the selected research sites. Using data collected through semi-structured interviews with participants from each case, the study applies cross-case synthesis to evaluate similarities and differences related to organizational changes and management practices at universities in these two contexts in Asia. The findings underscore two principal themes: market influences and trends towards marketization, and organizational and management changes on campuses. The findings suggest that both South Korea and Hong Kong represent excellent cases through which to explore organizational responses to the marketization of higher education institutions and to highlight the reshaping of higher education in Asia.

KEYWORDS:

• Marketization of higher education
• higher education systems
• organizational change
• organizational theory
• case study
• cross-case synthesis

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sue-Yeon Song

Sue-Yeon Song is a Research Fellow at Korea National Open University. Her research interests include broader topics such as higher education governance, marketization in higher education, university restructuring, and international issues in higher education.