Abstract
A review of literature dealing with the relationship between the institutional research function and the decision-making process in higher education reveals a wide range of opinion. At one extreme are those who believe that institutional researchers should be little more than purveyors of data for use by the executive decision makers. At the other extreme are the advocates of an active institutional research role in policy analysis and decision making. A recurring theme in the literature summarized here is the precarious nature of an institutional researcher's position in the unique organizational milieu of higher education. Most sources agree that an institutional research office must be perceived by all parties as completely neutral in order to maintain credibility with both faculty and administration.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bolman, F. deW. University reform and institutional research. In C. Fincher (Ed.),The Challenge and Response of Institutional Research. Tallahassee: Association for Institutional Research (A.I.R.), 1970, pp. 13–20.
Corson, J. J.The Governance of College and Universities. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1975.
Dressel, P. L., et al.Institutional Research in the University: A Handbook. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1971.
Dressel, P. L., and Freeman, T. M. Ethics and values in institutional research. In R. J. Cope (Ed.),Information for Decisions in Postsecondary Education. Tallahassee: A.I.R., 1975, pp. 304–306.
Fincher, C. The demise of administrative mystique.Intellect 1973,101 499–502.
Gilmour, J. E. Sources of conflict between institutional researchers and decision-makers. In R. H. Fenske (Ed.),Conflicting Pressures in Postsecondary Education. Tallahassee: A.I.R., 1977, pp. 97–100.
Glenny, L. A. The anonymous leaders of higher institutions. In C. T. Stewart (Ed.),Institutional Research and Institutional Policy Formulation. Tallahassee: A.I.R., 1971, pp. 8–12.
Goodrich, K. P. Ritual and research in academic policy formulation, planning and governance. In C. T. Stewart (Ed.),Institutional Research and Institutional Policy Formulation. Tallahassee: A.I.R., 1971, pp. 66–69.
Gulko, W. W., and Lukens, P. F. Managerial styles and decision-making in higher education. In R. J. Cope (Ed.),Information for Decisions in Postsecondary Education. Tallahassee: A.I.R., 1975, pp. 122–124.
Heldman, H. Institutional research and academic policy formulation. In C. T. Stewart (Ed.),Institutional Research and Institutional Policy Formulation. Tallahassee: A.I.R., 1971, pp. 24–26.
Henderson, A. D. Improving decision-making through research. InThe Study of Academic Administration. Berkeley, Calif.: Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), 1966, pp. 1–5.
Hubbard, R. E. Information revolution: clarity or confusion. In C. Fincher (Ed.),The Challenge and Response of Institutional Research. Tallahassee: A.I.R., 1970, pp. 163–166.
Hull, L. E. Fact, doubt, and myth. In C. Fincher (Ed.),Institutional Research and Academic Outcomes. Tallahassee: A.I.R., 1968, pp. 1–6.
Kirks, J. L. Organizational effectiveness and institutional research. In C. Fincher (Ed.),Institutional Research and Academic Outcomes. Tallahassee: A.I.R., 1968, pp. 31–38.
Martin, J. Institutional research: does it make a difference? In R. J. Cope (Ed.),Information for Decisions in Postsecondary Education. Tallahassee: A.I.R., 1975, pp. 316–319.
Mason, T. R. The role of institutional research in decision making. In G. N. Drewry (Ed.),The Instructional Process and Institutional Research. Tallahassee: A.I.R., 1967, pp. 29–40.
Mason, T. R. Synthetic output by simulation. In C. Fincher (Ed.),Institutional Research and Academic Outcomes. Tallahassee: A.I.R., 1968, pp. 203–206.
Mayhew, L. B. Imperatives for institutional research. In C. H. Bagley (Ed.),Academic Input. Tallahassee: A.I.R., 1966, pp. 1–7.
Montgomery, J. R. Institutional research—a future unfolding. In G. N. Drewry (Ed.),Instructional Process and Institutional Research. Tallahassee: A.I.R., 1967, pp. 1–9.
Montgomery, J. R. An effective role for institutional research. In P. S. Wright (Ed.),Institutional Research and Communication in Higher Education. Tallahassee: A.I.R., 1976, pp. 140–142.
Nangle, J. E. Comments on institutional research: what role in administrative decision making? In P. S. Wright (Ed.),Institutional Research and Communication in Higher Education. Tallahassee: A.I.R., 1976, pp. 49–50.
Parden, R. J., Carmmock, E. F., and Coffelt, J. J. Institutional research in the new higher education environment. In C. T. Stewart (Ed.),Reformation and Reallocation in Higher Education. Tallahassee: A.I.R., 1972, p. 142.
Parker, J. D., and Fenske, R. H. Policy analysis: the new reality for institutional research. Paper presented at the 22nd Annual Forum of the Association for Institutional Research, Denver, May 1982.
Rourke, F. E., and Brooks, G. E.The Managerial Revolution in Higher Education. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins Press, 1966.
Russell, J. D. Decision-making in higher education. In G. N. Drewry (Ed.),The Instructional Process and Institutional Research. Tallahassee: A.I.R., 1967, pp. 19–27.
Schmidtlein, F. A. An analysis of decision strategies employed in the governance of higher education. In R. G. Cope (Ed.),Information for Decisions in Postsecondary Education. Tallahassee: A.I.R., 1975, pp. 111–116.
Sheehan, B. S. The role of institutional research in support of policy formulation. In C. T. Stewart (Ed.),Institutional Research and Institutional Policy Formulation. Tallahassee: A.I.R., 1971, pp. 20–23.
Sibley, W. M. The transactional frame of information. In R. G. Cope (Ed.),Information for Decisions in Postsecondary Education. Tallahassee: A.I.R., 1975, pp. 12–16.
Sprague, H. T.Institutional Research in the West. Boulder, Colo. WICHE, 1959.
Stecklein, J. E. The role of the institutional research director in decision making. In P. S. Wright (Ed.),Institutional Research and Communication in Higher Education. Tallahassee: A.I.R., 1976, pp. 138–139.
Stout, E. M., and Halfter, I. Institutional research and automation. In L. J. Lins (Ed.),Basis for Decision. Madison, Wis.: Dembar Educational Research Services, Inc., 1963, pp. 95–98.
Thompson, L. M. Institutional research, planning and politics. In L. J. Lins (Ed.),Basis for Decision. Madison, Wis.: Dembar Educational Research Services, Inc., 1963, pp. 89–91.
Tyrrel, P. H. Programming the unknown: guidelines for the conduct of institutional research. In L. J. Lins (Ed.),Basis for Decision. Madison, Wis.: Dembar Educational Research Service, Inc., 1963, pp. 92–94.
Williams, R. Jr. Institutional research: the sparkplug of academic progress. In C. I. Brown (Ed.),Long Range Planning, Attrition/Retention and Graduate Follow-up Studies. Winston-Salem: North Carolina Association for Institutional Research, 1975, pp. 5–9.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Farrell, J.R. Institutional research and decision making: A bibliographic essay. Res High Educ 20, 295–308 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00983504
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00983504