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‘Hard’ decisions and ‘tough’ choices: the business approach to university decline

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Abstract

This paper critically examines the solutions to university decline that emphasize selective cutbacks, in which certain areas are phased out to protect others. The experiences of two Canadian universities show that these kinds of ‘hard’ decisions generate a considerable amount of political conflict. While the business perspective recommends decisive action, it provides little advice about how these actions can be implemented. It may even intensify conflict and worsen an already difficult situation. The paper argues that we need to learn about the management of both conflict and collegiality, as well as the conditions which make ‘tough’ choices necessary, before we can successfully tackle decline.

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  1. McGill University, 1001 Sherbrooke West, H3A 1G5, Montreal, Canada

    Cynthia Hardy (Associate Professor of Policy, Faculty of Management)

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Hardy, C. ‘Hard’ decisions and ‘tough’ choices: the business approach to university decline. High Educ 20, 301–321 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00136232

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