New Directions
Asynchronous Session
Institutional Mergers and Consolidations in Higher Education View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Anita Hazelwood
Institutional mergers and consolidations require well-planned and strategic organizational change and include an examination of organizational culture and the process of acculturation. While there has been research on various aspects of higher education mergers, there has been little on the process of integrating institutional cultures. Compounding the challenge further is that the degree of assimilation among institutions is variable. Research in this area is limited and the purpose of a case study was to examine why two institutions of higher education merged, the role of change management during a merger, conceptual models in understanding reorganization, and the role that culture plays during a merger. Given the economic conditions in higher education, interest in mergers is growing and information on change management and the cultural assimilation of individuals involved in a merger will be of value to state boards of education, policymakers within the states, and higher administration in colleges and universities across the national and globe.
The Innovative Evaluation of Organisational Culture in Sustainable Human Resource Management and Organisational Change Management in the Transitional Period of COVID-19: A Case Study of the Clinical Futures Programme and the Grange University Hospital, National Health Service, Wales View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Lujia Feng
COVID-19 has imposed new challenges to the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK. Organisational culture and sustainable human resource management (HRM) and organisational change management has become new focuses of the NHS, which can facilitate the achievement of its new objectives, considering the impact of Covid-19. Using Schein’s model on organisational culture and John Kotter’s eight stages for change management, this paper aims to evaluate an innovative approach on organisational culture creation and sustainable HRM and organisational change management in the transitional period of COVID-19 through a case study of the Clinical Futures Programme and the Grange University Hospital National Health Service (NHS), Wales. The research data is collected through interviews across different departments in the Clinical Futures Programme and the Grange University Hospital, National Health Service (NHS), Wales. The interview data are collected from the clinicians and senior managers involved in leading and implementing the programme. The research participants include the clinical directors, the programme directors, and the system directors. Through the data analysis and discussion, a comprehensive framework for the research is presented. The research implication is to develop a sustainable, diverse and inclusive organisational culture through HRM and change management in the transitional period of COVID-19, using the experience of the NHS, Wales in order to rebalance funding, workforce and other resources to support the whole system of health care.
Perspectives of Canadian Military and Civilian Executive Leaders on Enacting Cultural Change: Methodological Approach View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Krystal Hachey
Senior executives, particularly General and Flag Officers in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and civilian executive leaders in the Department of National Defence (DND), are critical to the organizational functioning of Canada’s military, including setting priorities and direction and enacting positive change. As such, understanding executive leadership, as well as the main challenges and enablers in leading the institution are essential for organizational effectiveness. The goal of this study is to examine organizational dynamics at the executive leadership level, including the main concerns and challenges facing executive level leaders in the DND/CAF and their views and recommendations for improving organizational effectiveness. In addition, given the current challenges related to organizational culture and the key role of executive level leaders therein, this study examines executives’ views regarding DND/CAF organizational culture and approaches for enacting and empowering change. The paper focuses on the methodological approach, as well as key opportunities and challenges for seeking insight from this influential group who have the potential to impact cultural change.
Developing Democratic Competences for Resilient Social Impact View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Marios Koukounaras Liagkis, Michalis Kakos, Nicola Horsley
This paper explores how educational organisations can become more resilient through the development of competences for democratic culture. It is based on a three-year (2019-2022) programme (STEP UP-DC), which builds on the Council of Europe’s Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture (CDC) and investigates student teachers’ and teachers’ training programmes in Greece, Cyprus and the UK, and their ability to prepare teachers to develop CDC in practice in schools through teaching their curriculum subjects. The research uses the model of the twenty competences and their descriptors, which are organised into four clusters: values, attitudes, skills and knowledge, and critical understanding. The programme developed a training module and a certification process whose application was evaluated. More than 500 student teachers and teachers participated in the three countries and four universities. The findings of our research suggest there is a real need for future teachers to be directly trained in developing CDC in practice, so that they can become agents of change who embed democratic values across all routine and strategic functions of their organisation. By developing a democratically competent culture, organisations can be freed from the hierarchies endemic to education and achieve social impacts that are resilient, as they are driven by a deep understanding and reflection of the values and priorities of the diverse communities they serve.
