(German) Universities as multiple hybrid organizations

Abstract

The paper claims that the organizational character of the (German) university can be comprehended best with the aid of the concept Bmultiple hybrid organization.^To corroborate this claim, I reconstruct two lines of argument that have dominated the discourse on the organizational nature of the German university so far. This discourse has only started in the late 1980s and early 1990s in the wake of new public management emphasizing that the reform of higher education governance has turned German universities into corporate actors (Meier 2009; Krücken and Meier 2006). At the same time, voices have risen advocating the singularity of the university and contrasting it to bureaucratic and corporate forms of organization. The paper starts by outlining these two strands of argumentation: the first highlights the organizational normality of the German university, the next its singularity. Against this background, I shall argue that both positions can be integrated if we rely on the term Bmultiple hybrid organization.^This concept is integrated into the systems theory concept of formal organization which serves as a theoretical means for analyzing organizations at large. The new concept of multiple organizational hybridity demonstrates its usefulness in showing that the structural particularity of the German university is rooted in numerous frictions pertaining to all its organizational structures.

Social innovation and the university

“…From the above, our participants shared a perception and experience of a university with two sides: first, powerful and at times impenetrable (“university armour”), and second, trustworthy and resourceful (“it embodies best practice”), hinting at Kleinmann’s (2019) articulation of the university as a multiple hybrid organisation. Also, SI is potentially a powerful leverage in terms of locating it more firmly into community groups and the creative businesses around a university, echoing Howaldt et al ’s (2018) description of SI as ensemble performances.…”

“…One interpretation of this is that the research team, by extension, allowed a re-anchoring of the “human” side of the university, embodying yet another of the hybrid and varied elements of a university and how it is perceived (Brown-Luthango, 2013; Kleinmann, 2019). In addition, relevant networking, peer support and access to beneficial collaborations were raised as essential areas of support.…”

Organizational learning through projects: a case of a German university

“…Researchers have debated whether universities can properly be described as organizations (Kleimann, 2019), and whether universities are capable of organizational learning (Örtenblad and Koris, 2014). Some scholars view universities as social institutions rather than organizations (Rehberg, 2009;Schimank, 2008).…”

“…The context of the German higher education system is pertinent for this study since universities in Germany are characterized by high levels of freedom in teaching and research, which is epitomized in the loosely-coupled organization model. At the same time, German universities have been subject to managerial reforms and increasing international competition, which have been strengthening their organizational actorhood (Kleimann, 2019).…”

Performance management and diversity in higher education: an introduction

“…This variety of missions, and the fact that external stakeholders, in many cases, approach higher education institutions looking for new solutions to existing problems, adds to the information asymmetries between their leadership structures and their staff. The notion of hybrid organisations (Kleimann 2018) is equally used to denote the diversity and plurality of activities, logics and identities within higher education institutions.…”