Organizational changes towards a European academic field. A case study of frictions in the narratives of Europeanization at a German university from an institutional perspective

Abstract

Purpose. Departing from institutional theory and the concept of organizational narratives, this study identifies frictions between university professors and university governance. These frictions pertain to the construction and operationalization of university Europeanization, on the way towards a Europeanized academic field. The organization in this study is in a discursive stand-by position, caused by both organizational structures, and contradicting accounts of Europeanization. Design. The data set comprises, first, a thematic analysis of the official internationalization strategy pursued by the university, and an interview with its initiator. Second, a thematic analysis of 13 semi-structured interviews with professors is conducted, complemented by responses to short standardized questionnaires. Findings. The change process is described as mimetic isomorphism, and faculty opposes normative isomorphic change. Three main areas of friction are identified. First, this study demonstrates that professors and university leadership construct Europeanization differently. Second, professors express a high awareness of independence from university governance. Third, professors appear to partially align their and their staff's research activities with national standards. The university leadership, pushing for Europeanized standards, acknowledges the legitimacy of these conflicting strategies.

Detecting Green-Washing or Substantial Organizational Communication: A Model for Testing Two-Way Interaction Between Risk and Sustainability Reporting

“…The diversity of goals, though, might lead to inter-group conflicts between stakeholders. Such conflicts could show, inter alia, in permanent issues, protests, or employee counter-narratives [11], and obstruct organizational progress [12,13]. In order to prevent stakeholder conflicts, many contemporary organizations demonstrate their stakeholder orientation by way of voluntary sustainability reporting [14,15].…”

Europe as spatial imaginary? Narratives from higher education ‘policy influencers’ across the continent

“…Differences have also been highlighted within individual nation-states. Lueg (2018) notes the various frictions between university leaders and academic staff that emerged within Germany because of their different understandings of what Europeanisation meant with respect to academic standards and power relationships within their organisation. Indeed, Lueg goes as far as to argue that, amongst her respondents, the term Europeanisation was so contested that it had no fixed meaning but allowed for significantly different interpretations and courses of action.…”

Education, Europeanization and Europe’s social integration. An introduction

“…The fifth contribution, by Lueg (2018), addresses the organizational level of Europeanization processes within higher education. Based on an in-depth case study of a German university in which the author analysed qualitative interviews, documents, and short questionnaires, she focuses on the intra-organizational struggles over the university's official Europeanization strategy and the various organizational narratives and counter-narratives that appear in this context.…”

“…Departing form neo-institutionalist theory, the author highlights the inherently contested nature of Europeanization as a term that has no fixed given meaning, but rather allows for different interpretations and courses of action. Lueg (2018) concludes that, as the Europeanization of higher education is subjected to such intra-organizational struggles, the development of a homogeneous European academic field with a consensual understanding of its "raison d'être" is unlikely; since actors fight over interpretations in the field, she suggests that we should rather expect different understandings of and narratives about Europeanization to continue to exist.…”

“…also Vobruba 2014). Thus, if the Europeanization of education produces conflictswhether among individuals, organisations or social fields, as the studies by Carlson (2018), Lueg (2018) and Hoenig (2018) suggestthese might be interpreted as a sign that social integration in Europe is actually increasing. The decisive question, then is: what kind of new institutions, narratives, field rules or general structures are these conflicts producing?…”