Page 79 - Journal of Management Inquiry, July 2018

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Table 2. Illustrative Quotes About the Three Different Fantasies: Prestige, Independent Agenda, and Inevitability.
Type of
Type of fantasy Type of leader Illustrative quote fantasy Type of leader Illustrative quote

Prestige University If you put up less than 9,000 aren’t Independent University But, I mean we have been here
President you saying we are not as good as Agenda Deputy COO 800+ years, we are not gonna
(UniA) . . ., we are damn well as good (UniC) go away, and I mean that is the
as . . . same with all big international
universities, this goes beyond
national politics, what we do, we
are always thinking of the longer
term, the bigger picture, but
the integrity of our purpose will
not change just because some
government comes along and
tries to do something . . .
Prestige University The reason we didn’t of course, Inevitability University What did I think about the
President was to follow the logic that most President principle of the move to
(UniQ) other institutions followed which (UniE) students paying ultimately? It was
was to say, well hang on a minute probably inevitable.
if you charge 8,000 pounds then
students, possibly students would
think is not a good degree at
UniQ because it doesn’t have the
same monetary value.
Prestige University Vice- So for institutions, particularly you Inevitability University . . . it would have seen evident
President or know HE and FE colleges that President to me that whatever Browne
Equivalent provide degrees, if they charge (UniG) came out with, it was highly
(UniY) 6,000 pounds they were seen to likely that the conclusion would
be offering an inferior product, be that students would have
regardless of whether that is true to contribute more to their
or not. That was the assumption, education. And I think that was
if they are charging 6 is because almost inevitable.
they are not as good. So there
was a big issue for us, you know,
that if you don’t charge the
maximum are you saying you are
not as good?
Independent University Vice- We weren’t anticipating what Inevitability University I think what I am saying is, I didn’t
Agenda President or Browne might say and then President in the end have a philosophical
Equivalent thinking what is right for the (UniT) problem with the hiking of the
(UniX) university. We were thinking fees . . ., I guess my view is we
what is right for the university, are in a different world where
and let’s do those things that we need a mass higher education
are right for the university, and system. So these are reasons,
then if Browne comes along and philosophically, why I think the
produces a particular outcome hiking of the fees was probably
we will respond to that when we inevitable
get there.
Independent University Vice- I suppose something about
Agenda President or universities is that you have to
Equivalent strike a very difficult balance
(UniF) between being responsive to new
emphasis and preoccupations
whether those are political or
societal, as well as demonstrating
that you are upholding the
essence of what universities are
about.
Note. COO = Chief Operating Officer.