University of Bath DOCTOR OF BUSINESS (DBA) The Lifelong-Learning University: How do Swiss Universities Experience and Respond to the Institutional Pressure of Engaging in Lifelong Learning - An exploratory multiple case study Volles, Nina Award date: 2019 Awarding institution: University of Bath Link to publication Alternative formats If you require this document in an alternative format, please contact: [email protected] General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ? Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. Download date: 05. Oct. 2021 Citation for published version: Volles, N 2019, 'The Lifelong-Learning University: How do Swiss Universities Experience and Respond to the Institutional Pressure of Engaging in Lifelong Learning - An exploratory multiple case study', Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), University of Bath. Publication date: 2019 Document Version Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Link to publication Publisher Rights Creative Commons GNU GPL (Software) University of Bath General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. Download date: 25. Mar. 2019 The Lifelong-Learning University: How do Swiss Universities Experience and Respond to the Institutional Pressure of Engaging in Lifelong Learning An Exploratory Multiple Case Study Nina Volles A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Business Administration (Higher Education Management) University of Bath School of Management January 2019 Copyright Attention is drawn to the fact that copyright of this thesis rests with its author. A copy of this thesis has been supplied on condition that anyone who consults it is understood to recognise that its copyright rests with the author, and they must not copy it or use material from it except as permitted by law and with the consent of the author. Signed on behalf of the Doctoral College____________________________(print name) The Lifelong Learning University Nina Volles The Lifelong-Learning University: How do Swiss Universities Experience and Respond to the Institutional Pressure of Engaging in Lifelong Learning An exploratory multiple case study Nina Volles “As students of organizations, we must accept the fact that we are studying hope and attempts (sometimes called management) as much as we are studying results. It may seem more relevant and efficient for scholars to attend to the results rather than the attempts, to the successes rather than the failures, to existing orders such as institutions or culture rather than attempts at organizing and management. However, the existing order is partly the result of the few active organizing attempts that were successful, and it is difficult to understand the successes fully without understanding the failures.” From Nils Brunsson’s book Mechanisms of hope: maintaining the dream of the rational organization (2006, p.225) 2 The Lifelong Learning University Nina Volles Dedication To my parents, Dr Reswandokht Volles-Payami and Professor Dr Erwin Volles, who instilled a deep passion for lifelong learning in me. 3 The Lifelong Learning University Nina Volles Acknowledgements I want to express my heartfelt thanks to some individuals without whose direction and encouragement, the writing of my doctoral thesis and the completion of the DBA programme would have been “mission impossible”: Firstly, my two Supervisors, Professor Jürgen Enders and Professor Ian Jamieson whose commitment in providing me with academic guidance has been unwavering, even though this journey took far longer than anticipated. Professor Enders never grew tired of providing advice and constructive criticism – the supervisory sessions always were a moment of intellectual delight, which was crucial in keeping my spirits up. Professor Jamieson never became weary of re-reading my chapters, offering timely feedback without ever losing his good humour. Professor Rajani Naidoo and the broader DBA team, who have made the experience both rewarding and memorable; and my DBA11 peers with whom I have formed a global network of colleagues and friends. Special credit is due to the interviewees and the four Swiss Universities which opened their doors to me. By agreeing to participate in the numerous interviews, each higher education institute allowed me to analyse their organisation in depth. Without such goodwill, I would not have had access to the necessary data for my research. I would also like to express my appreciation for the support received by my employer, the Università della Svizzera italiana, in particular, Albino Zgraggen (Secretary General) and Professor Piero Martinoli (ex-President) who both placed their belief in me. As importantly, I would like to thank my family: my parents, Dr Reswandokht Volles-Payami and Professor Dr Erwin Volles, for instilling a love for learning in me; my husband Richard and my daughter Thaïs who often thought I was crazy to be doing yet another programme. They supported me throughout these six years through continuous encouragement me and creating “free spaces” for me to work on the four assignments and the thesis. Thank you for your immense patience. 4 The Lifelong Learning University Nina Volles Contents List of Tables ....................................................................................................................................... 9 List of Figures ..................................................................................................................................... 9 List of Abbreviations and Symbols ................................................................................................... 10 Abstract .............................................................................................................................................. 12 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 13 1.1 University lifelong learning behind the backdrop of institutional complexity ....................... 13 1.2 Methodology and theoretical frameworks ................................................................................. 14 1.3 Structure of the thesis .................................................................................................................. 16 1.4 Anticipated contribution to knowledge ...................................................................................... 16 2 Literature Review and Theoretical Framework ....................................................................... 18 2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 18 2.2 Literature review process ............................................................................................................ 19 2.3 Theories of unlocking organisational responses to institutional pressure .............................. 20 2.3.1 Neo-institutional theory ............................................................................................................................ 20 2.3.2 Resource dependence theory ..................................................................................................................... 22 2.3.3 Combining neo-institutional theory and resource dependence theory ...................................................... 23 2.4 Institutional complexity: the origin, meaning and degree of institutional pressure .............. 27 2.4.1 The organisational environment: the field and competing (or even conflicting) demands ....................... 28 2.4.1.3 Position in the field ................................................................................................................... 30 2.4.2 From temporary to lasting institutional complexity .................................................................................. 31 2.4.3 Boundary spanning, sensemaking and strategizing ................................................................................... 31 2.5 Organisational responses to institutional pressures .................................................................. 36 2.5.1 Strategies as a response to multiple competing demands.......................................................................... 36 2.5.2 Structures and strategies as a response to multiple competing demands .................................................. 38 2.5.3 Organisational