Strategy is important for any institution, though there is debate among researchers about some aspects of the concept (Bess & Dee, 2008). Definitions of strategy tend to focus on setting a plan to achieve long-term goals for the organization as a whole (Bess & Dee, 2008). There are five major theories related to organizational strategy: linear, adaptive, emergent, symbolic and postmodern.
The linear model sees strategy as “a planned, intentional effort that seeks to align internal organizational structures with a set of goals and performance objectives” (Bess & Dee, 2008, p. 723). In this model, the goals and objectives are decided by high level individuals within the organization, which in turn shapes the organizational structure. Another …show more content…
Exclusivity has been a point of pride for many elite institutions, with Stanford University proudly announcing in 2014 that they had only accepted 5% of applicants for the upcoming academic year (Crow & Dabars, 2015). However, Crow and Dabars (2015) note that it is expected there will be a deficit of over 3 million educated workers by 2018. ASU’s response has been to increase enrollment, accepting about 84% of applicants (U.S. News & World Report, 2014), while using technology and reorganization to maintain quality without increasing costs (Crow & Dabars, 2015). The high cost of higher education has been another key environmental factor to consider with many, internal and external to higher education, calling for universities to find ways to reduce costs (Bowen, 2012). By increasing access while also finding ways to avoid excessive tuition increases, ASU has helped address strong needs the university has identified within its …show more content…
726). ASU is among the top 10 schools for size of undergraduate enrollment (Smith-Barrow, 2015) and is fifth in overall enrollment according to the Department of Education (2015). The school was also recognized as the most innovative university in the country (Faller, 2015). ASU would not have been able to achieve these distinctions without the ability to adjust its strategy to a changing
The linear model sees strategy as “a planned, intentional effort that seeks to align internal organizational structures with a set of goals and performance objectives” (Bess & Dee, 2008, p. 723). In this model, the goals and objectives are decided by high level individuals within the organization, which in turn shapes the organizational structure. Another …show more content…
Exclusivity has been a point of pride for many elite institutions, with Stanford University proudly announcing in 2014 that they had only accepted 5% of applicants for the upcoming academic year (Crow & Dabars, 2015). However, Crow and Dabars (2015) note that it is expected there will be a deficit of over 3 million educated workers by 2018. ASU’s response has been to increase enrollment, accepting about 84% of applicants (U.S. News & World Report, 2014), while using technology and reorganization to maintain quality without increasing costs (Crow & Dabars, 2015). The high cost of higher education has been another key environmental factor to consider with many, internal and external to higher education, calling for universities to find ways to reduce costs (Bowen, 2012). By increasing access while also finding ways to avoid excessive tuition increases, ASU has helped address strong needs the university has identified within its …show more content…
726). ASU is among the top 10 schools for size of undergraduate enrollment (Smith-Barrow, 2015) and is fifth in overall enrollment according to the Department of Education (2015). The school was also recognized as the most innovative university in the country (Faller, 2015). ASU would not have been able to achieve these distinctions without the ability to adjust its strategy to a changing