The socially embedded American university: Intensification and globalization

Abstract

In the era of “world class” universities and “best practices” for higher education, an idealized American university is often a global benchmark. The message for many universities worldwide is that they should become more socially embedded, shifting away from a state-shielded historically grounded institution. The chapter contends that the American cultural and political matrix facilitated the earlier rise of American universities, which became attuned to multiple “stakeholders” and the necessity of coping with changing environments thereby emerging as organizational actors. This chapter identifies and discusses three university organizational developments: increased entrepreneurship linked to individual advancement goals; increased individual empowerment linked to ideas about individual rights and human potential; and increased legalization as cultural adaptation to increased entrepreneurship and empowered individuals. These developments intensified the socially embedded character of American universities. The chapter concludes by sketching research directions designed to ascertain the degree to which universities in different national contexts adopt these organizational developments and the mission statements that co-vary with them.