Agency Theory (AT): Theoretical assumptions applicable to university management

Abstract

New concerns have been raised in Iberoamerica regarding the effectiveness of universities, especially in terms of their quality. It is an undisputed premise that the management of university governance is one of the determining factors to improve administrative tasks and, from there, academic duties. The purpose of this work is to make an analysis based on the Agency Theory (AT) as an estimate that may help detect and correct management problems in university governance, understanding that it is a theoretical drift and not a doctrinal one. In order to achieve this purpose, more than a hundred texts and papers published in internationally recognized academic journals were reviewed. As relevant findings, it is possible to highlight the identification and reflection about determining elements and factors considered by the AT , which are applicable to the world of university management (GU, by its Spanish acronym).