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Thesis-1974-Stockdale.pdf (16.34 MB)

A computable model of a college department in the further education sector with particular reference to management education

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posted on 2011-02-07, 09:28 authored by Gerald Stockdale
The difficulties for a college's decision-makers in the management of resources are manifold and give rise to complexities dissimilar, in many respects, from those usually found in an industrial setting. Whereas in industry pressure is generated by what the public will buy, the pressures in education arise partly from the rising standards of expectation of the public and partly from the education service itself in the role of initiator. (1.0). In addition, some industrial researchers would also assert that the prime objective of a company is to make a profit acceptable to shareholders. (23). The organisational structure and major activities of the company are thus geared to the attainment of this goal. This is not to say that other company objectives are not considered to be important but the 'primary task' is seen'as one of profit-making. If, then, the primary task of a company is to make profits, it could be asked what is the primary task of a further education college and from what point of view? Other research has shown, for example, for a further education college there can be wide opinion variances among students, employers and lecturing staff about what they see as the central purpose of the college (15). Similar findings were expressed in the Plowden Report about the formulations of objectives by primary school head-teachers. (Para. 497). The model conceived in this research has re-constructed the kind of management system in operation at many colleges in the further education sector and made use of the linear programming methodology to formulate objectives and constraints in the optimising of a department's course provision. However, its chief pre-occupation was not seen as that of optimisation in so much as focussing attention on relevant information for decision-making. In particular, the purpose of this kind of information is to assist such as a college principal and departmental heads with the formulation of policy relating to staff manpower requirements in a situation where fluctuating patterns of demand for courses occur from year to year.

History

School

  • Business and Economics

Department

  • Business

Publisher

© Gerald Stockdale

Publication date

1974

Notes

A Doctoral Thesis. Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of Doctor of Philosophy of Loughborough University.

EThOS Persistent ID

uk.bl.ethos.473961

Language

  • en

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