Title: The role of innovation in integrating university structures

Authors: Ewa Maria Richter, E. Alan Buttery, Walter Leal Filho

Addresses: University of Western Sydney, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith South DC, NSW 1797, Australia. ' University of Western Sydney, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith South DC, NSW 1797, Australia. ' Harburger Schlossstrasse 6-12, 21079 Hamburg, Germany

Abstract: Organisations may incorporate many processes, but three processes they are likely to share are an innovation process, a customer relations process and an operational/infrastructure provision process. Each of these processes entails objectives which are incongruent with the other two processes, and if left unchecked will lead to sub-optimal performance. The strategic response led to restructuring along process lines, to outsourcing and de-merger. Universities have accepted their corporate status and instrumentalist role in society. On that premise, this paper discusses how universities may facilitate following in the footsteps of their corporate brethren.

Keywords: innovation; organisations; university structures; universities; structural integration; customer relations; operations; infrastructure; organisational performance.

DOI: 10.1504/IJFIP.2005.007594

International Journal of Foresight and Innovation Policy, 2005 Vol.2 No.1, pp.57 - 68

Published online: 19 Aug 2005 *

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