ABSTRACT

This chapter examines the contemporary university and importance of prestige and rankings. It discusses different types of innovation processes. Symbolic innovations are used to manipulate prestige and associated ranking systems. American colleges and universities have drawn from a number of traditions throughout their history from an early emphasis on religion, to a 19th-century emphasis on utility, coupled with the German tradition of research universities. Fads and fashions in adoption of innovations were classically articulated by Abrahamson. Birnbaum has completed a detailed book-length analysis of the adoption of management fads from business to higher education settings drawing from his experience in higher education administration. His book focused on management fads that were adopted in four decades from 1960 to 2000. Symbolic innovations may be the very essence of creative industries. Symbolic actions are most effective under conditions of ambiguity and uncertainty. Administrative innovations are inherently symbolic because by and large they involve verbiage and are subject to intense, politically charged negotiations.