From Glam to Gaga – Reflections on the changing management culture in UK Universities

Abstract

I began my career in the late seventies when Glam Rock was beginning to give way to Punk and life was simpler, resources plentiful, letter writing an art and administrators knew and remained in their place. As the New Romantics of the early eighties gave way to the Dance Music of the nineties so traditional administrative values were eclipsed by a new managerial culture in which Universities sought to import the values of post Thatcher capitalism. With the advent of reality TV shows and the inexorable rise of The X Factor the new Century saw the boardroom give way to a form of popular accountability with its focus on transparency, value for money, freedom of information and a fear of failure. And now in 2010 as administrations, and indeed universities, face an uncertain future I pose the question will it be Lady Gaga or Susan Boyle?