Responsiveness to quality assurance implementation: an institutional theory perspective
Quality Assurance in Education
ISSN: 0968-4883
Article publication date: 31 December 2020
Issue publication date: 10 March 2021
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of institutional pressures on the decision to implement (or not) quality assurance in the private higher education sector, specifically private business schools which do not receive any type of public funding.
Design/methodology/approach
The methodology for this study is qualitative. The data collection method consisted of a semi-structured interview conducted with the Deans of nine business schools that were purposively selected. Content analysis using Nvivo11 is used to extract themes and draw conclusions.
Findings
The findings show that the implementation of quality assurance is driven by mimetic and normative pressures while coercive pressure seems to have a minor effect. “Decoupling”, the ceremonial practice of quality assurance, was also detected.
Research limitations/implications
The research was conducted in the Lebanese context which holds unique political and sectarian issues.
Practical implications
The results of the study may be a source of information for policymakers and other stakeholders to understand the factors behind the delay or the complete non-responsiveness to the implementation of quality assurance.
Originality/value
The study provides a theoretical and empirical contribution to the existing literature on responsiveness to quality assurance implementation in a higher education institutional context. It offers practical recommendations on increasing responsiveness in other words reducing non-responsiveness on the part of business schools.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The research draws on the unpublished doctoral thesis of the author.
Citation
Khalil, M. (2021), "Responsiveness to quality assurance implementation: an institutional theory perspective", Quality Assurance in Education, Vol. 29 No. 1, pp. 41-52. https://doi.org/10.1108/QAE-06-2020-0074
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited