The American Council on Education's Office of Women in Higher Education: A Case Study of Evolution and Decline 1973-2011
Open AccessAbstract of DissertationThe American Council on Education's Office of Women in Higher Education: A Case Study of Evolution and Decline 1973-2011This study of organizational evolution within the American Council of Education's (ACE) Office of Women in Higher Education (OWHE) was conducted through the use of a single organizational case study. The study explored the history of the OWHE over a 38-year period from its founding in 1973 through its reorganization and closing in 2011. Very little research on organizational saga and identity has been done on women's associations, and no complete historical treatment of the OWHE existed. The lack of such studies represented a void in the critical area of understanding how and why women's organizations with a mission to promote female professional advancement emerge, prevail, maintain resiliency, and ultimately, decline. Furthermore, this study expands the scope of research designs applicable to organizational saga and organizational identity theories by identifying not just the process of evolution, growth, and decline, but also, the core characteristics of evolution and decline created by the OWHE during its 38-year history. The data analysis strategy and methods used to analyze data emerged from archives, documents, and interviews.Ultimately, five findings emerged. First, the founding of the office was politically motivated rather than value driven. The lack of congruence with ACE values made for a poor fit over time. Second, the long-serving director (Shavlik) created such a strong organizational identity that constituents and successors could not easily replicate a strong identity after her departure. Third, the office started in response to a set of cultural demands of one time period, but did not evolve as the needs changed over time. Fourth, the focus on national constituents, who were not presidents (through the Network), was out of alignment with the ACE central mission of working with presidents. And finally, the evidence suggests that leadership style plays a much more significant role in organizational identity than portrayed in the early framework of the theory. Keywords: American Council on Education, case study, female college/university presidents, higher education, history, Office of Women in Higher Education, organizational lifecycle, women's advancement, volunteer associations
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