Appointing University Executives: A Case of Managerialism in Action

The prevailing academic narrative asserts that managerialism is all pervasive in today’s universities. But what exactly is managerialism and how does it differ from new public management and neoliberalism, terms with which it is often confused or conflated? In an attempt to gain greater conceptual clarity, this paper presents an ideal-type model of managerialism as ideology. This is then utilised to explore the extent to which recent changes to the appointment of deputy and pro vice chancellors might be considered symptomatic of ideal-type managerialism. Thus, the academic narrative itself is subjected to critical examination.