An Enterprising Department Available to Purchase

Change, enterprise and external funding are major factors in public sector management in many parts of the world. The situation facing managers in the British education system is no exception. In both a personal and a professional sense, many lecturers are being asked to become more enterprising, to instigate new initiatives, and in many cases, help to finance the department′s work. Such a process can change the whole culture of a department, promoting incentives and rewarding colleagues who respond positively. However, there are clear dangers that an uncritical acceptance of change can severely damage the quality and fabric of such organizations, where accepted values and traditions are replaced by inadequately considered policies and activities. Experience suggests certain principles and approaches which can safeguard the integrity of the department, indeed the college, while still providing positive support and encouragement to desirable and sustainable developments.