EDAC 632: Organizing Adult and Community Education Programs

EDAC 632 Literature Review: UnderstandingCollege Retention and Completion Rates from an Administrative Management Theory Perspective by Traci Armes

EDAC 632: Organizing Adult and Community Education Programs

Literature Review: UnderstandingCollegeRetention and Completion Rates from an Administrative Management Theory Perspective

Traci Armes

BallStateUniversity

Abstract

This paper attempts to examine why college students drop out and how to best improve a college’s retention and completion rates by better understanding college administration’s effectiveness through the conceptual framework of Fayol and Mooney’s Administrative Management Theory. A review of literature is the basis of the framework for this paper. The theoretical perspectives of Henri Fayol, James Mooney, and Luther Gulick will be discussed from an organizational perspective. Through the use of a literature review, these perspectives will be used to understand and explain how this theory can assist in improving a colleges’ retention and completion rates. The conceptual framework provided by Fayol and Mooney will be used to examine weaknesses in Administrative Management Theory and its contribution to potentially decreasing a college’s retention and completion rate.

It should be noted that examination of literature related to both retention and completion rate with regard to the effective or ineffectiveness of college administration has not been fully explored. As noted by one source, “we know that students who are socially disadvantaged, academically less prepared, and who experience a lack of recourses and support from significant others, are less likely to stay in college (Oseguera & Rhee, 2009)” The source goes on to note that organizational analyses are limited because they tend to focus on the influence of structural aspects of the institution and not necessarily the culture of that institution and its effect on retention and completion rates (Oseguera, et.al., 2009). The effects of administrative effectiveness from an Administrative Management Theory on students’ retention and completion rate will be reviewed based on existing literature on each subject.

Introduction of Administrative Management Theory

Henri Fayol first spoke publicly June 23, 1900 at the closing session of the International Mining and Metallurgical Congress in Paris on the subject of administration and management (Wren, Bedelan, & Breeze, 2002). Fayol emphasized the importance of developing and training professional managers as a necessary function of any organization. Prior to Fayol’s theory of administrative management, there was an imbalance on the importance of the administrative side of an organization versus the technical side. Fayol stated that “mutual education, which we practice with such useful results on the technical side of our work, can be of equal service on the administrative side (Wren, et.al., 2002).”

This understanding and study of management as a function that was common to all organizations led to the development of the first general theory of management with an emphasis on management’s role to human association (Tompkins, 2005). Fayol grouped managerial activities as one of six categories of organizational activities, but believed that it held the most importance since it was the only organizational activity that harmonized and facilitated the accomplishment of organizational objectives through the other five categories (Tompkins, 2005).

In his speech to the International Mining and Metallurgical Congress, Fayol stated that administrative function has many duties including the ability to “foresee and make preparations to meet the financial, commercial, and technical conditions under which the concern must be started and run (Wren, et.al., 2002).” This idea is the foundation for the managerial functions that are outlined in his theory. These functions include planning, organizing, commanding, coordinating, and controlling within the organization (Tompkins, 2005). In addition, Fayol developed fourteen administrative principles to be used as guidance to managers within an organization, and not to be viewed as a prescription or universal solution. For the purposes of understanding retention and completion rates at a college level, three of the fourteen principles will be discussed: subordination of individualinterest to general interest, equity, and esprit de corps. The focus of these three will become evident later in this literature review as they pertain to the subject of college retention and completion rates.

Fayol believed that the interest of any individual should not be greater, or overshadow the interest of the organization as a whole (Tompkins, 2005). He also theorized that there should be equity and fairness within the treatment of employees within the organization to promote devotion and loyalty among the employees (Tompkins, 2005). And, every effort should be made to establish and maintain cohesiveness between employees so that divisions within the ranks would not cause dissention and deflect from the overall accomplishment of the organizational objectives (Tompkins, 2005).

A combination of Fayol’s administrative principles and methods is the foundation for the hypothesized theory of management for the “means-ends relationships (Tomkins, 2009).” This is the foundation of the organizational effectiveness as expressed in the managerial functions of planning, organization, command, coordination, and control. These will be further defined and applied in terms of retention and completion rates in the next section. Mooney expanded on Fayol’s administrative management theory by further defining the nature of the subordinate/supervisor relationship through the exception principle that states that the subordinate should handle routine problems and refer only difficult problems to their supervisor (Tompkins, 2005).

The last component of the Administrative Management Theory to be discussed is the contributions made by Luther Gulick. Gulick, as a part of President Roosevelt’s Committee on Administrative Management, summarized and provided a foundation for understanding the politics of bureaucratic policies (Hammond, 1990). Gulick asserted that the beginning point to understanding organizations was to understand how labor was divided (Hammond, 1990). Of second importance was the span of control in reference to the organizations central purpose or objective and the requirement that it requires a “single directing executive authority to coordinate and energize all of the subdivisions of work (Hammond, 1990).”

College Retention and Completion Rate: An Overview of the Literature

As discussed earlier, there is much literature discussing retention and completion rates in terms of what can be done to assist students from a structural standpoint, but little examining what colleges or universities are or are not doing at an administrative level that may not be assisting students, or may be hindering a student’s ability to succeed in college.

One study conducted by Lotkowski, Robbins, & Noeth outlined academic and non-academic factors that could influence a student’s retention and completion rates (2012). Non-academic factors included a student’s connectedness to a particular college environment, peers, faculty and other staff members, the level of social support a student felt that the institution provided, and the level of social support that a student felt that the institution provided (Lotkowski, et.al., 2012). Through qualitative data gathered from surveying students, Lotkowski concluded that non-academic factors, such as the three noted above, had a moderate to strong influence on a student’s likelihood of completing a program to obtain a college degree (2012). This strength of relationship is a determining factor in predicting a student’s college retention and performance and shows that non-academic factors can be equally important in completion rates as student-controlled factors such as motivation and academic aptitude for completion.

In a related study conducted at the University of Western Sydney, a theoretical model for retention was developed. In this study, John Wylie concluded that student retention plans should include aspects that improve student involvement with faculty and staff, and create a positive campus climate that promotes inclusion for all students (2012). A retention and completion plan that includes non-academic factors, such as administrative culture, can be used to assist student’s perception and ultimately increase a college’s completion rate (Rhee, 2009).

Implications of Administrative Management Theory on College Retention and Completion Rates

Much of the literature review assumes that colleges and universities are making every effort to retain students and assist them to completion. As we discussed earlier about our understanding of Administrative Management Theory, there are factors that can prevent an organization from effectively accomplishing its goals. Of these, three of Fayol’s principles of management become important to discuss in terms of a college’s retention and completion rates.

As theorized by Fayol, an individual within the organization whose personal interest is greater than that of the organization as a whole can be a hindrance to the organization’s overall goals and their achievement (Tompkins, 2009). This can be applied to a college’s overall goal to assist students to degree completion if the culture of the college is not harmonious in objective and goal. These institutional objectives can be expressed as climate “norms” and “reflect the typical characteristics of its members (Oseguera, et.al., 2009).” When the climate harbors individuals whose main goal is personal in nature, such as tenure, or career advancement, the ultimate goal of assisting students complete their degrees can become nominally import and ultimately affect the college’s retention and completion rates.

Similarly, if the administrative principles of equity and esprit de corps are not balanced, cohesion among faculty and staff becomes endangered. This can detract from the organizational goal of assisting students to degree completion. In the quantitative study conducted by Oseguera and Rhee, it was concluded that institutional retention climates were influenced by the retention probabilities and that climate had a significant impact on a student’s retention and completion rate at their chosen college (Oseguera, et.al, 2009).

Fayol’s Theory of Management can be used to understand the managerial functions of a college and the administrative methods used to achieve there objective of retaining student’s to degree completion. Of these, command of personnel activity and coordination of unifying and harmonizing efforts seems to be the themes most supported by literature reviewed for successful completion and retention programs. It should be duly noted that Gulick’s contribution to governmental organization could have important implications for multi-campus colleges that are similar in structure to government agencies. Gulick stated that organizations can be departmentalized on the basis of their purpose, process, persons, or place (Tompkins, 2009).

Observations

It is difficult to summarize and conclude the overall effects of Administrative Management Theory to a college’s retention and completion rates because the data is inconclusive and not yet fully explored. This is an interesting area of study that could lead to a positive influence for many colleges in assisting their students to completion without causing undue hindrances because of a lack of cohesion and clear objectives and motives among faculty and staff.

Tompkins (2009) places the mechanisms for coordinating and controlling work activities of Administrative Management Theory as one that is under direct supervision. My initial thought, based on literature review, would be that a mechanism for coordinating and controlling work activities for improved completion and retention rates would focus on a standardization of values among employees and a standardization of worker skills that values professional employees who can self-coordinate and self-control based on their cohesive values with the organization. A clear set of values, along with faculty and staff skilled and capable of carry out those values would be beneficial.

In addition, Tompkins (2009) placed the motivational strategy for Administrative Management Theory as one of legal compliance that uses “rules, formal directives, and sanctions to direct and control employee behavior (p. 121).” From reviewing the literature discussing effective retention and completion activities, it would seem that a motivational strategy that incorporates goal congruence would be more beneficial. It should also incorporate job identification that allows faculty and staff work that is interesting, challenging and responsible to increase a positive climate for goal achievement (Oseguera, et.al., 2009).

References

Lotkowski, V., Robbins, S., & Noeth, R. (n.d.). The Role of Academic and Non-Academic Factors in Improving Collge Retention. ACT Policy Report. Retrieved September 13, 2012, from

Oseguera, L., & Rhee, B. (2009). The Influence of Institutional Retention Climates on Student Persistence to Degree Completion: A Multilevel Approach. Research in Higher Education, 50, 546-569.

Tompkins, J. (2005). Organization theory and public management. Australia: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

Wren, D., Bedelan, A., & Breeze, J. (2002). The Foundations of Henri Fayol's Administrative Theory. Management Decision, 40(9), 906-918.

Wylie, J. (n.d.). Improving Student Persistence Outcomes in Higher Education: A Theoretical Model for an Institution-Wide Retention Plan. University of Western Sydney, Australia. Retrieved September 12, 2012, from

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