Performance: The Dynamic of Results in Postsecondary Organizations (The ACE Series on Higher Education) - Hardcover

Richard Alfred is emeritus professor of higher education in the Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education at the University of Michigan and the author of more than 150 books, articles, and monographs on organizational strategy, leadership and management, institutional effectiveness, and change management. His book Managing the Big Picture in Colleges and Universities: From Tactics to Strategy ushered in a new way of thinking about leadership and management in colleges and universities.

Kathryn Thirolf is a doctoral candidate in higher education at the Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education at the University of Michigan. Prior to coming to Michigan, Kate was a University Management Fellow at Harvard University and a Princeton-in-Asia Fellow Penang, Malaysia.

Nathan Harris is a doctoral candidate in higher education in the Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education at the University of Michigan. Previously, Nate worked at the Corporate Executive Board in Washington, D.C. advising Fortune 500 companies, colleges and universities, and federal government agencies on performance assessment and strategic human resources.

James Webb is associate professor of finance and accounting in the Crowell School of Business at Biola University. Webb is a Certified Public Accountant with eight years of professional experience in public and industry accounting.

Producing and benchmarking high performance are essential for college leaders, from campus presidents to early career administrators. This book provides a road map for understanding the cognitive and behavioral elements of performance that are crucial for effective leaders. (Michael Bastedo, University of Michigan School of Education)

Alfred and his colleagues offer a deep dive into understanding performance in organizational settings. Organizational performance is analyzed through multiple lenses: objective, subjective and cognitive. For those of us in higher education, the book offers a special and timely insight into how performance is and should be assessed in our unique world. The reader is left not only with a nuanced understanding of organizational performance, but with a guide to action: why leaders should think differently about performance and why it is imperative for leaders to operate simultaneously in three domains to enhance organizational performance. This book is a ‘must read’ for college and university leaders. (Donna Randall president, Albion College)

Measuring performance in higher education is a complex but critically important task. Performance: The Dynamic of Results in Postsecondary Organizations offers thoughtful and helpful guidance for colleges and universities that, like the State University of New York, have chosen to engage in self evaluation for the ultimate betterment and strengthening of their institutions. (Nancy L. Zimpher, Chancellor, State University of New York)

Richard Alfred has been a valued mentor to many higher education leaders, and his latest work in association with Nathan Harris, Kathryn Thirolf, and James Webb, Performance: The Dynamic of Results in Organizations, provides great insight on one of the most important and challenging issues facing all organizational leaders today. For education leaders, this book addresses the performance issue from a thoughtful, practical perspective. While centered on the higher education, it draws on literature, practice, and examples from across organizational contexts that makes this book a timely and valuable read for anyone interested in understanding and improving organizational performance. (R. Scott Ralls, president, North Carolina Community College System)