Understanding the Organizational Context of Academic Program Development

This chapter provides a conceptual model that academic leaders can use to navigate the complex, and often contentious, organizational terrain of academic program development. The model includes concepts related to the institution's external environment, as well as internal organizational structures, cultures, and politics. Drawing from the literature in management, organizational studies, and higher education, this chapter explains how various organizational configurations lead to different assumptions and practices regarding data use and program development decisions. These assumptions and practices are illustrated through a case study of the development of online programs in a community college system.