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Moving towards digital governance of university scholars: instigating a post-truth university culture

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  • Lennart Nørreklit

    (Aalborg University)

  • Lisa Jack

    (Portsmouth Business School)

  • Hanne Nørreklit

    (Aarhus University)

Abstract

Governance models are increasingly driven by information technology (IT) and are being applied to measure the performance of all kinds of organisational activity including that of universities. This paper investigates whether the language embedded in the production and use of data for governance models based on IT facilitates a governance culture that excludes the scholarly insights of university professionals. Drawing on the language philosophy of the live language games of capable habitus-based practices and that of the digital language of IT systems, we argue that the reductive, digital language embedded in IT-based performance measures might destroy the live language game through which scholars of universities produce and develop complex cognitive conceptual habitus. Managers in thrall to the digital language of control accessible via IT can use it to create operational paths that crowd out the free cognitive conceptual habitus of the university scholars. Accordingly, the culture of the corporate university is moving towards a post-truth state. The situation suggests that the role of universities as the foundation for the whole project of enlightenment and knowledge-based society is threatened.

Suggested Citation

  • Lennart Nørreklit & Lisa Jack & Hanne Nørreklit, 2019. "Moving towards digital governance of university scholars: instigating a post-truth university culture," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 23(4), pages 869-899, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jmgtgv:v:23:y:2019:i:4:d:10.1007_s10997-019-09489-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s10997-019-09489-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Luigi Lepore & Loris Landriani & Sabrina Pisano & Gabriella D’Amore & Stefano Pozzoli, 2023. "Corporate governance in the digital age: the role of social media and board independence in CSR disclosure. Evidence from Italian listed companies," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 27(3), pages 749-785, September.
    3. Silvia Pilonato & Patrizio Monfardini, 2022. "Managerial reforms, institutional complexity and individuals: an empirical analysis of higher education," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 26(2), pages 365-387, June.
    4. Spanò, Rosanna & Bracci, Enrico & Manes-Rossi, Francesca & Sforza, Vincenzo, 2024. "A fatally efficient machine. Insights into the ‘banality’ of the research evaluation exercise in Italy," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    5. Nørreklit, Hanne & Trenca, Mihaela, 2021. "Performance management in a milieu of customer participatory measurement: Beyond the ratings and rankings of Strictly Come Dancing," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 53(6).
    6. Tuomas Korhonen & Virpi Sillanpää & Aki Jääskeläinen, 2023. "Anchor practices that guide horizontal performance measurement: an interventionist case study of the financial aspect of new technology implementation in healthcare," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 27(3), pages 787-816, September.
    7. Nino Tandilashvili & Anna Tandilashvili, 2022. "Academics’ perception of identity (re)construction: a value conflict created by performance orientation," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 26(2), pages 389-416, June.
    8. Víctor Meseguer-Sánchez & Emilio Abad-Segura & Luis Jesús Belmonte-Ureña & Valentín Molina-Moreno, 2020. "Examining the Research Evolution on the Socio-Economic and Environmental Dimensions on University Social Responsibility," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-30, July.
    9. Daniela Ruggeri & Antonio Leotta & Carmela Rizza, 2023. "Digitalisation and accounting language games in organisational contexts," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 27(3), pages 817-838, September.
    10. Paola Ramassa & Francesco Avallone & Alberto Quagli, 2024. "Can “publishing game” pressures affect the research topic choice? A survey of European accounting researchers," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 28(2), pages 507-542, June.
    11. Francesca Manes-Rossi & Riccardo Mussari & Denita Cepiku, 2022. "Introduction to the special issue: “Performance measurement systems in universities: Threats or opportunities for governance?”," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 26(2), pages 327-335, June.

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