Universities and the mobilization of claims of excellence for competitive advantage |
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| Authors: | Gerald Wangenge-Ouma Patrício V Langa |
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| Institution: | (1) Faculty of Education, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville, 7535, South Africa;(2) School of Education, University of Cape Town, Private Bag, Rondebosch, 7700, South Africa |
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| Abstract: | This study discusses the phenomenon of making claims of excellence by universities, which we interpret as a response, inter
alia, to the hitherto unfamiliar context of scarce and diminishing resources. The main objective is to understand how claims
of excellence are mobilised by higher education institutions to achieve “competitive advantage”. The paper argues that most
claims of excellence do not derive from evidence and are a misrepresentation of reality geared at attracting resources. It
is further argued that by making claims of excellence universities take advantage of the experiential nature of their goods
and services, and the phenomenon of information asymmetry. Those targeted by these claims only discover the true excellence
of the university’s goods and services after consuming them and of course, providing resources. |
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