Chinese University Of Organizational Characteristics, Historical Evolution

Using organization theory as the analytical tool, from the four aspects of organizational environment, organizational goal, organizational structure as well as organizational culture, the dissertation sees about the historical evolution of the organizational characteristics of university in China, since the birth of Metropolitan University at the end of Qing Dynasty.The organizational environment is studied on the basis of the political and economic background as well as the administration system of higher education; the organizational goal, on the basis of the university mission and its objectives; the organizational structure, of both institution, partition of its power and the structure of knowledge; the value and culture, of the visible factors in the university such as slogan, acts, etiquette, celebration, ceremony and so on.In the dissertation, universities in China have experienced 7 phases, namely the end of Qing Dynasty, period of MinGuo, Republic of China, and the first 17 years since the found of the new China, Cultural Revolution, socialist commodity-based economy period and socialist market-based economy period. Taking roots of western universities in Mid Ages, in the long period of development, Chinese universities have shaped their organizational characteristics, regarding discovery, initiation and transmission of knowledge as the goal, empowerment, bottom-heavy, loose coupling as features of the structure, freedom and autonomy as features of culture. The study attempts to explore how the organization characteristics make changes because of transplant, to what extend the original characteristics of organization are formed in varies periods, and the causes of formation. On the basis of the exploration, the evolution of the organizational characteristics is outlined, in an attempt to enlightening the further trend of organizational changes in Chinese universities.The study displayed that the Qing government set up the Metropolitan University to defend the insult of foreign invaders, which took the form of the knowledge structure of Japanese universities except for the system of professorate governance and the idea of freedom and autonomy. In MinGuo and Republic of China, serving nation is the mission of universities. Taking the advantages of uncontrolled regime objectively, scholars known as Cai Yuanpei, learning from the ideology of academic freedom and university autonomy, are appointed leaders of educational administration departments and presidents of universities, thus resulting in the professorate governance and the formation of freedom and autonomy. Hence the periods fullydisplayed the organizational characteristics of universities. Since the found of Peoples Republic of China, the government intensified the intervening into universities, regarding the construction of nation, especially economic development, as the top mission of universities. In 1950's, the Party consolidated the leadership of universities, designed the institutions in the mode of governmental institution, turned the multi-discipline comprehensive universities into arts and science universities and special colleges, changed the intellectuals into carders, professors into common labors. During the time, frequent political movements upgraded the intervening of government into universities, and to the utmost in the Cultural Revolution. Disorder and chaos characterized universities in the period. After the reform and open policy, the mission of universities dedicated to the modernization of socialism, thus causing the change of composition in power, hence the Party owning complete leadership was turned into presidents shouldering the responsibilities. Great changes were taking place, the scale of universities broadened, institutions added, management system expanded, knowledge structure integrated, universities activated, western ideology imported and culture in campus flourished to some degree. In 1990's, marked economy developed paid more attention to creative spirits and practical capabilities in talent culti...