A multiple case study analysis exploring the process small private tuition-dependent colleges and universities go through when deciding to engage in a particular revenue diversification activity / Sean J. Ryan.

Format:

Book

Manuscript

Thesis/Dissertation

Author/Creator:

Ryan, Sean J.

Contributor:

Moneta, Laurence, advisor.

Naughton, Blake A., committee member.

Stemmer, John K., committee member.

University of Pennsylvania. Higher Education Management.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Penn dissertations--Higher Education Management.

Higher Education Management--Penn dissertations.

Local Subjects:

Penn dissertations--Higher Education Management.

Higher Education Management--Penn dissertations.

Physical Description:

xii, 226 pages ; 29 cm

Production:

2013.

Summary:

Revenue diversification efforts have been going on at colleges since the late 18th century. In the early years revenue diversification activities were simply an outgrowth of the development of higher education. Over the past thirty-five years colleges and universities have become much more aggressive in diversifying revenue from both educational and non-educational activities. However, the concept of diversifying revenue is a fairly new phenomenon for a growing number of small private tuition-dependent colleges and universities. Research focusing on revenue diversification efforts in small private tuition-dependent colleges and universities is nearly non-existent. Therefore, the understanding of how small colleges and universities which are heavily tuition-dependent successfully diversify revenue is still evolving. Literature offers no evident "best practices" to specifically help small private tuition-dependent institutions successfully diversify revenue.

The purpose of this study was to explore the process small private tuition-dependent colleges and universities go through when deciding to engage in a particular revenue diversification activity. There is limited knowledge of how institutions in this segment can successfully diversify revenue, understand the challenges encountered throughout the process, and consider ways in which the revenue diversification efforts intersect with institutional mission. Qualitative research methods were employed and purposeful sampling was conducted to identify three small private tuition-dependent institutions which have demonstrated success in diversifying revenue. A multiple case study approach was used to address the overarching research question for this study: What processes do small private tuition-dependent colleges and universities go through when deciding to engage in a particular revenue diversification activity? More specifically, this study explored the motivations for revenue diversification, the selection process of the activity, challenges institutions face during implementation, how institutions reconcile the initiative with their mission, and any "new net returns" the activity produced beyond additional revenue.

The three institutions studied were Southern New Hampshire University, Manchester, New Hampshire; Benedictine University, Lisle, Illinois; and Lasell College, Newton, Massachusetts. These three case studies offer findings that may serve as a practical resource to higher education decision makers, stakeholders, and other researchers interested in the topic of revenue diversification at small private tuition-dependent colleges and universities.

Notes:

Adviser: Laurence Moneta.

Thesis (Ed.D. in Education) -- University of Pennsylvania, 2013.

Includes bibliographical references.