University motivations for expansion: the role of competing institutional logics

This paper investigates university expansionary activities and the role of multiple institutional logics. It identifies the institutional logic of corporatisation and a logic related to community benefit as competing rationalities for public university international activities. Export activities in terms of international student recruitment and transnational delivery of courses are found to be justified in revenue terms as well as in terms of academic and social impact. Grounded in empirical findings is evidence of competing institutional logics which are reflected in the justifications for export given by 29 senior international managers at 13 Australian universities. Through semi- structured interviews it emerges that these public universities are simultaneously influenced by corporate motivations and motivations related to academic communities. This research draws from higher education management and international business to contribute to our understanding of pluralistic environments and our understanding of how multiple institutional logics impact patterns of action.