Management of Academics – Problems and Challenges from the Perspective of Transaction Cost Economics

Authors

  • Michał Pietrzak Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Economic Sciences, Department of Economics and Organization of Enterprises https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0418-3436

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18778/0208-6018.347.08

Keywords:

knowledge workers, academics, transaction cost economics, relational contracting, psychological contract

Abstract

Human resources, namely potential of employee’s knowledge, skills and engagement became the key factor in the contemporary economy. This is particularly true in the case of knowledge workers – those with high degrees of expertise, education or experience who are doing highly knowledge intensive jobs. In fact, academics are archetypes of such employees. The paper concerns with the problem of difficulties in detailed defining efforts’ standard in the case of academics. Academics have to invest in assets, which are specific to the relation with employer, also high informational asymmetry plagued their job. Thus, there are high transaction costs involved in the exchange under employment relation umbrella in the higher education. Therefore, some safeguards are needed like long‑term stable employment. There is also the problem of writing ex ante complete contracts as well as monitoring and accountability of researchers work. One of the solution of this problem could be relational contracting rooted in trust and cooperation between sides of the employment relations. Often, so called psychological contracts are embedded in those relations. However, we observe recently in Poland attempts (according to the reforms of higher education sector) of introducing some kind of piece‑rate incentive systems, where piece‑rate means “production” of scientific publications. This is form of departure from traditional model of the university. Such departure could be seen by many academicians as breaching of psychological contract involved in their employment relation, and as such could be counterproductive.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Akerlof G. A. (1970), The Market for „Lemons”: Quality, Uncertainty and the Market Mechanism, „The Quarterly Journal of Economics”, t. 84, nr 3, s. 488–500, https://doi.org/10.2307/1879431
Google Scholar

Akerlof G. A. (2005 [1982]), Labor Contracts as Partial Gift Exchange, [w:] Explorations in Pragmatic Economics. Selected of George A. Akerlof (and co‑authors), Oxford University Press, New York, s. 362–385, reprint.
Google Scholar

Akerlof G. A., Shiller R. J. (2010), Zwierzęce instynkty, Wydawnictwo Studio Emka, Warszawa.
Google Scholar

Alchian A. A. (2006 [1984]), Specificity, Specialization, and Coalitions, [w:] D. K. Benjamin (red.), The Collected Works of Armen A. Alchian. Volume 2: Property Rights and Economic Behavior, Liberty Fund, Indianapolis, s. 269–286, reprint.
Google Scholar

Alchian A. A., Demsetz H. (1972), Production, Information Costs, and Economic Organization, „The American Economic Review”, t. 62, nr 5, s. 777–795.
Google Scholar

Armstrong M. (2010), Strategiczne zarządzanie zasobami ludzkimi, Oficyna a Wolters Kluwer business, Warszawa.
Google Scholar

Armstrong M. (2011), Zarządzanie zasobami ludzkimi, Oficyna a Wolters Kluwer business, Warszawa.
Google Scholar

Arrow K. J. (1969), The Organization of Economic Activity: Issues Pertinent to the Choice of Market versus Non‑market Allocations, http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download;jsessionid=F-5BEB6352F75BFE7B895535FF18525CD?doi=10.1.1.324.971&rep=rep1&type=pdf [dostęp: 2.07.2019].
Google Scholar

Baron J. N., Kreps D. M. (2013), Employment as an Economic and Social Relation, [w:] R. Gibbons, J. Roberts (red.), The Handbook of Organizational Economics, Princeton University Press, Princeton, s. 315–341.
Google Scholar

Barzel Y. (1982), Measurement Cost and the Organization of Markets, „The Journal of Law and Economics”, t. 25, nr 1, s. 27–48, https://doi.org/10.1086/467005
Google Scholar

Barzel Y. (2009), Economic Analysis of Property Rights, Cambridge University Press, New York.
Google Scholar

Campbell D. (2004), Ian Macneil and the Relational Theory of Contract, „CDAMS Discussion Paper” 04/1E, March, s. 1–82.
Google Scholar

Coase R. H. (2013 [1937]), Natura firmy, [w:] R. H. Coase, Firma, rynek i prawo, Oficyna a Wolters Kluwer business, Warszawa, s. 30–50, reprint.
Google Scholar

Coase R. H. (2013 [1960]), Problem kosztu społecznego, [w:] R. H. Coase, Firma, rynek, prawo, Oficyna a Wolters Kluwer business, Warszawa, s. 86–142, reprint.
Google Scholar

Commons J. R. (1931), Institutional Economics, „The American Economic Review”, t. 21, nr 4, s. 648–657.
Google Scholar

Daft R. L., Kendrick M., Vershinina N. (2010), Management, Cengage Learning EMEA, Cheriton House.
Google Scholar

Davenport T. H. (2005), Thinking for a Living: How to Get Better Performance and Results from Knowledge Workers, Harvard Business School Press, Boston.
Google Scholar

Drucker P. F. (1969), Age of Discontinuity, Harper and Row, New York.
Google Scholar

Drucker P. F. (1999), Społeczeństwo pokapitalistyczne, Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN, Warszawa.
Google Scholar

Drucker P. F. (2002), Myśli przewodnie Druckera, Wydawnictwo MT Biznes, Warszawa.
Google Scholar

Furubotn E. G., Richter R. (2011), Institutions and Economic Theory, The University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor.
Google Scholar

Godłów‑Legiędź J. (2012), Spory metodologiczne w ekonomii z perspektywy kryzysu finansowego, [w:] S. Rudolf (red.), Nowa ekonomia instytucjonalna wobec kryzysu gospodarczego, Wydawnictwo Wyższej Szkoły Ekonomii i Prawa im. Prof. Edwarda Lipińskiego w Kielcach, Kielce, s. 45–59.
Google Scholar

Gorynia M. (2000), Zachowania przedsiębiorstw w okresie transformacji. Mikroekonomia przejścia, Wydawnictwo Akademii Ekonomicznej w Poznaniu, Poznań.
Google Scholar

Gruszecki T. (2002), Współczesne teorie przedsiębiorstwa, Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN, Warszawa.
Google Scholar

Hackman J. R., Oldham GR. (1976), Motivation through the Design of Work: Test of the Theory, „Organizational Behavior and Human Performance”, t. 16, s. 250–279.
Google Scholar

Handy C. (1996), Wiek paradoksu, Dom Wydawniczy ABC, Warszawa.
Google Scholar

Hviid M. (2000), Long‑Term Contracts and Relational Contracts, [w:] B. Boudewijn, G. de Geest (red.), Encyclopedia of Law and Economics, Edward Elgar Pub., Cheltenham, s. 46–72.
Google Scholar

Iwanek M., Wilkin J. (1998), Instytucje i instytucjonalizm w ekonomii, Wydział Nauk Ekonomicznych Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego, Warszawa.
Google Scholar

Jan Paweł II (1981), Encyklika Laborem exercens, https://w2.vatican.va/content/john‑paul‑ii/pl/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp‑ii_enc_14091981_laborem‑exercens.html [dostęp: 2.07.2019].
Google Scholar

Kay J. (1996), Podstawy sukcesu firmy, Polskie Wydawnictwo Ekonomiczne, Warszawa.
Google Scholar

Klein B., Crawford R. G., Alchian A. A. (2006 [1978]), Vertical Integration, Appropriable Rents, and the Competitive Contracting Process, [w:] D. K. Benjamin (red.), The Collected Works of Armen A. Alchian. Volume 2: Property Rights and Economic Behavior, Liberty Fund, Indianapolis, s. 179–213, reprint.
Google Scholar

Król H. (2007), Podstawy koncepcji zarządzania zasobami ludzkimi, [w:] H. Król, A. Ludwiczyński, Zarządzanie zasobami ludzkimi. Tworzenie kapitału ludzkiego organizacji, Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN, Warszawa, s. 50–91.
Google Scholar

Leibenstein H. (1983), Property Rights and X‑Efficiency: Comment, „The American Economic Review”, t. 73, nr 4, s. 831–842.
Google Scholar

Leja K. (2013), Zarządzanie uczelnią. Koncepcje i współczesne wyzwania, Oficyna a Wolters Kluwer business, Warszawa.
Google Scholar

Macneil I. R. (1985), Relational Contract: What We Do and Do Not Know, „Wisconsin Law Review”, nr 3, s. 484–525.
Google Scholar

North D. C. (2011), Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Google Scholar

North D. C., Willis J. A. (1994), Integrating Institutional Change and Technical Change in Economic History. A Transaction Cost Approach, „Journal of Theoretical and Institutional Economics”, t. 150, nr 4, s. 609–624.
Google Scholar

Pietrzak M. (2016), Nadzór właścicielski, nadzór korporacyjny czy „samo‑władztwo oligarchii akademickiej”? – Dylematy ładu akademickiego w publicznych szkołach wyższych w świetle nowej ekonomii instytucjonalnej, „Studia Prawno‑Ekonomiczne”, t. C, s. 285–302.
Google Scholar

Polanyi K. (2010), Wielka transformacja, Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN, Warszawa.
Google Scholar

Robbins S. P., DeCenzo D. A. (2002), Podstawy zarządzania, Polskie Wydawnictwo Ekonomiczne, Warszawa.
Google Scholar

Shore C., Wright S. (1999), Audit Culture and Anthropology: Neo‑liberalism in British Higher Education, „Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute”, t. 5, nr 4, s. 557–575.
Google Scholar

Shore C., Wright S. (2015), Audit Culture Revisited. Rankings, Ratings, and the Reassembling of Society, „Current Anthropology”, t. 56, nr 3, s. 421–444, https://doi.org/10.1086/681534
Google Scholar

Smythe J. (2009), CEO – dyrektor do spraw zaangażowania, Oficyna a Wolters Kluwer business, Kraków.
Google Scholar

Sobczak A. (2018), Podmiotowość pracy i towarowość usług. Analiza prawna, Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego, Kraków.
Google Scholar

Steinmann H., Schreyögg G. (2001), Zarządzanie. Podstawy kierowania przedsiębiorstwem. Koncepcje, funkcje, przykłady, Oficyna Wydawnicza Politechniki Wrocławskiej, Wrocław.
Google Scholar

Straffin P. D. (2004), Teoria gier, Wydawnictwo Naukowe Scholar, Warszawa.
Google Scholar

Sułkowski Ł. (2016), Kultura akademicka. Koniec utopii?, Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN, Warszawa.
Google Scholar

Wilkin J. (2016), Instytucjonalne i kulturowe podstawy gospodarowania. Humanistyczna perspektywa ekonomii, Wydawnictwo Naukowe Scholar, Warszawa.
Google Scholar

Williamson O. E. (1983), Markets and Hierarchies: Analysis and Antitrust Implications. A Study in the Economics of Internal Organization, The Free Press, New York.
Google Scholar

Williamson O. E. (1985), The Economic Institutions of Capitalism, The Free Press, New York.
Google Scholar

Williamson O. E. (2000), The New Institutional Economics: Taking Stock, Looking Ahead, „Journal of Economic Literature”, t. 38, s. 595–613, https://doi.org/10.1257/jel.38.3.595
Google Scholar

Published

2020-04-03

How to Cite

Pietrzak, M. (2020). Management of Academics – Problems and Challenges from the Perspective of Transaction Cost Economics. Acta Universitatis Lodziensis. Folia Oeconomica, 2(347), 129–148. https://doi.org/10.18778/0208-6018.347.08

Issue

Section

Articles