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Examines some of the main issues & perspectives presented in the journal's series of biopolitics articles. The author begins by speaking to the trend exhibited by scientists & others interested in the specified field to work cooperatively & to share research data -- this despite diverse research agendas & approaches. The role played by politics within this realm of science is subsequently analyzed. Diverse theoretical perspectives such as those voiced by feminists, political experts, & numerous others underpin an additional part of the article. Possible directions for future research within the field are also discussed. 6 References. A. Simms-Clark

The differences and similarities among the three Scandinavian countries, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden have been discussed by social scientists on several occasions. Focusing on higher education (HE) governance systems, this paper raises three questions. (1) What are the differences and similarities among the three countries? (2) How can the similarities and differences be explained? (3) Are the similarities strong enough to justify the common label of a Scandinavian model ofHEgovernance? The threeHEgovernance systems are briefly described and compared. They are then analyzed as, respectively, outcomes of partisan politics or politico‐administrative regimes. The paper argues that similarities such as publicness, massive investments, and emphasis on access are best explained in terms of partisan politics, while the variation in governance arrangements can best be explained by path dependencies following choices made at critical junctures within similar politico‐administrative regimes.

Contents -- About the Editors -- List of Figures -- List of Tables -- Part I Theory and Approach -- Chapter 1 Setting the Stage-Theory and Research Questions -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Academic Organizations-From Organized Anarchies to Penetrated Hierarchies -- Control in Professional Organizations -- Universities Between Loose Coupling and Tightening -- Institutional Pressures, Resources and Control -- Control of External Resources in University Systems -- Higher Education Politics and Policy -- Implications for the Comparative Analysis of University Governance and University Policy -- Content -- References -- Chapter 2 A Sociological Experiment on Methodological Design-Strengths and Limits of a Pragmatist Approach to Research Methods in the TRUE Project -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Methods, Epistemologies and Communities of Practice -- The TRUE Methodological Approach:A Review of the Experiences -- The Rationale for Methods and the Debate -- Methods in Practice. Implementation and Limitations -- Constructing the Sample -- Collecting Descriptive Information on the Sample -- The Formal Autonomy Questionnaire -- The TRUE Survey of University Members -- Interviews of University Members -- Systematizing Information on Policies -- Methods as a Tool for Knowledge Development -- Comparing Universities -- Comparative Analysis of Policies -- Individual and Small-Group Analyses -- Discussion and Lessons Learned -- References -- Part II Modern Universities as Organizations -- Chapter 3 Working in the Shadow of Hierarchy: Organisational Autonomy and Venues of External Influence in European Universities -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Autonomy, Influence and Control: A Conceptual Framework -- Autonomy as a Situational and Multidimensional Concept -- Formal Autonomy and Autonomy-in-Use -- Our Approach and Data -- Empirical Findings -- Formal Autonomy

Organizational control and environmental influences on organizational behavior are central themes in organization studies, yet little effort has been made to bring them together. In this paper we seek to contribute to filling this gap by investigating and conceptualizing environmental influences on organizational control. The paper examines patterns of organizational control and their environmental couplings through three parallel case studies of public universities in three European countries. We provide a systematic characterization of the space of configurations of control in professional knowledge-intensive organizations along the two axes of centralization of power and formalization of social relationships. We show that environmental characteristics do matter for the contestation and selection of control models. Finally, we unpack and conceptualize the synergetic influence of three environmental characteristics (institutional pressures, resource environment, and external social relationships) as providing sources of legitimacy and power for specific control regimes.

Organizational control and environmental influences on organizational behavior are central themes in organization studies, yet little effort has been made to bring them together. In this paper we seek to contribute to filling this gap by investigating and conceptualizing environmental influences on organizational control. The paper examines patterns of organizational control and their environmental couplings through three parallel case studies of public universities in three European countries. We provide a systematic characterization of the space of configurations of control in professional knowledge-intensive organizations along the two axes of centralization of power and formalization of social relationships. We show that environmental characteristics do matter for the contestation and selection of control models. Finally, we unpack and conceptualize the synergetic influence of three environmental characteristics (institutional pressures, resource environment, and external social relationships) as providing sources of legitimacy and power for specific control regimes.

This book presents a comparative study examining assisted reproductive technology policies in North America and Europe.