Rethinking ‘macro’ and ‘meso’ levels of new institutional analysis: the case of international education corporations

Abstract

Private tutoring is a worldwide phenomenon, long-popular in Europe and Asia (Baker & LeTendre, 2005; Bray, 2003; Stevenson & Baker, 1992), and increasingly so in North America (Aurini, 2004; Aurini & Davies, 2004; Davies, 2004). However, this K-12 “supplementary education” or “shadow education” sector is being transformed. Until recently it has been a cottage industry of individual tutors and test prep companies, but corporate bodies are revolutionizing it around the globe. For instance, Kumon has spread from Japan to now boast 26,000 franchises in 43 countries.¹ Educate, Inc., the umbrella company for industry giant Sylvan Learning Center, currently operates 950 centers in North America, and 900 in Europe under the Schülerhilfe brand. Several franchises have expanded from their original target market of math and reading tutoring to aggressively enter new niches, including SAT/ACT prep, high school credits, online tutoring, and post-secondary programs.² These corporations are thriving in niches with relatively little competition from established public schools or non-profit institutions. The largest corporations are publicly traded and rank among top companies in business circles.

Citation

Davies, S. and Aurini, J. (2006), "Rethinking ‘macro’ and ‘meso’ levels of new institutional analysis: the case of international education corporations", Baker, D.P. and Wiseman, A.W. (Ed.) The Impact of Comparative Education Research on Institutional Theory (International Perspectives on Education and Society, Vol. 7), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 121-136. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1479-3679(06)07006-X