The role of the head of department in managing performance in UK universities

The increasing scrutiny of universities has led to increasing pressure on heads of department to deliver increased performance. This paper presents 14 case studies from UK institutions examining in detail and in context how heads of department manage performance. It establishes that heads of department have often struggled due to a lack of options and possibilities to influence performance and a lack of management training to help them achieve it. The paper concludes that the real problem facing universities in this area arises from the fact that the change in role of head of department has not been thought through but has been a reaction to external pressure, leading to ambiguity and confusion.