Research On The Function Of Institutional Research As Decision Support In The United States

In the next decade, Institutional Research (IR) in China will enter the professional development stage. IR will be embedded in the organizational structure of Chinese universities. IR officers will actively participate in the design and construction of Management Information System (MIS). What are the purposes of IR and MIS? What functions will they play? This is the question that should be answered firstly. IR in the US has a long history and is the most mature. But the function of IR is still not well-defined. So there is great need to research the function of IR through in-depth study.IR has many functions. This research chooses its core function of decision support as the research topic. We based the research on the theory of IR as Organization Intelligence, Structure-Function Paradigm, Professionalization and Professional Autonomy. On the basis of the literature review and in-depth interviews to IR office managers, we design, review and modify the questionnaire. Following a strict sampling procedures, we sampled from the membership database of the Association for Institutional Research and conducted the survey to IR officers in the US. This dissertation focused on the decision makers, decision issues and decision-making processes and discussed the IR function as decision support. In each chapter, we firstly describe the function of IR as decision support, secondly analyze the relationship between IR officer’ characteristics, office structures, institutional characteristics and the function of IR as decision support, lastly we explore further through theoretical analysis and model building.Through empirical analysis and discussion, we draw the following five conclusions:First, IR department usually reports to the Chief Academic Officer (CAO). IR officers’responsibilities are usually focused on enrollment management and student learning outcomes assessment. CAO is the first customer of IR. IR officers has responsibilities in student learning outcomes assessment, enrollment management, faculty issues and planning issues but focuses primarily on enrollment management and student learning outcomes assessment. These two issues are in the charge of CAOs.Second, the function of IR as decision support has some relationship with IR officers’individual, office and institutional characteristics. The frequency of IR studies for top decision-makers has some relationship with IR officers’financial data access, IR office size and institutional size. IR officers’responsibilities in various decision issues have some relationship with IR officers’role, highest degree, experience, office reporting line, data access, institutional level and type. IR officers’perceptions about directly participating in decision-making processes and organizational support are the main factors that influence IR officers’ participation in the decision-making processes.Third, the profession of IR is affected by accreditors and the specific institution IR officer works in. The IR profession is transforming from the differentiation to integration. Since the late1980s, regional accreditors have been increasing emphasizing on student learning outcomes assessment, institutional effectiveness and planning. IR profession began to differentiate. But colleges and universities conducting assessment, institutional effectiveness, and planning activities are more and more aware of the importance of IR officers’ active participation in these activities. This promotes IR profession from differentiation toward integration.Fourth, data, analytical, consulting and leadership support are the four levels of IR as decision support. The data support and analytical support are the basic level of decision-making process support. Consulting and leadership support are the senior-level of decision-making process support. The higher level of IR officers’ decision-making process support, the higher level of professional skills IR officers should obtain.Fifth, the function of IR as decision support will be in a dynamic evolution because of different perceptions of IR officers and organizational support. Due to the different perceptions of IR officers and organizational support, the function of IR as decision support will show four cases—full play, replaced, can not play, and limited play. The function of IR as decision support will be undergone a dynamic evolution.In light of these conclusions, this paper put forward four proposal for IR development in China:to promote the professionalization of IR and establish IR professional identity; to plan the IR office reporting line and structure and provide organizational guarantee for IR; to focus on student affairs as the breakthrough to establish analytical database; to train IR officers to provide personnel guarantee for IR.This research is the first system and in-depth research on the function of IR as decision support. The innovations of this research including choosing the function of IR as decision support as the research question and exploring on it; introducing new perspectives-the structure-function analysis and Sociology of Profession; following the empirical research paradigm as for the research process and method; concluding with a set of innovative conclusions.