Empirical Research Of University Governance Structure Based On Social Network Analysis

Since the university governance stepped into the vision of researchers, scholars have conducted the research from the visual angles of the idea of a university, the corporate governance, the principal-agent theory etc.But the former university governance researches focus more on the constructions of ideal governance pattern and ignore the analysis of the existing patterns. In order to consummate the university governance structure in China, we can not just copy the structures in other countries; we can only achieve the goal by making system innovation. The premise of innovation is to understand the existing patterns and present the real structure in quantification. Therefore, this study seems quite necessary.Firstly, we look for innovation and breakthrough on the basis of existing literature about university governance structure. Around the study about university governance structure in China, to defined the concept of "university governance" and "university governance structure". Clarified the theoretical basis of this study-the theory of social network and the theory of governance.Secondly, according to the social network analysis division, the study works on the quantitative measurements on the core of university governance structure——power structure. The following study divides university governance structure into six substructures. The social network analysis method is applied to analyze the density, centrality and the role definition of the substructures. We simplify the network, clearly present the levels and the functions of school leaders, different sections and colleges in an organization governance practice and lay a foundation for further study on university governance.Finally, based on the description of the current governance structure of the sample schools, the study found the university leadership and the administrative departments occupy the leading position. With the decline of decision-making layers, teaching institutions are authorities more power, while the leadership power is reduced. Among them, compared with the public school, private colleges are more centralization of power; compared with the undergraduate institutions, vocational colleges are more centralization of powecal method.Via the research of the current governance structure, the study attempt to probe the effective way to perfect university governance structure so as to provide a practical method for sustainable higher education development.