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Tamara: Journal for Critical Organization Inquiry

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Year 2020 
Volume 18 
Issue 1

Workload Allocation Models in Academia: A Panopticon of Neoliberal Control or Tools for Resistance?

Ilaria Boncori
University of Essex

Davide Bizjak
University of Naples Federico II, Italy

Luigi Sicca
University of Naples Federico II, Italy

2020 18 (1) Tamara: Journal for Critical Organization Inquiry

Article contents

Abstract

Academic ‘labour’ within the Higher Education landscape is changing as universities are increasingly managed as business organisations. In the contemporary neoliberal academic context, departments and individuals are required to develop forms of accountability based on quantitative metrics regarding performance, budgets, human resource management and income generation. Drawing from Foucauldian theories of power, this article explores the contentious implementation of workload allocation models in the UK Higher Education sector not only as an illustration of a superimposed managerial tool of control but also as an instrument of resistance. This article suggests that in order to counteract the systematic failure of neoliberal academia at the individual and collective level, these performance management tools can be used as forms of empowerment and resistance. Further, it is recommended that these instruments are designed in a collaborative way to ensure fair and transparent allocations of tasks and responsibilities, and to avoid unmanageable workloads.

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APA style

Boncori, Ilaria & Bizjak, Davide & Sicca, Luigi Maria (2020). Workload Allocation Models in Academia: A Panopticon of Neoliberal Control or Tools for Resistance?. (2020). Workload Allocation Models in Academia: A Panopticon of Neoliberal Control or Tools for Resistance?. Tamara: Journal For Critical Organization Inquiry, 18(1), 51-69. (Original work published 2020)

MLA style

Boncori, Ilaria and Bizjak, Davide and Sicca, Luigi Maria. “Workload Allocation Models In Academia: A Panopticon Of Neoliberal Control Or Tools For Resistance?”. 2020. Tamara: Journal For Critical Organization Inquiry, vol. 18, no. 1, 2020, pp. 51-69.

Chicago style

Boncori, Ilaria and Bizjak, Davide and Sicca, Luigi Maria. “Workload Allocation Models In Academia: A Panopticon Of Neoliberal Control Or Tools For Resistance?”. Tamara: Journal For Critical Organization Inquiry, Tamara: Journal for Critical Organization Inquiry, 18, no. 1 (2020): 51-69.

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