Online program management and potential principal-agent problems

Enrollment pressures and other considerations spur Master of Public Administration online offerings, and specific skillsets are needed for implementation. Online program management providers (OPMs) are for-profit companies that bundle services to establish academic programs in exchange for tuition r...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of public affairs education : J-PAE. Vol. 29; no. 1; pp. 72 - 91
Main Author Wukich, Clayton
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Washington Routledge 02.01.2023
Taylor & Francis
National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration
Subjects
Agreements
College Admission
Companies
Contracts
Corporate Education
Curriculum Development
Distance Education
Enrollment
Enrollments
Instructional Design
Internet
Marketing
Masters Programs
Online Courses
Online program management
Privatization
Program Implementation
Public administration
Public Administration Education
remote learning
Revenue sharing
School Business Relationship
Student Recruitment
technology
Tuition
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Summary:Enrollment pressures and other considerations spur Master of Public Administration online offerings, and specific skillsets are needed for implementation. Online program management providers (OPMs) are for-profit companies that bundle services to establish academic programs in exchange for tuition revenue sharing agreements, upfront fees, or a combination of the two. In such relationships, principal-agent problems may arise in which a company's profit motives conflict with a university's larger set of goals and, as a result, stakeholders should recognize the dynamic. However, the lack of industry transparency and emerging business models impede easy understanding. Analysis of contracts obtained through open records requests and other documents (a) identifies available services and (b) reveals potential problems as well as mitigation tactics. Findings contribute to our understanding of what OPM agreements entail, including the contributions made by faculty and other university personnel.
ISSN:1523-6803
2328-9643
DOI:10.1080/15236803.2022.2105089