The effects of strategic management practices on the university performances in Turkey: A comparative analysis of public and private universities

This thesis focuses on the strategic management practices in Turkish universities, and analyzes the effects of these implementings on the performances of the universities in comparing the performances of public and private universities. The hypotheses generated in this direction, are based on the assumption that strategic management processes in conjunction with the internal and external environment analyses can positively contribute to university performances. The aims of this thesis are to draw attention to the issue of strategic management in public and private universities, to investigate whether these processes are applied or not or if they are done to what extent they are implemented, to test, by a developed model, the effects of these processes on the performances of the universities and at the end to suggest concrete proposals in accordance with the outcomes. The central body of this study, basing on literature search, face to face meeting and two stage questionnaire, is the entire public and private universities in Turkey. In the analysis of the data obtained, we used explanatory factor analysis, confirmative factor analysis (structural equality model), reliability analysis, correlation and path analysis.. The study concludes that the universities in Turkey, do not follow closely the changes and progress encountered both in Turkey and the World, especially in higher education; they do not pay attention to the conditions of competition as well as rivals and do not allow for strategic management practices as much as required..Keywords: Strategy, Strategic Planning, Strategic Management, Strategic Management in Universities, Competition, Universities in Turkey, Corporate Performance