This study, written by Professor María José González López, of the Department of Financial Economics and Accounting of the University of Granada, starts from an idea of the University as an economic production unity, a company requiring appropriate management tools. And she reaffirms this consideration, insisting that universities must organize their human, technical and material resources, arrange certain organizational and productive structures and mix with the social setting to achieve their goals, typical aspects of business activity.
According to the author of the book, “however, the university is not just a company; it has certain particular features derived from their public nature, the type of service rendered, and its special organization and direction, which make it different from the rest and, consequently, justify the search for specific management instruments, in general, as well as financial ones in particular”.
The book “The incidence of the financial function on university policies”, published by the University of Granada, is an approach to the study of university financing and its possible improvement. To this end, according to the author, they have analysed the answers given in the developed countries and the financial instruments that are being introduced in the last years in some Spanish autonomous regions and universities. “Our final objective –the author says- has been to reflect on the characteristics assignment mechanisms and distribution resources should join and analyse the incidence of the financial function in university policies”.
The study of Professor María José González López suggests, at the same time, to reflect on the present concept of university in Spain and the role it must play in the society, with the intention of specifying, as far as possible, the activities such works involve. She defines Spanish university, in general, as “an institution in the service of society, whose function is knowledge creation and transmission.”
In this field, the book analyses two important aspects relating to, on the one hand, the relationship between University and society and, on the other hand, the specific service activities and functions, mainly based on knowledge, developed by the University.
Reference:
Professor María José González López. Department of Financial Economics and Accounting. University of Granada.
Phone number: 958 248339
E-mail: mglopez@platon.ugr.es
