title: ‘Philanthrocapitalising for Social Change’: A Policy and Practice Perspective of Academisation
Creators: name: Williams, Abigail
Publisher: name: University of Liverpool Repository
Year: 2022

description: Philanthrocapitalising within academisation was introduced into the English education system as part of the radical structural and agency redesign of the English education system. Academisation aimed to diminish the Local Authority role of accountability for schools and introduced new management organisational contracting with central government. Thus, creating opportunities for private individuals and organisations to engage in philantrhocapitalising within academisation. Philanthrocapitalising is perceived to encompass the practices of philanthrocapitalists (Bishop, 2006), who apply business techniques to their giving and engage in social change by changing the way business and government operate. Critically examining philanthrocapitalising is necessary in understanding its place within academisation policy and practice. Thus, this thesis makes an original contribution to the study of philanthrocapitalising by analysing what is involved, how it can be accomplished and what unique contribution it makes within academisation. By exploring the nature of practices at system level, organisational level and individual level, the study assists in developing a greater understanding of the dynamic phenomenon of philanthrocapitalising through the participant’s lived experience (Bogdan and Taylor, 1975), in the perceived pursuit of social change. This study also makes a novel contribution through the application of the theoretical lens of Structuration Theory, proposed by Anthony Giddens who was a key adviser to Tony Blair through the late 1990s and early 2000s when academisation was first developed into policy. Philanthrocapitalising within academisation policy and practice is explored through the lens of the ‘duality of structure’ (Giddens, 1984), which provides a means of understanding structure and agency as a duality and not a dualism within social systems. Empirical data was generated from the study of education legislation and academisation policy documentation as a single institutional case study, 86 Academy Trust contractual documentations and mission statements from their annual reports where used as organisational level cases, and two Academy Trust Members participated to provide primary data case studies. By considering structure (policy) and agency (practice) data together, those that are changing policy and practice for social change are subtly exposed. These changes are explored through the lens of ‘structuration’ (Giddens, 1984), which enables the understanding of the nature of ‘acting differently’ (Giddens, 1984) in the production and reproduction of social systems in the pursuit of social change. Structuration is demonstrated within the study where policy and practice create change within or beyond the system. The study concludes that philanthrocapitalising involves motivation and the capability to act differently (Giddens, 1984). Routine practices are not motivated and are directly adopted from policy. However, because changes within policy and practice are evident in the findings, this illustrates that some individuals do have the motivation and capability to act differently. The evidence suggests that philanthrocapitalising is accomplished through the application of business techniques to giving, changing the way business operate and changing the way government operate (Bishop, 2006). Thus, philanthrocapitalising creates social change. Taken as a whole, this thesis enriches, enhances and extends thinking about academisation policy (structure) and practice (agency) enablers and constraints in the pursuit of social change.