Abstract:

This paper seeks to provide understanding of the construction of value proposition in higher education sector from the translation perspective. Purpose is to investigate how institutions of higher education communicate their values in a strategic level. More specifically, the paper analyzes how values are articulated in mission statements of higher education institutions. Methodology / approach – the paper grounds the approach of translation to the idea of value in higher education. The research was carried out selecting universities and universities of applied sciences of Lithuania as a case study and the study was conducted using a content analysis of mission statements. Findings highlight how values in higher education institutions are distributed via editing rules in complex and competitive conditions. This paper elucidates the communication gap in translating and constructing of value proposition. The contribution of this paper sheds light on the institutional dynamics of conformity and competitive advantage in higher education sector.