‘If I wasn’t a project manager, I’d look at it differently’: the impact of formality and accountability on entrepreneurial action within educational outreach programmes

ABSTRACT This presented study explores the ongoing Uni Connect Programme run by the UK government to widen participation among underrepresented young people. The research focused on one specific local authority that delivers Uni Connect activities, gathering data from eight in-depth interviews (project manager N = 2, activity coordinators N = 6) and the Higher Education Access Tracker (HEAT). Analysis of the data was used to critically examine the practices of activity providers and activity coordinators involved in the local authorities Uni Connect initiative. The data was analysed using thematic analysis drawing from concepts of organisational flattening and the delegation of authority. The paper makes an original contribution by presenting a theoretical model that highlights organisational asymmetry in delivering educational outreach programmes when entrepreneurial activity designers are forced to operate within hierarchical systems. This is important to understand as systematic and impersonal issues within the organisation lead to poorer outcomes for students who require specific outreach, even when stakeholders recognise the needs.