Orientation: Female academics in higher-education institutions face numerous challenges in the continuously changing landscape of South African higher education. Mergers, increasing job demands, ever-increasing class sizes and role conflict inherent in the female role contribute extensively to the manifestation of stress and burnout in this population group.Research purpose: This research was conducted from a salutogenic paradigm, seeking to find ways of avoiding the negative consequences of burnout and contributing towards the positive experience of work engagement for the female academic. The research also explored the effect of the individual academic's sense of coherence (SOC) on her experience of burnout and work engagement.Research design, approach and method: The research was quantitative in nature. A psychometric instrument was sent to all the permanently employed female academics at Unisa and Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), measuring their levels of burnout, work engagement and SOC. The completed questionnaires were statistically analysed. Main findings:The findings included average levels of burnout, with definite signs that the experience of burnout is on the increase. The cynicism sub-dimension of burnout showed increased levels, work engagement scores were just above average and SOC scores were low. Practical/managerial implications:This article offers a psychological interpretation of the variables in the target group. The article contributes towards the body of research studies conducted from a positive psychological paradigm and, specifically, on the female gender. Contribution/value-add:The main recommendations are that university management needs to take cognisance of the alarming symptoms of burnout present in the population under discussion. Strategies are recommended to address these and to nurture work engagement.

Universities depend on committed efforts of all staff members to function effectively. However, where occupational demands outweigh occupational resources, challenging work becomes stressful, followed by an exhausted, disengaged workforce. It is unlikely that disengaged university staff will provide adequate care and service to geographically distant and psychologically isolated learners. As students rely heavily on the support of both administrative staff, as well as academic staff, to manage their learning experience, the work stress experienced by both groups deserves research attention. This study employed a comparative mixed method design, including administrative and academic staff from an Open Distance Learning university in South Africa using the Job Demands-Resources measurement instrument. Findings established from 294 university staff members elucidated staff members' experience of work stress within a mega-distance learning university in the developing world. Mindfulness about the stressors that influence university personnel can inform strategic interventions required to alleviate distress for each employment category.

The competence of distance educators has a significant impact on learners’ success. The paradigm shift for universities to become distance and electronic learning environments justifies the urgency to address competency gaps in distance educators’ competencies efficiently. From a strategic human resource development perspective, the systems theory is used to explain the idea of maximising outputs with the minimum inputs (Biddle, 1986). In this study, distance educators at Unisa reflected on their experienced competency gaps. Where previous studies mainly focus on the size of the gaps, the aim of this article is to highlight the competency gaps likely to have the biggest impact. For this study, we used stratified non-probability sampling, and selected 407 academics who were, at the time of the study, permanently employed at a mega ODL university in South Africa. These academics represented a wide range of colleges, campuses, ages, and genders. The results of this study have implications for capacity building of academic staff in developing world contexts and other contexts where resources are scarce.

This study investigates the role of the e-tutor within an open distance learning (ODL) higher education institution in terms of perceptions of the work roles and assessment of the competencies of the e-tutor. As part of the universities' strategic plan the importance of providing excellent service to learners is strongly emphasised. E-tutors are the learner's first and foremost contact with the university; they invariably become the face of the ODL university for the geographically distant learner. E-tutors are therefore strategically important for the perceived quality and attractiveness of the university, however, they can also be a vulnerable link in the university's educational chain. The process of online tutoring therefore becomes a critical success factor in learners' acceptance of e-learning. The first phase of this research focuses on the e-tutor's perspective, investigating the competencies required by etutors to function effectively in an online environment, as well as their perceived role. A survey was administered to e-tutors in the College of Economic and Management Sciences of the university to assess their perceived roles and competencies. Understanding the importance of these roles and identifying necessary tutoring skills is paramount for the success of e-learning solutions.

The aim of this article is to identify attributes of organisational culture and human resource practices required for successful transitions in mergers and acquisitions. Using primary data from five case studies on mergers and acquisitions, findings show that where neglect of two key ‘soft’ due diligence factors of cultural and human resource compatibility occurs, transition and effective integration of the new entity is hampered. The need for a coherent integration plan including joint teams, effective communication and other appropriate human resource practices is considered vital for successful acculturation. A model for both managerial policy and further research is proposed.