Deconstructing quality in South African higher education

Fomunyam, Kehdinga George

doi:10.1108/qae-11-2016-0072

Cited by 9 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Working condition includes not only the physical elements around the work area of an employee but also all things that form part of the organization’s culture and employee’s involvement with the work itself (Edgar and Geare, 2005; Markowitsch, 2018). It is the total cluster of observable physical, psychological and behavioral elements in the workplace which operates in an increasingly complex and challenging environment (Psomas and Antony, 2017; Fomunyam, 2018). A positive working condition is believed to make employees feel good about coming to work and provide the necessary motivation to sustain them throughout the work.…”

Section: Underlying Theory and Past Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Influences of working condition and faculty retention on quality education in private universities in Bangladesh

Ashraf

2019

IJEM

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to examine the influence of working condition on faculty retention and quality education in the private higher education sector; and second, to see whether there is any mediating role of faculty retention linking working condition and quality education in the private universities in Bangladesh. Design/methodology/approach To attain these objectives, a total of 516 data were collected from the faculty members of the private universities located all over the country based on random sampling procedure. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling technique. Findings The findings of the study reveal that though working condition has a direct significant influence on both faculty retention and quality education and faculty retention has a partial mediating influence on quality education in private higher education institutes in Bangladesh. Research limitations/implications From a research perspective, the study results demonstrate once again the robustness of the Muslow’s hierarchy need theory of motivation for helping to explain the faculty members of the private universities. As more and more studies of faculty behavior and its antecedents are done within the similar framework, the author is more able to discover and confirm which antecedents are most important, helping the author build a robust theory of quality education affected based on human resource practices by the management of the institutes. Practical implications From a practical perspective, as a cumulative body of work on the nexus between human resource management and quality education emerges, the author will be better able to advise private university authorities on the elements they need to address in order to excel quality education. In this study, the one area of findings that may help university authorities the most concerns work environment. These findings imply that in order to excel quality education the authorities of the private universities should focus more on friendly and enjoyable working environment for prolonging faculty retention and excelling quality education. Originality/value This study has revealed an important contribution focusing the influence of working condition on faculty retention as well as quality education in private universities in Bangladesh.

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Section: Underlying Theory and Past Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Quality in higher education is not a new issue, and it has been the subject of debate for decades (Fomunyam, 2018). There are a large number of reports and theoretical works on quality from the perspective of quality assurance and quality improvement.…”

Section: Underlying Theory and Past Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influences of working condition and faculty retention on quality education in private universities in Bangladesh

Ashraf

2019

IJEM

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“…In addition, issues of staff capacity affect the daily duties of the lecturers because they have to serve on numerous committees and engage in time-consuming administrative duties. Factors from the external environment have an impact specifically on staff capacity, as institutions have experienced a decrease in funding from government (Fomunyam, 2018); so appointing additional help must be funded from other sources.…”

Section: Discussion and Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Universities as Systems: Exploring the Lecturers’ Experience

Meyer-Heydenrych¹,

Stiehler-Mulder²

2018

Proceedings of the 8th Business &Amp; Management Conference, Venice

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South African higher education institutions are faced with a number of challenges (Mushemeza, 2016), and as an important role player and service provider in society (PwC, 2013), higher education institutions should be enabled to respond proactively to societal needs and changes. Systems theory dictates that organisations (including higher education institutions) need to understand that they function within a system, and that all the areas within this system are interrelated and should work in synergy (Ingram, 2018). Mofokeng (2002:69) specifically argues for the importance of the role of the lecturer within higher education institutions, because they serve as important service providers in a people-intensive system. As an initial step towards understanding how universities can become more responsive to changing needs, this paper takes a systems perspective of a university. It opens with a focus on one unit: the role of the lecturer as an important service provider in this complex and interrelated system. The objectives of the study also include a service design perspective to understanding lecturers, and therefore focus predominantly on exploring and uncovering their overall experiences at a specific university in South Africa. The study makes use of a qualitative and exploratory research design, and presents findings from in-depth interviews conducted with eight lecturers. Data were analysed using an interpretative analytical perspective (Strauss & Corbin, 1990) and themes were developed. The main themes identified include 'Time management', 'Student concerns', and 'Teaching and research'. A framework demonstrating the interrelatedness of the themes, as well as the impact of the two themes, 'Time management' and 'Student concerns', on lecturers' core function (teaching and research) is presented. Recommendations focused on the removal of specific time-consuming duties, as well as the improvement of identified concerns about students, are proposed. The recommendations strive to provide initial solutions to optimising this specific unit in the greater complex system of a university structure.

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“…Now, let us turn to the topic of quality education. Fomunyam (2018) asserts that quality education is not a new issue, and it has been the subject of debate for decades. There are a large number of reports and theoretical works on quality education from the perspective of quality assurance and quality improvement.…”

Section: Quality and Quality Education: Concepts And Definitionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

How do you change the world? The role of working condition in quest for excellence in quality education: evidence from Bangladesh

Ashraf

2020

MBE

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships between quality education and human resource management practices of faculty supervisor’s support, job autonomy and working condition in the private universities. Specifically, how does the working atmosphere in the private universities in Bangladesh play a mediating role in the links between faculty supervisory support and job autonomy toward excelling quality education? Design/methodology/approach To answer this question, a theoretical framework using the strategic contingency theory as its basis was established. Data (n = 515) were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings The findings of the study indicate that faculty supervisor’s support and working condition have significant positive relations with quality education and the working condition has an important mediating role in the links between supervisor’s support, job autonomy and quality education in the private universities in Bangladesh. Research limitations/implications First, the study used faculty as respondents from only 19 private universities in Bangladesh where more than 100 universities are in active operation at present. Second, the study included only top-ranking private universities and ignored other low-grade local private universities ranked by the university grant commission and they should be included in the study. Third, this study did not include public universities in the survey. Fourth, only two antecedents to the working environment toward quality education were included. Finally, this study collected data only from the faculty of the school of business and economics for examining their opinion. Practical implications From an academic and practical perspective, as a cumulative body of study on the relationship between different HRM practices and quality education, this paper will be better able to advise concerned authorities of higher education intuitions on the elements they need to address to ensure quality teaching and learning in their institutes. Social implications Several factors that directly and indirectly influence quality education through pleasant working environments appear to the surface. Thus, to create a vital working condition in private universities, academic leaders or authorities should be aware to make some improvements. Originality/value The study reveals a paramount finding that can help academicians and authorities of private higher education institutes.

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Deconstructing quality in South African higher education

Cited by 9 publications

References 14 publications

Influences of working condition and faculty retention on quality education in private universities in Bangladesh

Influences of working condition and faculty retention on quality education in private universities in Bangladesh

Universities as Systems: Exploring the Lecturers’ Experience

How do you change the world? The role of working condition in quest for excellence in quality education: evidence from Bangladesh

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