Staff satisfaction in a South African University undergoing transformation

[摘要] English: This study focuses on the impact of change and transformation on thesatisfaction of academic staff in a transforming South African university. TheUniversity of the Free State, which is a historically white Afrikaans-speakinguniversity, was used as a case study in this regard.Theoretical perspectives of what staff satisfaction entails, as well as factors thatinfluence staff satisfaction, are provided. A comparative perspective of the impact ofchange and transformation on staff in a general organisational setting and in highereducation is drawn. This aims at presenting the fact that staff are affected by avariety of factors of internal and external origin, both in organisations generally andin higher education institutions.The historical development of universities from their conception to date is given witha view to establishing how change and transformation have affected academics.South African policies are also discussed to identify how they take cognisance of theneeds of academics, as well as their impact on academic staff within a transforminguniversity.The case study approach is undertaken to provide an in-depth study of staffsatisfaction in a unit case, namely the University of the Free State. Both qualitativeand quantitative research methods are employed to determine the implications ofchange and transformation on academics and their work satisfaction. Questionnaireswere used to reach out to more than 500 permanent lecturing academic staff at theUFS. The results of the questionnaire survey culminated in focus group discussionsand personal interviews with selected academics and the UFS management. Thefocus group interviews presented an opportunity to probe further into the feelings,attitudes, perceptions and expectations of staff with regard to change andtransformation. They furthermore presented an opportunity for academic staff tomake recommendations about the enhancement and improvement of academic staffsatisfaction at the UFS. Personal interviews with selected UFS managers aimed atbringing to the management an awareness of issues of concern among academicstaff and to establish the kind of intervention strategies already in place at the UFSfor the improvement of academic staff satisfaction.The literature amassed served as a conceptual framework and as a point ofdeparture for the empirical investigation. It unearthed the myriad of factors - ofinternal and external origin to the institutions that impact on academic staffsatisfaction during periods of change and transformation. The findings arecongruent with the literature in that they unveil that institutional change andtransformation do not occur unnoticed. These impact on all higher educationstakeholders - academic staff included. For the case study university, a revelationwas made that the academic environment at the University of the Free State must bemade conducive for improved academic staff satisfaction.This research undertaking is neither pursued for its own sake only, nor for thepurposes of attaining a degree (qualification); it is not a case study that is aimed atbenefiting the researcher/student alone. It is, however, an exercise firstly aimed atevaluating academic staff satisfaction at the UFS and, secondly, contributingmeaningfully towards the improvement of academics' working conditions, theirsatisfaction, and the quality of higher education thereof. The guidelines andrecommendations presented at the end serve as pillars that the UFS and otherhistorically white Afrikaans universities with a history and context similar to that ofthe UFS can use for the improvement of academic staff satisfaction. This studyreveals the adverse effects of change and transformation on academics, as well as.the dire need to prepare staff for change.

[发布机构] University of the Free State