scholarly journals Conflict of interest: The case of a non-decision-making committee at a South African public higher education institution

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacobus S. Wessels ◽  
Elmarie Sadler
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
South African ◽  
Conflict Of Interest ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Public Higher Education ◽  
Higher Education Institution ◽  
Hidden Agenda ◽  
High Level

The avoidance of a conflict of interest within private and public institutions is closely associated with good corporate governance. This study departed from the question of whether a conflict of interest is possible within a non-decision-making institutional committee. For this purpose, a high-level non-decision-making committee within a South African public higher education institution was selected as a case study. This article reports on an exploratory qualitative study consisting of qualitative content analysis of the constituting and operational documents of this committee, as well as on a study of the perceptions and lived experiences of the selected committee. It was found that the selected committee was established to be a high-level consultative body for the executive management committee of the university on decisions of strategic operational nature. This committee does not have any decision-making duties. Conflict of interest is perceived by committee members in terms of either the explicit or the hidden agenda metaphor. According to the explicit agenda metaphor, a conflict of interest within a non-decision-making committee is not possible, whilst the hidden agenda metaphor holds that a conflict of interest is the reality of members’ lived experiences. This article provides a comparison of the two perspectives according to three defining attributes of the concept and shows a need for a logical and principled definition of the concept ‘conflict of interest’ within the context of higher education and the public sector at large.

scholarly journals Perspectives of organizational identity in a health higher education institution: a mixed-method analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ubirajara José Picanço de Miranda Junior ◽  
Maria Rita Carvalho Garbi Novaes ◽  
Henrique Batista Araújo Santos ◽  
João Fellipe Santos Tatsch ◽  
Rafael Sanches Ferreira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Organizational Identity ◽  
Mixed Method ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Common Interest ◽  
Public Higher Education ◽  
Higher Education Institution

Abstract Background Among the processes to be experienced by any organization during its establishment is the formation of an organizational identity. This process can be understood as the activity and event through which an organization becomes unique in the mind of its members. An organizational identity leads to an identification and both are directly associated with the success of an institution. This study is about a public higher education institution in health in its early years, with distinctive characteristics in the country where it is situated. In spite of having been successful in the graduation of its students it has fragile institutional bases, lack of autonomy and internal problems common to other institutions of this type. Thus, this study was conducted to understand how this institution defined itself among its own members, the elements of its identity and what justified its relative success despite its weaknesses. Methods A mixed-method approach was used to evaluate how a representative portion of this organization identifies with it. For the qualitative study two focus groups were conducted with transcripts submitted to content analysis proposed by Bardin, culminating in results from which a Likert scale-based questionnaire was elaborated and applied to 297 subjects. Results There were six central elements of the organizational identity made evident by the focus groups: political / ideological conflict; active teaching and learning methodologies; location / separation of campuses; time of existence; teaching career; political-administrative transformations. The quantitative analysis revealed in more detail the general impressions raised in the focus groups. Most results were able to demonstrate distinct identifications of the same identity with its exposed weaknesses. Conclusions Lack of autonomy, administrative and structural shortcomings and ideological or political conflicts presented themselves as problems capable of destabilizing the identity of a public higher education institution. On the other hand, one way to combat such problems is through the development of the institution itself, particularly by becoming more active and useful to the community and seeking in a common interest to the higher administration agencies.

scholarly journals Approbation of the Decision Making Tendency Inventory in the Russian Sample

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 146-163
Author(s):  
A.Yu. Razvaliaeva
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Confirmatory Factor Analysis ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Scale Structure ◽  
Personal Factors ◽  
Higher Education Institution ◽  
Confirmatory Factor ◽  
Ambiguity Intolerance

We present the results of approbating the Decision Making Tendency Inventory (Misuraca et al., 2015) in the Russian sample (N=423, Mage= 25,01, SD = 9,63). The development of H. Simon’s satisficing theory in the current studies is considered. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the theoretical three-scale structure of the inventory. We describe the relations between maximizing, minimizing and satisficing scales and personal factors of decision-making, age, and education (its level and difficulty). The study demonstrates that maximizing and satisficing are close tendencies, implemented in case of making important effortful and resource-consuming (e.g., time-consuming) decisions, whereas minimizing is connected to withdrawal from effort and knowledge, avoidant strategies and ambiguity intolerance. The yielded results suggest that satisficing needs to be trained in conditions of high demands for the cognitive sphere such as studying in a higher education institution.

scholarly journals Promotion of the quality of life of workers in a higher education institution: a scope review

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 254-264
Author(s):  
Isaura Sousa ◽  
Márcia Gouveia ◽  
Tatyanne Rodrigues ◽  
Fernando Lopes Silva Júnior ◽  
Ana Maria Ribeiro dos Santos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Higher Education ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Public Higher Education ◽  
Qualitative Synthesis ◽  
Higher Education Institution ◽  
Worker Health

The present study aimed to map the evidence to provide an overview of actions implemented/executed and scales used in public higher education institutions to promote worker health. A scoping review based on the PCC (Population, Concept, and Context) mnemonic was conducted in PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus and Virtual Health Library (VHL). Population included workers from a higher education institution, the concept referred to studies focusing on the assessment of quality of life and health promotion actions and the context to higher education institutions. Electronic searches were held on December 2019. A qualitative synthesis of the data extracted from included studies (i.e. author, year, study design, sample, country, aims, action implemented/performed, thematic focus, evaluation) was performed. Electronic searches retrieved 3,330 articles that were screened by tittles and abstracts. Of these, 34 studies were fully appraised, of which four reported that actions implemented/executed related to sedentariness, posture and stress. The studies show 49 scales were identified to measuring at least one quality of life item. Through this scoping review the available evidence to provide an overview of actions implemented/executed and scales used in public higher education institutions to promote worker health. Future studies should consider more rigorous designs and objective measures to measure the quality of life of these professionals, and develop target interventions based on factors associated with the work. It is also necessary to evaluate whether the strategies work.

Factors influencing the intention to use social media for work-related purposes at a South African higher education institution

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Liezel Cilliers ◽  
Willie T. Chinyamurindi ◽  
Kim Viljoen
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Media ◽  
South African ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Behavioural Intention ◽  
Intention To Use ◽  
Higher Education Institution ◽  
Media Usage ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Use Of Social Media

Orientation: The rapid development of information communication technology (ICT) has changed much of contemporary society. ICT’s influence extends to the working context with ramifications not only for employees but also for the entire organisation.Research purpose: The primary purpose of this research was to investigate the behavioural intention of a sample of employees at a traditional higher education institution to make use of social media within the workplace.Motivation for the study: Social media has become a common tool within society for communication and networking purposes. An understanding of the factors that influence behavioural intention to use social media within the workplace can assist the organisation to better manage social media usage within the workplace.Research design, approach and method: The research adopted the positivism paradigm with a quantitative research approach. The data were analysed making use of exploratory factor analysis and multiple regression analysis. A traditional higher education institution was chosen as the research site for the study, relying on a convenience sample (n = 134) and data gathered using the work-related social media scale and behavioural intention to use scale.Main findings: Although most employees make use of social media for problem-solving and communication purposes already in the workplace, organisations should allow their employees to help manage their reputation on social media.Practical and managerial implications: An understanding of the factors that influence behavioural intention to use social media within the workplace can serve as a useful precursor for both employee and organisational-specific interventions. This study has specific relevance to the use of ICT platforms, such as social media, in traditional higher education institutions in South Africa. The study’s results are therefore useful to both employees as end-users and managers as drivers of such interventions in the workplace.Contribution: This study is one of the first within a South African work context to investigate social media usage in a traditional higher education institution and proposes a workplace social media usage framework (WSMUF) that helps not only employees but also the entire organisation to predict intention to use social media in the workplace.

scholarly journals Applying behavioural economics in education: study of undergraduate practices of selecting higher educational institutions

2020 ◽  
Vol 74 ◽  
pp. 01035 ◽  
Author(s):  
Velga Vevere ◽  
Arturs Mons
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Process Development ◽  
Educational Institution ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Behavioural Economics ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Higher Education Institution ◽  
Education Study ◽  
Higher Educational

Behavioural economics have become hot topic in research and debate in last few decades. In the context of behavioural economics, it is possible to summarize resemblances and create a system based on predication and regularities of errors, by analysing consumer’s behaviour, which allows to solve issues of future process development. In paper “Applying behavioural economics in education: study of undergraduate practices of selecting educational institutions” the authors identify key factors which influence undergraduates to choose higher education institution. The purpose of this paper is therefore to identify key elements of the behavioural economics that can be used to influence undergraduate selection development in favour of higher education institution. Additionally, within the framework of the study are applied insights of behaviour economics, which help guidance general understanding of undergraduate decision making. Particularly focusing on heuristics, that undergraduates are using to ease the complexity of decision making, which can lead to systematic errors and bias. This study per se synopsizes the definite findings of developing behavioural economics, which allows to apply this knowledge to study undergraduate choice in selecting higher educational institution. In this study were used numerous methods, including literature review, interviews with representatives of higher education and behavioural economics experts and surveying undergraduates.

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