The study aims to determine the relationship between the talent mindset (TM) and organisational commitment (OC) of academic heads of departments. There is a vast problem in the higher education sector with regards to retaining academic staff members. In order for higher education institutions to attract and more specifically retain academic talent, one needs to implement a sound talent management model. Before such a model can be implemented with success, the organisation first needs to have a positive talent mindset. The relationship between talent mindset and organisational commitment may provide a means to develop appropriate interventions or strategies in order to enhance the talent mindset by focusing on improving the organisational commitment and vice versa. Two instruments, namely the Talent Mindset Index (TMI) and Organisational Commitment Questionnaire (OCQ), were administered to a sample of 116 heads of departments at a leading university in South Africa, 53 completed questionnaires were obtained. The responses were analysed using correlation analysis and quantitative techniques. Results confirm that the presence of OC is associated with a positive TM. Therefore, the study provides evidence that there is a correlation between OC and the TM of academic heads of departments. Thus, if management utilises existing techniques to increase OC, this should lead to the enhancement of the heads of departments’ TM. The enhanced TM would equip them to implement a talent management model to attract and retain academic staff. / Dissertation MCom University of Pretoria, 2014 / Human Resource Management / unrestricted

This study aimed at exploring the level of job satisfaction among academic staff members in Ethiopian public universities. For this purpose, a conceptual framework incorporating group of constructs, namely university policies and support, working conditions, student achievement, and demographic factors was developed based on the literature reviewed in the study. A descriptive survey research design was employed in the study to collect and analyse quantitative data obtained from participants. Clustered and systematic random sampling techniques were used in the study to choose 400 academic staff members from eight public universities. A questionnaire comprising closed- and open-ended questions, and Likert scale items was adapted in order to gather data from the participants. Descriptive and inferential statistical procedures were used to analyse the relationships between all the study constructs with the help of IBM SPSS, version 25. The study revealed that there were significant differences among different demographic groups, and positive relationships between job satisfaction and its defining constructs. The study also found that most of the academic staff members were dissatisfied with their jobs. Female academic staff members were more significantly dissatisfied with students‟ discipline policy, university governance and support, their salary, workload, communication, and students‟ achievement than male academic staff members. Male academic staff members were, however, more significantly satisfied with the promotion policy and more significantly dissatisfied with reward than the female academic staff members. The study revealed that academic staff members significantly differed in the level of job satisfaction corresponding to their age and qualification. The study also indicated that academic staff members significantly differed in the level of job satisfaction corresponding to their work experience and academic rank. Significant correlations between the eight constructs and job satisfaction of academic staff members were also found in the study. Finally, the study recommended directions for policy amendment and implications for practice and future research relevant to the issue under study. / Educational Studies / D. Phil. (Education)