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No / Within the academic career literature, disabled academics are under-researched, despite calls for career theory development through the exploration of marginalized groups' career experiences and the boundaries which shape these experiences. Here, boundaries refer to the symbolic resources which become reified to construct social boundaries shaping what is and is not possible in career contexts. This article contributes to the advancement of academic career theory by enabling insights into impairment effects as an embodied career boundary for disabled academics and outlining how experiences of impairment effects and disabled academics' agency are entangled with their career context and organizational members' responses. Impairment effects shape career choices and opportunities, by being negated, and/or influencing expectations of employers to provide inclusive contexts which acknowledge impairment effects as a legitimate organizing principle. However this recognition of impairment as a legitimate organizing principle is not always reciprocated, with implications for disabled academics' careers.

No / When it comes to university choices for both students and academics, it might seem like everyone wants to study and work in the institutions that top the league tables and the world rankings – but research seems to indicate this isn’t the case.

Today, feminist theory, instead of accompanying a movement or being generated by a movement, is out there on its own. There is no large-scale social movement to complement it and to act on it. The energy and excitement of collective action is what many feminists miss and what is implied through critiques of contemporary feminist theory. The lament is for unity, for what was conceived of as “sisterhood” and what emerges as a myth. Many feminists share a nostalgia for a time that was filled with the potential for and intensity of social revolution. When we look at the theory of early second wave feminism and the theory of more recent years, the differences are negligible. What is different, and glaringly so, is the social climate. Theory is not to blame; we are. Theory is not the culprit. Theory is just as impacting and politically useful as it ever was, but it is missing its partner. This realization should be no cause for alarm, however, because there still exist many opportunities for activism, albeit different sorts of activism, based on different sorts of political issues that complement our present needs and abilities. / Master of Arts

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / This study set out to investigate the social and institutional factors which impact on the retention and progression of female academics in four universities in Zimbabwe. Drawing on a qualitative research methodology the aim of the study was to understand seeking to unpack the factors that shape the low representation of female academics in occupational spheres, the study finds unequal gender-based patterns in Zimbabwean society as a key condition that finds its way into the four institutions. In this regard, the patterns and shape of gender relations, based on the principles of kinship, become the platform for unequal relations among male and female academic staff. This manifests itself in different ways, including the (negative) role played by the extended kin family in the progression of married women academics to higher level management posts, resistance to women's authority by both men and women, the culture of male domination within institutions which works to the disadvantage of female academics and stereotypical behaviour by men within the institutions stand the social and institutional factors related to the retention and progression of female academics in four institutions in Zimbabwe.

The restructuring of the South African higher education system ranges widely across mergers and incorporations, the creation of new institutional forms, regional-level programme collaboration and rationalisation. The Council on Higher Education (CHE) calls for greater productivity and more cost-effective deployment of resources. Such changes need to be managed effectively in order for staff and managers to adapt and find new ways to operate effectively within the changing environment and to maintain job satisfaction. The aim of this study was to critically evaluate job satisfaction levels during the transitional period of merger in the case of Walter Sisulu University (WSU), as organisational excellence can be achieved when employees experience job satisfaction. The research method employed to gather data was that of quantitative design. The sample consisted of academics and non-academics of WSU employees from the former Border Technikon, Eastern Cape Technikon and University of Transkei. The instrument used to collect data was a modified version of the 1977 Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ). Of the 130 respondents 69 were academics and 61 non-academics. Key findings of the study indicated that there are more factors that contribute to job dissatisfaction compared to those factors that contribute to job satisfaction dimension. The results also indicated that the majority of respondents were dissatisfied with most of the job satisfaction factors. The paper recommends that, during a transitional period, human capital issues should be accorded the proper attention and should be addressed early in order to maintain high staff morale (job satisfaction). This will create a smooth transition during which employees will feel valued and experience job satisfaction. / Business Management / M. Tech. (Business Administration)

The restructuring of the South African higher education system ranges widely across mergers and incorporations, the creation of new institutional forms, regional-level programme collaboration and rationalisation. The Council on Higher Education (CHE) calls for greater productivity and more cost-effective deployment of resources. Such changes need to be managed effectively in order for staff and managers to adapt and find new ways to operate effectively within the changing environment and to maintain job satisfaction. The aim of this study was to critically evaluate job satisfaction levels during the transitional period of merger in the case of Walter Sisulu University (WSU), as organisational excellence can be achieved when employees experience job satisfaction. The research method employed to gather data was that of quantitative design. The sample consisted of academics and non-academics of WSU employees from the former Border Technikon, Eastern Cape Technikon and University of Transkei. The instrument used to collect data was a modified version of the 1977 Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ). Of the 130 respondents 69 were academics and 61 non-academics. Key findings of the study indicated that there are more factors that contribute to job dissatisfaction compared to those factors that contribute to job satisfaction dimension. The results also indicated that the majority of respondents were dissatisfied with most of the job satisfaction factors. The paper recommends that, during a transitional period, human capital issues should be accorded the proper attention and should be addressed early in order to maintain high staff morale (job satisfaction). This will create a smooth transition during which employees will feel valued and experience job satisfaction. / Business Management / M. Tech. (Business Administration)

The maintaining of health and well-being in the academic field of work is a widespread challenge. The increased interest in social capital provides an opportunity for public health coordinators in the academic field to advance their social agendas so that optimal development within the relationship between social capital and health and well-being can be constant that in turn enhance good working environments. This relationship between social capital and health and well-being is embedded in networks of trust which lead to coordination and cooperation in the academic field of work for mutual benefit. Provided by social capital, there is a great opportunity for health coordinators, to flex their theoretical muscles in coming to grips with the social elements of health determinants and health promotions within the academic field of work. To understand the more progressive interpretation of social capital, it calls for the creation of health promoting communities through a process of mutual reinforcement of the social and the economic sector (workplace). This study will distinguish between the micro, meso and macro levels of social capital within health and well-being, within the academic field of work, with the specific linking, bonding and bridging in their specific dimensions. / Thesis (M.A.(Sociology) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2014

Learning Management Systems (LMS) have become a common feature in contemporary Higher Education institutions worldwide. LMS literature shows that the level of interest and/or knowledge among academics towards the importance and usefulness of these systems, and the opportunities they can bring to the teaching process are key factors affecting the degree of use of LMS in HE. To date, most of these studies have taken place in the context of developed countries, and there is only limited research in other areas. In recent years, LMS have been adopted widely in Saudi Arabia’s Higher Education sector, however, there are no strong and detailed data regarding the subject in this context, which could impede future developments. On the other hand, academics were chosen as the main focus of this investigation because studies have revealed that they have the most vital role in promoting and enhancing the use of LMS. Therefore, this research investigates academics’ adoption and usage of LMS in Saudi Arabia’s universities; it aims to understand the adoption conditions and identify what factors truly affect the adoption process and to what level are the systems being used and why. The investigation was guided by Grounded Theory research principles. Initially, a review of the literature identified the nature of LMS along with the issues confronting academics when they are trying to use it to its full potential in supporting the delivery of their courses. Afterwards, questionnaires were employed to further explore the phenomenon in its examined context, i.e. Saudi higher education. The generated data and concepts were then used to guide the research process and to develop interview questions. The interviews were carried out at three Saudi universities with a range of stakeholders, which signified the primary data source in this investigation. Analysis revealed that LMS did not emerge as a well-established component of academics’ activities in Saudi universities despite the positive view respondents expressed towards it. Findings also explained why LMS was either considered a secondary method to support face-to-face teaching, or under-utilised in fully online courses. Furthermore, findings revealed the primary factors influencing academics’ level of use of LMS. Moreover, there were issues identified in relation to the academics’ development and training for LMS, which had a significant effect on the academics’ level of use of LMS. Findings were then integrated into a substantive theory and a theoretical model, which represents the research primary outcome. The theoretical outcomes offer abstract explanation of the phenomenon about adopting innovatory systems in Saudi universities, LMS in this instance. In conclusion, suggestions for improving the current provision of LMS in Saudi Universities are made. Overall, this study provided an insight into the environment surrounding the early adoption phases of LMS in Saudi universities, which offers a better understanding of the phenomenon. Subsequently, this will help enhance the adoption process in current contexts and assist in the better future utilisation of these systems in similar situations.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of using the system of least prompts and concrete representations to teach students with moderate and severe disabilities (MSD) to solve simple linear equations. A multiple-probe (days) across participants, single case research design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of task analytic instruction along with concrete representation on teaching students with MSD to solve algebraic equations. The results showed the system of least prompts and concrete representations were effective in teaching students with MSD to solve simple linear equations.