The marketing concept is posited as the philosophical foundation of the marketing disciplines and market orientation invariably refer to the operationalisation of the marketing concept into a management orientation. Engaging in marketing activities may be important but market orientation is a vital ingredient in determining an institutional success, despite inherent barriers towards its successful implementation. A higher education institution (HEI) can be market oriented only if it understand its market. This study was conducted with the main objective of seeking to establish Universities of Technology (UoTs) implementation levels of market orientation, possible barriers to market orientation and their influence on university performance. A non-probability sampling method (convenience sampling) was used in the study. The sampling frame for the study included full-time employed academics in all six UoTs in South Africa. Pre-testing and a pilot study preceded the main survey and reliabilities were measured using the Cronbach alpha coefficients. Out of 1250 questionnaires sent to participating institutions, a total of 528 responses were received and this resulted in a return rate of 42.24% for the main study. The statistical analysis of the collected data included exploratory factor analysis, descriptive statistical analysis, correlation analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling to test the posited hypotheses. The findings of the study supported the predetermined theoretical and the empirical objectives as well as the hypotheses of the study. The findings further indicated that the market orientation of UOTs in South Africa was determined by seven fundamental factors within the institutions being market intelligence generation, interfunctional coordination, customer orientation, market intelligence dissemination, intelligence response design, intelligence response implementation and interdepartmental dynamics. Furthermore, three key barriers to market orientation were identified, namely internal, external and organisational environmental factors. In addition, the study also found a significant impact of market orientation on university performance as consistent with previous market orientation studies undertaken in other contexts. Recommendations emanating from the study will address various concerns on effective incorporation of the market orientation paradigm. Commitment and communication from top management to all units to support market orientation is critical. The support of those making strategic decisions is needed to garner the necessary support of other employees in UoTs, especially top and senior management buy-in and support. Marketing information generation should be a starting point when developing or adapting marketing strategies. HEIs should realise that marketing information dissemination is an effective way to reach prospective students and to create credible and persuasive communication channels. The development of a marketing strategy should also involve the inter-functional coordination and interdepartmental dynamics that enables HEIs to meet students’ needs and enhance service delivery to all its stakeholders. Key aspects that need to be prioritised includes: establishment of structures for marketing coordination, marketing efforts to be driven by teams to bring about synergy and cross fertilisation of ideas across departments and marshalling of resources in order to improve performance of all business units. Managers in different HEIs can also enhances performance of their instituions by implementing these key recommendations. This study will significantly contribute to the critical challenge facing HEIs, being to create the combination of the culture and the climate that maximises organisational learning, resources and capabilities to create superior university performance that is prescribed by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DoHET). Other HEIs could learn from this study and utilise the research to diagnose and remedy barriers within their operational spheres.

Thesis (MTech (Business Administration))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2019 / The Fourth Industrial Revolution has entrenched the use of communication technologies in the workplace owing to their advantages. However, these same technologies can also present challenges for organisations, especially when employees become too dependent on them, for example, using emails as a sole form of communication. Consequently, this impacts staff interaction, their interpersonal communication, as well as staff cohesion negatively. The main objective of this research study was to establish if faculty staff rely excessively on email communication, resulting in reduced interpersonal communication, staff cohesion, and staff interaction. The researcher used an interpretive phenomenological quantitative research approach in a case study at the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences at UoT X with the aim to understand participants’ email experiences. The sample frame comprised 438 staff members, while the study adopted a non-probability sampling method. The findings revealed that a majority of the employees rely on electronic communication to communicate important information to other staff members in spite of the fact that they did not receive any formal training to use email in a professional business environment. Moreover, the research found that over-reliance on email communication impacted negatively on relationships amongst faculty staff, whilst poor interpersonal communication was a major cause of conflict and misunderstandings, as shown in the literature. Faculty staff should be encouraged to interact with their colleagues on a face-to-face basis, and should only resort to using electronic communication in urgent contexts. Staff relations are built and strengthened by sharing experiences, interacting both formally and informally, resolving disagreements, and encouraging interpersonal dialogue, diversity and tolerance through interactions. Furthermore, faculties should create social environments such as off-campus research retreats, university sports events, conferences, recreational tours, and subject clusters to aid sharing experiences, and staff cohesion.

The overall purpose of this study was to identify the major factors and events that led to the establishment of the Federal Universities of Technology in Nigeria. The study examined and analyzed the growth and development of the three Nigerian Federal Universities of Technology at Owerri, Akure, and Minna.

Thesis (Phd. (Education Management )) - Central University of Technology, Free State, 2014 / The dawn of democracy in South Africa resulted in an emphasis on the involvement and participation of stakeholders in decision-making processes. At public higher education institutions, involvement and participation were guaranteed by the enactment of the Higher Education Act 101 of 1997. This Act provides that co-operative governance should be practiced in the governance of public higher education institutions. Students are stakeholders in higher education institutions. This means that according to the Act, students ought to be represented in the governance of public higher education institutions. The representation of students in university governance became a new phenomenon in the democratic South Africa. This thesis explored the involvement and participation of student representative councils in the co-operative governance of South African higher education institutions. It evaluated the role and effect of SRCs in the co-operative governance of public higher education institutions in South Africa. Following the merging of these institutions, universities have multi campuses, all of which need to be represented in the universities Managements through SRCs. This study employed the QUAN-Qual (explanatory) mixed methods design which included the use of a questionnaire and in-depth, open-ended, semi-structured interviews. The sample for the study was made up of hundred and fifty-three respondents and nine interviewees from three types of South African higher education institutions. The quantitative part of this study investigated the nexus between the involvement and participation of SRCs in co-operative governance at public higher education institutions. The correlation between SRCs’ perception of participation and co-operative governance was also examined. The study also explored the SRCs’ perception of the implementation of co-operative governance at different universities types. The qualitative part of the study investigated perception of the nature of co-operative governance the SRCs at different universities. It also examined perceptions regarding whether participatory democracy was practiced at universities, v challenges experienced in the governance of universities and what the SRCs thought should be done to address those challenges. The study found that SRC members feel that they are both involved and also participate in the governance of public higher education institutions in South Africa. This was further enhanced by research hypotheses that revealed that there is a statistically significant relationship between the SRCs’ perception of their involvement and participation in university governance and their perception of the implementation of co-operative governance in the South African higher education institutions. Although SRC members feel that they are involved and that they participate in co-operative governance, interviews have revealed that they experience the following problems:  SRC members have annual budget deficits at their universities and as a result, they fail to fulfill their mandates by the student body.  SRCs find it difficult to deal with the challenges pertaining to multi-campus set-ups in their institutions.  The existence of student political structures contributes to ideological differences amongst SRC members. This affects effective student governance at universities.  The capacity building of SRC members at higher education institutions is not adequately addressed by managements of these institutions. The researcher recommends that it is important that HEIs adhere to the HE Act 101 of 1997, as amended. Adherence to the Act will ensure that there is compliance with the law and will minimise the chances for HEIs to be placed under administration. The managements of universities and SRCs need to co-operate in order to ensure that co-operative governance in HEIs is effectively implemented. Workshops and meetings are held at universities between SRCs and managements regarding issues of co-operative governance. SRCs need to involve themselves in national and international student activities in order for them to gain knowledge and skills about student governance. The researcher designed a multi-campus student governance model that will effectively deal with the challenges mentioned above.