The careers of academic staff in South Africa - as in the rest of the world - are under tremendous pressure
for various reasons, and a decline in the image and status associated with an academic career can even
be observed. However, no academic institution can be totally successful without qualified and loyal
academics. Higher education institutions - more than any other type of organisation - are dependent on
the intellectual and creative abilities of academic staff, as well as their commitment, since it is difficult to
replace their knowledge, skills and experience. These qualities can only be acquired over a long period of
time and with experience. It is evident that there will be an increasing shortage of academic staff within
South African higher education institutions in the future, due to factors such as more attractive options in
other business sectors. If the career dilemmas of academic staff are not identified and addressed, the
quality and sustainability of higher education institutions may be jeopardised.
In view of the above-mentioned, the purpose of this study was to investigate the typical career dilemmas of
academic staff during the early, middle and late career phases within a changing South African higher
education institution.
Aspects related to job dissatisfaction were used as indicators in this study in order to identify and explain
career dilemmas. Career dilemmas are associated with high levels of job dissatisfaction and work stress,
and imply aspects such as reduced commitment to the organisation, declining psychological and physical
health, problematic interpersonal work relations and lower work quality. Lifespan and career development
tasks during the different adult lifespan phases were therefore used in this regard to explain the
phenomenon of career dilemmas further. The different aspects that influence the job satisfaction of
academic staff in a changing higher education work environment were subsequently identified and
discussed.
In view of the nature of this study and the type of problem that was investigated, a qualitative research
design was used. Ninety-three academic staff members were selected on the basis of age, gender and
race from a higher education institution, by means of an occasional random sample. The data was
obtained by means of a Delphi-process in order to identify the career dilemmas of academics during the
early, middle and late career phases.
The results obtained in this study indicate that academics generally experience the same career
dilemmas, irrespective of the career phase they are in. The prominent career dilemmas of academics
centre mostly on the absence of a performance evaluation system that correctly and equitably reflects their
performance, input and responsibilities. Limited opportunities for promotion, as well as the absence of a
clear set of criteria or guidelines according to which promotion takes place, were identified as a further
significant dilemma. The absence of promotion criteria contributed towards the incidence of discrimination
and double standards. Role overload and/or role conflict, as well as an inadequate financial remuneration
structure, were regarded as prominent career dilemmas throughout. Academics also identified aspects
indicating job insecurity and ineffective management as dilemmas. Certain forms of discrimination were
also identified as career dilemmas by some black and female academics. Academics in the early career
phase in particular regarded inadequate support in the performance of core activities - with specific
reference to teaching and research - as a further significant career dilemma.
The dominant career dilemmas of academics identified in this investigation show numerous similarities
with the career dilemmas of academics identified in other national and international studies.
The dilemma the academic career and higher education is probably facing is illustrated further by the fact
that several of the academics employed at this institution indicated their uncertainty about continuing their
careers at the institution concerned, and that several of them even gave strong indications that they will
probably be leaving the institution.
In order to effectively address the career dilemmas experienced by academics, higher education
institutions will have to devote particular attention to establishing an effective performance management
system that is easy to understand and implement, as well as transparent, equitable and fair. Promotion
criteria must be spelled out clearly and applied consistently. Alternative career paths that accommodate individual preferences and abilities and create additional promotion opportunities may also be considered
as a solution. Furthermore, it is important that remuneration for academics should be market-related and
competitive. It must be ensured that junior colleagues receive adequate support with regard to teaching,
research and community service by means of training opportunities, regular feedback, mentorshipâs and
counselling that addresses identified needs. Finally, it is important that academics functioning in
management positions possess appropriate management qualifications and receive the necessary training
and support to enable them to effectively perform their management role. The effective management of
diversity and cultural sensitisation should also be addressed on a continuous basis.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:ufs/oai:etd.uovs.ac.za:etd-01042006-075140 |
| Date | 04 January 2006 |
| Creators | Pienaar, Jacobus Willem |
| Contributors | Prof CL Bester |
| Publisher | University of the Free State |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en-uk |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.uovs.ac.za//theses/available/etd-01042006-075140/restricted/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to University Free State or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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