Investigating the factors influencing academic staff attitudes toward the formation of a technological university

• Published in: Studies in higher education (Dorchester-on-Thames) Vol. 48; no. 7; pp. 1025 - 1038
• Main Authors: Stack, Gary D., Wallace, James
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 03.07.2023; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Academic staff; Attitude to change; Attitudes; Change agents; College Faculty; Educational Change; Educational Development; Employee attitude; Happiness; Higher education; Job Satisfaction; Least Squares Statistics; Management development programmes; Mergers; Negative Attitudes; organisational change; organisational commitment; Organizational Change; Organizational commitment; partial least squares structural equation modelling; Positive Attitudes; Professional attitudes; Program Implementation; Stakeholders; Structural equation modeling; Teacher Attitudes; Teaching; Technical Institutes; technological university; Universities
• ISSN: 0307-5079; 1470-174X
• DOI: 10.1080/03075079.2023.2180629

The Irish institute of technology sector is undergoing a major restructuring that will culminate in mergers, to form technological universities (TU). It is essential that the perspective of key stakeholders is fully considered throughout this process, in order to facilitate a successful transition. This research investigates the factors influencing attitudes of academic staff toward their institute becoming a TU. A theoretical model was developed, based on the extant literature, and validated using partial least squares structural equation modelling. Academic staff attitudes to the proposed change were found to relate to their sense of organisational commitment and their contribution to teaching and research. Levels of happiness and job satisfaction were also found to influence their sense of organisational affiliation and belonging. Those with greater organisational commitment and a greater research focus were more likely to report a positive attitude to the change. Academic staff with a predominately teaching focus reported a relatively more negative attitude to the change. These findings facilitate the prescription of targeted initiatives to secure stakeholder support, throughout the transition. Staff wellbeing initiatives can improve job satisfaction and cement organisational commitment, positively influencing attitude to the change. Promoting research activity, while reaffirming the importance of teaching, can also serve to promote a positive attitude to the change in status. The unique model presented in this research has the potential to inform stakeholder management in the implementation of major organisational change in higher education both nationally and internationally.