Exploring academics’ experiences of a merger in higher education: The reflective experience of mergers (REM)-framework

Abstract

In contrast to most mergers and acquisition literature which focuses on merger activity in the business world, this paper examines the University of Johannesburg (UJ) merger, which is typical of transformation in South African Higher Education. This merger does not conform to the norm, as it is ideologically motivated and thus the ideal base to study individual experiences of large scale change. Following a qualitative, case study approach, 40 academic employees from UJ were interviewed. Findings indicate that academics relay their experiences and perceptions of the merger in three discernable timeframes, each with its own dynamic. Collectively, these timeframes constitute the reflective experience of mergers (REM) framework, which examines how merger experiences of academic staff shape their perceptions of and attitudes towards the merger over time. The REM-framework reiterates the temporal nature of change, its effect on the emotional and psychological wellbeing of individuals, and the role of leadership during a merger. Key words: Merger experiences, change, institutional predisposition, organisational culture, job satisfaction, grounded theory.