University Management Practices Research Articles

Designing and Analysing an APP based on "Internet+" for Integrating Health Data of University Physical Classes

INTRODUCTION: University physical education programs still largely use traditional methods without significant innovation in teaching or health evaluation. With the growing capabilities of Internet technology and artificial intelligence, there's a critical need to leverage these advancements to enhance the physical health assessments of college students.OBJECTIVES: The study proposes an integrated APP design for health data collection and analysis both inside and outside physical education classes, utilizing Internet technologies and intelligent learning algorithms. This is aimed at precisely analyzing and improving the health outcomes of university students by fostering more tailored and responsive physical education experiences..METHODS: The method involves constructing an app design analysis index system, integrating a vulture search heuristic optimization algorithm with a convolutional neural network (CNN). This setup uses smart sports APP behavioral data as input to refine and optimize health data integration, aiming to enhance the analysis and feedback mechanisms within university sports programs.RESULTS: The implementation of this method showed that it meets real-time requirements while significantly improving the accuracy and efficiency of integrated APP design analyses for health data. The use of smart algorithms allows for more precise adjustments and feedback in physical education programs, suggesting a substantial improvement over traditional physical health monitoring and evaluation methods.CONCLUSION: The proposed APP design successfully integrates and analyzes health data, enhancing the management and evaluation of physical education programs. It represents a significant step forward in utilizing modern technology to address the stagnation in physical education health monitoring, with potential implications for broader educational and health management practices in universities. Future iterations of the APP could incorporate more diverse data inputs and advanced analytical features to further refine its effectiveness and usability.

Research management practices: research managers’ perception of research management in Cameroonian universities

ABSTRACT African universities have been tasked by their governments to develop and build research capacity, performance, and output, which puts a focus on university research management. Paying attention to research management is very important for any country trying to improve its research performance. However, university research management is an area that has been neglected. This study focused on finding out factors research managers perceive to be hindering university research management. The qualitative methodology was used. The study population comprised 25 research managers from two English-taught Cameroonian universities. This study found that factors research managers perceive to be hindering research management include conflict between research managers and researchers, politics, and corruption in research management, inadequate skilful research managers, limited research facilities, inadequate salaries, and lack of extrinsic motivation. This implies that less attention has been paid to research management in universities. Implications are given to improve research management practices in universities.

Critical Review of the University Management Practices Evolution

This article discusses the evolution of university management practices since a new public management ideology has been introduced in higher education. Novelty is the systematic critical review of university managerialism practices imposed over the last 40 years. The reasons for the emergence of university managerialism, its theoretical foundations, and its application in the management of higher educational institutions are shown. The features of university managerialism in Russian higher education are discussed. Possible ways of developing university management when organizing university activities under the financial model of severely limited funds are outlined. The article may be of interest to senior education officials and the Russian academic community.

Assessment of university archives management practices

Purpose Archives and records are important resources for individuals, organizations and the country. The academic archives are created and maintained for the effective execution of university educational and corporate functions. The archives management practices in universities are being studied in the developed countries; however, a scarcity of empirical research is observed in the context of developing countries, for instance, Pakistan. Thus, the purpose of this study is to assess the archives management practices performed in the archival units of University of the Punjab (UoP), Lahore, in association with the successful execution of university educational functions. Design/methodology/approach A structured survey questionnaire was developed to collect responses from the record-keepers and archives monitoring staff using a complete enumerative (census) approach. The collected data were analyzed in SPSS 23.0 in addition to structural equation modeling (SEM) run in AMOS 22v. Findings The findings of this study revealed an inconsistency regarding the policies and procedures, arrangement and filing records and access and retrieval due to the practice of self-developed procedures in the UoP archival units. Although archives management practices have significant impact on university academic as well as research-related functions, however, there is lack of centralized and standardized practices for archiving records in the UoP. Lack of professional/trained staff and policy document are key limitations in building systematic and standardized archives management system in academic intuitions, particularly in the UoP. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first empirical study in Pakistan that has explored archives management practices used in university archives. It also contributes theoretically and methodologically through the underpinnings of archival principles in association with university functions and developing a validated scale to explore archives management practices in universities. The findings of this study may be helpful for the concerned bodies, university administrations and archives managers to establish, manage and improve the academic archives systematically.

The University Education Quality Improvement Model (Ueqimodel): A 21st Century Design for University Education Quality Improvement in Developing Countries.

Abstract From every dimension of measurement, education is seen as a pivot on which other facets of national development rotate. It is considerably important to refer to the quality of university education as a paramount indicator for growth and development of nations, including the developing countries. University managers apply diverse strategies to improve the quality of University Education, however, the current state of university education in most developing countries is becoming a source of worry, as major stakeholders globally expect improvement of outcomes in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s). This study therefore aims to introduce a standardized guiding principle in the form of an Educational Model that would aid in the reformation of the existing system. The model, named the University Education Quality Improvement Model (UEQIModel) is a modern-era scientifically designed innovation in the field of educational management. It basically identifies the loopholes associated with the existing university management practices as applicable to developing countries and tries to bridge the gap by incorporating necessary tools needed to augment the status quo. The principles of the model are sub-categorized into five steps, which include management practice, activities, expectations, evaluation, and outcome. The paper concludes that UEQIModel should be implemented holistically by universities in developing countries for the restoration of a fast-declining dignity and overall improvement of university education quality.

Mobilizing the Resource Potential of the Scientific and Pedagogical Community in Russian Universities: From Problem to Concept

The article is devoted to the problem of mobilizing the resource potential of the scientific and pedagogical community (SPC) in Russian universities, as well as the possibilities for its conceptualization. The authors substantiate the special role of this community as a driver in the development of specific universities and higher education as a whole. It is shown that the development of the SPC resource capacity and fine-tuning of its management is becoming one of the main factors in increasing the competitiveness of Russian higher education in difficult modern conditions. The development of ways to mobilize the resources of the community becomes the most important management problem in higher education. The aim of the article is to outline the scientific concept of resource mobilization of the SPC as the basis of university management practices. The objectives of the article are to consider such key issues as the sociological interpretation of the SPC in the context of its resources and the possibilities for mobilizing them, the interpretation of the concept and structure of SPC resources, as well as the essence and features of the mobilization approach towards managing SPC resource potential. The proposition is to reveal the essence of this approach through the concept of a management strategy aimed at finding, converting and focusing scarce community resources in the interests of national and university level programs for developing higher education. Being an object of the concept, the SPC is considered as a socio-professional, research and educational community. The subject would be the community’s traditional and current resource potential and managing its mobilization. As a condition for the effectiveness of such management, a new approach towards assessing the resource potential of the SPC is shown, which involves a comprehensive diagnosis of its objective and subjective aspects, as well as a deep differentiation of the structure of the resources of the SPC — socio-demographic, educational-pedagogical, scientific-qualification, publication, moral-ideological, symbolic, communicative, temporal and others.

Higher education strategy in digital transformation.

Digital transformation in the global higher education industry determines the future roadmap to a sustainable education management strategy. This research paper aims to develop a qualitative model that advocates how digital transformation as a propelling force could be used to build competitive advantages for universities. Building competitive advantage is a relative, evolving, and important concept in strategy formulation. In recent years, specifically in the education industry, the notion of building competitive advantage is challenged by global phenomena such as digital transformation globalization, information exchange, digitization and social media in most of the global industries. These phenomena have collectively made the process of building competitive advantage rapidly changing, short-term and contextual. These findings aid the evolution of strategic management practices in universities by providing empirical insights in determining the impactful changes and their connection to evolutionary learning. It also stresses the importance of using the developed model as a decision support system to generate, regulate and retain student experience and expectations. This research paper provides first-hand insight into the impactful changes affecting universities’ vision and how they can turn these changes to their advantages and set a road map to design-develop models to integrate and regulate these essential changes in their strategies using evolution learning mechanism and digital transformation strategy.

Effect of Human Resource Management on Operational Efficiency of Universities in Kenya

Operational efficiency facilitates an organization to increase profitability, improve competitiveness, increase productivity, use freed up capacity and position business for growth and increase organizations’ prospective market significance. The effects of information systems are often indirect and are influenced by environmental, organizational, technological, and human resource factors. The objective of this study was to establish the effect of human resource management on operational efficiency of universities in Kenya. Operational efficiency is defined as aligning resources with core mission and services, reducing fragmented, duplicative operations, and goal of increasing service levels of an organization To maximize organization’s operational efficiency, it is paramount that more dependable means of dealing with the organizational, technological and environmental variations related with IS projects be established. Understanding how teaching, research, extension and prudent utilization of public resources allocated to universities contribute to the overall efficiency of university operations is of great importance for universities to improve their performance. Data envelopment analysis (DEA) is proven to be reliable for appropriately assessing the efficiency of university operations due to its capability of effectively handling the multiple input and output simultaneously in a given situation. This study attempted to establish whether a combination of appropriate IS and HR coupled with institutional factors may lead to enhanced operational efficiency of an organization. Given the pivotal role universities play in the development of a country, this study adapted a multi-theory paradigm to outline a socio-technical information system implementation and organizational change for improved efficiency. To achieve the overall goal, hypothesis were formulated and tested. The interaction effects and relationships of the constructs were specified using SEM diagrams comprising of measurements and models. A cross sectional survey was conducted on all the universities charted in Kenya. A census survey was employed since the total population was considered relatively low and could further be reduced by possibility of non-response. A total of 102 questionnaires were dropped to the 34 universities which had approved the request. Out of the 102 questionnaires, 70 responses were received for a response rate of 68.6 percent. On examination of the completeness of the questionnaires, 11 were found to be incomplete. To complete the missing values, a sub-group mean value replacement function and linear interpolation methods were used. To test for reliability of the individual construct items Cronbach’s Alpha test was used. The results indicate that human resource management practices have a negative effect on the universities’ operational efficiency in Kenya. A major implication of this study is that human resource management practices in universities be improved. Additionally, the findings have implications on the formulation and implementation of IS innovations policy. Keywords: Operational efficiency, Human Resource Management, Data envelopment analysis DOI: 10.7176/JIEA/11-2-07 Publication date: June 30 th 2021

Knowledge management practices in universities: The role of communities of practice

Abstract One of the major strategies for managing knowledge for competitive advantage in universities is through Communities of Practice (CoPs). This study sought to assess how universities are using CoPs as a tool to manage and safeguard knowledge for competitive advantage. The study adopted the survey and mixed method research approach to collect data from selected universities in Ghana. The study established that despite the high level of understanding and appreciation for knowledge management practices and the existence of both formal and informal forums for managing and safeguarding knowledge at the universities, the role and impact of CoPs in KM at the universities were insignificant. This was due to the low level of understanding of the concept of CoPs, non-belonging to a CoP and lack of tools and systems to support CoPs at the universities. The study finally proposed a framework for CoPs in universities. According to the proposed framework, the successful deployment of CoPs in universities depends on identifying and linking the knowledge (tacit and explicit) and CoPs to the universities.

Percepção dos gestores sobre a inclusão de estudantes com deficiência na educação superior

Este artigo está alicerçado nos estudos realizados na pesquisa de Mestrado em Educação, cujo objetivo foi analisar como o acesso de estudantes com deficiência na educação superior reverbera nas práticas de gestão universitária, no que se refere aos direitos desse público. Esta produção promoveu discussões sobre como os gestores avaliam a expansão do ingresso de estudantes com deficiência na universidade. Para este estudo, foram entrevistados gestores atuantes em quatro universidades, localizadas no município de Chapecó-SC. A imersão analítica ocorreu através da perspectiva da Análise do Discurso com referenciais foucaultianos. O estudo permitiu inferir que na contemporaneidade, a inclusão está permeada pelos discursos amparados numa visão normativa inquestionável e pouco problematizada, em que os avanços na democratização e expansão do acesso à universidade são representados através de números estatísticos divulgados como promissores.

The neglected fond in university archives

PurposeThis paper aims to focus on the need to ascertain harmony in records and archives management practices between the university archives, sports union and the various sport clubs at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) in an endeavor to establish whether these fugitive records are being captured.Design/methodology/approachBoth quantitative and qualitative methods are used to investigate records and archives management practices in sport clubs on the Pietermaritzburg (PMB) campus, UKZN. Data are thus obtained through a questionnaire, interviews, observation and email correspondence. This triangulation of methods of data collection is designed to increase the validity and reliability of the results.FindingsThis study has established that there was much dissonance with regard to records and archives management practices and recommendations inter alia included their need for overhaul and the need for pro-activeness on the part of archivists to collect this heritage for future reference.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is only confined to the UKZN, PMB campus and not the entire university that constitutes a limitation. The findings may assist university authorities as decision and policymakers to ensure that records and archives management practices in universities are overhauled to prevent further loss of records. The study has focused on one genre of records, namely, leisure records, and there is a need for a comprehensive study on the entire university’s record-keeping system.Practical implicationsThis paper highlights the plight of university archives and reiterates the need for an urgent review by university authorities with regard to their management.Originality/valueThis paper has used a number of data collection techniques to ensure reliability and validity of the data gathered. Physically checking the collections in the university repository to establish gaps corroborated with the research findings in an effort to establish the underlying cause of poor archival development.

The European standards and guidelines for internal quality assurance

PurposeThe authors’ thesis statement is that the literature on quality management in higher education is evolving towards an idea of integration. Considering Part 1 of the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG) (ENQA, 2009) to be a framework for the implementation of quality management practices in universities, the purpose of this paper is to understand whether the ESG represent a truly integrated quality management model.Design/methodology/approachThe authors analyse the content of the ESG taking into account three levels of analysis: the process level, the organisational level and the quality management principles level.FindingsThe analysis shows that the ESG are a quality management model, covering different processes, organisational levels and quality management principles. This is despite not being a truly integrated quality management model. Indeed, the ESG are mainly focussed on teaching and learning and on support processes, neglecting other processes of universities, such as research and scholarship and the third mission. In addition, they leave aside quality management principles more directly linked with a systemic and holistic approach to quality, such as the system approach principle.Originality/valueThe paper presents a new analysis of a much discussed quality management model for higher education. It explores the ESG in the light of the concept of integration, discussed according to a new framework of analysis. It also highlights the importance of a broader reflection on these standards and of their integration in the management systems of institutions.

The importance and degree of implementation of the European standards and guidelines for internal quality assurance in universities: the views of Portuguese academics

This research seeks to explore academics’ perceptions of the importance and degree of implementation of the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG) for internal quality assurance. It uses empirical evidence from Portugal, gathered via a questionnaire given to all university academics. Results show academics’ perceptions of the importance and implementation of the ESG in their institutions to be quite positive. Nevertheless, academics tend to find the standards more important than effectively implemented. Furthermore, significant differences in perceptions emerge between groups of academics. This study intends to contribute to a better understanding of the implementation of quality management practices in universities, and the influence of the ESG in this process.

Evaluating implementation of strategic performance management practices in universities in Uganda

Purpose – The purpose of this study was to propose a tool for evaluating implementation of strategic performance management (PM) by examining the strategic PM practices in public universities in Uganda. Design/methodology/approach – Literature was reviewed and the general features of PM practices were identified. These were captured in a survey instrument which was later administered to staff in selected universities in Uganda to determine the extent of strategic PM implementation. Principal component analysis was conducted to cluster similar variables together with an aim of identifying the focal areas for determining the extent of strategic PM practices implementation in a university. Findings – Strategic PM in public universities in Uganda exists and is aimed at achieving quality. Despite its existence, respondents generally disagreed that: an effective PM system exists in their respective universities, PM training is continuously provided to managers and staff and a formal process exists for units to provide feedback on the attainment of goals. Findings further revealed that implementation of PM practices in universities could be evaluated based on five foci, namely, alignment of organisational vision, mission, strategy and individual performance goals; staff involvement in PM implementation at unit level; existence of an improvement plan; existence of a performance evaluation plan; and staff awareness and understanding of PM. Research limitations/implications – The study focussed on only public universities in Uganda; hence, another study could be conducted considering all universities, both private and public. The list of items from literature may not be exhaustive hence additional PM practices that were not included in this tool should be identified from literature to enrich the evaluation tool. Practical implications – This study allowed the development of an empirical list of PM practices which could be used by universities and policy makers to evaluate implementation of strategic PM. Hence, the five foci could be adopted as an evaluation tool for universities with regard to strategic PM implementation. Using these five foci, university managers can identify the grey areas in their PM systems to which management attention could be focussed for improvement. Originality/value – Despite the increasing desire for effective PM implementation in most organisations the world over, there exists no empirical evidence of institutional PM implementation in public universities in Uganda. Besides, to the best of my knowledge, no study has been previously conducted with the aim of developing a tool for evaluating strategic (PM implementation in universities in Uganda.

Contributions of Action Research in Management Practices in the Brazilian Public Universities

This paper presents theoretical discussion to the possible contributions of the methodology action research for the exercise of reflection and change process, aiming to identify and approach, management theories and practices in Brazilian public universities with the contribution and the intermediation proactive of High Level Technicians (HLT). The reality of the new government and the reflective potential of HLT with training in the field of applied social sciences, as federal civil servants, the possible use of the methodological approach of action research for management practices in universities. The gap between theory and organizational practices in universities lacks methods for such a dichotomy can be minimized. In this context the HLT can suggest as a new server that will gain increasing your space. Action research has applicability in the organizational routine troubleshooting through the experiences and activities of the HLT own in Brazilian university management. Among his skills, many technical includes the methodological proficiency essential to contribute, since, in the conduct of scientific basis, identifying and solving some practical problems in the daily activities of these universities. This proactivity can contribute significantly to better understanding of the theory and minimizing the distance with organizational practice.

Exploring societal responses towards managerial prerogative in entrepreneurial universities

Society's expectations for an increased role in science agenda setting and greater returns on public science investments shift university management practices. Entrepreneurial university, new public management, and sociology of science literatures inform the changing expectations about the roles and norms that govern university management and scientists' behaviours but scholars have paid limited attention to societal responses when those changing roles and norms are employed. We examine societal responses towards managerial prerogative in managing scientists in public universities. Content analysis of media data from six cases of universities in Denmark and New Zealand demonstrates extended societal engagement regarding organisation-related topics, a division of opinion regarding managerial prerogative towards sanction of scientists' behaviours, and constrained ability of employers and employees to engage in public debate due to employment law issues. Implications for researchers and university managers engaging with society and the role of communication competencies to achieve the third mission are discussed.

Democratization of University Management for Quality Higher Education

The objective of this paper is to provide some insights for developing a high quality university through democratizing the contemporary university management practices. The high quality university has often the quality academic programs, quality teaching faculty members, and quality students for establishing high educational standards. The faculty of high quality universities engages in high quality research and produce high quality and quantity of new knowledge and publications. The graduates of high quality universities usually obtain high quality professional positions. They also generate the necessary physical and financial resources and endowments for supporting themselves. Those universities that develop these quality characteristics offer a high quality education.Democratization of the university management practices plays a key role for a university to develop a high quality education and become a high quality university. In this study, democratization process includes the ownership, the practice of sharing the authority and responsibility, group decision-making, horizontal network organizational structure and long term employment practices of university management. Those universities utilizing these practices together and acting collectively as a team are able to achieve a high quality education and become a high quality university. Democratization process will also help stakeholders of the university to establish close cooperation and relations with public and private institutions for financing the university.

Analysis of Head of Departments Leadership Styles: Implication for Improving Research University Management Practices

Being an international center of excellence in higher education is considered as a comprehensive goal of the Ministry of Higher Education in Malaysia. In satisfying this goal, Malaysian higher education institutions and specifically Research Universities (RUs) are in center of attention, as they play a crucial role in developing the community. Administrators’ leadership styles has influenced on lecturers’ job satisfaction and play essential role in materialization of research university's goals and vision. Utilizing a descriptive correlational design, this study aimed to determine head of departments’ leadership style and its correlation with lecturers’ job satisfaction. The target populations were the lecturers of three Malaysian RUs. The MLQ 5x and WFJSDS were used as the instruments of the study.Based on lecturers’ perception, the head of departments applied a combination of three distinct leadership styles in terms of transformational leadership (fairly often), transactional leadership (sometimes), and laissez-faire (once in a while). Among three discernable leadership styles, the transformational and the transactional leadership styles were positively and laissez-faire were negatively correlated with the lecturers’ job satisfaction. In terms of job satisfaction RUs’ lecturers were moderately satisfied. The study concludes that head of departments in RUs are encouraged to practice transformational leadership since multiple regression analysis revealed that it is a significant predictor of lecturer's job satisfaction.

University management practices, accounting, gender and institutional denial

Purpose – This paper sets out to examine the problematic gendered effects of the spread of an accounting mentality in university performance appraisal, academic awareness that accounting only ever tells part of the story notwithstanding.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on the authors' experience, and thus deploys a version of autoethnography.Findings – It was found that universities risk being seriously compromised by this “matrix madness”, and that it also specifically disadvantages women.Originality/value – The paper presents an examination of the intersection between knowledge, power effects, accounting, gender and academic performance management.

An integrated approach to achieving campus sustainability: assessment of the current campus environmental management practices

Universities can nowadays be regarded as ‘small cities’ due to their large size, population, and the various complex activities taking place in campuses, which have some serious direct and indirect impacts on the environment. The environmental pollution and degradation caused by universities in form of energy and material consumption via activities and operations in teaching and research, provision of support services and in residential areas could be considerably reduced by an effective choice of organizational and technical measures. Although many environmental protection measures can be seen at some universities, but a more systematic and sustainable approach to reducing the negative impacts of those activities and making the campuses more sustainable, is generally lacking. Therefore, this paper proposes a framework of a more suitable approach to achieving campus sustainability that could remedy the limitations of the current environmental management practices in universities and ensures more sustainability through the integration of three strategies, namely: university Environmental Management System (EMS); public participation and social responsibility; and promoting sustainability in teaching and research.