Impact of organizational development management strategies on working conditions and performance in an institution of higher learning
Loading...
Date
2012-04-20
Authors
Koskey, Joyce Wairimu
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
This study was carried out to identify management problems of educational institutions in the 1990s and ways in which adopted organizational Development Management practices (O.D.) have influenced working conditions and performance. The study aimed at identifying management practices that have been more responsive to contemporary challenges in educational institutions, including rationalization of costs, staffing, turnover, job satisfaction, working conditions, staff morale, individual performance and productivity.
The overall hypothesis examined was that adoption of Organizational Development (O.D) strategies will influence working conditions and performance in contemporary institutions of higher learning. More specifically, it was predicted that adoption of participatory management, reward practices, communication, and teamwork practices and collaborative management by objectives would influence working conditions and performance.
Performance was examined in terms of ratings by staff on various aspects of management, working conditions and performance, i.e. job performance, morale, job satisfaction, self-initiative, sense of accomplishment and responsibilities.
The study was carried out in Daystar University because it is a relatively new private institutional, which has been carrying out some management innovations over the last ten years. Collection of data was carried out with questionnaires, interviews and content analysis as the main instruments.
Institutional characteristics were examined in terms of students/staff ratio and students/expenditure ratio. The study found out that the ratio of students to the teaching staff has oscillated between 6 and 21 in the last ten years and at the time of the study, it stood at 1:16. These were considerably higher than those staff/student rations (SSR), i.e. 1:15 required to maximize on productivity in the Kenyan public universities. It was therefore concluded that the institution has sustained considerably high teaching staff capacity utilization.
At the time of the study, the average student expenditure/ratio was KSH. 92,399 which is considerably lower by 23 percent compared to KSH. 120,000 expenditure on each student in the public universities. In this respect, it was concluded that the institution was performing much better compared to the public universities. In terms of ratings by staff on various aspects of management, working conditions and performance, the study found out that the higher the ratings on experience of management practices adopted, the higher the ratings on influence on working conditions and performance. The data collected indicated that adoption of participatory management, reward practices and communication influenced staff perception of working conditions and performance. However, the influence of teamwork practices and collaborative management by objectives was consistently rated lower because there were limited or nearly negligible application of these approaches in this educational institution.
Sustainability of the adopted organizational development (O.D.) strategies was examined in terms of their effectiveness and viability as measures of enhancing working conditions and performance from the management point of view. The data collected indicated that all the organizational development strategies adopted have been effective in various ways as measures of enhancing working conditions and performance.
The data also indicated that in terms of implementation, the organizational Development (O.D) intervention strategies are viable. It was therefore concluded that organizational development management practices are effective measures of enhancing working conditions and performance, as they are sustainable both in terms of their suitability and viability.
In view of the above findings, this study concludes that adoption of organizational Development (O.D.) strategies has the potential to influence management practices, working conditions and performance in institutions of higher learning. It also recommends adoption of Organizational Development (O,D) strategies as a process of rationalizing costs; staffing, staff morale, job satisfaction, working conditions, individual performance and productivity.
Description
The HD 58.8.K6
Keywords
Organizational change//Management//Personnel management