Browsing by Subject "academics"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    Open Access
    An Exploration of the Leadership Behaviours and Attitudes Employees Most Value During a Crisis: A Case Study of Academics in Remote Work During COVID-19
    (2022) Josiah, Kelly; Goodman, Suki
    The COVID-19 pandemic has had a substantial impact on organisations and the workforce, globally and in South Africa more specifically. This is true in many sectors, including that of higher education, where the economic, social, and psychological impacts of the pandemic are indisputable. However, it can be argued that organisational leaders have played a significant role in assisting employees to navigate the uncertainty of the events since March 2019. The primary aim of this research is to explore the leadership behaviours and attitudes most valued by academics at a residential university in South Africa. Secondary aims of the study focus on academics' experiences of well-being while working remotely during COVID-19. An exploratory case study design within the interpretivist paradigm was used, with academics at a residential university in South Africa as the case under study. Therefore, the unit of analysis is the individual. Purposive and snowball sampling strategies were adopted, and a total of 15 participants were interviewed. Inductive and deductive approaches were used to analyse the data using Braun and Clarke's (2006) six-step Thematic Analysis technique. Two primary themes emerged during analysis of the data: (1) human-centric leadership; and (2) self-care and self-management. Each primary theme had a number of associated secondary and tertiary themes. The results identified the leadership behaviours and attitudes that the sample found most valuable in the transition to remote working. Along with this, the various coping strategies used by academics in the sample are noted. For example, the sample expressed their appreciation for leaders who adapted their behaviour and attitude to suit the COVID-19 context. Participants appreciated human-centric leadership behaviours and attitudes that were kind and caring, taking into account academics' various realities. Further results demonstrate that academics employed coping strategies, such as healthy lifestyle choices to maintain their overall well-being and leveraged professional and personal support networks to effectively transition to the remote working context.
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    Open Access
    Domestication of open educational resources by academics in an open distance e-learning institution of South Africa
    (2022) Mncube, Lancelord Siphamandla; Tanner, Maureen; Chigona, Wallace
    The emergence of open educational resources has gained popularity and acceptance in higher education institutions and beyond the basic education sector. This brought a persisting shift in depending on information communication technologies for tuition and research provision. Information technology artifact was not treated in isolation to user perspective. The study established how academics accept, feel, perceive, and what skills, opportunities, challenges exist to hinder the domestication. The study context had no uniform guidelines or tools and policy in place for the domestication of open educational resources. The study adopted the exploratory approach guided by the interpretivism paradigm. The study employed Domestication theory. This study conducted in an heterogenous single case study, which is the open distance e-learning (University of South Africa). That was done for an in-depth investigation by relying on multi-methods for data triangulation such as semi-structured interviews, focus group interviews, document analysis, and actual artifact analysis. The total of participants were 52. The study found that most academics played a role in the domestication of open educational resources besides the minority who were unable. The experience and prior knowledge were found to be a factor hindering the domestication process. Open distance e-learning found to relevant space for open educational resources. Such institutions play a role in the adoption and development of open educational resources and mostly rely in information technology for tuition and research. Information technology infrastructure found to be an enabler and disabler in the domestication process. This study contribution to the world of knowledge is based on the theory and practice. Eight theoretical propositions were suggested. The study further contributed by extension of domestication theory as recommended two additional phases which are non-appropriation and dis-appropriation. The current proposed Domestication theory has five phases. Lastly, the study recommended the actual guidelines for adoption and development of open educational resources. This guideline can be adopted by higher education institutions by infusing them in policy development or for general guidance in actual adoption and developments.
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    Open Access
    How can CA(SA) university students be better prepared for the SAICA training programme: A focus on relational and decision-making skills
    (2022) Kotze, Ruhan; Miller, Taryn
    Purpose: This study investigates the extent to which aspirant CA(SA)s perceive how the academic programme is, and should be, developing relational and decision-making (RDM) skills. There has been extensive criticism that these skills are insufficiently developed in accounting students, an unfortunate reality which, consequently, hinders their expected performance during the SAICA training programme. Research method: A questionnaire was distributed to 103 aspirant CA(SA)s (of which 44 responded) working at one of the largest audit firms globally and currently in their 1st to 3rd year of the SAICA training programme. The questionnaire consisted of three main questions focusing on the respondents' perception of the academic programme. Findings: The majority of the respondents perceive that almost all of the RDM skills are developed to an intermediate or advanced level during the academic programme. However, respondents also perceive that the academic programme should place greater focus on developing certain RDM skills, such as relationship-building; professional scepticism and teamwork, to an advanced level, to maximise performance during the training programme. Lastly, the case study method, a teaching method by academics, resulted in the highest response rate for assisting in developing RDM skills. Originality and value: The study is the first to research RDM skills development, as defined within the new SAICA Competency Framework, during the South African academic programme. Furthermore, the findings of this study could assist SAICA in identifying RDM skills development shortcomings and whether the academic or training programme providers should bear more responsibility for developing certain skills.
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    The experiences of academics working remotely during the Covid-19 Pandemic in South Africa
    (2022) Zwelibanzi, Thembakazi; Jaga, Ameeta
    Academics needed to urgently move to remote working from their homes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and develop new ways of teaching and research, to ensure the continuity of the academic project. The purpose of the study was to explore this experience during this uncertain time. Using an interpretive research design, fifteen in-depth semi structured interviews were conducted with academics at a South African university. Following the COVID-19 rules and regulations, all interviews were conducted virtually using Microsoft Teams. Thematic analyses of the data yielded four key themes: (1) Managing work-family boundaries, (2) Exhaustion and institutional support, (3) Remote work as a transition exercise, and (4) The balance between greater flexibility and loss of human interaction. Implications for universities in retaining academics and future research ideas are presented.