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Friend or Foe? New Managerialism and Technical, Administrative and Clerical Support Staff in Australian Universities

Authors :
Pick, David
Teo, Stephen
Yeung, Melissa
Source :
Higher Education Quarterly. Jan 2012 66(1):3-23.
Publication Year :
2012

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to assess and conceptualise the effects of new managerialism-related organisational reforms in three Australian public universities on technical, administrative and clerical support staff job stressors and job satisfaction. Using a mixed method approach consisting of a quantitative core component and qualitative supplementary component it was found that six different types of stressors were evident: time, information; supervisory; work environment; staffing and pay; and career. Path analysis showed that these stressors were closely connected to reduced job satisfaction, which could be ameliorated by employee participation, improved communication and work-related social support. However, the qualitative analysis suggested that the prevailing climate of managerialism was not conducive to such improvements. It is concluded that while appropriate human-resource management strategies have the potential to prevent the worst consequences of change, there is some doubt about the ability of university managers, captured by new managerialism, to create and implement such an approach. (Contains 1 figure and 3 tables.)

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
0951-5224
Volume :
66
Issue :
1
Database :
ERIC
Journal :
Higher Education Quarterly
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
EJ953716
Document Type :
Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2273.2011.00500.x