Book Description

Doctoral Thesis / Dissertation from the year 2010 in the subject Pedagogy - Media Pedagogy, Makerere University (East African School of Higher Educational Studies and Development), course: Education Management, language: English, abstract: The purpose of the study was to establish the relationship between quality of work life and job satisfaction of academic staff in public universities in Uganda using Makerere University as the case study. The study was prompted by the chronic problem of academic staff job satisfaction in Makerere University since the 1970s with most lecturers not devoted to their jobs, striking for salaries, rampant absenteeism from work, poor attitude, late coming for work and leaving early, delayed handing in of marks, continuous complaints and high rates of turnover for greener pastures. The study was guided by the following specific objectives: to establish the relationship between employee involvement and job satisfaction of academic staff; to examine the relationship between work environment and job satisfaction of academic staff; to find out the relationship between remuneration and job satisfaction of academic staff and to establish the relationship between recognition and job satisfaction of academic staff. A correlational, cross-sectional survey design was used to carry out the study. A sample of 162 respondents was systematically selected to participate in the study. Data were collected with the use of questionnaires. Frequencies and percentages were used to show the distribution of respondents on different items. Correlation and multiple regression were used to establish the relationships between the variables. The study findings empirically revealed that; employee involvement (r = 0.397 & p = 0.000); work environment (r = 0.525 & p = 0.000); remuneration (r = 0.389 & p = 0.000) and recognition (r = 0.362 & p = 0.000) have a positive significant relationship with job satisfaction. The study concluded that quality of work life enhances job satisfaction. Therefore, the researcher recommended that Makerere University management should involve academics when developing or revising the goals and objectives of the institution through workshops, so that suggestions of staff can form part of the development process, thus enabling successful implementation. Secondly, Makerere University should focus create a conducive working environment with adequate and relevant educational facilities alongside improved working relations and friendly employee policy. Thirdly, Makerere University should enhance the remuneration (e.g. fringe benefits, bonus payments) made to the academic staff in order to raise their job satisfaction levels.