International Journal of Management in Education (13 papers in press)

Regular Issues

• ACTIVE MIND, ACTIVE LEARNING: THE ROLE OF MATERIALISM AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING FOR THE DETERMINATION OF STUDENT’S ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE  
  by Mirza Ashfaq Ahmed, Muhammad Anwar Ul Haq, Tayyab Shafique, Bushra Akram 
  Abstract: The study was conducted to understand the phenomenon through which materialism impacts students academic performance. Following the ideas provided by Self-Determination Theory (SDT), a structural model was proposed and validate that analysed the mediating role of psychological well-being between both the constructs. The sub-domains of psychological well-being (self-efficacy, emotional intelligence and social intelligence) and academic performance (students self-efficacy, engagement and social interaction anxiety) were individually examined in the context of the phenomenon to provide a comprehensive understanding. With the help of self-administered surveys, 452 valid responses were gathered from university students (with business majors) through a questionnaire based on adopted scales. The technique of Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was utilised for conducting the analyses. Results of the analyses revealed the negative influence of materialism on all sub-domains of psychological well-being. Additionally, a significant positive relationship was found between all sub-domains of psychological well-being and academic performance. Furthermore, all sub-domains of psychological well-being (except social intelligence between materialism and students self-efficacy) mediated the relationship between materialism and all three sub-domains of students academic performance. Both theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed.
  Keywords: Active Learning; Materialism; Psychological Wellbeing; Academic Performance.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMIE.2023.10048653
   
  
• Middle management in academia: Social skills and academic professional awareness wanted  
  by Nanna Paaske, Solfrid Øhrn, Lene Berge Holm, Anne Berit Walter 
  Abstract: What kind of leader does an academic really want? Is it a colleague-based leader from the same profession, with comparable scientific skills, or a leader with typical management skills? If a university seeks middle managers of the first mentioned type, how does that comply with management literature, and the employee’s preferences? In this study from a Norwegian modern university, employees were asked to rank their preferences for skills of their immediate leader. These results were compared to management literature and to the university’s middle management recruitment policy. The results demonstrate that while the university’s recruitment policy emphasized formal competency, experience with research, and ability to implement new technologies, the employees preferred leaders with social skills and academic professional awareness, who are solutions-oriented, open-minded, and able to motivate and build good teams. In leadership theories, key elements are social competence, which is more in line with the university employees’ preferences.
  Keywords: academic professional awareness; middle management; academia; leadership theories; recruitment strategies; employees’ preferences; social skills.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMIE.2023.10050211
   
  
• Does Individual Motivation amplify Learning amongst Business Management students in India? A Digital Learning perspective.  
  by Sonali Narbariya, A.K. Subramani, N. Akbar Jan, T. Sita Ramaiah 
  Abstract: In light of the growing importance of academic learning for online and offline students, who are to be the workforce of tomorrow, this paper aims to examine the effect of individual sources of motivation on the learning styles of business management students in India. It borrows from the self-determination theory and hypotheses that specific motivation sources affect students’ distinct learning styles. The structural equation modelling technique was used to analyse the sample size of 686 business school undergraduate and postgraduate students. The outcome of the data analysis indicates that all the individual sources of motivation have a significant influence on the students’ learning styles. This study is amongst the first ones to establish an association between the source of motivation and the different learning styles of students. It also provides insights for developing relevant academic pedagogies.
  Keywords: Sources of motivation; Learning style; Undergraduate students; Online education; E-learning; Structural equation modelling; Business school.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMIE.2023.10050864
   
  
• The Extent of Authentic Leadership of Resident Supervisors on Enhancing Teachers’ Classroom Management Practices in Public Schools  
  by Noha Elassy 
  Abstract: The study aims to explore the extent of practicing authentic leadership by resident supervisors in enhancing teacher’s classroom management. The study uses a mixed method. The data was collected through a questionnaire distributed over a sample of 319 teachers and 135 supervisors. That was followed by 33 semi-structured interviews. Findings indicate a high extent of practicing authentic leadership by resident supervisors to enhance their teachers’ classroom management. It also reveals multiple factors that affect the extent of supervisors’ authenticity, such as the methods of conducting supervision, the resulting effect of the age difference between teachers and their supervisors, efficient supervision from resident supervisors compared to others, and the selection of resident supervisors. The findings suggest the significance of educating school developers on the importance of improving resident supervisors’ leadership to enhance teachers’ classroom management.
  Keywords: Authentic Leadership; Classroom Management; Egypt; Resident Supervisors.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMIE.2023.10051047
   
  
• Relationship between Professional Learning Community and Teacher Attitudes toward Change  
  by Mei Kin Tai, Omar Abdull Kareem 
  Abstract: The main objective of the survey was to investigate the relationship between professional learning community (PLC) and Teacher Attitudes Toward Change (TATC). By employing disproportionate stratified sampling, a total of 1004 school teachers from 64 Day Secondary Schools completed the questionnaires with valid data. The results demonstrated that, (i) there was a significant, positive and mediocre relationship between PLC and TATC; (ii) Principals Commitment and Support, Collegial Understanding and Trust, External Support System, Structural Support and Shared Norms and Vision of PLC were correlated significantly to TATC and (iii) Collaborative Learning, Collective Inquiry and Reflective Dialogue were not associated significantly with TATC. As a whole, the development of PLC in schools has significant relationship with TATC that influences teachers behavioural intention and ultimately determine their attitudes to embrace school change. The study not only provides empirical evidence that deepen our understanding about the relationship between PLC and TATC, it also provides valuable insights for schools in those countries with the similar background as Malaysia in crafting pragmatic directions for the implementation of PLC in enhancing positive TATC in schools.
  Keywords: professional learning communities; teacher attitudes toward change; principals’ commitment and support; collegial understanding and trust; external support system; structural support.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMIE.2023.10051048
   
  
• Using Principal Component Analysis to Explore Managerial Factors Influencing Lecturers Job Performance. A Perspective from Nigeria  
  by Ahmed Aliyu Palladan, Kadzrina AbdulKadir, Muhammad A. Ahmad 
  Abstract: Proper use of relevant managerial factors is fundamental on organizational performance. Employing the methodology of systematic review, we placed 92 English empirical articles on this subject into perspective. 26 managerial factors were found to be relevant on determining lecturers’ performance in Nigerian universities. Principal components analysis (PCA) is a multivariate technique that is widely used for data reduction. This study further used the PCA to identify the managerial factors with the highest variance. Motivation, recruitment process, adoption of strategic management practices and organizational support to employees were found to contribute 73.6% of the total variance. This indicates four factors are the most important predictors of job performance among lecturers in Nigerian public universities. The study can assist future researchers in providing a roadmap for future managerial factors, and highlighting the guidelines for their successful use in Nigerian tertiary institutions.
  Keywords: Lecturers performance; Managerial factors; Nigerian universities; Principal component analysis; Systematic review.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMIE.2023.10051684
   
  
• Stressors and Stress Coping Strategies of UAE School Leaders  
  by Zeina Hojeij, Ali Ibrahim, Sandra Baroudi 
  Abstract: School leaders work under pressure in dynamic, rapidly changing environments. Their administrative and leadership tasks, and ensuring work-life balance have overwhelmed them and increased their stress and burnout levels. Particularly, during a reform, leaders struggle to keep this balance given their workload. This study investigated school leaders’ stress factors, their ways of coping with stress, and whether stress factors can predict their coping strategies. Through exploratory quantitative research, 120 leaders in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were found to have a moderate level of stress and they have regularly sought social support and focused on the problem as strategies to cope with stress. Further results showed no statistically significant difference in the means of stress related to the leaders’ gender, marital status, age, years of experience, or school size and level. However, interpersonal relations made the largest contribution to the prediction of coping strategies taken by principals and vice principals.
  Keywords: School principals; Stress at work; Coping strategies; Administrative Stress Index; Ways of Coping Checklist- Revised.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMIE.2023.10051937
   
  
• Improving Private Higher Education Strategies Through Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process: Insight from Indonesia  
  by Muhammad Ramaditya, Mohamad Maarif, Joko Affandi, Anggraini Sukmawati 
  Abstract: The current study seeks to offer a key strategy shift in attaining higher education performance, based on higher education's resource-based perspective. The processing technique used to determine the strategy is the fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (FAHP). This research was conducted in private higher education in Indonesia by conducting focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with several experts. The results show that the most dominant factor in improving performance is strategic planning, and the actor is the university leader. The following finding is that the availability of graduates ready to enter the job market is the main objective to improve higher education performance. The prior alternative strategy to recommend is by improving human resource competencies through talent management. The results of this study are presented and discussed, and the results of this study can be helpful for universities in similar developing countries.
  Keywords: Higher Education Strategy; Analytical Hierarchy Process; University Transformation; Talent management.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMIE.2023.10052135
   
  
• Transforming the paradigm of public university leadership into a more political one in emerging nations: a case of Bangladesh  
  by Gazi Mahabubul Alam  
  Abstract: Studies have examined the impact of political interference on “instructional”, “constructive” and “distributed” models of leadership. There is not enough evidence on whether the leadership of universities is now a political one, and/or its impacts; that is the subject of this investigation. Considering Bangladesh as a case study, this qualitative study discovered that the public university sector does not appear to follow “instructional” and “constructive” models, let alone “distributed” leadership. Without recognising and utilising an established education leadership model, political leadership does in fact manage the university. This cultivates “corruption” and “nepotism” which interfere with real higher education. Innovation of a specialised model for university leadership is consequently particularly suited to emerging nations and well-timed.
  Keywords: leadership models; instructional; constructive; distributed; political interference in leadership; politics in leadership.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMIE.2023.10052236
   
  
• Coping with managerialism: Academics’ responses to conflicting institutional logics in business schools  
  by Katariina Juusola 
  Abstract: This essay discusses the implications of conflicting institutional logics guiding business schools and builds a conceptual model on how such conflicts manifest in academics’ identity work. Four coping strategies for conflicting institutional logics by Pache and Santos (2010) known as compromise, avoidance, defiance, and manipulation are discussed in how academics have developed coping strategies to manage their identities. Various coupling strategies are identified as part of academics’ identity work mechanisms in how they simultaneously accommodate and resist some of the practices and goals of conflicting institutional logics. Along with this process, academics are found not only to engage with traditional coupling processes (decoupling and selective coupling) but also with two new types of couplings, mental decoupling and manifest decoupling, which are used for developing and maintaining a dual identity to manage the conflicting demands of institutional logics.
  Keywords: Business school; managerialism; institutional logics; academic logic; market logic; identity work; coupling strategies; loose coupling; decoupling; selective coupling.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMIE.2023.10052522
   
  
• A Study on Disruption to Recovery in Business School of India during COVID 19 using Appreciative Inquiry Approach from a Multi-Stakeholder Perspective  
  by Jaya Gupta, Itilekha Dash, Himanshi Tiwari 
  Abstract: Business schools need to revisit, reflect and re-align to the new normal. The paper makes an attempt to identify the measures for institutional continuity taken by a leading private business school of India. A multi stakeholder analysis was used to understand the intricacies of 'trilemma'(Admission-Teaching & Learning-Placement) of business education. An Appreciative Inquiry (AI) approach was implemented. A series of “Brainstorming” sessions were held in the virtual mode involving participants from various stakeholder groups, woven around the 5D approach of Appreciative Inquiry. The study gives an insight to the apprehensions and concerns of the different stakeholders related to the 'trilemma'. The over-arching schema for successful mitigation strategies implementation has been proposed. Research on micro level measures to reposition management education in the new normal are scarce. The study uncovers the challenges and redundancies due to the abrupt shift and details synergetic and dynamic interventions for their mitigation.
  Keywords: Business Education; COVID 19 Pandemic; Multi stakeholder Analysis; Appreciative Inquiry; Qualitative.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMIE.2023.10052667
   
  
• From Qualification to Competencies: Defining a Task-Based Competency Profile for E-Tutors in Higher Education  
  by Lisa-Marie Langesee 
  Abstract: E-tutors are essential for most Virtual Exchange (VE) settings, becoming increasingly popular in higher education (HE). They mainly support the virtual learning processes of students and are deemed necessary for the learner’s acceptance of e-learning. A categorisation of existing e-tutor qualification programs, an overview of typical tasks, essential competencies, and a clear competency profile, are missing. Therefore, this paper focuses on identifying existing qualification programs for e-tutors and the required competencies to accompany students in modern learning arrangements. The qualitative data is collected, analysed, and systematised to answer the research questions through a systematic literature review. The results include a systematisation of e-tutor qualification programs, the identification of nine essential e-tutor competencies, and the definition of a task-based competency profile of an e-tutor in HE. These findings help course instructors improve their VE courses and deploy and qualify e-tutors appropriately.
  Keywords: Virtual Exchange; e-tutor; competencies; competency profile; Higher Education; qualification; online tutor; internationalisation; learning facilitator.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMIE.2023.10052682
   
  
• Leading teaching and learning in the era of Education 4.0: development of teacher competency model via structural equation modelling  
  by Mei Kin Tai, Omar Abdull Kareem 
  Abstract: The objective of the study was to develop the Teacher Competency Model for Education 4.0 (TCMEdu4.0) based on the Malaysian perspective. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was applied to ascertain the core factors whereas Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted to investigate the measurement models. There were 559 and 998 respondents engaged in the survey for EFA and CFA respectively. With normed x² = 4.125, TLI = .948, CFI = .953 and RMSEA = .056, the analysis yielded a six factor TCMEdu4 namely, Self-management and Interactive Competency, Functional and Research Competency, Pedagogical Psychology and Assessment, Leading Learning and Mentoring, Technological and Digital Competency, and Problem Solving. TCMEdu4.0 would provide direction for educational practitioners not only in Malaysia but also those countries with the similar background as Malaysia in designing training programmes whereby resources can be targeted accurately so that teachers can be equipped with essential competencies and bring teaching and learning to a transformational edge.
  Keywords: Self-management and interactive competency; functional and research competency; pedagogical psychology and assessment; leading learning and mentoring; technological and digital competency.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMIE.2023.10052691