International Journal of Management in Education (12 papers in press)

Regular Issues

• Do school leaders lead? The perception of educational actors concerning the school transformation  
  by Lídia Serra, José Alves, Diana Soares 
  Abstract: In an era that values school autonomy, we know little about how school actors interact to improve teaching practices and organisational performance. This paper presents the perceptions of Portuguese school leaders, teachers, and members of the self-evaluation teams regarding collective engagement in producing classroom transformation. The transformational capital initiative is a construct that measures the openness and will for mobilising changes. Multiple linear regression analysis used data from a survey to determine relationships between transformational capital initiative, school vision, decisional capital, mobilising and learning-supportive leadership, teachers' collaboration, innovative behaviour, and involvement and innovation climate. The findings include (i) differences in the perceptions regarding leadership among school actors and (ii) weak to moderate effects of leadership, teachers' collaboration, and innovative behaviour in promoting classroom transformation. The results suggest that schools are loose coupling systems where classroom transformation is a product more of teachers' individual will than of collective organisational planning.
  Keywords: transformational capital; leadership; innovation; collaborative practices; spontaneous order; loosely coupled system.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMIE.2024.10063555
   
  
• ChatGPT's challenges and opportunities in higher education: a technology-user(s)-environment (TUE) lens  
  by Gamal S.A. Khalifa, Abdallah M. Elshaer, Safaa A. M. El-Aidie, Angelina Seow Voon Yee, Ayda Farhan, Elhachemi Abdelkader Hacine Gherbi 
  Abstract: This qualitative study investigates the adoption of ChatGPT technology in higher education within the tourism and hospitality sector in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Using purposive sampling and constructivist research theory, 27 participants (students, instructors, and administrators) actively using ChatGPT were interviewed. Data analysis was conducted using NVivo software, employing a theme analysis technique. Contrary to expectations, environmental factors like culture and ethical considerations significantly influence ChatGPT usage, despite institutional readiness. Some participants express concerns about potential negative effects on human interaction and critical thinking skills. The study underscores the importance of adequate training and support for responsible technology use in higher education, alongside the impact of social and cultural contexts on attitudes toward technology adoption.
  Keywords: ChatGPT; Higher education; Technology adoption; TUE.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMIE.2024.10063603
   
  
• Determinants of students' enrolment intention of higher education in foreign universities: an empirical study using stimulus-organism-response (SOR) model  
  by K. Ravishankar, A.K. Subramani, N. Akbar Jan, Rajasekhar David 
  Abstract: This research aims to examine the key determinants influencing the students' enrolment intention of higher education in foreign universities using the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) Model. The information was gathered by delivering a questionnaire via online Google Forms using a snowball sampling technique. The questionnaire links were shared with higher secondary school students (10+2) from Tamil Nadu state. 412 valid responses were collected and analysed using Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The results of the study indicate that Institution Quality and Institution Facilities significantly positively affect the Institution's Image, Cognitive Attitude and Affective Attitude of the students. Further, the Institution's Image has a strong positive influence on the Cognitive Attitude and Affective Attitude of the students. The outcome of the study also indicates that Cognitive Attitude and Affective Attitudes have a significant positive effect on the enrolment intention of the students.
  Keywords: institution quality; institution facilities; institution image; cognitive attitude; affective attitude; intention to enrol.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMIE.2024.10060857
   
  
• Developing the quality culture in public universities: a case study in Vietnam  
  by Dinh-Thai Do, Mark Treve 
  Abstract: This study aims to determine the extent to which public universities are making progress toward the cultures of quality in a developing country. The researchers relied on a Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) to conduct the study. To gather information, the researchers surveyed 517 professors and associate professors from public universities, who currently have been working in Vietnam. According to the findings, the implementation of the PDCA cycle in public universities has a beneficial effect on the growth of quality culture. This study demonstrated a high level of internal coherence, as shown by Cronbach's alpha values, which varied from 0.932 to 0.979. The PDCA cycle is an effective instrument for quality improvement not only in public universities but also in other higher educational institutions in developing countries. The findings can provide policymakers and university administrators with assistance in developing and putting into practice effective strategies for quality culture management. Overall, the results contribute to the existing knowledge on the establishment of a quality culture in public higher educational institutions and shed light on the significance of implementing frameworks for continuous improvement such as the PDCA cycle in a developing country.
  Keywords: culture; quality; public university; developing country.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMIE.2024.10061086
   
  
• Developing and validating a scale to measure faculty talent in higher education  
  by Parvati Agrahari, Shefali Nandan 
  Abstract: Faculty play a crucial role in ensuring the quality of higher education. The study aims at developing and validating a scale for measuring faculty talent. A rigorous three-stage scale development process was adopted to establish a psychometrically sound measure. A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods including the Delphi technique, content validity analysis, exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were employed. A reliable and valid 40-item faculty talent scale comprising six dimensions was developed in the Indian context. The six dimensions identified were technology adoption, professional development competence, didactic and teaching competence, networking abilities, research abilities and leadership skills. The study offers a precise understanding of the talent construct and expands literature by introducing 'faculty talent' construct. It is the first study to develop a measure for faculty talent. The innovative aspect of the study is that it presents a multi-dimensional faculty talent construct and provides evidence for contextual nature of talent. The scale can help individuals gauge their talent and also assist higher education institutions in developing effective talent management strategies. Overall, the scale can be instrumental in developing faculty talent, leading to the enhanced employability of the young workforce.
  Keywords: faculty talent; reliability; talent; Delphi technique; item development; scale refinement; scale evaluation; scale development; validity; higher education institutions.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMIE.2024.10061159
   
  
• Evaluation of the positioning of the university brand: measurement of the dimensions in accredited universities  
  by Johnatan Castro-Gómez, Javier A. Sánchez-Torres, Paola Andrea Ortíz-Rendón 
  Abstract: Higher education institutions have generated competitive advantages by responding to the employment needs of the industry and designing an attractive offer to the academic community. This study aims to create a measurement tool for student perception of university brand positioning. For this purpose, a sequential mixed methodological design is carried out, which starts from a review of the literature to establish the measurement instrument and then is validated by exploratory factor analysis. The findings verified three constructs namely perceived quality, brand image and brand identity, related to the measurement of positioning in nine accredited universities in Colombia. Thus, it was found that the constructs fit the parameters for measuring university brand positioning from the student perspective. Limitations were found to be that it only covers the student perspective and does not involve other members of the university stakeholders and only in the city of Medellin.
  Keywords: brand positioning; high-quality accreditation; positioning evaluation; student perception; university branding.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMIE.2024.10061874
   
  
• Gaining insights from the bottom-up approach for teacher training needs: case study for school disengagement  
  by Kongkiti Phusavat, Rapee Kanchana, Adhi Kusumastuti, Dušan Lesjak, Jukka Majava 
  Abstract: The pilot project, jointly conducted by a foreign business community and schools, illustrates a bottom-up approach in determining in-service teacher training for school disengagement. The development of in-service teacher training is traditionally based on the experts and senior administrators without much input from ordinary teachers or this top-down approach. Since dealing with school disengagement has been viewed as the relationship between a teacher and a student, the bottom-up approach should be examined. A group of 147 teachers from five schools participated in the pilot project (part of a foreign business community's involvement with education). The bottom-up approach provides coherent findings between school problems and training needs and gives consistent findings with both previous studies and the opinions of business experts. Working directly with teachers has been part of a strategy of the foreign business community when attempting to improve the quality of education in Thailand.
  Keywords: planning; strategy; in-service teacher training; bottom-up approach; school disengagement; Thailand.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMIE.2024.10061958
   
  
• Kindergarten teachers' perceptions of the factors that negatively impact their professional competence in administrative work  
  by Vasiliki Brinia, Konstantina Antonopoulou, Alexandros Dimos, Maria Moutrika 
  Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to analyse the points of view of the heads of low-stakes Greek public kindergartens, regarding the factors that frustrate them in their position of responsibility and what their suggestions are for improving their job satisfaction. The qualitative, phenomenological research based on thematic axes was chosen as the appropriate research approach, while purposive sampling, semi-structured interviews with a guide of pre-constructed, open-ended questions and thematic analysis were chosen as methodological tools. The sample consisted of twelve kindergarten principals while the data were collected in February and March 2022. The results of the research show that supervisors perceive job satisfaction with emotional type definitions. The innovation of the research lies in the fact that a first attempt was made to investigate, qualitatively, internal and external factors that negatively affect the professional satisfaction of the heads of small kindergartens in an island region during the pandemic.
  Keywords: preschool leadership; job dissatisfaction; Greek kindergarten; administration; effectiveness.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMIE.2024.10062630
   
  
• Analysing the unemployment rate among women graduates in India: a dynamic panel approach  
  by Sanghita Ghosh, Amit Kundu 
  Abstract: The unemployment problem among graduate women in India is challenging and fluctuating in different states. With this background, this paper has identified the determinants of the unemployment rate among graduate women in India. It has also identified a few policy prescriptions to tackle that problem. The period is between 2013-2014 and 2019-2020 and 20 major states of India are considered for this investigation. Using the Blundell and Bond Dynamic Panel Regression technique it is observed that factors like higher gross enrolment ratio among women in higher education in general and higher percentage of females at the age of marriage between the age group of 18 and 20 years are responsible for the state-wise higher unemployment rate among graduate women. However, expanding the service sector by creating more employment opportunities for females with technical and professional degrees and an effective marriage age of 21 years and above can reduce the unemployment problem among at least graduated women in India. The study can help policymakers to reduce the unemployment problem among at least graduated women in India.
  Keywords: gross enrolment ratio of women graduates; the unemployment rate; graduate women; states; dynamic panel data regression; expansion of the service sector.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMIE.2024.10062116
   
  
• From theory to practice: attitude and technology awareness' effects on parents' intention towards preschool selection  
  by Vartika Bisht, Priya Vij 
  Abstract: Social media has become integral in daily life, with studies traditionally focusing on parental involvement in a child's early years. However, few have explored how parents use social media for preschool selection. This research examines the mediating role of attitude and the moderating impact of technology awareness on the behavioural intentions of educated parents when choosing preschools. Integrating the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) with the Hedonic Motivation System Adoption Model (HMSAM), the study utilises Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) on data from 688 educated parents. Findings indicate that attitude partially mediates performance expectancy, facilitating conditions, curiosity and joy with behavioural intention, while technology awareness moderates paths of social influence and joy. This research offers insights for preschools to comprehend parental behaviour and develop strategies to attract them. Limited to Punjab, the study emphasises preschool selection and provides a nuanced overview of parental behavioural intentions.
  Keywords: behavioural intention; mediator; moderator; PLS-SEM; preschools.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMIE.2024.10062115
   
  
• University as a brand: lessons from Vietnam's higher education branding  
  by Tuong-Minh Ly-Le, Viet Hoa Dang Thi, Mai Hoang Nguyen, Nhung Dinh-Hong, Thao Nguyen, Yen-Nhi Nguyen 
  Abstract: This research explores the landscape of higher education branding in Vietnam, investigating communication strategies and challenges faced by 30 universities. The study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the current state of higher education branding in Vietnam and its implications. By conducting interviews with representatives from various Vietnamese universities, the study uncovers that while some institutions have developed comprehensive brand communication plans, others struggle with fragmented approaches and a lack of a unified vision, often focusing on direct marketing for student recruitment. Resource constraints, particularly limited budgets, pose a significant hurdle, hindering comprehensive campaigns and skilled personnel recruitment. The findings emphasise the need for innovative resource allocation and a shared leadership vision. For universities and researchers, this study provides valuable insights into higher education branding dynamics, encouraging a collaborative effort to navigate complexities and contribute to the discourse on effective university branding.
  Keywords: university branding; higher education marketing; brand communication; branding challenges; Vietnam.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMIE.2024.10062338
   
  
• Compatibility of distributive leadership, teacher autonomy and school effectiveness in Nigeria  
  by Karima Bashir, Gazi Mahabubul Alam 
  Abstract: Distributive leadership has been linked with teacher autonomy, school effectiveness and decentralisation. This study aims to explore the compatibility of distributive leadership with teacher autonomy and school effectiveness in northwest Nigeria. The paper employs a quantitative method, using a descriptive survey and adopting western designed instruments to make its argument. The selected sample includes 314 federal secondary school principals. The findings revealed that teachers vary in their perception regarding the application of distributive leadership and their autonomy and distributive leadership has a positive direct effect on school effectiveness (β = 0.645, P<0.001), while teacher autonomy has no direct effect on school effectiveness (β = 0.031, P = 0.678). These findings highlight that distributive leadership alone does not rectify school ineffectiveness. This paper responds to the call for more literature from a non-western perspective, providing insights on the paradox of distributive leadership, teacher autonomy and school effectiveness in a decentralised context in Nigeria.
  Keywords: distributive leadership; teacher autonomy; decentralisation; context; school effectiveness.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMIE.2024.10062559