Organizational support and research productivity among lecturers at Kyambogo University

Abstract

In today’s hyper-competitive higher education market, research productivity has become a dominant criterion for establishing the relative standing of individual academics and ranking of universities. However, in Ugandan universities, attention is paid more to the teaching function. The research function is generally left to individual lecturers to conduct as a requirement for promotion. This study therefore sought to evaluate the effect of the university organizational support on lecturers’ research productivity at Kyambogo University. The analysis focused on research policy, research management, research funding and research infrastructure as the organizational support avalled to lecturers in promoting research productivity. Research Productivity was indicated as article publication, Book authorship, conference presentation and graduate students‟ supervision. The study used a mixed-method cross-sectional correlational survey design. A sample of 127 Ph.D. holding lecturers and 9 key informants participated in the study. Data was collected using questionnaires, documentary analysis and interviews. It was analysed using Structural Equation Modelling for quantitative data while qualitative data was analysed through thematic content analysis. Overall, the results revealed generally low organisational support (mean = 2.83 Std D. = 0.258), low research productivity (mean = 2.83, Std D. = 0.693), indicating a significant relationship between organisational support and research productivity (β = 0.523 p = 0.000). Specifically, the study established a significant positive effect of research policy (β = 0.219, p = 0.023) and research infrastructure (β = 0.280, p = 0.016) on research productivity. However, no significant effect of research management (β = 0.027, p = 0.803) and research funding (β = 0.113, p = 0.253) on research productivity. The study thus concluded that organisational support is a major predictor of research productivity in universities and recommended university managers to improve the support given to lecturers to conduct the university research function. In particular, the study recommended the formulation and implementation of favouring and supportive research policies, and increased funding to improve the university research infrastructure as the most critical support factor for research productivity.