An Overview of the Labour Input of Female Administrative Staff in Nigerian Public Universities

Although there is an increase in female participation in the labour force, there remains a significant gender gap in the administrative positions in Nigerian academia. This study therefore assessed the labout input of female administrative staff in terms of their contributions to the various job schedules in Nigerian Public Universities. With the aid of the Gender – Organization-System model, the study explored the complex variables that affect the labour input and career progression of female administrative staff. The study adopted the survey research design and utilized data from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data was generated through the administration of questionnaires on 675 purposively selected female administrative staff from three randomly selected Public Universities from Southern western Nigeria. The questionnaires were distributed across the middle and senior administrative staff category in the six universities. The retrieved questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics in the form of percentages. The study revealed that majority (55.5%) of the female administrative staff did not chair committees; rather they acted as secretaries (46.6%). Most of them (42.6%) performed routine clerical assignments, while 33.3% attended mainly to files. Also, it was found that a number of societal values and norms combined with some organizational and individual attributes of females provided explanations for the trends in the labour input of female administrative staff in Nigerian Public Universities. The study concluded that concerted effort is required by universities to rid themselves of the vestiges of gender imbalance in the labour force. Keywords: Labour Input, Female, Administrative Staff, Public Universities, Nigeria

Modes Of Funding Nigerian Universities And The Implications On Performance

This paper examined the modes of funding Nigerian universities with a view to assessing their adequacy and effectiveness. The implications of the mechanisms of funding on university performance were investigated. The history of university funding in Nigeria was explored in order to determine the causes of shift in financing the system since 1948 when the first university was established. The paper revealed that the costs of financing universities including: costs of teaching, research and administration, cost of accommodating increased enrollments, expenses of student maintenance, payment of staff entitlement/salaries and maintenance of facilities are increasing in excess of the corresponding rates of available revenues. The divergence in the trajectories of total university educational cost, the total available revenue and government subvention has led to capacity constraints of universities. This is evident in poor quality of teaching and research, poor conditions of work and insufficient attention to staff development, amongst others. The study found that the changing patterns in funding of universities are responses to the social and economic depression of the country, globalization, country’s desire to be integrated into the modern knowledge economy and increased enrollment without adequate planning. Consequently, the African political economy model was used in explaining the financial state of Nigerian universities, while the theory of human capital was used to support the arguments in favour of multiple forms of cost-sharing. These include private support from parents/students and donors since education is both a government and private investment. The study concluded that part of the solutions to cost-revenue squeeze in Nigerian universities is the development of proactive mechanisms that facilitate both the identification of multiple sources of funding as well as their optimal utilization in order to maintain financial balance and enhance performance. The Resource-Based Model for sustaining financing of universities was thus recommended

Gender Inequality In Academia: Evidences From Nigeria

Universities and other institutions of higher education in Nigeria see themselves as liberal and open-minded. They support social movements that encourage principles of democracy and social justice, yet their mode of governance is male dominated and patriarchal. This study, therefore, identified the causes of gender inequality in academia and the implications on the academic development of females in the university system. This study was considered necessary because of the observed anomaly in the composition of academic staff in Nigerian universities. Data for the study were obtained from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data were obtained through the in-depth interview of sixty (60) purposively selected male and female academic staff occupying key positions in three (3) Federal universities located in southwestern Nigeria. The study revealed that the recruitment and selection practices in the universities neither stressed male ideology nor discriminated against women; rather merit was the yardstick for acceptance into the profession. It was found that lack of mentoring, poor remuneration, women’s lack of interest in academia, family responsibilities, the lengthy period of training, and the ideology that women should have low career aspirations due to traditional roles ascribed to them, accounted for the observed disparity in academia. The implication of this disparity on the academic development of women is the general reduction in their research output and the perpetuation of their low status in academia. The study concluded that appropriate institutional adjustments and affirmation action programmes are necessary to meet women’s demands of equality and improve retention

An Evaluation of Outsourcing Process in a Nigerian University: Benefits and Challenges

This study examined the outsourcing procedures in a Nigerian University as well as the benefits and challenges involved. Data were derived from primary sources through the administration of questionnaires on 52 purposively selected university administrative staff (20) from the departments responsible for the outsourcing process as well as (32) from the companies that provide the outsourced services. In depth interviews were conducted with 8 purposively selected university administrative staff involved in the outsourcing process. The retrieved questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics in the form of frequencies, while the interviews were reported using the ZY index table. The results revealed that strategizing on the services to be outsourced and weighing the outsourcing options before choosing and screening the vendors were the major steps embarked upon in the outsourcing procedure. The reasons for outsourcing included the quest to reduce and control cost as well as the need to improve the quality of services delivered. The results further revealed that the process of outsourcing improved the quality of services provided (75%), reduced cost (76.9%), increased efficiency and enabled the university to focus on more core activities (71.1%). The major challenges identified in outsourcing included the insecurity which it creates among university staff (96.1%), and poor motivation and competence of the outsourced staff (84.6%). The study concluded that the university management should carefully plan and evaluate the outsourcing process to ensure its success in cutting cost and in providing efficient service in line with the university goals. Keywords: - Outsourcing, benefits, challenges, Nigeria, University

Leadership Styles of Heads of Departments: Evidences from Nigerian Federal Universities

This study assessed the leadership styles adopted by academic heads of departments in administering their departments in selected federal universities in Nigeria. It also identified the factors that influence their choice of leadership styles. Primary data were generated through the administration of the multifactor leadership questionnaire on 11 randomly selected heads of departments from 5 faculties in 2 purposively selected federal universities in North Central Nigeria. The retrieved data were analyzed using descriptive statistics in the form of percentages and means. The results revealed that the democratic (x̄=3.25), transformational (x̄=2.87), transactional (x̄=2.75), and charismatic (x̄=2.46), leadership styles were more prominently utilized by the heads of departments. The factors that influenced their choice of leadership styles were found to be: set goals to be attained (x̄=3.73) availability of working facilities (x̄=3.36), cultural environment (x̄=3.45), attitudes of subordinates (x̄=3.27), job stress (x̄=3.09), leadership pattern of colleagues (x̄=3.09), past leadership experiences (x̄=3.09), and personal temperament (x̄=2.91). Gender and religion were found not to influence them. The study concluded that since the university operates a dynamic system, heads of departments must understand the complex phenomenon of leadership, learn new leadership skills and practice diverse mix of leadership styles that fit each context. Keywords: Leadership styles, heads of departments, federal universities, Nigeria

Gender Issues in the Recruitment and Selection of Academic Staff in a Nigerian University

This paper examines gender issues in the recruitment and selection of academic staff in a Nigerian university. The recruitment and selection practices of the university are examined with a view to ascertaining whether such practices encourage male dominance. Primary data were obtained through the administration of questionnaires on 163 academic staff, using the stratified sampling technique. Ten staff occupying key administrative positions were purposively selected for interview. Results revealed that although men dominate academia, the recruitment and selection practices did not stress male ideology, rather merit was the yardstick for acceptance. The stressful nature of academia, discrimination, socio-cultural factors, female reproductive roles and lengthy period of training amongst others were disincentives for women‘s entry into academia. The study concluded that if the university is to be society‘s instrument for development, it should device means of ridding itself of the vestiges of gender imbalance in its composition of human resources. Keywords: Gender, recruitment, selection, imbalance, university, NigeriaGender & Behaviour 10(2), December 201