Department
University Library
Additional Department
Instructional Technology
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
5-21-2021
Embargo Period
12-15-2021
Abstract
Purpose – The study’s purpose was to examine the faculty-driven organization’s design and development that supports faculty research needs, track the emergence of the community of practice (CoP) and provide greater insight into continued organizational design iterations.
Design/methodology/approach – In this longitudinal design case study, the authors employed different methods to collect and analyze archival, quantitative, and qualitative data to capture the phenomenon’s complexity.
Findings – The findings challenge the assumption that only formal organizational structures and top-down management approaches stimulate research and build research capacity in universities and propose a new sustainable and agile informal organizational structure and strategies to respond to faculty members’ various
Research limitations/implications – Future research is needed to investigate the tension between the individual researchers’ and organizational needs, formal and informal organizational structures in universities, and the creation of a culture that would stimulate research.
Practical implications – Some of the recommended strategies and activities already have been implemented by the Research Consortium Committee (RCC), and faculty engagement in the RCC initiatives has increased. The practical implications are not limited to a College of Education (COE) context. The findings and the developed strategies could apply to many universities and colleges that desire to support their researchers. The research development officers, university administration, and policymakers can consider the results of the present study to develop a comprehensive framework for research capacity and infrastructure building from not only organizational but individual perspectives.
Originality/value – This study provides one of the rare empirical investigations of the design, development, and evolution of researchers’ needs-driven informal organization in higher education (HE) setting.
Journal Title
Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education
Journal ISSN
2050-7003
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.1108/JARHE-12-2020-0437
Included in
Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, Educational Sociology Commons, Higher Education Commons, Organizational Communication Commons
Comments
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