Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The components of communication systems in universities: their influence on academic work life

  • Published:
Tertiary Education and Management Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This research aimed to identify the components of communication systems in universities and to explore their influence on academic life. To collect data, interviews were carried out with academics from Australian universities. Thematic descriptive and content analyses were performed on the data-set. Analyses showed that the human relations unit, deanship office, academic board, newsletters, academic and public events, tea/coffee/lunch meetings, social activities and celebrations are common formal and informal channels of communication in universities. Academic support mechanisms also provide various communication opportunities such as professional interactions during staff training, collegial evaluation on grant proposals, and intellectual discussions at public events. Access to top management and mentoring between senior and junior academics are other important kinds of communication. The results revealed that good communication systems are an essential component of a participative, collaborative and interdisciplinary work environment, and as such a positive environment noticeably contributes to academics’ individual and collective productivity.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bakan, I., & Buyukbese, T. (2004). Örgütsel iletisim ile iş tatmini imsurlan arasmdaki ilişkiler: Akademik örgütler için bir alan araştirmasi [Relations between organisational communication and aspects of job satisfaction: A field study for academic organisations]. Akdeniz Üniversitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi, 7, 1–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beytekin, O. F., & Arslan, H. (2013). The function of communication in faculty management. Social Change Review, 11, 137–152. doi:10.2478/scr-2013-0019

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bossio, D., Loch, B., Schier, M., & Mazzolini, A. (2014). A roadmap for forming successful interdisciplinary education research collaborations: A reflective approach. Higher Education Research & Development, 33, 198–211. doi:10.1080/07294360.2013.832167

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Darwin, A., & Palmer, E. (2009). Mentoring circles in higher education. Higher Education Research & Development, 28, 125–136. doi:10.1080/07294360902725017

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dowling-Hetherington, L. (2013). The changing shape of university decision-making processes and the consequences for faculty participation in Ireland. Tertiary Education and Management, 19, 219–232. doi:10.1080/13583883.2013.790071

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gizir, S., & Simsek, H. (2005). Communication in an academic context. Higher Education, 50, 197–221. doi: 10.1007/s 10734-004-6349-x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gratz, R. D., & Salem, P. J. (1981). Organisational communication and higher education (AAHE-ERIC/Higher Education Research Report No. 10). Washington, DC: American Association for Higher Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Horan, S. M., & Benington, J. H. (2000). A protocol for using electronic messaging to facilitate academic committee deliberations. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 22, 187–197. doi:10.1080/713678143

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoy, W. K., & Miskel, C. G. (2013). Educational administration: Theory, research, and practice (9th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCaffery, P. (2010). The higher education manager’s handbook: Effective leadership and management in universities and colleges (2nd ed.). Abingdon: Routledge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldana, J. (2014). Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ngo, J., de Boer, H., & Enders, J. (2014). The way deans run their faculties in Indonesian universities. Tertiary Education and Management, 20, 1–13. doi:10.1080/13583883.2013.848924

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pignata, S., Lushington, K., Sloan, J., & Buchanan, F. (2015). Employees’ perceptions of email communication, volume and management strategies in an Australian university. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 37, 159–171. doi:10.1080/1360080X.2015. 1019121

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robertson, E. (2005). Placing leaders at the heart of organisational communication. Strategic Communication Management, 9, 34–37.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shattock, M. (2003). Managing successful universities. Maidenhead: Open University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shattock, M. (2006). Managing good governance in higher education. Maidenhead: Open University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stake, R. E. (2006). Multiple case study analysis. New York, NY: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, J. D., Lunsford, L. G., & Rodrigues, H. A. (2015). Early career academic staff support: Evaluating mentoring networks. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 37, 320–329. doi:10.1080/1360080X.2015.1034426

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thornhill, A., Lewis, P., & Saunders, M. N. K. (1996). The role of employee communication in achieving commitment and quality in higher education. Quality Assurance in Education, 4, 12–20. doi:10.1108/09684889610107995

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Uslu, B., & Arslan, H. (2015). The relationship between organisational communication and organisational climate in universities. In K. Norley, M. A. Icbay, & H. Arslan (Eds.), Contemporary approaches in education (pp. 271–284). Frankfurt: Peter Lang.

    Google Scholar 

  • van der Weijden, I., Beider, R., van Arensbergen, P., & van den Besselaar, P. (2015). How do young tenured professors benefit from a mentor? Effects on management, motivation and performance. Higher Education, 69, 275–287. doi:10.1007/sl0734-014-9774-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wood, J. (1999). Establishing internal communication channels that work. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 21, 135–149. doi:10.1080/1360080990210202

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yilmaz, E. (2005). Okullarda örgütsel güven ölçeğinin geçerlik ve güvenirlik çahsmasi [The validity and reliability studies of the Scale of Organisational Trust in Schools]. Selçuk Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi, 14, 567–580.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yin, R. K. (2003). Case study research: Design and method (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Educational Sciences, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Canakkale, Turkey

    Baris Uslu

Authors
  1. Baris Uslu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Baris Uslu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Uslu, B. The components of communication systems in universities: their influence on academic work life. Tert Educ Manag 24, 34–48 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1080/13583883.2017.1359662

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13583883.2017.1359662

Keywords

Search

Navigation