| dc.description.abstract | Academic staff members constitute the intellectual and operational pillar of any
university. Their job satisfaction is a critical determinant of instructional quality, research
output, and institutional stability. While academic staff are entrusted with fulfilling the
university's core mandate of teaching, research, and community engagement, their levels
of satisfaction and productivity are often undermined by institutional challenges. This
study sought to investigate the institutional drivers influencing academic staff job
satisfaction in a selected public and private university in Kenya. Specifically, the study
addressed four objectives: (i) to examine the role of the working environment in
influencing academic staff job satisfaction; (ii) to evaluate the influence of compensation
and benefits on academic staff job satisfaction; (iii) to analyze the effect of professional
development opportunities on academic staff job satisfaction; and (iv) to investigate the
impact of institutional policies on academic staff job satisfaction. Guided by a blend of
Self Determination Theory that offers foundational psychological understanding of human
motivation and Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory, which distinguishes between hygiene
factors and motivators, the study applied a concurrent mixed-methods research design
(QUANT + qual) to generate an understanding of academic staff experiences across
institutional contexts. The target population included academic staff, members of
directorates of quality assurance, and university management boards from both
universities. Using Yamane’s 1967 formula, a sample of 200 respondents was drawn
through simple random sampling, while key informants were selected purposively for in
depth interviews. The study instruments were questionnaires and interview schedules
which were subjected to rigorous content validity assessment by academic experts, and a
pilot study was conducted in one public and one private university in Kisumu County.
Test-retest reliability confirmed the consistency of the quantitative tools, while inter-rater
reliability enhanced the credibility of qualitative data coding. Quantitative data were
analyzed using SPSS, while qualitative data were thematically analyzed using QDA Miner
software. Findings revealed that while both institutional types face common challenges,
notable differences exist. Academic staff in public universities reported dissatisfaction
with delayed promotions, rigid and bureaucratic procedures, and limited involvement in
decision-making, whereas their counterparts in private universities cited heavy workloads,
rigid contract terms, and inadequate professional growth structures. A conducive working
environment defined by collegiality, academic freedom, safety, and resource availability
emerged as a strong predictor of job satisfaction. Similarly, fair and timely compensation,
accessible and relevant professional development, and inclusive and transparent
institutional policies were found to significantly enhance motivation and satisfaction. The
study concludes that academic staff job satisfaction is deeply embedded in the structural
and policy dynamics of university governance. Institutions that prioritize staff welfare,
provide clear and fair policies, and offer ongoing professional support create environments
conducive to academic excellence. This study contributes significantly to Comparative
and International Education by offering context-specific knowledge into the contrasting
realities of academic life in public versus private universities in Kenya whose findings
should generalised in other contexts. The findings have practical implications for
university councils, UASU, policy makers, and the Ministry of Education, Science and
Technology (MOEST), as well as for global actors interested in equitable higher education
reform. Ultimately, the study calls for strategic policy reforms that promotes institutional
responsiveness, promote fairness in policy implementation, expand academic staff
participation in governance, and align academic staff compensation structures with staff
expectations and workloads. These reforms are essential not only for improving job
satisfaction but also for sustaining the transformative mandate of universities. | en_US |
