Author(s): Bongani Penuel Qwabe
This paper aimed at setting out the findings from an examination of academic staff member perceptions, with regard to support strategies afforded to academics at higher education institutions, using the Durban University of Technology as a case study. Even though much research has undertaken where the academic workload experienced by academics is concerned, little has been done to investigate actual support strategies that can be employed, in order to address some of the challenges faced by academics. In addition, despite the importance of entrepreneurial administration in practice, researchers have not examined entrepreneurial leadership’s role in stimulating policy innovation or its contribution to higher learning institutions. A mixed methods approach was used to collect and analyses primary data from 130 academic staff members of the Durban University of Technology, with data drawn from questionnaires personally dispersed to respondents and followed up telephonically. The findings show some confusion exists within the university, as to the existence of an academic workload policy or model and strategic support for academic staff. This study further reports the majority of academics believe a workload model and policy could assist in safeguarding a reasonable workload balance, however, some individual sentiments indicated the difficulties and shortcomings to be tackled, in order to allow flexible and on-going staff member consultation, prior to implementation of such a model. Extensive consultation is recommended over implementation of the study’s proposed findings and a workload model, with employment of a pilot phase, in order to eliminate any problems that may occur.