Improved performance prediction and the implications for the efficient frontier

Abstract

The rapid expansion of the tertiary education sector globally and the complexity within which it must operate has required a new focus on managerial capacity and how it is acquired. There is a pressing need to develop and support good leaders and managers as academic institutions are increasingly run like businesses. This may affect the career transition of the specialist academic into a mid-level management role as the transition has been shown to be one of the most challenging crossroads that the individual will face with a high degree of failure. A qualitative, exploratory research methodology was followed to gain new insights into the unexplored area of career transition for academic specialists who decide to climb the managerial career ladder. Twenty-one semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with eight heads of departments, six senior-level managers and six human resource professionals within a tertiary education institution in South Africa. The findings of the research confirm what the literature says around how extremely difficult it is for the specialist academic to career transition to a mid-level management role. The study showed that the competencies are vastly different and that the specialist is role confused and struggles to move from managing themselves to managing a team. Additional barriers to career transition in the study was the lack of support from within the organisation, the significant increase in workload and demanding and bureaucratic environment. In contrast, others who received support from senior level management and those who previously worked at the institution or had been given additional responsibility outside their prior job description transitioned with ease. To guide the career transition a framework (Figure 6) was developed that sets out the phases that the specialist academic has to pass through and master before successfully transitioning. This framework will assist senior-level managers, human resources professionals and the tertiary education sector