University of Twente Student Theses
Science as a calling: research on the expectations of scholars
Homeijer, Aran (2011) Science as a calling: research on the expectations of scholars.
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| Abstract: | The current university system is changing. It has been subjected to mass expansion, marketization, privatization (including funding), internationalization, and globalization. These changes and pressures have powerful effects upon individual scholars and universities, and such changes powerfully impact the formation, content and experience of scholars’ psychological contracts. The psychological contract (PC) refers to the expectations (that can be largely unspoken and unwritten) of the scholar towards the institution regarding the behaviour of the institution based on reciprocity in the relationship between the scholar and the institution. In this study, the focus is on the effects of the described developments on the perceptions of individuals who chose science as their profession. More precisely, this study is primarily oriented to get insight in the expectations that scholars have of their profession and their university, and the extent to which these expectations are (being) fulfilled. Furthermore, possible changes in the PC were explored. In-depth interviews were held with 18 professors connected to one department of a Dutch university. As expected, many participants ascribed changes in their profession to reforms and changes in higher education system and academia. The participants spoke at length regarding present expectations of the profession and university as well as issues concerning these expectations. The expectations mentioned by the participants covered all seven categories identified in the ‘theoretical framework’. Moreover, changes in scholars’ expectations were discussed as well as the nonfulfillment of expectations and its negative consequences. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 85 business administration, organizational science |
| Programme: | Business Administration MSc (60644) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/63070 |
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