The influence of organizational structure in universities on academician behaviors

The purpose of this study is to define how organizational structure in universities is perceived by academicians and identify the relation between the perceived organizational structure and academicians' behaviours. The research has been made based on relational screening model. The population of the research consists of 185 universities within the borders of Turkey according to the data of Higher Education Board (as of December 2015) while the research sample is composed of totally 37 universities selected through the quota sampling method, considering the criteria such as establishment year and statute (state or foundation university). The data obtained from totally 1,242 academicians working in these universities has been studied. Different scales have been used in order to evaluate 12 different variables in this study. AMOS and SPSS programs have been applied together with the purpose of analysing the study data and testing the alternative models. In this scope, the results have been obtained by applying the reliability, confirmatory factor analyses and necessary statistical analyses (t-test, Anova, correlation, regression and structural equation modelling). When a normal distribution has been observed in the data collected under this research, independent groups t-test has been used in order to determine whether there is a significant difference between two groups in terms of variables. For the cases in which normal distribution hasn't been seen, Mann-Whitney U test, one of the nonparametric tests, has been applied. While ANOVA test, namely one-way variance analysis, has been used for several groups to define whether there is a significant difference, Scheffe test has been applied to identify which groups cause the differences that have been defined. Likewise, Kruskal-Wallis Test has been used for the cases with the absence of normal distribution, while Mann-Whitney U test has been applied separately between the groups with the purpose of determining between which groups the difference exists. Moreover, when a significant difference has been detected by the tests carried out, eta-squared (η2) and Cohen d values have been calculated in order to define the influence quantity. Correlation analysis has been applied for determining the relations between the variables. Regression and path analysis has been performed with the aim of identifying the regression of other variables over individual performance and intention to quit, the outcome variables. Based on the findings of this research, it has been discovered that significant differences are available in the variables addressed in the scope of research, in terms of the certain personal variables such as gender, marital status and working department etc. The results of correlation and regression analyses show that the more the academicians' perceptions of the enabling structure are enhanced, the more their perceptions of positive emotions, attitudes and behaviours such as collective efficacy, person-organization fit, organizational commitment and job involvement improve. Nonetheless, the stronger the inhibiting structure becomes, the more their perceptions of adverse emotions, attitudes and behaviours such as stress, cynicism, silence and burnout increase. However, it has been determined that the positive relation between the inhibiting organizational structure and negative variables (e.g. stress and burnout) is stronger than the negative relation of enabling organizational structure. Based on these results, it is understood that the organizational structure should be enabling in order to enhance academicians' positive emotions, attitudes and behaviours, but it will not be sufficient.