The effects of employee commitment in transnational higher education: the case of international branch campuses

Abstract
Higher education is a labor intensive activity and strong organizational performance depends upon employee commitment. This study analyses antecedents and consequences of employee commitment in universities that are involved in transnational higher education, with a focus on identifying differences between the employees at home and foreign branch campuses. The data for the study were obtained using a questionnaire that was completed by both teaching and non-teaching staff at three institutions in the United Kingdom, three institutions in Malaysia, and two institutions in the United Arab Emirates. A conceptual model was proposed and tested using structural equation modeling. The results indicate that employees at international branch campuses are not as motivated and committed to their organizations as their counterparts at home campuses. The findings suggest that institutions need to employ different and customized human resource strategies at home and foreign campuses, specifically with the aim of improving employee commitment and performance at the foreign campuses.
Description
Keywords
international branch campuses, United Arab Emirates, employee commitment
Citation
Wilkins, S., Butt, M.M., & Annabi, C.A. (2017), The effects of employee commitment in transnational higher education: the case of international branch campuses. Journal of Studies in International Education, 21(4), 295-314.