Designing Descriptive Model of University Managers Approach to Faculty Training and Development

This study explores the approach of the university administrators towards the training and development of faculty members via a systematic grounded theory. In order to extract the data, interviews were conducted with 21 policy makers in higher education, university administrators, and experts in faculty training and development. Three steps of data analyses through open, axial and selective coding indicated twelve general categories reflected in a paradigmatic model including: causal conditions (individual factors: attitude of the academic administrators towards training and development of the faculty, capabilities and expertise of university administrators and organizational factors: organizational culture, rules and regulations, organizational structure and financial and physical resources); main categories (the approach of academic administrators towards training and development of faculty); strategies to improve university management approach (Micro-level: "considering the merits in university management, raising awareness in training and development of university administrators and delegation of authority" and a macro level: sharing the experiences of the academic administrators, academic freedom, and reviewing and refine the rules), context (management and macro policy making in higher education and faculty activism), intervening conditions (environmental factors: the role of government, socio-cultural and economic factors) and the consequences (individual: "improving satisfaction and motivation among faculty members” and organizational: Improving efficiency and effectiveness, accountability and improved corporate reputation), the approach of the academic administrators towards the training and development of faculty and relations among its different aspects.