The Relationship between Organizational Change and Staff Job Performance as Mediated by Work Engagement in Ethiopian Research Universities
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Date
2025-02-04
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Addis ababa Universty
Abstract
Despite scant local studies in public higher education governance, there has been little research on whether work engagement serves as a mediator in the relationship between organizational change and staff job performance in Ethiopian Research Universities. Employing a mixed-methods approach with a convergent parallel design, data were collected from three randomly selected universities out of eight. A total of 923 participants were selected through a multi-stage sampling process, and 30 academic and administrative staff members were chosen purposively. Quantitative data were collected using adapted questionnaires that measured SJP, WE, and OCH dimensions. Analysis included descriptive statistics, correlations, factor analyses, and structural equation modeling using SPSS and AMOS (version 23.0). Qualitative data from semi-structured interviews were analyzed thematically. Findings revealed that both task and extra-role performance scores exceeded expectations. High mean scores were also observed for OSCH, TECH, and WE dimensions—vigor, dedication, and absorption—while leadership change received comparatively less emphasis. A strong, statistically significant relationship was found among OCH, WE, and SJP. Collectively, organizational change factors and work engagement explained 55% of the variance in staff job performance (R² = 0.55). Technological and structural changes indirectly influenced SJP through WE, whereas LCH showed no significant indirect effect. The study suggests the importance of integrating organizational change initiatives with strategies that enhance employee engagement. It is also recommended that the Ethiopian Research Universities adopt a holistic approach emphasizing adaptive leadership, technological innovation, and supportive structures to foster engagement and optimize SJP. These findings carry vital theoretical and policy implications, highlighting the pivotal role of structural and technological change in driving academic excellence and fulfilling institutional missions.
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Organizational change, work engagement, direct and indirect effect, staff job performance, Research University