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Article
Publication date: 7 September 2020

Harry Kipkemoi Bett, Faith Nguru and Tim Mwangi Kiruhi

The purpose of this paper is to provide a discussion on the construction of followership identity among teachers in Kenya which has had less attention. Further, as Kenya is…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a discussion on the construction of followership identity among teachers in Kenya which has had less attention. Further, as Kenya is currently implementing a new education curriculum (competency-based curriculum) which requires teachers to be more proactive in their work, an understanding of how they construct their followership identity in schools is paramount, as this is linked to the attainment of learning outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

Symbolic interactionism theory, which suggests that individuals respond to phenomena based on the meaning they give such phenomena and through interactions with others, has been used to support arguments in this paper. This theory is relevant to this paper, as it helps in understanding the meaning that teachers give to ‘followership’ through interactions with others in their schools.

Findings

The arguments in the current paper suggest that as Kenyan teachers interact with colleagues, their meaning of ‘followership’ is defined and refined. The resulting identity is important for these teachers, especially as they embrace the new curriculum in the country which requires them to be more proactive, unlike the previous one.

Research limitations/implications

As this is a conceptual paper, there is no empirical data to ground validate the arguments given.

Originality/value

The use of symbolic interactionism in the discussion of this paper adds another dimension to the followership and identity construction among followers. Much of the literature has focused on followership in general but not from the lens of symbolic interactionism.

Details

Industrial and Commercial Training, vol. 53 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0019-7858

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 February 2020

Harry Kipkemoi Bett

The purpose of this paper is to analyse how predatory journals use spam emails to manipulate potential authors. This has been done based on McCornack’s information manipulation…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse how predatory journals use spam emails to manipulate potential authors. This has been done based on McCornack’s information manipulation theory (IMT). Generally, predatory publishing is on the increase globally but more pronounced in developing countries. Although it affects both young and seasoned scholars, inexperienced scholars and those ignorant on credible publishing are the most affected.

Design/methodology/approach

The current study through document analysis focuses on email invites from predatory journals sent to the author between June 2016 and December 2018 after publishing a peer-reviewed journal article. The resultant texts were analysed using a directed qualitative content analysis.

Findings

Findings indicate that the invites flouted all the four Gricean maxims (of quality, quantity, manner and relevance) as posited by IMT. This suggests that the spam mails sent to the author sought to manipulate potential authors to publish with predatory journals.

Research limitations/implications

This qualitative study focuses on email invites to the author which may not fully capture the manipulation by predatory journals.

Practical implications

It is important that scholars in developing contexts are aware of how predatory publishers seek to manipulate their victims. Universities and research institutions should be intentional in enlightening their academic staff on predatory journals and their characteristics. Similarly, universities should consider disincentivising their faculty members who publish in such platforms.

Originality/value

The originality in this study lies in its use of IMT to explain how predatory journals manipulate potentials authors.

Details

Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication, vol. 69 no. 4/5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2514-9342

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 June 2019

Harry Kipkemoi Bett

The purpose of this paper is to provide a discussion on the overlooked side of motivation among Kenyan lecturers: the motivation to teach.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a discussion on the overlooked side of motivation among Kenyan lecturers: the motivation to teach.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is generally a review of the current status of lecturer motivation in Kenya in relation to their teaching and research. This has been done anchored on Herzberg’s two-factor theory.

Findings

While the general belief is that lecturers are more motivated to teach than to engage in research owing to immediacy of returns (from teaching), arguments are given showing that contextual factors may contribute to lecturer demotivation in their teaching.

Practical implications

There is need to increase the number of lecturers in higher education in Kenya so as to mitigate against the overwhelming workload affecting many faculty members. A balance between hygiene and motivators should also be borne in mind, especially in relation to teaching and research.

Originality/value

The general assumption in literature is that since many lecturers in Kenya are not engaging in research, they must be motivated to teach. This study, however, argues that many contextual challenges do not motivate lecturers in the country to teach.

Details

Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, vol. 12 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2050-7003

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