The impact of organisational behaviours of a Saudi private women's university on students' learning experiences during their college years

• Main Author: Althonayan, Fahdah
• Other Authors: Reedy, Gabriel Barton ; Blackmore, Paul Derek
• Published: King's College London (University of London) 2017
• Subjects: 378.1
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.702538

There is little research that addresses how the organisational behaviour of universities in Saudi Arabia influences students’ experiences. Additionally, research is scant regarding the impact of university behaviours in Saudi Arabia as it relates to gender, particularly female students. This qualitative case study addresses these gaps in the literature by examining how and in what ways college organisational culture (behaviour) influences students’ learning experiences through their college years in a new, private women’s university in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Semi-structured interviews with campus administrators, faculty members and students were conducted and triangulated with data obtained from campus observations and document analysis. Specific attention was given to students’ perceptions of their academic, social and functional experiences during their college experiences. Data showed that the university reflected more than one organisational structure, which explained many aspects of the university’s administrative style. In general, students and staff seemed to be influenced by the university’s organisational structure and administrative style, as well as other aspects of the university’s culture, which all played important roles in shaping students’ and staff members’ experiences within the college. Findings from this study suggest a positive correlation between collegiality and student involvement. Bureaucratic features as well as political features of the university’s organisational structure seemed to have a mixed relationship with perceptions of research participants. Symbolic features that emphasised shared values, rituals and harmony all seemed to have a clear, positive correlation with students’ and staff members’ experiences. The scarcity of new publications that investigate the influence of higher educational institutions’ organisational behaviours on students, both in general and specifically in Saudi Arabia, highlight a need for further examination of this topic using different methodological approaches. Studying this subject will not only benefit institutions by identifying their strengths and weaknesses, but will also help optimise universities’ efforts to improve the quality of education offered to students. Additionally, more research in this area would benefit students by identifying their needs and perceptions about their academic, social, functional and overall college experiences.