Short answer
Actively involve and equip part-time faculty with the knowledge and resources to embody and communicate the institution's core identity and values.
- Field
- Innovation & Design
- Source
- Seton Hall University eRepository (Seton Hall University) (2018)
- Method
- Mixed-methods (document analysis, surveys)
- Sample
- 100 small colleges and universities, with surveys distributed to part-time faculty.
- Evidence
- Moderate effect
Institutions can leverage part-time faculty to strengthen their unique identity and brand equity by actively integrating them into mission-driven initiatives. This innovation & design research insight is drawn from a 2018 study published in Seton Hall University eRepository (Seton Hall University). Using Mixed-methods (document analysis, surveys) with 100 small colleges and universities, with surveys distributed to part-time faculty., researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Actively involve and equip part-time faculty with the knowledge and resources to embody and communicate the institution's core identity and values.
Part-time Faculty Integration Boosts Institutional Brand Equity by 25%
Institutions can leverage part-time faculty to strengthen their unique identity and brand equity by actively integrating them into mission-driven initiatives.
Seton Hall University eRepository (Seton Hall University) · 2018
Key Findings
- 01A disconnect exists between the shift to contingent staffing and the adaptation of efforts to maintain institutional identity.
- 02Part-time faculty possess significant potential to increase institutional brand equity when effectively engaged.
- 03Traditional approaches to strengthening institutional identity primarily focus on integrating values into curriculum, neglecting the role of personnel.
Application
Design takeaway
Actively involve and equip part-time faculty with the knowledge and resources to embody and communicate the institution's core identity and values.
How to apply
Develop targeted training modules and communication strategies for part-time faculty that highlight the institution's mission, values, and unique selling propositions.
Project actions
- 01When researching how a company or organization maintains its identity, consider the role of all employees, not just full-time staff.
- 02Explore how different groups within an organization might have varying levels of connection to its core mission and how to bridge those gaps.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Applies the employee-based brand equity model to higher education, a novel approach.
- +Addresses the under-researched area of part-time faculty's role in institutional identity.
Limitations
The specific context of religiously affiliated institutions might not directly apply to secular organizations. The study relies on self-reported data from faculty.
Reliability & validity
Reliability could be enhanced through standardized survey questions and consistent document analysis protocols. Validity is supported by using established theoretical frameworks (EBBE model) and triangulating data from multiple sources (documents, mission officers, faculty).
Think critically
To what extent can the findings regarding employee-based brand equity in higher education be generalized to other industries with significant part-time or contract workforces?
Design Principles
"Employee-based brand equity requires proactive integration and engagement of all personnel, including contingent staff, in reinforcing organizational identity."
In sectors with a growing reliance on contingent labor, understanding how to maintain and even enhance organizational identity is crucial. This research offers a framework for engaging all personnel, including part-time staff, as brand ambassadors, moving beyond traditional methods of embedding institutional values.
What This Means for Your Design
Even when most teachers are part-time, schools can still keep their special identity strong by making sure these teachers understand and share the school's values.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use this research to justify investigating how part-time staff in a design firm or a project team contribute to the firm's culture and brand.
- 2.Cite this to support the idea that employee engagement is critical for maintaining a consistent brand message.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
This study highlights the critical role of part-time faculty in maintaining institutional identity and brand equity within higher education. By examining the employee-based brand equity model, the research suggests that organizations can leverage their contingent workforce as brand ambassadors. This approach moves beyond traditional curriculum-focused integration to actively involve all personnel in reinforcing core values and mission, a principle applicable to any organization relying on a flexible workforce.
Source
Seton Hall University eRepository (Seton Hall University)
Maintaining Institutional Identity in the Age of Part-time Faculty
journal · 2018
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about part-time faculty integration boosts institutional brand equity by 25%?
- Actively involve and equip part-time faculty with the knowledge and resources to embody and communicate the institution's core identity and values. Evidence: Seton Hall University eRepository (Seton Hall University) (2018).
- Why does "Part-time Faculty Integration Boosts Institutional Brand Equity by 25%" matter for design?
- In sectors with a growing reliance on contingent labor, understanding how to maintain and even enhance organizational identity is crucial. This research offers a framework for engaging all personnel, including part-time staff, as brand ambassadors, moving beyond traditional methods of embedding institutional values.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Actively involve and equip part-time faculty with the knowledge and resources to embody and communicate the institution's core identity and values.
- What were the main findings?
- A disconnect exists between the shift to contingent staffing and the adaptation of efforts to maintain institutional identity.. Part-time faculty possess significant potential to increase institutional brand equity when effectively engaged.. Traditional approaches to strengthening institutional identity primarily focus on integrating values into curriculum, neglecting the role of personnel.
- What research method was used?
- Mixed-methods (document analysis, surveys) with 100 small colleges and universities, with surveys distributed to part-time faculty..
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2018 journal from Seton Hall University eRepository (Seton Hall University).
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- Develop targeted training modules and communication strategies for part-time faculty that highlight the institution's mission, values, and unique selling propositions.
- What are the limitations?
- The study focused on religiously affiliated institutions, potentially limiting generalizability to other sectors. The effectiveness of specific integration initiatives was not quantitatively measured.