Impact of the Relationship Between Recruitment of Inbreed/Non-Inbreed Academic Staff and Research Productivity in Nigerian Polytechnics

Abstract

The tertiary institutions particularly the Polytechnics have been reputed to be excellent centres for teaching and research in creating both technical and vocational manpower needs for the nations’ economy. However, achieving this critical mandate consistently requires recruitment of a well breed motivated workforce who understands the operational modalities and imbibes the institutional culture, norms, ethics and values towards improved scientific research targeted at attaining technological and socio-economic development. This research titled: comparative impact of the relationship between recruitment of inbreed/non-inbreed academic staff and research productivity in the Nigerian Polytechnics is carried out to examine the extent to which recruitment of inbreed/non-inbreed academic staff influences research productivity in the Nigerian Polytechnics with a focus in North-Central, Nigeria. The study adopts a descriptive research survey design with an infinite population while a sample of 384 was determined using the Godden sample size statistical formular. However, out of the total sample size of 384 respondents reached only 326 Respondents completed and returned the questionnaire giving a retrieval rate of 85%. The study elicited data using a thirty (30) items structured questionnaire designed in a five points Likert scale. The three (3) formulated hypotheses were tested using simple linear regression. The findings revealed that there is significant positive relationship between recruitment of inbreed/non-inbreed academic staff and research productivity in Nigerian Polytechnics. The study specifically revealed that there is a significant positive relationship between pure inbreeding and employee commitment (r =.836, p-value <0.05, there is a significant positive relationship between silver-coded inbreeding and job satisfaction (r =.772, p-value <0.05 and there is a significant positive relationship between geographical inbreeding and research competencies (r =.912, p-value <0.05. Premised on the findings, this research therefore recommends that recruitment of academic staff should be targeted at hiring graduates from same or similar institutions as this measure would minimize external perspectives as well as diversity of thoughts and also promote a sustainable academic culture within the institutions.