TALENT ATTRACTION AND INSTITUTIONAL NETWORKING IN PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES IN SOUTH-WEST, NIGERIA

Rukayat Temitayo Adetunji, S. A. Sule

Abstract


 This study examined the relationship between talent attraction and institutional networking in private universities in South-West Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive correlational survey design. Three research questions and one research hypothesis guided the study. The population of the study comprised 2,106 senior academic staff and 363 senior non-academic staff across the 52 private universities in South-West, Nigeria. Data were collected from 408 senior academic and non-academic staff using a structured questionnaire. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics and Pearson Product-Moment Correlation. Results showed that talent attraction (M = 2.57, SD = .44) and institutional networking (M = 2.20, SD = .36) were perceived at moderate levels; and talent attraction had a positive, statistically significant but weak relationship with institutional networking, r (406) = .172, p < .001. The findings suggested that the ability to attract competent personnel may support institutional networking, but talent attraction alone is not sufficient to provide the networking capacity a private university requires. The study therefore recommended among others that private universities should complement talent-attraction strategies with institutional support to leverage staff expertise and professional contacts through formal partnerships and collaborative networks.


Keywords


Academic Staff, Institutional Networking, Private Universities, Sustainability, Talent Attraction.

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