Reciprocal commitment in academic careers? Finnish implications and international trends

ABSTRACT

This study explores the nature of reciprocal commitment in academic careers. The article is based on a survey conducted in autumn 2013 among fixed-term employees at eight major universities in Finland (N = 810). The analysis is focusing on researchers who have a doctoral degree and who are working on a fixed-term contract at their university (n = 308). According to our study, researchers experience their working conditions are insecure and many of them have considered leaving their universities. Despite the fact that they find their work meaningful their uncertain and poor working conditions are related to their thoughts of leaving the university. In addition in many of the cases leaving the university is not a choice of the researcher – they wish they would not have to leave. Based on our findings, higher education institutions should carefully consider if both the benefits of fixed-term contracts and their transaction costs are related to academics’ well-being and motivational issues. Our study highlights the importance of reciprocity and dialogue between employers and employees in the making of academic careers.

KEYWORDS:

• Academic career
• academic work
• reciprocity
• commitment
• trust

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank many people for good comments; especially the participants in EUREDOCS 2016 and CHER 2015 and the reviewers of the article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Taru Siekkinen is a project researcher and a doctoral student at the Finnish Institute for Educational Research, University of Jyväskylä.

Kari Kuoppala was a researcher in the School of Management, University of Tampere.

Elias Pekkola is a lecturer in the School Management, University of Tampere.

Jussi Välimaa is a professor of Higher Education, working at the Finnish Institute for Educational Research, University of Jyväskylä.

Additional information

Funding

This article is based on two research projects funded by Työsuojelurahasto (The Finnish Work Environment Fund) in years 2013–2016 [Grant number 114158].