An Exploration of the Practices of Locational Flexibility in Developing Economies: Insights from the Nigerian Higher Education Sector

MORDI, Chima, AJONBADI, Hakeem Adeniyi, ADEKOYA, Olatunji and ORUH, Emeka Smart (2023). An Exploration of the Practices of Locational Flexibility in Developing Economies: Insights from the Nigerian Higher Education Sector. Employee Relations.

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Abstract

Purpose – This study explores the practices of locational flexibility in the Nigerian higher education sector. It examines the realities of remotely organising and managing academics’ teaching and administrative workload, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach – Relying on the interpretative paradigm, the dataset consists of semistructured interviews with 92 professionals in the Nigerian higher educational institution (HEI) sector drawn from private and public federal government-owned and regional (otherwise known as state government) tertiary institutions. Findings – The study highlights the practices of locational flexibility across the Nigerian higher education sector. Therefore, it underscores the notions of locational flexibility from the perspective of Nigerian academics. It reveals a paucity in the range and usage of locational flexibility options across the Nigerian higher education sector, as well as the factors shaping its implementation and utilisation. Ultimately, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the findings reveal that locational flexibility is predominantly environmentally induced. Originality/value – This study focused on a salient topic that explores the practices of locational flexibility, particularly in an underresearched context of developing economies, specifically Nigeria. Moreover, the study contributes to the scarce literature on locational flexibility. Additionally, unlike previous studies that are mostly preoccupied with the meaning of the concept and the importance of the practice to employees’ work-life balance, organisational flexibility, and overall operational performance, this study underpins the practices, utilisation and barriers to implementing locational flexibility.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	1503 Business and Management; Industrial Relations; 3505 Human resources and industrial relations; 3507 Strategy, management and organisational behaviour
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-09-2021-0423
SWORD Depositor:	Symplectic Elements
Depositing User:	Symplectic Elements
Date Deposited:	09 May 2023 11:31
Last Modified:	11 Oct 2023 14:17
URI:	https://shura.shu.ac.uk/id/eprint/31855

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