A COMPARATIVE CASE STUDY OF ZIMBABWE’S PUBLIC
AND PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES’ STAFF RETENTION
STRATEGIES

A COMPARATIVE CASE STUDY OF ZIMBABWE’S PUBLIC
AND PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES’ STAFF RETENTION
STRATEGIES

TICHAONA MAPOLISA

This study sought to find out staff retention strategies in selected Zimbabwe’s two public and
two private universities. Three Human Resources personnel who were selected using stakeholder
sampling and four Retained and seven Returnee lecturers who were selected using criterion
sampling participated in the thesis’ multiple case study. The research instruments were the ‘self’,
open-ended interviews, observation and documentary analysis. The interview data were analysed
using NVivo data analysis software, while the observation and documentary data were analysed
using the traditional thematic content analysis. With regards to staff retention’s strategies
obtaining in Zimbabwe’s public and private universities, both sets of universities were found to
have some conditions of service which served as part of the staff retention strategies. Chief
among such conditions of service were provision of opportunities for research, staff development
leave, contact, sabbatical and study leave. Regarding differences in staff retention strategies,
public and private universities had different sources of income. The effectiveness of staff
retention strategies in both kinds of universities was undermined by lack of funds, which was the
greatest staff retention challenge in the studied universities. The effectiveness of particular staff
retention strategies such as salaries, allowances, tuition waiver, staff development, as well as
research and career opportunities was of varying degrees in the studied public and private
universities. The study revealed that various mechanisms such as staff appraisal, departmental
discussions and monitoring candidates undertaking their Doctor of Philosophy Degree studies
among other mechanisms have been used by public and private universities to monitor staff
retention strategies. Public and private university lecturers were not involved in the formulation
and monitoring of staff retention strategies

Zimbabwe Open University

2014