Subban, Mogesperie.Ramsaroop, Anisha.2023-07-042023-07-0420182018https://researchspace.ukzn.ac.za/handle/10413/21797Doctoral degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.The study focused on the relationship between career plateaus and career stages of the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s (UKZN) academics. The research included the University’s five campuses: Westville, Howard College, Edgewood, Medical School and the Pietermaritzburg campus. A complement of 253 academics across all levels from Tutors, Senior Tutors, Developmental Lecturers, Lecturers, Senior Lecturers, Associate Professors and Research Fellows constituted the sample. Through a mixed methods approach, the quantitative aspect included questionnaires electronically and personally administered to academics, and the qualitative component was undertaken through a cohort of academic leaders interviewed across campuses. The study was theorised through the Protean career, viewed as awareness of one taking responsibility and independence to adapt and foresee current trends, skills and attitudes. The Career Choice and Career Management models further located the framework of the study regarding decisions in one’s career. Various dynamics such as promotion, tenure in a specific position, age, job content, personal plateauing, professional plateauing, and most recently life plateauing have impacted on academics at various career stages. The changing landscape of higher education aligned with the government’s vision has compelled higher educational institutions to ceaselessly drive academics to deliver, despite numerous obstacles they faced in higher education. In addition, academics are faced with huge workloads, poor and possibly no work-life balance including stringent criteria for promotion. A negative impact on academics in some instances inadvertently contributed to employee turnover and demotivation. Hypotheses of the study focused on a significant relationship between career plateau dimensions (structural/hierarchical, content/job content, personal, professional and life) and career stages (exploration, establishment, maintenance and disengagement). A significant difference in the perceptions of employees differing on each of the respective biographical variables (age, marital status, job status, tenure, race, gender, education level) and the respective career stages (exploration, establishment, maintenance and disengagement) with the career plateau construct was highlighted. Variance in career stages was significantly explained by the career plateau status. Results of the study reflected a high level of agreement from respondents regarding structural plateauing and limited opportunities for advancement at the University, amongst other key findings. A framework for effective management of the various types of career plateaus across career stages in an academic environment was advocated. A model depicting career plateaus strategies for relevant stakeholders in academia at various career stages was put forward through the study, whilst a comparative study on national and international institutions of higher learning on career plateaus is further suggested to gauge similarities in career plateaus.enCareer management models.Career plateaus.University of KwaZulu-Natal.Thesis