Power Struggles Between Academic and Administrative Staff in Selected Kenyan Public Universities: Implications for Institutional Governance and Performance

Abstract

Power struggles between academic and administrative staff in Kenyan public universities undermine institutional governance and operational effectiveness. Although governance frameworks define the roles and responsibilities of both groups, inconsistencies in their implementation often generate tensions, competing interests, and conflicts. Academic staff, whose core mandate includes teaching, research, and community engagement, may perceive interference when administrative personnel influence academic matters without adequate consultation. Similarly, leadership dynamics, particularly where senior university management is perceived to favour administrative perspectives, may intensify these tensions, thereby affecting decision-making, institutional cohesion, and performance. Guided by Agency Theory and Structural–Functionalism Theory, this study examined how governance structures and leadership dynamics shape power struggles between academic and administrative staff in selected Kenyan public universities and how these struggles influence institutional governance and performance. The study adopted a mixed-methods research design, integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches. The target population comprised academic and administrative staff in senior management and other relevant institutional units from ten purposively selected public universities in Kenya. The universities were categorized as established, mid-aged, and emerging institutions based on their years of existence to ensure diversity in institutional contexts, governance structures, and leadership dynamics. A total of 308 respondents participated in the study, comprising 189 academic staff members and 119 administrative staff members. Structured questionnaires and open-ended questions were used to collect quantitative and qualitative data. A pilot study conducted at Kibabii University confirmed the reliability of the research instrument, with a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient exceeding the acceptable threshold of 0.7. The findings indicate that centralized decision-making, role ambiguity, bureaucratic processes, perceived leadership bias, and favouritism by senior university management significantly contribute to tensions and power struggles between academic and administrative staff. These dynamics weaken trust, collaborative governance, institutional cohesion, and effective decision-making. The study recommends strengthening leadership capacity among senior university management, promoting participatory decision-making, clarifying institutional roles and responsibilities, and establishing structured conflict-resolution mechanisms to enhance governance effectiveness and institutional performance in Kenyan public universities.