Free Agents on Underdog Teams: International Branch Campus Lecturers Constructing the Organizational Integration of their Individual and Campus Identities A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). Heather Joy Swenddal M. in English (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), San Francisco State University B. in Journalism (Communication Minor), Sacramento State University Graduate Certificate in Strategic Communication Management, Purdue University School of Business & Management, RMIT University Vietnam College of Business RMIT University August 2019 Running Head: IDENTITY CONSTRUCTIONS OF INTERNATIONAL BRANCH CAMPUS LECTURERS Declaration I certify that except where due acknowledgement has been made, the work is that of the author alone; the work has not been submitted previously, in whole or in part, to qualify for any other academic award; the content of the thesis is the result of work which has been carried out since the official commencement date of the approved research program; any editorial work, paid or unpaid, carried out by a third party is acknowledged; and, ethics procedures and guidelines have been followed.
Heather Swenddal, August 23, 2019 IDENTITY CONSTRUCTIONS OF INTERNATIONAL BRANCH CAMPUS LECTURERS ii Dedication To my 36 participants for their generosity and candor, and To my grandparents, Paul and Patricia Underhill, whose love of education inspired my own. Acknowledgements I am honored to be the first PhD graduate of RMIT University’s Vietnam campus, my professional and intellectual home for many years. My RMIT colleagues and students have played a critical role in helping me to forge my own identity: as a teacher and a leader, and now as a management researcher. Though space and memory limit the number of individuals I acknowledge below, I wish to convey my appreciation to the whole of RMIT Vietnam and the wonderful people I have worked with there.
My utmost gratitude is to Associate Professor Mathews Nkhoma and Dr. Sarah Gumbley, who graciously agreed three years ago to supervise me through this PhD journey. Their shared enthusiasm for this work has pushed me to unexpected insights and bolstered me through challenging moments. In particular I thank Sarah for her detailed feedback which helped me develop my theories through so many iterations, and Mathews for shepherding me through the administrative processes and encouraging my ongoing momentum.
No gift I have ever received has come close to the support that Mathews and Sarah have given me. I will forever be in your debt. I am also indebted to the members of my milestone panels for their guidance and support. Professor Gael McDonald, Professor Joan Richardson, and Professor Booi Kam provided invaluable advice that helped me shape my research direction and develop my findings into an impactful contribution.
My thanks also go to the many people behind the scenes who supported this pursuit, including staff in the RMIT Vietnam Research Office and Library, my mentor Professor Beverley Webster, and my loving friends and family. My success in this undertaking builds upon the scholarly training I received in the M. TESOL program at San Francisco State University. I therefore also wish to thank my S.
State professors for their guidance, which continues to influence me. Finally I thank my husband Joel, who has sacrificed so much so that I could pursue this dream. Our 20 years together have been a reverie of academic growth and collaboration. Thank you, Joel, for co-constructing such a beautiful reality with me.
IDENTITY CONSTRUCTIONS OF INTERNATIONAL BRANCH CAMPUS LECTURERS iii Table of Contents PRELIMINARY MATERIAL. i Dedication and Acknowledgements. ii Table of Contents. iii List of Figures .x Glossary and Notes for Readers.
xi Publications to Date from this Research. INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW .1 Context and Need for this Research.1 IBCs and the Trend Toward Localizing Academic Hiring .2 The Need for Research on IBC Lecturers’ Identity Constructions .3 Findings and Theories .1 Relating to Headquarters Coaches: Constructing Cross-Campus Coordination Relationships.2 Free Agents Donning Team Jerseys: IBC Lecturers' Layered Individual Identities .3 Playing for Underdog Teams: Constructing IBC Contextual Disadvantage .4 Synthesizing Findings and Theories .5 Overarching Process of the IBC Othering Loop .4 Conclusion and Applications of this Research .1 Contributions to IBC Literature .2 Limitations and Future Research .3 Implications for University Management .17 IDENTITY CONSTRUCTIONS OF INTERNATIONAL BRANCH CAMPUS LECTURERS iv CHAPTER 2. ORGANIZATIONAL-INTEGRATION ORIENTATIONS OF LOCALLY-HIRED IBC LECTURERS: BACKGROUND AND EXPLORATORY FRAMEWORK .1 Offshoring Higher Education: Introducing International Branch Campuses .1 Higher Education’s Consumerist Turn .2 Looking for Students Overseas .3 The Popular International Branch Campus Model .4 Ensuring Viability in the Volatile IBC Market .2 Leveraging Locally-Hired Lecturers for Global Service Delivery: Assumed Implications of Localizing IBC Academic Hiring .1 Challenges in Delivering a Globally-Reflective IBC Product .2 Applying the Global Integration-Local Responsiveness Framework to IBCs .3 The Trend Toward Localizing IBC Academic Hiring .4 Presumed Risks of Localizing IBC Academic Hiring .5 Identity Assumptions in Presumed Risks of Localizing IBC Academic Hiring .3 Pursuing the Organizational Integration of Locally-Hired Lecturers: Foundations and Aims of this Research.1 IBC Literature Calls for Organizational Integration of Locally-Hired Lecturers .2 Global-Integration Challenges of IBC leaders I Interviewed .3 The Missing Identity Focus in Existing IBC Literature.4 Understanding IBC Lecturers’ Constructed Identities: Research Paradigm, Questions and Aims .4 Constructing Identities in Organizations: Theoretical Framework Utilized in this Research .1 Basic Premises of Identity Construction .2 Introduction to Organizational Identity Construction .3 Constructing “Them”: Collective-Identity Concepts Relevant to Parent-Campus Coordinator Collective .52 IDENTITY CONSTRUCTIONS OF INTERNATIONAL BRANCH CAMPUS LECTURERS v 2.4 Constructing “Me”: Individual-Identity Concepts Relevant to IBC Lecturers .5 Constructing “Us”: Organizational-Identity Concepts Relevant to IBCs .6 Exploring IBC Lecturers’ Organizational Identity Constructions .58 CHAPTER 3: A CONSTRUCTIVIST GROUNDED-THEORY APPROACH TO RESEARCHING IBC LECTURERS’ IDENTITY CONSTRUCTIONS .1 Research Design Typology Framework.2 Research Ideology Adopted for this Research .1 Relativist, Anti-Foundationalist Ontology .3 Restrained, Supportive Axiology .4 Summary of Research Ideology .3 Research Strategy Adopted for this Research .1 Type, Level and Unit of Analysis .3 Summary of Research Strategy .4 Research Method Adopted for this Research.1 The “Family” of Grounded Theory Methods.2 Constructivist Grounded Theory (CGT) .3 Constructivist Philosophical Foundations of CGT .4 Summary of Research Method.5 Research Techniques Used in this Research .1 Planning the Project’s Scope and Focus .2 Gaining Institutional Approvals .3 Approaching Sites and Recruiting Participants .4 Collecting Interview Data .6 Early Theorizing and Theoretical Sampling .85 IDENTITY CONSTRUCTIONS OF INTERNATIONAL BRANCH CAMPUS LECTURERS vi 3.8 Developing Initial Theoretical Categories .9 Integrating Literature and Establishing the Theoretical Framework .10 Developing the Grounded Theories .11 Writing the Thesis Chapters.12 Summary of Research Process .92 CHAPTER 4: RELATING TO HEADQUARTERS COACHES: CONSTRUCTING CROSS-CAMPUS COORDINATION RELATIONSHIPS .1 Introduction to IBC Lecturers’ Constructions of Parent-Campus Coordination Relationships .1 Research Questions and Aims .3 Overview of Parent-Campus Coordinator Construction Data .2 Constructing Parent-Campus Disrespect for the IBC .1 “I Was Very Lucky”: Framing Parent-Campus Coordination as Generally Problematic .2 “You Forget We Exist”: Perceiving Disinterest from Parent-Campus Distant Dads .3 “My View Isn’t Respected and Heard”: Perceiving Disrespect from Parent-Campus Micromanaging Mums .4 Summary of Findings on Constructed Parent-Campus Disrespect .3 Renegotiating Cross-Campus Relationships: Seeking Sympathetic Siblings.1 “It’s About Sharing this Challenge Together”: Pursuing Cross- Campus Unity .2 “I don’t See Us as Part of AusInt Australia”: Abandoning Hope for Cross-Campus Unity .3 Summary of Findings on Cross-Campus Relationship Renegotiation .4 Conclusion and Implications for IBC Management .1 Contributions to IBC Management Literature .2 Implications for IBC Management Practice .127 IDENTITY CONSTRUCTIONS OF INTERNATIONAL BRANCH CAMPUS LECTURERS vii 4.3 Impact of Cross-Campus Coordination Relationships on Identity Constructions .4 Chart of Key Findings and Recommendations .129 CHAPTER 5: FREE AGENTS DONNING TEAM JERSEYS: IBC LECTURERS’ LAYERED INDIVIDUAL IDENTITIES .1 Introduction to Findings on IBC Lecturers’ Individual Identity Constructions .1 Research Questions and Aims .3 Overview of Individual Identity Data .2 Constructing Individual Identity Layers .1 “Teacher is the Soul”: Occupational Core Selves.2 “AusInt is Just Like Clothes”: Institutional Team Uniforms .3 “The AusInt Brand Gives You a Lift": Optional Global Accessories .4 Summary of Findings on Individual Identity Layers .3 Enacting Identity Layers with Stakeholders .1 “With the Students I’m Being Myself”: Internally Enacting Occupational Identities .2 “For Parents I Have to be AusInt”: Externally Enacting Organization-Related Identities .3 “I’m Not Trying to Sell You Stuff”: Reconciling Conflict Between Identity Layers .4 Summary of Findings on Identity Layer Enactment .4 Conclusion and Implications for IBC Management .1 Answers to Research Questions .2 Contributions to IBC Management Literature .3 Implications for IBC Management Practice .4 Chart of Key Findings and Recommendations .189 IDENTITY CONSTRUCTIONS OF INTERNATIONAL BRANCH CAMPUS LECTURERS viii CHAPTER 6: PLAYING FOR UNDERDOG TEAMS: CONSTRUCTING IBC CONTEXTUAL DISADVANTAGE .1 Introduction to IBC Lecturers’ Campus Identity Constructions .1 Research Questions and Aims .3 Overview of Campus Identity Data .2 Constructing Disadvantaged Campus Identities .1 “A Lot of Pampering the Kids”: Feeling Burdened by Private-School Expectations .2 “The Mother Campus is Far, Far Better Than Here”: Working With Limited Resources .3 “We Cannot Have High Expectations”: Constructing Students as Underprepared.4 Summary of Findings on Campus Identity Constructions .3 Responding to Perceived Campus Disadvantage .1 “Of Course We Are Still Spoonfeeding”: Enacting Disadvantage through Compensatory Teaching Practices .2 “See What It’s Like Over There in AusCity”: Encouraging Student Mobility for the True AusInt Experience.3 Summary of Findings on Enacted IBC Disadvantage .4 Conclusion and Implications for IBC Management .1 Answers to Research Questions .2 Contributions to IBC Management Literature .3 Implications for IBC Management Practice .4 Chart of Key Findings and Recommendations .237 CHAPTER 7: CONCLUSION, CONTRIBUTIONS AND IMPLICATIONS OF THIS RESEARCH.1 Free Agents on Underdog Teams: Summary of the Full Grounded Theory.1 Overview of Findings on Locally-Hired IBC Lecturers’ Orientations .2 The Overarching Phenomenon of the IBC Othering Loop .243 IDENTITY CONSTRUCTIONS OF INTERNATIONAL BRANCH CAMPUS LECTURERS ix 7.2 Contributions to Literature .1 Providing Comprehensive Theory of IBC Lecturers’ Individual and Campus Identity Constructions .2 Reframing Literature Assumptions about Locally-Hired IBC Lecturers .3 Identifying Needs and Opportunities for Parent-Campus Engagement of the IBC.3 Recommendations for University Leaders.1 Recommendations for Parent-Campus Leaders: Enact Robust, Comprehensive, Well-Resourced Cross-Campus Engagement .2 Recommendations for IBC Leaders: Provide Clarity about IBC Global Alignment and Lecturers’ Representational Responsibilities .3 Full Chart of Research Findings and Recommendations .4 Limitations and Future Research Possibilities .1 Temporal and Locational Boundedness of this Research .2 Lack of Cross-Cultural Comparison in this Research.3 Recommendations for Future Research .5 Concluding Reflection of the Researcher .278 Appendix 1: Letter of Approval from RMIT Human Research Ethics Committee .278 Appendix 2: Sample Inquiry Letter to Potential Research Sites.279 Appendix 3: Introduction Letter to Potential PhD Sites from Primary Supervisor .280 Appendix 4: Sample Text Provided to IBC Contacts to Help Recruit Participants.282 Appendix 5: Participant Information Sheet and Consent Form .283 Appendix 6: De-Identified List of Participants .290 Appendix 7: Interview Guide.292 Appendix 8: List of Initial Codes.296 Appendix 9: List of Focused Codes .304 IDENTITY CONSTRUCTIONS OF INTERNATIONAL BRANCH CAMPUS LECTURERS x List of Figures Figure 1: Overview of Findings, Influences and Constructions .15 Figure 2: Strang’s Research Design Typology Overview .60 Figure 3: Extract from Email to Supervisors on May 11, 2018 .83 Figure 4: Question Added to Interview Guide for Data Collection at Sites 3 and 4 .84 Figure 5: Initial Theoretical Categories Identified in November 2018.87 Figure 6: My Research Journey: From Inception to Culmination. 93 Figure 7: Key Findings and Recommendations in Chapter 4 .130 Figure 8: Key Findings and Recommendations for Chapter 5 .189 Figure 9: Key Findings and Recommendations for Chapter 6 .238 Figure 10: Chart of Research Findings in Response to Research Questions .242 Figure 11: Theorized Process of the IBC Othering Loop .244 Figure 12: Key Theories, Findings and Recommendations of this Research .255 IDENTITY CONSTRUCTIONS OF INTERNATIONAL BRANCH CAMPUS LECTURERS xi Glossary of Key Terms IBC.
International Branch Campus TNE / TNHE. Transnational Education / Transnational Higher Education CGT.Constructivist Grounded Theory AusInt. Generic reference to all universities (“Australian International University”) AusCity. Generic reference to all cities where parent campuses are located H1, H2, H3 .
