Conflict of Interest among Academic Staff of Universities in a Dwindling Economy

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the academic staff of universities in Nigeria experience of conflict of interest in the face of a dwindling economy. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. One research question guided the study. The study was carried out at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT). The population for the study was 834 academic staff of the university. Taro Yamane formula was used to determine the sample size of 270 respondents, selected using simple random sampling technique. A self-developed structured questionnaire titled “Conflict of Interest Questionnaire (CIQ)” was used as the instrument for data collection. The instrument was validated by three experts, one expert in Measurement and Evaluation; and two experts in Educational Management, all from the Faculty of Education, Enugu State University of Science and Technology. The reliability of the instrument was determined using unstandardized Cronbach alpha with reliability coefficient of 'r' 0.74. Research instrument was administered and retrieved by the researchers. Mean and standard deviation was used to answer the research question. Mean scores of 2.50 and above were considered positive while those below 2.50 were considered negative. The null hypothesis was tested using z–test statistics at .05 level of significance. From the result of the findings of the study, it was concluded that the academic staff of universities in Nigeria have high level of conflict of interest at work. It was recommended that there is need for a review of conditions of service for academic staff of Nigerian universities.