Managerial Communication Styles — A Determinant of Quality Assurance in Higher Education Institutions: Evidence from Pakistan

Quality assurance with its multiplying manifestations around the world has become an integral part of higher education. The present study aimed to explore the impact of managerial communication styles upon quality assurance in higher education in Pakistan. An attempt in this regard was made to identify the major communication styles academic managers of higher education institutions in Pakistan do posses and whether these styles vary according to the sector of the institution. A special focus was made to get the question answered that was, ‘ whether the communication styles of the academic managers serving in high ranked Universities are different from that of the managers working in low ranked universities?’. All the 58 ranked universities constituted the population of the study. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the sample. At the first stage 8 high ranked universities (5 public sector and 3 private sector) and 8 low ranked universities (5 public sector and 3 private sector) were selected. At the second stage, 250 out of 332 Deans and Heads of the Departments of the selected universities were randomly selected. Communicator Styles Inventory, used as research instrument, was re-validated through pilot testing before administration. Data were collected through personal visits, email and with the help of some colleagues. The study revealed that most common communication styles of the academic managers working in high ranked universities of Pakistan, were open, relax, friendly and attentive. On the other hand academic mangers of low ranked universities were having argumentative; precise; impression leaving and dominant communication styles. Managerial Communication styles were not found to be varying on the basis of the sector of the institution.