The organizational climate factors that could predict the job satisfaction of academic staff of central and western Ethiopia public universities

Higher education institutions play a fundamental role in achieving social equity and promoting higher levels of economic and social development. Higher education institutions are however characterized by constant change and turbulence owing to factors such as globalization, new technology, and national macro-economic and fiscal policies and circumstances (Barkhuizen, Rothman & Tytherleigh, 2004, Zaharia, 2002. The success, functioning and sustainability of any higher education institution are however greatly influenced by the extent to which the careers of academic staff are successfully managed amidst all the demands and changes. More than any other type of organization, higher education institutions are dependent on the intellectual capital and commitment of their staff (Martin, 1999, Oshagbemi, 2000; Rowley, 1996).That means, in order to be benefited from the production of Higher Learning Institutions, the existence of satisfied academic staff can make difference. In other words, it goes without saying that, it is the satisfied employee who can be more committed for the achievement of end results of organizations than the unsatisfied one. The objective of the study is to examine the organizational climate factor that could predict the job satisfaction of academic staff of Central and western Ethiopia public universities. The study has employed a cross-sectional study design with an exploratory and descriptive design. Accordingly, four public universities have been taken as the study sample through judgmental sampling method. It is 271 instructors that were participated in the study and whose academic rank ranges from professor to graduate assistant I. It is also through stratified random sampling that questionnaires were distributed to sample respondents. The analysis is made by making use of logistic regression model, especially crude odd ratio (COR). Finally, it is concluded that, among the organizational climate factors, coworker relationship, working condition, organizational commitment and leadership and management are factors that could predict the job satisfaction of academic staff. That means, integrated coworker relationship, better working conditions, high organizational commitment, and good leadership and management that could result in increasing the level of job satisfaction of academic staff.