Designing a Model for the Employment of Adjunct Professors at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad
Keywords:
Employment, Employment of Adjunct Professors, Grounded Theory, Strauss and Corbin ApproachAbstract
The landscape of higher education has undergone significant changes in recent years. Meanwhile, knowledge is recognized as the most vital resource in contemporary societies. Changes are happening rapidly, and any delayed response to socio-environmental issues further exacerbates the gap between universities and the demands of society. One of the most significant transformations is the emergence of adjunct professors, which has brought about a considerable shift in the academic workforce. The use of such faculty members, based on observations and reports, has been increasingly expanding in universities, creating new challenges in the management of university education. This has become a critical research necessity. Therefore, this study aims to propose a model for the employment of adjunct professors at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. This research is fundamental in terms of its objective, interpretive in its philosophical approach, qualitative in methodology, and data-driven in its strategy, based on the Strauss and Corbin approach. The study population consisted of current and former university presidents, current and former academic vice-presidents of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, academic vice-deans of faculties, recruitment committee members, and academic department managers. The sample members were selected using a snowball sampling method, following the theoretical saturation rule. Additionally, the data collection tool for this study was interviews. The results of the data analysis, assisted by MAXQDA qualitative analysis software, were processed using open, axial, and selective coding procedures. The findings of the study include a model that identifies the factors and components related to causal conditions, the core phenomenon, contextual conditions, intervening conditions, strategies, and outcomes. Overall, the research provides a model for the employment of adjunct professors, offering the necessary framework for understanding and recognizing this topic, as well as for developing structured programs and mechanisms.
Downloads
References
Alwali, J. (2024). Innovative work behavior and psychological empowerment: the importance of inclusive leadership on faculty
members in Iraqi higher education institutions. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 37(2), 374-390.
https://doi.org/10.1108/JOCM-03-2023-0084
Baykal, E. (2020). Digitalization of human resources: E-HR. In Tools and techniques for implementing international e-trading
tactics for competitive advantage (pp. 268-286). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-0035-4.ch013
Bonaccorsi, A., Barin, L., Belingheri, P., Biagi, F., & Sanchez-Barrioluengo, M. (2023). Is higher education more important
for firms than research? Disentangling university spillovers. The Journal of Technology Transfer, 1-26.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10961-023-10008-y
Bruster, D., & Weimann, R. (2004). Prologues to Shakespeare's theatre: performance and liminality in early modern drama.
Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203362686
Chonsalasin, D., & Khampirat, B. (2022). The impact of achievement goal orientation, learning strategies, and digital skill on
engineering skill self-efficacy in Thailand. IEEE Access, 10, 11858-11870.
https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2022.3146128
Crocetti, J. (2014). Nursing clinical faculty self-efficacy following an orientation using simulation. Nursing Education
Perspectives, 35(3), 193-194. https://doi.org/10.5480/12-819.1
Deutsch, A. R., Chernyavskiy, P., Steinley, D., & Slutske, W. S. (2015). Measuring peer socialization for adolescent substance
use: A comparison of perceived and actual friends' substance use effects. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 76(2),
-277. https://doi.org/10.15288/jsad.2015.76.267
Elder, S. J., Svoboda, G., Ryan, L. A., & Fitzgerald, K. (2016). Work factors of importance to adjunct nursing faculty. Journal
of nursing education, 55(5), 245-251. https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20160414-02
Esmaili, L., Jamali, A., & Ghorchian, N. (2024). Identifying and Analyzing the Dimensions and Components of Improving
Social Intelligence among the Faculty Members of Farhangian University of Tehran. Sociology of Education, 10(1), 204-
https://doi.org/10.22034/ijes.2024.2009561.1454
Ezenwagu, S. A., Okonkwo, E. C., Nnorom, S. U., & Nwankwo, B. C. (2020). Innovative pedagogical methods and quality
assurance in tertiary institutions in Nigeria: challenges and ways forward for future upswing. European Journal of
Education Studies, 7(9).
GOGICAL_METHODS_AND_QUALITY_ASSURANCE_IN_TERTIARY_INSTITUTIONS_IN_NIGERIA_CHALL
ENGES_AND_WAYS_FORWARD_FOR_FUTURE_UPSWING_INNOVATIVE_PEDAGOGICAL_MET
Fuller, R., Brown, M. K., & Smith, K. (2023). Adjunct faculty voices: Cultivating professional development and community at
the front lines of higher education. Taylor & Francis. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003442882-4
Kezar, A., & Sam, C. (2010). Understanding the new majority of non-tenure-track faculty in higher education--Demographics,
experiences, and plans of action. ASHE Higher Education Report, 36(4), 1-133. https://doi.org/10.1002/aehe.3604
Mirarab Razi, R., & Dibaei Saber, M. (2018). Predicting Organizational Citizenship Behavior of Teachers Based on Cultural
Intelligence and Conflict Management. Organizational Culture Management, 16(2), 461-484.
https://www.sid.ir/paper/196454/%D8%AE%D8%B1%DB%8C%D8%AF%20%D8%A7%D9%82%D8%B3%D8%A7
%D8%B7%DB%8C%20%DA%AF%D9%88%D8%B4%DB%8C%20%D8%A2%DB%8C%D9%81%D9%88%D9%86
%2014
Mohammadi Fomani, M., Sharifi, A., & Etemad Ahari, A. a. (2024). Development, Validity, and Reliability Assessment of the
Professional Ethics Scale for Faculty Members of Farhangian University [Research Article]. Iranian Journal of
Educational Sociology, 7(2), 8-15. https://doi.org/10.61838/kman.ijes.7.2.2
Nagro, S. A., Macedonia, A., Raines, A., Day, J., Parker, A., Parsons, S., & Zenkov, K. (2023). A systematic review of teacher
factors for successfully educating students with disabilities. The New Educator, 19(2), 77-102.
https://doi.org/10.1080/1547688X.2023.2193226
Nottingham, S. L., Mazerolle, S. M., & Barrett, J. L. (2017). Roles of Mentoring for Novice Athletic Training Faculty Members.
Athletic Training Education Journal, 12(4), 234-243. https://doi.org/10.4085/1204234
Razavi Saeedi, S. R. (2021). Presenting a Model and Ranking the Competencies of Adjunct Faculty Members at Islamic Azad
University, North Tehran Branch. Iranian Higher Education, 13(2), 165-188. https://civilica.com/doc/1585150/
Roumiani, Y., Abili, K., Pourkarimi, J., & Farahbakhsh, S. (2019). Designing and Validating a Model of Professional
Competencies for Promising Faculty Members in Comprehensive Universities with Regional Performance Standards.
Research in Medical Education, 11(3), 49-58. https://doi.org/10.29252/rme.11.3.49
Sepahvand, R., & Morovati, H. (2020). University excellence with level 5 leadership approach: a qualitative study. Journal of
Qualitative Research in Health Sciences, 9(1), 59-69. http://jqr1.kmu.ac.ir/article_90994.html
Shafiee, F. S., & Sobhani, H. (2018). Analyzing and explaining the research performance of faculty members with mixed
approach and multilevel modeling, case study: University of Tehran. Journal of Educational Planning Studies, 7(13), 97-
Thakral, P., Srivastava, P. R., Dash, S. S., Jasimuddin, S. M., & Zhang, Z. (2023). Trends in the thematic landscape of HR
analytics research: a structural topic modeling approach. Management Decision, 61(12), 3665-3690.
https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-01-2023-0080
Tyndall, C. L. (2017). Called to teach: A mixed methods exploration of community college adjunct faculty's teaching selfefficacy Virginia Commonwealth University]. https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/4715/
Valdebenito, S., Eisner, M., Farrington, D. P., Ttofi, M. M., & Sutherland, A. (2018). School‐based interventions for reducing
disciplinary school exclusion: A systematic review. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 14(1), i-216.
https://doi.org/10.4073/csr.2018.1
Vatousios, A., & Happonen, A. (2022). Transforming HR and improving talent profiling with qualitative analysis digitalization
on candidates for career and team development efforts. In Intelligent Computing: Proceedings of the 2021 Computing
Conference, Volume 1 (pp. 1149-1166). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-80119-9_78
Wallin, D. L. (2004). Valuing professional colleagues: Adjunct faculty in community and technical colleges. Community
College Journal of Research and Practice, 28(4), 373-391. https://doi.org/10.1080/10668920490424087
Williamson, J. L. (2014). Adjunct faculty: Perceptions of motivation and challenges of teaching adult learners Northeastern
University]. https://repository.library.northeastern.edu/files/neu:336547
Downloads
Published
Submitted
Revised
Accepted
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Technology in Entrepreneurship and Strategic Management (JTESM)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
