THE INFLUENCE OF GENDER, AGE AND TENURE IN COMMUNICATION SATISFACTION IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Abstract

This article aims to analyze academics in higher education institutions satisfaction on communication and its differences based demographic backgrounds. The population for the study comprised academics from three public higher education institutions of Malaysia. Using a simple random sampling technique, the researchers drew a sample of 1078 from the estimated 2900 academics in the three participating universities. The findings indicated that the level of satisfaction in communication among academics was moderately high. The differences of communication satisfaction were also analyzed based on demographic differences of age, gender, and tenure. The findings of this study theoretically and practically contribute in terms of understanding the state of communication satisfaction of academics and its variation of demographic backgrounds.   Keywords: communication satisfaction, academics, higher education.     Abstrak Artikel ini memfokuskan kepada matlamat kajian utamanya untuk menganalisis kepuasan terhadap komunikasi dalam kalangan ahli akademik di institusi-institusi pengajian tinggi Malaysia dan perbezaannya berdasarkan demografi. Populasi kajian terdiri daripada ahli akademik di tiga universiti awam di Malaysia. Menggunakan teknik persampelan rawak mudah, pengkaji berjaya memperoleh 1078 sampel kajian daripada sejumlah anggaran 2900 ahli akademik. Hasil kajian menunjukkan tahap kepuasan komunikasi ahli akademik adalah sederhana tinggi. Perbezaan tahap kepuasan ini juga diukur berdasarkan perbezaan aspek umur, jantina dan tempoh lantikan kerja. Implikasi kajian terutamanya kepada institusi pengajian tinggi awam mahu pun swasta dibincangkan termasuk daripada perbezaan aspek demografi. Hasil kajian ini secara teori dan praktisnya menambah nilai literatur berkenaan kepuasan dalam aspek komunikasi di tempat kerja dan membantu dalam memahami kepuasan kerja ahli akademik di sektor pengajian tinggi.   Kata kunci: kepuasan terhadap komunikasi, ahli akademik, pengajian tinggi.