ACADEMIC SATISFACTION AS AN AMPLIFIER OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL

In this paper data will be provided from an ongoing study on academic satisfaction in Portuguese higher education. The realization of this study is providing a diverse range of information on multiple dimensions of the faculty job in higher education, in particular dimensions of satisfaction, as well as dimensions of the academic career and the professional context in which it is exercised. In the context of this paper we will discuss particularly the academic job satisfaction as an amplifier of the organizational intellectual capital within the Portuguese higher education institutions. The research is being carried out at the Center for Research on Higher Education Policies (CIPES) and is being financed by Foundation for Science and Technology. The main research objectives are as follows: RO1: Determine the dimensions associated with job satisfaction of the academic staff; RO2: Analyze how job satisfaction differs among sub-groups of academics – sex, degree of education and institutional type. The main conclusions are that academics are in general satisfied with their jobs but not very or extremely satisfied. Academics more dissatisfied were those with a higher degree of education (PhD) and those teaching in public higher education institutions, especially those in public universities. Academics are more satisfied with “Non academic staff (administrative staff, technical and laboratorial staff)”, “Teaching Climate” and “Colleagues” and express dissatisfaction with “Research Climate” and “Conditions of Employment”. The results are intended as an aid in identifying areas for improvement and, consequently, this data can be used to shape policies and change, promoting the organizational intellectual capital.