COORDINATION AND UNIVERSITY QUALITY: AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS AT THE REY JUAN CARLOS UNIVERSITY

The quality in the relationships at the University can explain the reaching of better levels of academic Excellence. In this research we have applied the relational coordination model to explain better results at Universities final performance. We have offered an empirical analysis at the Rey Juan Carlos University in Spain. By applying an anonymous survey to Academics we have collected information on the model premises: communication of quality in an environment where the different agents share objectives, knowledge and respect for each other. We have got data on a representative sample of 156 lecturers where all the Faculties are included, Social Sciences, Tourism and Communication, Health and Engineering. SPSS version 15 has been used for the processing of data composed by factor analysis and logistics regression. The results show that it is required to increase the relational coordination amongst the different Department members at the University. Employees at the different Faculties should further promote the sharing of knowledge. Greater levels of efficiency in the processes dealing with the decision making could be reached in case the decision makers were better organized in the reaching of objectives. Relational coordination dimensions show that there is a 56% of Faculty variability mainly explained by the relationships that the different lecturers and researchers maintain with the Department and Institution. In case of the spread of conflicts amongst human resources, informal workgroups solve problems better than Departments of the Institution itself. Sometimes, departments do not know about their own members work results. Policy decision makers should consider the conclusions of this analysis to create a proper organizational climate so that Universities can reach the desired quality and effectiveness in their main objectives.