APPLICATION OF RELATIONAL COORDINATION MODEL IN STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION OF QUALITY. THE CASE OF ESPAM MFL UNIVERSITY - ECUADOR

Ecuador has finished in June 2017 the process for evaluation and accreditation of Universities, where all the Universities have been graded according to a scale from A (best positioned ones), to D (worst positioned ones). The Upper Polytechnical School in Agronomy in Manabí “Manuel Félix López” has obtained a “type C”. Nowadays, the University is developing a strategic global plan to improve quality by considering different aspects. In this context the application of relational coordination model will allow identifying those organizational practices that explain heterogeneity and can be implemented within a plan oriented to improve processes.

A random sample composed by 456 students in 2016 has been considered. ANOVA and LSD Multiple Range tests have been applied for quantitative variables and Chi2 for qualitative ones. Factorial analysis was used in order to reduce the number of variables and summarize the most variability. Once the components were selected, the orthogonal varimax rotation was applied to relate more easily the selected variables to the extracted factors.

Most part of students, 68.6%, consider that quality has been reduced in the last three years. Although just 31% consider that an improvement in University quality has been produced; 74% of students consider that key quality factors have improved, and amongst them, the most important improvements have taken place in the academic and administrative organization. The worst results from evaluation correspond to lecturers.

Four factors that explained a 62.8% of variance have been obtained by using AF. First factor explains 39.09% of the variability and it is associated with important variables related to the knowledge of the work performed by students, the existence of shared objectives with students. Same way, mutual respect amongst students and other profiles have been positively evaluated. Profiles where variance is obtained are administrative staff (Dean, Vice-President and President) as student representations. In this factor most part of factor loads is located.

The second factor explains just a 10.84% of the variability and it is associated with key variables related to accurate and frequent information amongst relevant profiles. In this case these are lecturers and administrative officers.

Third factor explains a 7.33% of the variability and it is associated with important variables such as communication (accurate and frequent) with the rest of mates.

Two first factors explain around a 50% of variability and the main elements to be considered for this process oriented to improve quality are those related to mutual respect and the sharing of knowledge and objectives amongst university administrative staff and students.