Effect of Institutional Determinants on Performance of Public Universities in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo

Abstract

Public universities evaluate their performance based on various factors, such as student affairs and learning, research, community service, financial service, innovation, and development. This study sought to examine the effect of institutional determinants on the performance of public universities in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. The research was anchored on institutional theory. The study was based on positivist research philosophy and used descriptive research design and the explanatory cross-sectional research design. The target population comprised of 1059 from Board of directors of university, university council, faculty council, and departmental council members of the three public universities in Kinshasa, DRC. The sample was 290 respondents obtained using Yamane formula. Sampling was done through stratified sampling and simple random sampling techniques. Primary data was collected using a structured questionnaire. The study used multiple regression and Structural Equation Modeling. The findings indicated that institutional determinants (organizational structure, organizational resources and organizational culture) exhibited a strong and positive effect on performance. The path coefficient for institutional determinants was 0.476, with a standard error of 0.068 and a critical ratio of 3.900, significant at p < 0.001, suggesting that institutional determinants were major contributors to performance improvement. The study concluded that institutional determinants significantly affect performance of public universities in Kinshasa, DRC. The study recommends that university management should regularly review and optimize the organizational structure to ensure it remains responsive to the evolving demands of higher education. It is also recommended that rather than focusing solely on increasing resources, university management should maximize the efficient utilization of existing financial, human, technological, and physical resources. Another recommendation is that management should intentionally cultivate an organizational culture characterized by professionalism, integrity, accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement. Keywords: Institutional determinants, Organizational Structure, Organizational Resources, Organizational Culture, Performance of Public Universities