Socialization at Universities: A Case Study

Abstract

Socialization process has a significant impact on learning, which is a basic requirement for both the organization and the role performance of the newcomer to the organization. It is considered very important for a new member to socialize organizationally and professionally. This paper focuses on revealing the process of organizational and professional socialization of academicians. In accordance with this purpose, in-depth interviews were conducted with 14 research assistants from various fields as representative of the academician group. The data obtained from the interviews were analyzed by content analysis method and some conceptual determinations were generated. According to the findings, almost all the academicians did not encounter any practice or socialization tool that would make them feel belonging to the profession and the organization or that would ensure their harmony with the institution they were in. The participants, who stated that they try to learn both the requirements of the profession and the problems they encounter in the organization mostly by their own individual efforts, stated that they achieved satisfaction far below their expectations, especially at the entry stage. As a result, it has been revealed that academicians are mostly alone in the process of learning academic life from the pre-entry stage to the settlement stage. It is necessary to establish certain programs at each university in order to socialize research assistants, who are in the first phase of the path to becoming faculty members, both in the organizational and professional context. It is further recommended that activities should be organized that will provide the following: direct assistance for time management, understanding scientific/academic processes, and learning organizational norms and values.