Top Management Support Practices and Human Resource Management Effectiveness in Higher Education: A Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) Analysis in Tanzanian Universities

Abstract

The study examines how structural top management support practices such as leadership commitment, strategic guidance, timely feedback, and resource allocation affect human resource management effectiveness in higher education. Underpinning the study the study were Upper Echelons Theory (UET) and Ability-Motivation-Opportunity (AMO) Theory. Cross-sectional survey was the study's research design. Data was gathered from academic staff to determine the various top management support initiatives and their role in enhancing human resource management effectiveness. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) analysis was used. The findings show that top management support is a positive and significant contributor to human resource effectiveness. Strategic guidance and resource allocation had the strongest significant effect, while timely feedback had the least but significant impact on HRM effectiveness. These findings support the significance of top management support on human resource management effectiveness. Combining top management support practices should be adopted since this strengthens human resource management effectiveness. The study further recommends efficient allocation of resources and effective strategic guidance. These enable human resource management initiatives to be fully realised in universities.