Factors Fostering A Research and Innovation Culture: A Case Study of A Technological College in Mianyang, China
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Abstract
The objectives of this research were 1) to investigate the factors that fostered a research and innovation culture within an educational institution, and 2) to assess the impact of these factors on research output, innovation adoption, and cultural change. The methodology employed was quantitative. The population and sample consisted of 200 faculty members from Technological College in Mianyang, China. They were selected using a simple random sampling method, calculated by Yamane's formula. A questionnaire was used as the research instrument, and its content validity was verified by experts , yielding a Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient of 0.81. The statistical methods used for data analysis included descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and regression analysis.
The research findings revealed that 1) the factors fostering a research and innovation culture within the educational institution, comprising leadership style, resource allocation, professional development opportunities, and collaborative networks, all had a significant positive influence, and 2) the assessment of the impact of these factors showed that: leadership style significantly influenced cultural change (β=0.225), research output (β=0.167), and innovation adoption (β=0.160), resource allocation demonstrated the strongest positive influence on innovation adoption (β=0.350), cultural change (β=0.253), and research output (β=0.305), professional development opportunities significantly influenced research output (β=0.250), innovation adoption (β=0.217), and cultural change (β=0.181), and collaborative networks significantly impacted cultural change (β=0.261), innovation adoption (β=0.147), and research output (β=0.125). These research findings collectively underscored the importance of leadership style, resource allocation, professional development opportunities, and collaborative networks in fostering a strong research and innovation culture within the studied institution. These factors were found to contribute significantly to creating an environment that supported research, encouraged innovation, and facilitated cultural change, ultimately leading to improvements in educational quality. The research recommends that educational institutions prioritize effective leadership, ensure appropriate resource allocation, provide ample professional development opportunities, and cultivate strong collaborative networks to enhance their research and innovation capabilities, which will benefit the overall quality of education.
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References
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