The Effectiveness of Benchmarking as a Organizational Transformation Strategy in Higher Education institutions in South Africa

Higher education institutions in South Africa are increasingly embracing various benchmarking strategies to achieve their organizational transformation agenda. While there is evidence that suggests many universities have adopted different types of benchmarking strategies, very little is known of the impact of such strategies. This case study examined the impact of benchmarking in Higher Education in South Africa with special reference to Central University of Technology. A total of 62 lecturers participated in the study. Data for the study was collected using questionnaire. And analyzed used SPSS software. The study reveals many staff members are familiar with benchmarking and therefore it is not widely practiced. The findings also highlight some disincentives and problems associated with the use of benchmarking as a quality assurance tool at Central University of Technology. On a positive note, the study reveals that over 50% of lecturers agree that benchmarking offer a number of benefits for higher education and therefore can play a great role in achieving organizational transformation strategy in Higher Education institutions in South Africa. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n1p52