Abstract
Over the last decade, Zimbabwe has faced a severe economic quagmire which impacted on all spheres of life for both individuals and organizations. Universities were not spared either. Resource accumulation and availability from the environment at the University of Zimbabwe became a major challenge leading to a decline of quality of teaching and learning. Resource Dependence Theory advocates that organizations (universities included) are dependent on the environment for resources for survival and achievement of their set objectives which includes the quality in teaching and learning. This study investigated the critical resource related factors that influenced quality of teaching and learning at the University of Zimbabwe.
A case study approach with University of Zimbabwe as the case was used to study the factors that influenced the quality of teaching and learning in all the ten faculties at the institution. Ten department chairpersons and ten academics participated through interviews. Forty-five students participated through focus groups. Results of the study showed that resource related factors namely infrastructure, staff, materials, finance, management and students influenced the quality of teaching and learning at the University of Zimbabwe. Results of the study gave evidence of the value of sufficiency of resources for the University of Zimbabwe to achieve quality in its set objective in teaching and learning.