OPEN-ACCESS PEER-REVIEWED

¹Alka Chopra, 2R. K. Pandey, 3Mukesh K. Chowrasia, 4Raj Kumar, 5*Anugrah Singh

1*5Suresh Gyan Vihar University, Jaipur, India

2Managing Director, RDG Info services, Lucknow, India

3Poornima University, Jaipur, India

4Technocrats Institute of Technology, Bhopal, India

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Abstract

Restriction in social lives is known to affect the satisfaction level in academic entities. This has been noticed during past gone pandemic (Covid-19). The imposed lock down severely hit the higher education system thereby affecting the happiness level of university teachers. This prompts to conduct a study that can convincingly identify the sociological and psychological parameters affecting happiness of faculty members. Data generated through extensive survey, (based on convenient sampling) has been used to develop a conceptual framework. This has been used for structural equation modelling study by AMOS V-22.0. A total of fifteen variables were examined and their relative contribution to the happiness index of university teachers were understood. Conceptual framework based statistical modelling in association with the test of parametric significance enabled to identify the factors affecting teachers’ happiness. To reinforce the findings by the study a descriptive statistical approach was also made. Here hypotheses relating the identified parameters were subjected to test for significance. Moreover, a machine learning technique is used to observe if there has been concordance of the results obtained by various modeling approach. It is found that the salary and job satisfaction are the most important determinant of happiness index of university members. It is also observed that linear regression s competent technique to predict satisfaction level of an academic set up. Not only that the study offers a newer research direction, but also stimulates corrective actions for better organizational performance.

Keywords: Happiness Index, Pandemic, Higher Education University, Structural equation modeling, University faculty members

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