THE TIME PERCEPTIONS OF UNIVERSITY TEACHERS - A COMPARATIVE-STUDY

This study employs a multiple research methodology to investigate and compare the time perception; of university teachers fr om two countrie s. In one sample, the university teachers were inaccurate in about 70% of their time estimates as compared with recorded data on how they ac tually spent their time. In the other sample, they were inaccurate in only about 40% of their estimates when compared with the actual figure s. The nature of the errors committed by the two groups of university teachers were, however, very similar: 69% and 71% of the incorrect est imates were errors of overestimation. In addition, there were remarkab le similarities in the activities on which they underestimated or over estimated spending their time. The findings of these similarities and differences in the time perceptions of university teachers from two di fferent cultures are discussed and their implications for managerial p ractice and research explored.