Khaola installed new NUL professor
Dedicates his inaugural lecture to his late mother
THABISO NTAOTE
ROMA – The National University of Lesotho (NUL) has celebrated the inauguration of Professor Phomane Peter Khaola as a full professor. The event took place at the Institute of Southern African Studies (ISAS) Auditorium at the university’s premises in Roma, Maseru, last Thursday after the new professor delivered his inaugural lecture.
Khaola, now a professor of Human Resource Management and Business Management, presented on the topic ‘Leading and managing people at the Nexus of Citizenship and Innovative Work behavior,’ focusing on organizational and national policy implications.
He said: “Individual performance is one of the foremost outcomes in many disciplines. Organisations cannot say they perform unless individuals perform hence we are saying it is a building rock on which the entire economy is based.
I deliberately define individual work performance broadly as actions people take that contribute to organisational goals.”
Khaola mentioned that he was interested on individual extra role performance which his subject area for the day was, highlighting that if people are going to rely on task performance or job description, then it implies a fragile social system.
“The objectives of this particular lecture is to consolidate findings of my research and publications over my academic career. I have a particular focus on leadership and attitude drivers of innovative work behaviours and what factors drive those issues,” Khaola continued, showing that organisations rise and fall in the hands of leaders.
“Context informs people’s attitudes and people’s attitudes inform people’s behaviour and that is the framework that has informed my work throw-out my academic career. In this regard, I focused on leadership as a context because leadership influences our attitudes.
I also focused on justice because the justice that leaders meet and the justice that is prevalent in an organization is the one that creates our attitudes,” he stated as he further explained that if leadership is poor, then attitudes of employees will also be poor.
On organisational commitment, Professor Khaola said he focused on citizenship and creative behaviour because he believes employees should go that extra mile to become creative and innovative to become successful through implementation of these new ideas. He said as a nation, Lesotho has been underperforming in terms of innovation.
“The innovation eco-system has been stagnant and as a country, we are hitting below the belt and not doing as much as we are supposed to do. That’s where I come in and say, what is the problem?
I suggest the problem is the leadership. We need leadership to drive creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship,” he said, indicating that from 2008-2020, Lesotho has been underperforming as a nation and declining in innovation over-time.
Professor Khaola further mentioned that there is a relationship between transformational leadership and innovative work behaviours.
He said: “Leadership has more impact on innovation or implementation than creativity. To influence creativity and innovation, the leader has to be creative, in other words, you cannot influence innovation and creativity if you are not a transformational leader.”
He further stated that for transformational leadership to work well, employees have to be committed if they stand a good chance to be innovative.
Professor Khaola did not shy away from dedicating his professorial inaugural lecture to his late mother, who admitted he did not take the opportunity for granted.
On behalf of the Senate Committee and the entire university community, Vice Chancellor Professor Olusola Fajana admitted Khaola to the rank of full professor, noting in his remarks that Lesotho faces many challenges of policy reform and the country needs academics intervention especially in areas of creativity, innovation, entrepreneurship, transformative leadership and the overall improvement of Lesotho.
Present at the inauguration and professorial lecture was Pro-Vice Chancellor Kananelo Mosito who highlighted Professor Khaola’s academic achievements and journey. Mosito said the university takes immense pride in celebrating the new professor’s personal and institutional triumph on his elevation to full professorship.
Mosito indicated that it is a testament to the spirit of relentless inquiry, innovation and academic stewardship.
In examining Professor Khaola’s academic journey and professional career, the Pro-Vice Chancellor reminded many that Khaola has always been an A student and a prolific professional.
Professor Khaola is a professor of Human Resources and General Management. He has served as a dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the NUL since 2019. Before that, he served as the head of the Department of Business Administration for two consecutive terms.
His research interests are in areas of Human Resources Management and Organisational Behaviour, with particular emphases on organisational citizenship behaviours, innovative work behaviours, leadership, organisational commitment, organisational justice, entrepreneurial intentions, and employee performance.
He has published his research in journals such as the European Journal of Innovation Management, International Journal of Innovation Management, International Journal of Innovation Sciences, Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, International Journal of Management Education, Journal of Enterprising Culture, South African Journal of Human Resource Management, Ethiopian Journal of Environmental Studies and Management, International Journal of African Higher Education, KCA Journal of Business Management and the African Journal of Public Administration and Management.
He has also been published in the Eastern Africa Social Science Research Review, Africa Education Review, Annals of Humanities and Development Studies, Lesotho Social Sciences Review, Southern African Business Review, and the Journal of Language, Technology and Entrepreneurship in Africa. He has also presented papers in the national and international conferences, and served as a reviewer for international conferences and journals as well. He is the member of the Organisation for Social Science Research in Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Southern African Institute of Management Scientists.
He has been involved in the evaluation of programmes of institutions of higher education for the Council on Higher Education in the country. He has been involved in some consultancy projects for the government and private sector organisations in the country and serves as a council member.
