an analysis of the factors affecting the professional skills of faculty members of iranian agricultural colleges

the main purpose of this descriptive – survey study was to investigate the factors affecting the professional skills of faculty members in iranian agricultural colleges. the statistical population of the study consisted of the faculty members of iranian agricultural colleges (n=1837), from whom 380 were determined as sample, applying morgan's sample table. the population size was later increased to 404 for an enhancement of the precision of the study. proportional stratified random sampling method was employed to determine the samples. data were collected through questionnaire. the validity of the questionnaire, was verified by a group of university of tehran faculty members and specialists. cronbach's alpha (professional skills= 0.82, organizational culture = 0.78, organizational – management fields= 0.92) coefficients were applied to estimate the reliability, the extent of which being from .78 to .92 indicated the questionnaire's acceptable reliability. t-test results revealed significant differences between the degrees (msc and phd) and the degrees (obtained inside vs. outside the country) of faculty members as regarded their professional skills. regression analysis also indicated that the three variables, organizational – management fields, organizational culture, teaching background, explaining 57.4 percent of variation in professional skills of faculty members.