Impact of the government funding reforms on the research and development at Malaysian public universities

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to assess whether the reforms in funding for public universities have facilitated the prioritization of government objectives within the sector. This question is examined through the lens of agency theory, which examines the relationship between agent and principal to facilitate a reduction in goal conflict and/or information asymmetry. This theory is used to examine the government-university relationship on changes in Malaysian Federal Government funding through reductions in goal conflict and/or information asymmetry in Malaysian public universities. This paper presents the findings from the questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistic to answer the research question. The final section ends with presentation of summary and conclusion of the study with a review of overall key findings.