Declining self-determination is eroding academic motivation

Agree with almost all of this except the last part. Senior academics can't be replaced with younger, cheaper staff on fixed term contracts because most people completing PhDs where I work are leaving academia as soon as they can so there just aren't any people left to fill the jobs and even when they do they realise how rubbish it is and quit.

Well put. This is management 101. One other theory that might be worth pointing out is Davied Mclellands three needs theory. Most academic would firmly fall into the n-ach category. One key thing to note is n-ach people like challenging but realistic goals. However unreasonable demands of excelling on all fronts that is driven by short termist attitudes and policies of pseudo managers who are in it only for maximising their private payoff at all costs is driving morale and motivation levels down.

Sensible article. The neoliberalised university's authority is very brittle and can be surprisingly easy to stand up to, individually. More academics could reclaim their autonomy on the grounds of their research contributions. I also think academics should take back control of the positions and offices that have been handed over to administrative staff, as often the latter don't understand the needs of research and think academic autonony is trivial rather than essential, they may belittle research and academics, and are indirectly supportive of attempts to make universities operate like factories. Of course, the current government is behind much of this madness, which reflects their own misunderstanding, confusion, and rejection of knowledge and science.... Populism/ nationalism are clearly anti-science, and need to be stood up to in addition.

Great article and excellent comments above. Even though my current department is nowhere near the extremes discussed, I have seen a decline in my job satisfaction over the 30 years of my career. I will be glad to retire in a few years, which is sad because there was a time the I could hardly wait to get into my office.