Abstract
The article examines the multilevel determinants of human resource management decisions in modern universities. The study aims to provide a theoretical rationale for and further specify a four-component classification of factors influencing managerial choice: external factors, internal organizational factors, individual and group-level factors, and factors associated with uncertainty and risk. The methodological framework combines systems and institutional approaches, decision theory, organizational sociology, and the concept of bounded rationality. The study employs comparative and systems analysis, classification, and theoretical synthesis of contemporary Russian and international research. The findings show that external determinants define the institutional and resource boundaries of managerial choice; internal factors determine the organizational feasibility of available alternatives; and individual and group-level factors influence the interpretation of problem situations, the scope of discussion, and the final choice. Uncertainty and risk occupy a distinct position in the framework: information completeness and asymmetry, predictability of consequences, and managerial risk tolerance may modify the effects of other determinants, although treating them as moderators in the strict statistical sense requires separate empirical testing. The university context strengthens the interdependence of these factors because administrative hierarchy coexists with collegial governance, professional autonomy, a heterogeneous workforce, and complex interdepartmental communication. A multifactor model of the formation and implementation of university HR decisions is proposed, incorporating organizational and social consequences and feedback.
Keywords
- managerial decision
- human resources
- higher education
- university
- organizational culture
- group decision-making
- uncertainty
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