Still focusing on the “essential 2:1”: exploring student attitudes to extra-curricular activities

2015 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 184-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Greenbank
Keyword(s):  
Labour Market ◽  
Student Attitudes ◽  
Student Participation ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Peer Norms ◽  
Market Outcomes ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Extra Curricular Activities ◽  
Degree Classification

Purpose – In order to compete for positional advantage in the graduate labour market students need more than a good degree classification. The evidence suggests that participation in extra-curricular activities (ECAs) can have a significant influence on labour market outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which undergraduates engage in ECAs during their studies and analyses the factors influencing their participation in such activities. Design/methodology/approach – This study is based on a sample of 21 undergraduates in the Business School at a “new” university. These students completed two questionnaires in their first year of study. These were followed-up by in-depth interviews which were carried out in their first and final year of study. Findings – The study found that many of these students were not participating in ECAs because they lacked an appreciation of the value of ECAs to graduate employers. The students were also influenced by social and peer norms, especially the fact that their peers were not engaging in ECAs. Finally, the students often exhibited an extrinsic locus of control and dependency which was not conducive to engagement in ECAs. Research limitations/implications – The generalisability of the findings may be seen as limited by the fact that the study is based on a relatively small sample of students from one university. This research, however, provides detailed insights into the factors influencing student participation in ECAs and adds new perspectives to this under-researched area. Practical implications – The paper concludes by suggesting a range of inter-related approaches that higher education institutions could adopt in order to improve student participation in ECAs. These include careers education at all stages of the students’ studies; the use of unfreezing techniques in conjunction with case studies; a more substantial role for personal tutors; and the development of an institutional habitus that encourages autonomy and agency. Originality/value – Despite the importance of ECAs to graduate employers there have been relatively few studies into the factors influencing undergraduate participation in such activities.

The factors influencing Saudi Arabian women's persistence in nontraditional work careers

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Suad Dukhaykh ◽  
Diana Bilimoria
Keyword(s):  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Saudi Arabian ◽  
Policy Decision ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Nontraditional Careers ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Nontraditional Work ◽  
Male Dominated ◽  
Reported Data

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore the factors that influence Saudi Arabian women to persist in nontraditional work careers, which are primarily in gender-integrated work environments and male-dominated industries.Design/methodology/approachQualitative research was conducted based on semistructured interviews with 30 Saudi women – 18 of whom were working in nontraditional careers and 12 of whom had worked in nontraditional careers but subsequently left to pursue more traditional, female-associated career opportunities. Interview data were recorded, transcribed and analyzed using grounded theory methods.FindingsDistinct similarities and differences between the two subsamples emerged from the data. Similarities between the two groups included men's underestimation of women's performance, lack of access to workplace sites and resources, male colleagues' cultural fears of violating gender norms and social rejection of women in the workplace. Women who persisted in nontraditional work careers articulated a high level of self-efficacy, an optimistic future vision, positive relationships with male colleagues and family support, which enabled them to persevere despite numerous difficulties associated with working in a male-dominated environment. A conceptual model is developed that integrates the findings explaining Saudi women's persistence in nontraditional work careers.Research limitations/implicationsSelf-reported data and a small sample size are the main limitations of this study.Practical implicationsMale managers of women in nontraditional work settings are encouraged to engage positively with women professionals in their teams and to provide opportunities for growth and development for all members of the workforce. Saudi public policy decision-makers, families, educators and organizations interested in retaining and increasing female workforce participation should take into account the factors influencing Saudi women's persistence in nontraditional work careers.Originality/valueAlthough some studies in Western contexts have addressed the factors that influence the persistence of women in nontraditional careers, less work has been done in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) sociocultural context. Specifically, in the present study, the authors investigate the factors that influence women's persistence in nontraditional careers in Saudi Arabia's high gender-role-oriented culture.

University dropouts vs high school graduates in the school-to-work transition

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 449-472 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emanuela Ghignoni ◽  
Giuseppe Croce ◽  
Alessandro d’Ambrosio
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Labour Market ◽  
High School Graduates ◽  
School To Work ◽  
Dropping Out ◽  
Market Outcomes ◽  
School To Work Transition ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Transition ◽  
Labour Market Outcomes

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to consider the enrolment at university and the subsequent possible dropout as a piece of the school-to-work transition and ask whether it improves or worsens the labour market outcomes a few years after graduation from the high school. Design/methodology/approach The analysis exploits data from the upper secondary graduate survey by ISTAT on a cohort of high school graduates and investigates the effect of dropping out four years after graduation. The labour market outcomes of university dropouts are compared to the outcomes of high school graduates who never enrolled at university. A propensity score matching approach is applied. The model is also estimated on the subsamples of males and females. Findings The findings show that spending a period at university and leaving it before completion makes the transition to work substantially more difficult. Both the probability of being NEET and getting a bad job increase in the case of dropout, while no relevant effect is found on earnings. Moreover, the impact of university dropout tends to be more harmful the longer the spell from enrolment to dropping out. Separate estimates by gender point out that females appear to be relatively more affected in the case of dropping out without a fallback plan. Originality/value While the existing studies in the literature on the school-to-work transition mostly focus on the determinants of the dropout, this paper investigates whether and how the employment outcomes are affected by dropping out in Italy. Moreover, university dropouts are compared to high school graduates with no university experience, rather than to university graduates. Finally, evidence on the mechanisms driving the effect of dropping out is provided, by considering timing and motivations for dropping out.

How does finance influence labour market outcomes? A review of empirical studies

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (6) ◽  
pp. 1197-1232
Author(s):  
Mark Heil
Keyword(s):  
Labour Market ◽  
Capital Accumulation ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Labour Productivity ◽  
National Income ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Market Outcomes ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corporate Managers ◽  
Labour Market Outcomes

PurposeThis paper reviews economic studies on the effects of various aspects of finance on labour market outcomes.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is a systematic literature review that reviews the weight of the evidence on the relationships between specific elements of finance and labour outcomes. The review is divided into three major sections: (1) job quantity and job quality; (2) distributional effects; and (3) resilience and adaptability.FindingsFinance interacts with labour market institutions to jointly determine labour outcomes. Firm financial structures influence their labour practices – highly leveraged firms show greater employment volatility during cyclical fluctuations, and leverage strengthens firm bargaining power in labour negotiations. Bank deregulation has mixed impacts on labour depending upon the state of prior bank regulations and labour markets. Leveraged buyouts tend to dampen acquired-firm job growth as they pursue labour productivity gains. The shareholder value movement may contribute to short-termism among corporate managers, which can divert funds away from firm capital accumulation toward financial markets, and crowd out productive investment. Declining wage shares of national income in most OECD countries since 1990 may be driven in part by financial globalisation. The financial sector contributes to rising income concentration near the top of the distribution in developed countries. The availability of finance is associated with increased reallocation of labour, which may either enhance or impede productivity growth. Finally, rising interest rate environments and homeowners with mortgage balances that exceed their home's value may reduce labour mobility rates.Originality/valueThis review contributes to the understanding of the effects of finance on labour by reviewing and synthesising a large volume of literature.

scholarly journals Job separation rates of immigrants and natives in the UK during the Great Recession

2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (7) ◽  
pp. 1036-1054
Author(s):  
Dafni Papoutsaki
Keyword(s):  
Labour Market ◽  
Labour Force ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Market Outcomes ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
The Great Recession ◽  
The Business Cycle ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Uk

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the probability of job separations of immigrants and natives in the UK before and during the economic crisis of 2008. Design/methodology/approach A mixed proportional hazard duration model with a semi-parametric piecewise constant baseline hazard is used on a data sample of inflows into employment. Findings It is found that the crisis increased the probability of exits to unemployment for all groups, while immigrants from the new countries of the European Union seemed to have the lowest hazard towards unemployment even after controlling for their demographic and labour market characteristics. More specifically, even when we account for the fact that they tend to cluster in jobs that are most vulnerable to the business cycle, they are still less likely to exit dependent employment than natives. However, this migrant group is adversely affected by the crisis the most. Research limitations/implications Possible implications of out-migration of the lower performers are discussed. Originality/value This paper makes use of the panel element of the UK Quarterly Labour Force Survey, and uses duration analysis on the individual level to assess the labour market outcomes of natives and immigrants in the UK.

Blended learning in accounting: a New Zealand case

2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 224-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sidney Weil ◽  
Tracy-Anne De Silva ◽  
Maurice Ward
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Blended Learning ◽  
Student Participation ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Learning Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Online Activities ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – This paper aims to describe the implementation of a blended learning approach in a Stage 2 management accounting course at a university in New Zealand. The paper reports on student participation and engagement in the course and reflects on students’ learning experiences. The blended learning approach was implemented in response to low student attendance and poor preparation for face-to-face tutorial sessions, along with demand from students to be able to access learning resources off-campus. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from formal course evaluations, the learning management system and a student focus group, with particular emphasis on three of the online activities introduced – lessons, quizzes and chat rooms. Findings – The study finds that while learners value online activities, they are nevertheless still unwilling to forgo the opportunities which face-to-face contact with both peers and faculty members present. This finding provides support for the continuation of a blended learning approach in the course, as well as its implementation in others. Research limitations/implications – This paper has several limitations. These include the small sample size and the absence of reflection on the process and outcome(s) of implementation of the blended learning course by the responsible academic. Furthermore, the paper also did not consider the impact of blended learning on students’ soft, or generic, skills. These are topics for future research. Practical implications – The findings highlight the importance of offering not only a mixture of online activities, but also a blend of face-to-face and online activities. Originality/value – This study focuses on student participation and engagement in a blended learning accounting course.

Income distribution gains will slow in Latin America

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Income Inequality ◽  
Labour Market ◽  
Gini Coefficient ◽  
Income Taxes ◽  
Market Outcomes ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Income Share ◽  
Fiscal Constraints ◽  
Labour Market Outcomes

Subject Income inequality in Latin America. Significance Between 2003 and 2013, income inequality declined across Latin America, although the income share of the wealthy remained high. A combination of positive labour market outcomes and more inclusive social policies contributed to these results. Since 2013, however, the gains have slowed, and inequality has again increased in some countries. Impacts Improvements in the Gini coefficient are slowing across the region; in Bolivia and Mexico, inequality has again risen. Further deterioration of public services and increasing segmentation in both social delivery and labour market outcomes appears likely. A shift to the centre-right and fiscal constraints may reduce efforts to implement progressive income taxes or protect labour rights.

scholarly journals Body weight and labour market outcomes in Post-Soviet Russia

2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 671-687 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonya Huffman ◽  
Marian Rizov
Keyword(s):  
Labour Market ◽  
Transition Period ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Wage Penalty ◽  
Market Outcomes ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Labour Market Outcomes

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to focus on the impacts of overweight and obesity on the probability of employment, wages, and the incidence of sick-leave days by gender, in Russia, over the transition period, 1994-2005. Design/methodology/approach – The authors uses panel data and appropriate instrumental variables techniques to estimate a set of three models. Findings – The results show a linear negative effect of body mass index (BMI) on probability of employment for women and positive effect for men. The authors did not find evidence of wage penalty for higher BMI, a result different from findings of several studies on developed market economies. There is also positive impact of BMI on the number of work days missed due to health problems for women. Originality/value – The results derived in transition context add evidence to the growing obesity and labour market outcomes literature emphasising the relative importance of the labour supply side compared to the demand side. The policy implications of our study are gender specific.

Language skills in an ethnically segmented labour market: Estonia 1989–2012

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 304-327 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sven-Kristjan Bormann ◽  
Svetlana Ridala ◽  
Ott-Siim Toomet
Keyword(s):  
Labour Market ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Labour Force ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Comprehensive Overview ◽  
Market Outcomes ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Labour Market Outcomes ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse the relationship between skills in the Estonian, Russian and English language, and labour market outcomes in Estonia, a linguistically divided country. Design/methodology/approach The authors use the Estonian Labour Force Surveys 1992–2012. The authors rely on multivariate linear regression models to document the relationship between language skills and labour market outcomes. Findings Estonian language knowledge (for ethnic Russians) are important determinants of unemployment. Wage, in contrary, is closely related to English skills. Ethnic Russian men do not earn any premium from speaking Estonian, while women, fluent in Estonian earn approximately 10 per cent more. For ethnic Estonians, Russian fluency is associated with a similar income gain. Research limitations/implications Due to the observational nature of the data, the effects reported in this study are not causal effects. As a second limitation, the self-reported language skills data may be imprecise and hence the effects the authors report may be too small. Practical implications The results stress the role of workplace segregation, both along gender and ethnic lines, in determining the individual labour market experience. Originality/value The authors provide a comprehensive overview of the effects of language skills in a rapidly developing labour market in a linguistically divided economy. The authors analyse several languages with different legal status and document long-term trends in the effects.

Halal certification or ingredient disclosure

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 765-781
Author(s):  
Shuko Takeshita
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Sample Size ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Tourist Destinations ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Low Diversity

Purpose The purpose of this study is to clarify what is really needed to attract Muslim tourists by comparing the two main approaches to serving food with halal certification or with ingredient disclosure. Design/methodology/approach This research adopted a comparative analysis of a Group promoting “halal certification” and a Group promoting “ingredient disclosure” mainly from the tourists’ perspective. Taito Ward, Tokyo, encourages restaurants to obtain halal certification, while the approach of Takayama City is to disclose the ingredients. The study compares the advantages and disadvantages of these two approaches and also investigates factors influencing them. Findings This study revealed that Muslim tourists would like to see both halal certification and ingredient disclosure. The reason why Taito Ward and Takayama City pursue different strategies can be summarized in three points: the types of food offered in the two areas, the vastly different scales of the two areas as tourist destinations and the different perspectives of their respective advisors. Research limitations/implications The limitations of this study include the small sample size and the low diversity of the origins of Muslim tourists. However, this research is still significant because few academic studies on halal certification have been done from the tourists’ perspective. Originality/value There are many things that could be done to attract Muslim tourists. Even without halal certification, there are many restaurants that can cater to Muslims in Japan. A little consideration and thoughtfulness on the part of restaurants can enhance the probability of attracting Muslim tourists.

scholarly journals Temporary layoffs, short-time work and COVID-19: the case of a dual labour market

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria Osuna ◽  
José Ignacio García Pérez
Keyword(s):  
Labour Market ◽  
Moderate Degree ◽  
Search And Matching ◽  
Market Outcomes ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Heterogeneous Effects ◽  
Time Work ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Short Time

Purpose This paper aims to study the type of short-time work (STW) schemes implemented in Spain to preserve jobs and workers’ incomes during the COVID-19 crisis and the corresponding labour market outcomes. Design/methodology/approach A dynamic macroeconomic model of job creation and destruction of the search and matching type in a dual labour market. Findings The model shows that the availability of STW schemes does not necessarily prevent a large increase in unemployment and job destruction. The quantitative effects depend on the degree of subsidization of payroll taxes and on the design of the policy. A scenario with a moderate degree of subsidization and where the subsidy is independent of the reduction in hours worked is the least harmful for both welfare and fiscal deficit. The cost of such a strategy is a higher unemployment rate. Concerning heterogeneous effects, the unemployed are the ones who experience the strongest distributional changes. Originality/value The effectiveness of STW schemes in dual labour markets using a search and matching model in the context of the COVID-19 crisis has not been analysed elsewhere. The literature has emphasized the importance of dynamics, labour market institutions and workers’ heterogeneity to understand workforce adjustment decisions in the face of temporary shocks to de- mand especially when firms’ human capital is relevant. These elements are present in the model. In addition, this paper computes welfare and distributional effects and the cost of these policies.

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