A comparison of the cataloguing and classification curriculum and job requirements

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (6-7) ◽  
pp. 474-487
Author(s):  
Philangani Thembinkosi Sibiya ◽  
Mzwandile Muzi Shongwe
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Bachelor's Degree ◽  
Classification Theory ◽  
Job Market ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Knowledge Organisation ◽  
Job Advertisements ◽  
Minimum Requirements ◽  
Market Requirement

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to compare the cataloguing and classification curriculum offered in South African LIS schools and the job market requirement for cataloguers in South Africa (SA). It was instigated by the changes that have occurred in the LIS field over the past decade, especially in cataloguing and classification. Design/methodology/approach An interpretive, qualitative approach was used, and content analysis was used as a research and data analysis method. Data were obtained from 3 sources: cataloguing and classification course outlines obtained from 6 LIS schools, 18 interviews conducted with professional cataloguers and 10 job advertisements obtained through newspaper scanning and from the LIASA listserv. Findings The results indicate that LIS schools teach basic and advanced cataloguing and classification theory and practical topics. The main objective of the courses is to teach students knowledge organisation. The subjects are offered at bachelor’s degree and postgraduate diploma levels. Tools such as AACR2, RDA, MARC21, DDC and LCSH are mainly used to teach the courses. Professional cataloguers and job advertisements indicate that employers require the knowledge and skills to use the above-mentioned tools. Job advertisements also indicate that a national diploma and two years’ work experience are the minimum requirements for employing cataloguers. Practical implications This paper will inform academics whether they are teaching the relevant curriculum. If not, they will have to implement changes or improvements to the current curriculum. It will also help employers get a picture of what is offered in LIS schools and make judgements on whether it is relevant in the job market or not. Originality/value This paper has compared what is offered in LIS schools and what is required in the job market and found that there is match between what is offered and required, although there are areas to be improved. This is the first paper to establish that link in SA.

scholarly journals The Trending Academic Library Job Market: An Analysis of Library Position Announcements from 2011 with Comparisons to 1996 and 1988

2015 ◽  
Vol 76 (6) ◽  
pp. 716-739 ◽  
Author(s):  
Therese F. Triumph ◽  
Penny M. Beile
Keyword(s):  
Work Experience ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
The United States ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Job Market ◽  
Current State ◽  
Emerging Trends ◽  
Job Advertisements ◽  
Salary Information ◽  
Over Time

The primary objective of the study was to describe the number, types and titles, requested qualifications and skills, salary information, and locations of positions advertised in 2011 on the ALA JobLIST and ARL Job Announcements websites and in the print version of the Chronicle of Higher Education for purposes of determining the current state of the academic library job market in the United States. To investigate changes in the academic library job market and identify emerging trends over a 23-year period, results also were compared to studies that analyzed position announcements from 1996 and 1988. Content analysis of 957 unique academic library job advertisements revealed relative stasis in the market regarding the number of positions advertised, presence of administrative duties, geographic distribution of positions, and, to some extent, educational requirements. However, other comparisons were more dynamic. Specifically, there has been a decline in foreign language skills and prior work experience requirements over time while computer skills are increasingly sought. Perhaps most striking is the proliferation of new position titles that have emerged over time, which serves as an indication that library positions are becoming increasingly specialized.

Youth high unemployment/unemployability in South Africa: the unemployed graduates' perspectives

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zethembe Mseleku
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Cooperative Effort ◽  
Content Type ◽  
South African Universities ◽  
Skills Mismatch ◽  
Graduate Unemployment

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore youth graduate unemployment and unemployability as a development problem in South Africa.Design/methodology/approachThis exploratory study applied a qualitative research method to elicit the perspectives of youth graduates regarding their unemployment and unemployability. A total of 30 face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with unemployed youth who recently graduated from five South African universities.FindingsThe results indicate that, as youth graduate unemployment increases in South Africa, graduates become hopeless in terms of securing employment. The participants attributed their unemployment to multidimensional factors that include limited demand in the labour market, skills mismatch and lack of work experience.Research limitations/implicationsThis research exclusively focused on graduates from five South African universities; hence, the results of this small qualitative study cannot be generalised to the entire South African population. However, this paper offers important insights that may form the foundation for a nationwide study on a related topic.Originality/valueThis paper presents important insights that influence policy makers, government and other relevant stakeholders to develop alternative solutions to youth graduate unemployment. This paper recommends that government should play a critical role in bridging the gap between higher education and industry in order to address youth graduate unemployment. It also calls for a more cooperative effort between government, higher learning institutions and employers in order to create job opportunities for youth graduates in South Africa.

Text mining for human resources competencies: Taiwan example

2019 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chih-Hung Chung ◽  
Lu-Jia Chen
Keyword(s):  
Text Mining ◽  
Human Resources ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Job Market ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Entry Level ◽  
Critical Success ◽  
Job Advertisements

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the capabilities required by entry-level human resources (HR) professionals based on job advertisements by using text mining (TM) technique. Design/methodology/approach This study used TM techniques to explore the capabilities required by entry-level HR professionals based on job advertisements on HR agency 104’s website in Taiwan. Python was used to crawl the advertisements on the website, and 841 posts were collected. Next, the author used TM to explore and understand hidden trends and patterns in numerous data sets. Findings The results of this study revealed four critical success factors (specific skills, educational level, experience and specific capabilities), five clusters and ten classifications. Practical implications The results can aid HR curriculum developers and educators in customizing and improving HR education curricula, such that HR students can develop capabilities required to secure employment in the current HR job market. Originality/value Our results may facilitate the understanding of the current trends in the HR job market and provide useful suggestions to HR curriculum developers for improving training and professional course design, such that students’ competitiveness is enhanced and professional capabilities improved.

Mitchell’s Brewery: entrepreneurship challenges in the South African craft beer industry

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-35
Author(s):  
Geoff Bick ◽  
Fezile Sidubi
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
South African ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Strategic Decision ◽  
Strategic Decision Making ◽  
The South ◽  
School Students ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Craft Beer ◽  
Beer Industry

Learning outcomes They are as follows: to identify strategic growth opportunities for SMEs in the South African craft beer industry; to understand the complexities associated with operating a craft beer SME in the South African alcohol sector and analyse the SME’s strategic decision-making process that happens as a result; to understand the challenges and identify opportunities for entrepreneurship and growth in an emerging economy and niche segment; to develop a differentiation strategy for a small player in a competitive market; and to impart industry-specific knowledge and insight on the craft brewing industry. Case overview/synopsis The case is centred on the challenges that Hein Swart, managing director of Mitchell’s Brewery, is facing in sustaining business operations amid heavy regulations and increasing competition from existing craft breweries. In addition, there is the entry of a different type of competitor into the South African market that did not exist previously. The case narrative broadly presents several industry themes that interact with each other and create the existing complexities. Complexity academic level This case is targeted at postgraduate business school students with some work experience who want to build their critical thinking, business management and strategic decision-making skills such as Masters of Business Administration (MBA) and Executive MBA academic programmes, and also delegates on Executive Education programmes. The case is expected to be used as a case study for courses in entrepreneurship and strategic management; however, it can also be applied in strategic marketing courses. Supplementary materials Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email [email protected] to request teaching notes. Subject code CSS 3: Entrepreneurship

Which types of experience matter? The role of prior start-up experiences and work experience in fostering youth entrepreneurial intentions

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 1181-1198
Author(s):  
Alex Bignotti ◽  
Ingrid le Roux
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Secondary Students ◽  
Peer Influence ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Community Support ◽  
Entrepreneurial Intentions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
South African Society ◽  
Start Up ◽  
The Impact

PurposeIn spite of research on entrepreneurial intentions being a mature field of enquiry, little is known about the influence of experience on entrepreneurial intentions, especially among the youth and in developing contexts. This paper aims to investigate the impact of different types of experience – entrepreneurial early childhood experiences, prior start-up experiences, work experience, education and peer influence – on the entrepreneurial intentions of South African youth.Design/methodology/approachFirst, a quantitative survey of 827 secondary students was administered, and the results were analysed by means of hierarchical logistic regression. Second, two focus groups were conducted with secondary students representing two distinct segments of South African society to shed light on some of the unique survey findings.FindingsThe results revealed that the experiences of having attempted to start a business and having previously worked in a business, as well as entrepreneurship education, have a positive influence on youth entrepreneurial intentions, while peers' entrepreneurial intentions exert a negative influence. Peer influence and contextual factors such as family and community support, which are catalytic in other parts of the world, appear to dampen youth entrepreneurial intentions because of fear of failure and fear of competition.Originality/valueThis paper examines the influence of a broader taxonomy of experience types on youth entrepreneurial intentions than found in previous studies. It highlights the unique role played by specific types of experience and points to the need to include extra-curricular entrepreneurial experiences in interventions aimed at fostering youth entrepreneurial intentions in developing nations.

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC): powerless but accountable leadership for former GCEO

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
Maijang Mpherwane ◽  
Kurt April ◽  
Claire Barnardo
Keyword(s):  
Lived Experience ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
South African ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Complex Dynamics ◽  
Daily Basis ◽  
The South ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Chief Operating Officer ◽  
Key Skills

Learning outcomes The learning outcomes are as follows: identify the key challenges of leading a large organisation that is self-serving as compared to one that has people of integrity in its employ; understand how resilient leaders need to be to remain focussed on the task at hand while faced with resistance and controversy at every turn; demonstrate how to cultivate a culture of trust and integrity in an organisation bereft of both, and rebuild an organisation’s reputation; navigate the dynamics of having an unruly subordinate [chief operating officer (COO)] who in reality is more powerful; and develop key skills in practicing self-care in an environment where one is constantly undermined and devalued. Case overview/synopsis This case looks at the leadership of former GCEO Lulama Mokhobo at the South African Broadcasting Corporation SABC from 2012 to 2014 and her lived experience within the theme of empowered powerlessness. With an unsupportive board, destructive COO, and minister of communications at government level, Lulama is disempowered in her position and battles to make changes. Colleagues attest to the unusually complex dynamics that she had to navigate on a daily basis. The case details how this eroded Lulama’s self-confidence as well as her ability to lead the organisation and pushed her to resign. The SABC managed to undo the strides she made during her tenure and now finds itself in financial quagmire due to poor and questionable decisions made after her resignation as the GCEO of the organisation. Complexity academic level The target audience for this case comprises students enrolled in tertiary business education programmes who have already had some sort of work experience and hands-on exposure to real-world business. MBA and EMBA students, as well as executive education programmes. Including disciplines such as leadership, organisational behaviour and people management and strategy. Supplementary materials Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email [email protected] to request teaching notes. Subject code CSS 11: Strategy.

Student perspectives on employability development in higher education in South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Oluyomi Susan Pitan ◽  
Colette Muller
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Extracurricular Activities ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Personal Development ◽  
Development Planning ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Perceived Employability ◽  
South African Universities

PurposeThis study responds to identified challenges of poor work-readiness of many graduates and the inadequate relation between education and work. Through students' perspectives, the study examines the extent to which selected South African universities are supporting their students in developing employability skills and the influence of such employability support on students' enhanced employability.Design/methodology/approachThrough purposive sampling, information was obtained from a sample of 402 final year students at two universities in South Africa. After an exploratory factor analysis, 34 of the 35 items on the questionnaire successfully loaded for further analysis under seven components.FindingsSouth African universities that were analysed are adequately engaging their students with two of the six employability development opportunities (EDOs), while students' engagement with the other four is only to a fair extent. EDOs are found to jointly influence students' employability. The curriculum has the highest influence, followed by personal development planning, career development learning and work experience. Real-world activities and extracurricular activities were not found to influence students' self-perceived employability.Originality/valueBeyond identifying skills that graduates are expected to possess, which dominate the discussion and debate on graduate employability, this study elucidates the role of universities in providing support structures – EDOs – that enable students to establish an appropriate connection between theory and practice. It provides insight into the employability potential of South African universities and increases the universities' awareness of what they can do to ensure the production of work-ready graduates.

Racial Discrimination in the British Labor Market

ILR Review ◽  
1981 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 265-272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Firth
Keyword(s):  
Labor Market ◽  
Race Relations ◽  
Racial Discrimination ◽  
Research Design ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Job Market ◽  
The Press ◽  
Job Advertisements

This paper reports the results of a study of racial discrimination in the British job market for accountants and financial executives. The research design involved sending letters from fictitious applicants in response to job advertisements in the press. The applicants represented seven different nationalities, although all had identical qualifications and work experience. An analysis of the responses to these applications shows that considerable racial discrimination remains in the British labor market several years after the adoption of the Race Relations Act of 1968.

Internship as a criterion for South African educators’ registration

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (7) ◽  
pp. 1333-1347
Author(s):  
Gideon Petrus van Tonder ◽  
Elsa Fourie
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
High Stress ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Learner Performance ◽  
Stress Levels ◽  
Method Approach

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the possible use of internships to support educators with the increase in their administrative, professional workload. Design/methodology/approach This research utilised a mixed method approach. Quantitative and qualitative data was gathered. Pragmatism was the research paradigm. Two structured Likert scale questionnaires were used. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with purposefully selected in-service educators from schools. Findings The participants in this study indicated that the increase in their administrative workload impacted negatively on their well-being, they were overwhelmed by the amount of documentation they had to compile, they indicated that assessment was difficult, that they did not have time to constantly adapt to changes, that they had limited opportunities for professional development. Educators said they suffered from anxiety, had high stress levels, were moody, physically and emotionally exhausted and considered to leave the profession. Practical implications The implementation of an internship model could impact positively on educators’ administrative workload. It could lead to a decrease in educators’ administrative workload; lower stress levels and increased learner performance. Student educators will have opportunities to experience how a school operates, get feedback on their teaching skills, learn to discipline learners, attend meetings and serve as part of an educational team. Originality/value In the light of the findings of this research it seems that the implementation of an internship model would provide opportunities to expose student educators to a real-life work experience and opportunities to work together with experienced educators acting as mentors.

Key skills and competencies of LIS professionals in the digital library environment: a content analysis of job advertisements

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Akhilesh K.S. Yadav
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Curriculum Design ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Research Study ◽  
Soft Skills ◽  
Central State ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Key Skills ◽  
Job Advertisements

PurposeThe main purpose of this research study is to identify the essential skills and competencies sought by prospective employers for library and information science (LIS) positions in India. The research study aims to find out various designated positions in job advertisements.Design/methodology/approachThe data were collected from a major weekly job journal “Employment News” in India over five years from 2016 to 2020. The Employment News provides the latest job vacancies of central/state governments, public sector undertakings and autonomous bodies in India. Each issue of Employment News was carefully scanned and searched for job advertisements in the field of LIS. The researcher analyzed various posts on permanent, deputation and short-term contracts to gain insights into the job’s skills.FindingsThe findings highlight that public sector academic and school libraries are the top employers of LIS professionals. One of the most frequent demands of employers is profession-related work experience. Results show that employers place the strongest emphasis on library administration, computer knowledge, technical skills, managerial skills and soft skills. Library management, library supervision and procurement of journals and books are the primary job responsibilities for top-level positions.Research limitations/implicationsThe weekly job journal, Employment News, is the largest source of LIS jobs in publicly funded organizations and institutions in India. It does not cover private educational institutes, industries and corporates. Job-related data were collected solely from this journal for the duration of 2016–2020. Therefore, this research study does not fully represent the LIS job market with regard to private educational institutes and corporate organizations.Practical implicationsThe research findings can help LIS professionals prepare themselves according to market needs and demands. The LIS school should integrate these required skills and competencies into the course curriculum for preparing professionals in the digital age.Originality/valueThe results are benchmarked to guide and evaluate LIS course curricula in India. LIS schools may emphasize soft skills in future curriculum design, which employers frequently seek.

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