The influence of creativity on the entrepreneurial intention of university female graduates: An SEM approach

Entrepreneurial activities have been vital to economic growth as a feasible career option for many university graduates. Nonetheless, it has been recognised that the lowest intentions to undertake entrepreneurial activity are among female graduates. While entrepreneurship is claimed to be a reflection of creative activity from which individuals generate value, graduates’ creativity can be a crucial aspect of entrepreneurship, with innovative concepts, products and services. This study examines the role of creativity skills in the entrepreneurial intentions of female university students attending business programs. Built on the Theory of Planned Behaviour, the survey results collected from 303 female business graduates identified the positive influence of creativity on entrepreneurial intentions. Recognising the need to embed creative skills and activities in the university curriculum is fundamental to encouraging entrepreneurial aspirations among female graduates.

A between-subject design to evaluate students' employability in the Lebanese labor market

PurposeThis study aims to examine the effect of experience abroad, academic success and university reputation on students' employability in the Lebanese labor market.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses a between-subject design to identify whether academic success, university reputation and experience abroad have an impact on how potential recruiters (i.e. employers) are perceiving student employability. The study uses 16 fictitious applications of business graduates, which differed in grade-point average, university reputation and experience abroad, rated by 784 Lebanese professionals.FindingsThe results suggest that high-performing students with experience abroad and high-performing students from a reputable university are perceived to be more employable. For low-performing students, having completed an experience abroad results in a lower reward in terms of employability.Research limitations/implicationsThe present study offers an analysis of students' employability through employers' lens; it offers insights for students on how to be perceived as more employable in a context where competition among future workers is fierce.Practical implicationsThe results of this research provide a roadmap for graduates for enhancing their employability in Lebanese markets and offer actionable insights to employers.Originality/valueThe most original contribution of this study is the analysis of university reputation impact on the likelihood of receiving positive feedback during the evaluation process. The impact of two Lebanese universities, one ranked in the QS ranking and one not, was investigated.

Students' Choice of a Business Major and Career: A Qualitative Case Study of Motivation to Study Finance and Banking

<p>Little is known about how or why Cambodian university students choose a major and a future career. The decision regarding a major is important for a student’s life and future career. The Cambodian labour market has a shortage of graduates in science, technology, engineering, maths and agriculture and a predicted oversupply of business graduates. In recognition of the mismatch between the supply of business graduates and the demands of the labour market, the current study was designed to explore why and how Cambodian students choose a business major and a future career. This qualitative study employed a multiple case study design. The study utilized semistructured interviews to collect data from five male and five female students enrolled in finance and banking majors, who volunteered to participate in the research. Data analysis was mainly inductive with consideration given to the expectancy-value theory (Eccles, 2009) using a within-case and cross-case analysis within a thematic approach. The findings were that value beliefs were important in students’ choice of a major. Students chose a finance and banking major because they believed that this major would have good employment prospects and lead to a worthwhile career. Other reasons included the interest value related to the subject and to a career, their beliefs in their ability to earn a business degree, and usefulness to the long-term plans of business ownership. In some cases, students chose the business major over a preferred major for diverse reasons including: not wanting to move away from family; a family’s desire to provide security for female offspring; the prohibitive costs of the preferred major; and doubts about their ability to succeed in the preferred major. The extended family was influential in decisions around choice of major and career. Participants listened to the advice of older siblings. The financial support of parents was also pivotal. Farmers did not want their children to work in agriculture and saw business as offering a better life.</p>

Students' Choice of a Business Major and Career: A Qualitative Case Study of Motivation to Study Finance and Banking

<p>Little is known about how or why Cambodian university students choose a major and a future career. The decision regarding a major is important for a student’s life and future career. The Cambodian labour market has a shortage of graduates in science, technology, engineering, maths and agriculture and a predicted oversupply of business graduates. In recognition of the mismatch between the supply of business graduates and the demands of the labour market, the current study was designed to explore why and how Cambodian students choose a business major and a future career. This qualitative study employed a multiple case study design. The study utilized semistructured interviews to collect data from five male and five female students enrolled in finance and banking majors, who volunteered to participate in the research. Data analysis was mainly inductive with consideration given to the expectancy-value theory (Eccles, 2009) using a within-case and cross-case analysis within a thematic approach. The findings were that value beliefs were important in students’ choice of a major. Students chose a finance and banking major because they believed that this major would have good employment prospects and lead to a worthwhile career. Other reasons included the interest value related to the subject and to a career, their beliefs in their ability to earn a business degree, and usefulness to the long-term plans of business ownership. In some cases, students chose the business major over a preferred major for diverse reasons including: not wanting to move away from family; a family’s desire to provide security for female offspring; the prohibitive costs of the preferred major; and doubts about their ability to succeed in the preferred major. The extended family was influential in decisions around choice of major and career. Participants listened to the advice of older siblings. The financial support of parents was also pivotal. Farmers did not want their children to work in agriculture and saw business as offering a better life.</p>

A Mystery of Academic and Industrial Skill Discordance among Business Graduates in Pakistan

The study had explored the cognitive, non-cognitive and vocational skill required by the Pakistani organizations and found that there are various dimension that employer are interested among their potential employee. It was observed that Non cognitive are the more deficient one among the focused and as per gender is concerned their little response as per all skills however on Non-cognitive skills a bet more maturity exist among female candidates whereas the confidence level and lower literacy rate disturb their response on job market. Curriculum covering the Field specific theoretical and practical knowledge there is rare convergence on field specific practical knowledge. The study reveals a higher attention on industry academia collaboration through developing a high level of university-Industry linkages.

Risk Tolerance Profile of Business Students in Pakistan

The study on the relationship between demographic variables and risk tolerance among business graduates in Pakistan. The correlation and regression analysis on a sample of 382 business students exhibit the following results. Empirical result of the correlation matrix are showing a positive significant correlation between risk tolerance gender, annual savings, age, experience and annual income and location except occupation which shows significant but negative correlation. Regression analysis depicts significant relationship between Risk tolerance Gender, Savings and Location shown by the t-values 2.037, 2.886, 58 and p –values .042, 0.004, and 0.000 respectively. However an insignificance relationship was found between Risk Tolerance Age, Education, Experience, Income and Occupation exhibited by their t-values -1.290, .638, -.035, - 1.886, all less than 2 and p-values above 0.05 respectively.

Regulation of the Romanian Accountancy Profession – 100 Years Celebration. A History Lesson for Today’s Professionals

On July 15th 1921, the Official Journal of Romania witnessed the publication of the Law on the organization of the Body of Licensed and Expert Accountants. The longtime wish of higher school of business graduates thus became true, they established their first association in 1888. Since then, until the law was published, the regulation of the accountancy profession was the main topic of various discussions and attitudes, of several pleadings addressed to public authorities and debates held at the meetings of a multitude of institutes representing these graduates’ interests, grouped within the Union of Business Schools Graduates, subsequently the Body of Higher Schools of Business Graduates, which acquired legal personality in 1916. There were also other subjects, directly related to accountants’ activity, that drew the graduates’ attention, both before and after the law was published, such as: censors’ statute, accounting expertise, visas on trade registers; business education reform; the Body’s relations with authorities. A number of public figures linked their faith to asserting the accountancy profession, its regulation and the ongoing representation of its interests. We should mention here, among many other, Nicolae Butculescu, I. St. Rasidescu, Vasile M. Ioachim, Petru Drăgănescu-Brateş, Grigore Trancu-Iaşi, George Alesseanu, Spiridon Iacobescu, Alexandru Sorescu. An important activity of the Body was the organisation of congresses. They began taking place every two years, uninterruptedly, starting 1923 until 1939. The activity of the Body of Expert and Licensed Accountants was influenced by the political and social events of its time, especially since 1935. Beginning with 1940, its activity saw a significant decrease.

ICT Proficiency Levels of Canadian University-Level Business School Graduates: Representations of Graduates and Employers

This study examines the perceptions of Canadian business school graduates’ and employers with respect to business graduates’ ICT proficiency levels. Twelve (12) business graduates from a Canadian university and six (6) local employers were interviewed on a range of topics relating to the acquisition of information and communications technology (ICT) skills and graduate competency levels. Graduates were positive in their self-appraisal of computing proficiency and expressed high levels of confidence in their ICT capabilities, while the acquisition of these skills was found to be primarily learned informally, self-taught, or learned during work terms. Generally, employers felt that the ICT competencies of business graduates the skills they need for the workplace are appropriate, but indicate that some specialized ICT skills are acquired through workplace orientation and ongoing professional learning. Graduate skill deficits were found to be more prevalent in the areas of writing and communication – including spelling, grammar, and business writing. Research findings suggest some misalignment between employer expectations and program objectives and raise questions about a potential gap in the readiness of graduates for the workplace. Although there is wide recognition that the primary aim of university business degree programs falls outside of ICT skill development, this research suggests a need for better coordination to align the needs and expectations of employers with the goals and objectives of business programs. Strategies for greater collaboration between business faculties and employers, with regard to business graduates’ ICT and other key competencies are suggested.

The Antecedents and Determinants of Entrepreneurial Intention among Business Students in Vietnam

For recent decades, entrepreneurial intent and start-up movement have gained the intensive attention from business graduates and policymarkers around the world. Recently, Vietnam strategized to become a “start-up” nation and entrepreneurship has emerged as an important issue for both academic research and economic development policies. This fact has drawn scholar’s attention to what intrinsic and extrinsic antecedents and determinants might shape such decision-making away from seemingly more secure corporate and government jobs toward an entrepreneurial career. Since that phenomenon, the entrepreneurial intention is widely discussed and studied worldwide. Across emerging economies in Asia, entrepreneurial intention studies have been conducted in many countries. However, the reason and determinants of entrepreneurial intention still lack empirical. The call for further research in entrepreneurial intention encourages the research question: “What intrinsic and extrinsic determinants impact the decision (intent and agency) of business students in Vietnam to become entrepreneurs?”. This book chapter provides the answers and implications for the research question mentioned.