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.

Evaluation of compatibility of the generic competencies defined for Latin-American Tuning project (2011-2013): a case study (2011-2013)

The higher education institutions decided to work on the creation of a general competencies framework that allows their graduates to meet the requirements of the global labor market, adapting to the Tuning project created in Europe and adapted in Latin America. Being it an independent project that aims to establish reference points, convergences, and mutual understanding, according to certain generic and specific competencies. This research seeks to determine if the foreign trade and international business programs of the Escolme University Institution have developed the competencies established in the Latin-America Tuning Project proposal. The methodology applied is based on a quantitative approach through a case study in which all the students of these programs participated. Among the results, there is a low development of competencies allowing us to conclude that both the participants of technology in foreign trade and those of professionalization of international businesses do not comply with the generic competencies defined by the Tuning Latin America Project.

A Fit between Logistics and Supply Chain Management Education and Jobs Market Need in Nepal

The purpose of this paper is to explore a fit between Logistics and Supply Chain Management (LSCM) related course content and the industry needs in the Nepalese context. Since this study is undertaken using the Nepalese sample, the knowledge and skills prioritized by employers, it can be of value to educators while designing their LSCM course content. Desk-based research involving content analyses was done to understand the supply side information i.e. relative coverage of LSCM topics in business-related courses and degrees offered at selected five Nepalese Universities and for the demand side information i.e. analysis of job description of the LSCM related vacancies in the Nepalese job market over eighteen weeks. The study reveals that the inclusion of LSCM courses in the business programs at Nepalese Universities is currently negligible as none of them offered a separate program dedicated to LSCM. Besides, the LSCM courses were limited to just one course per program weighing not more than three credit hours. Instead, there seems to be an unprecedented number of business schools and colleges leaning towards more sellable traditional business degrees related to finance, marketing, human resource management, IT, and hospitality. Finally, when comparing the relative coverage of LSCM topics in the curriculum to the relative demand for such knowledge by the employers, there seems to be an over-emphasis or under-emphasis of courses related to LSCM both at the bachelors and masters level indicating a mismatch between the expectations of employers and education offered by the universities.

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.

Provision of education for sustainability development and sustainability literacy in business programs in three higher education institutions in Brazil, Colombia and Peru

Purpose This paper aims to report on the status and the development of education for sustainable development (ESD) and sustainability literacy (SL) in three Latin American (LA) higher education institutions (HEIs) business programs in Peru, Brazil and Colombia. The paper examines institutional efforts to both introduce and implement ESD curricula and provide SL. Design/methodology/approach The methods used in this paper included reviews of university Web pages and course materials. Structured interviews were also conducted with program leaders, to examine the level of ESD, as input affecting the business programs curricula of the universities concerned. Findings Initial findings suggest that, in the three HEIs surveyed, there is still a tendency to talk about issues related to ESD but actions that confirm this interest are not sufficiently advanced. The authors surveys a sample of business programs curricula and interviewed its leaders and a mixed and dated picture emerged. When compared to other regions particularly the USA and Europe, the findings show that the HEIs surveyed still have not developed enough work to distinguish conceptually between sustainable development, ESD and SL making the embedment of these concepts in the curriculum not fully developed. Originality/value In LA HEIs, the ESD message seems to be slowly taking ground, equipping HEIs to respond to SL concerns. Implementation and practice in some HEIs are still at an embryonic and conceptually confused stage with regard to LA HEIs SL. This paper sheds light to help ESD delivery. It offers some strategies for moving on from this inception phase to a more structured SL provision and ESD outlook.

Pricing of higher education: The case of top-ranked MBA programs

Tuition fees of full-time MBA programs with similar structure can vary greatly from around USD $20,000 to USD $220,000. This paper explores the effects of post-graduation salary, reputation, and their interaction on such high discrepancy in MBA tuition. Using a unique dataset of international MBA programs, we found that program value is positively correlated with post-graduation salary. This relationship is stronger for more prestigious programs whose values are impacted more by graduate outcomes. In addition, this relationship is greater for North American programs, but smaller for European programs, suggesting a geographical effect. These results provide managerial implications for program administrators and universities offering professional business programs. These insights can be extended to other industries of intangible experience goods.

Investigating the Effect of Graduate Business Programs of the Schools of Business in Jordan in Forming Soft-Power Leadership Conceptualization among MBA Students

The main objective of the study is to explore the extent of the conceptualization of soft-power leadership among graduate business students, and the degree to which they apply the concept in their study programs in the Jordanian universities. In precise, to explore the effect of curriculums and courses, learning style, and the way the business program is managed in forming the concept of soft power leadership in students. The analysis was extended to investigate the variation in the relationship between curriculums, learning style, and program management as independent variables and soft-power leadership concept as dependent variable due to the moderating variables gender, background education, and work sector. A sample of 350 students was drawn from two representative universities in Jordan. Data were collected by a self-designed questionnaire based on literature, Amos 21 was used in the analysis, and findings were as follows: Students have positive attitudes toward soft-power leadership conceptualization with a satisfactory level of belief. Learning style and curriculums have been found to be of significant effect in soft-power conceptualization. This indicates that the American Model of Management Education (AMME) is applied in both curriculums and learning styles in business schools in Jordan. With regards to the moderating effect of gender, background education, and job sector of students it was found that gender significantly affects the relationship between learning style and soft-power concept, and it does affect the relationship between program management and soft-power concept, Background education significantly affects the relationship between both curriculums and program management, and soft-power concept, while the job sector that students belong to in their work only affects significantly the relationship between program management and soft-power concept.  

Distance Learning in Philippine Business Programs: An Action Research for the Delivery of Quality Education Towards Sustainable Community Development

Education is one of the hardest hit sector of the ongoing global health crisis. Elsewhere, educators continue to grapple with their new reality of balancing content, context and form in order to efficiently deliver online the critical teaching and learning in the business programs. A much-needed clarity for the new direction of education is needed by all academic stakeholders. While governments emphasize a new normal for teaching and learning, every student and educator is left with multiple unanswered questions: how does the virtual community expect to learn? Is it enough to know the best practice of a different country context, or should there be local practices that also deserve to be repeated and amplified? Is the localICT infrastructure sufficient? Are educators equipped with both technical and soft skills? Are students prepared to learn virtually? Do academic institutions have the resources to implement large-scale virtual learning? The adaption for distance learning by the Business programs becomes the center of this action research.