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Open Access
Article
Publication date: 10 September 2024

Di Dong, Jos Akkermans and Svetlana N. Khapova

This exploratory research aims to unravel how Chinese international students form their decisions regarding the school-to-work transition (sometimes also referred to as the…

Abstract

Purpose

This exploratory research aims to unravel how Chinese international students form their decisions regarding the school-to-work transition (sometimes also referred to as the university-to-work transition) when studying abroad.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use the concepts of school-to-work transition and cultural approaches to investigate how Chinese graduate students make career decisions to navigate the school-to-work transition in the context of international mobility. The authors' empirical study is based on 30 semi-structured interviews conducted with Chinese graduate students studying in the Netherlands.

Findings

The authors discovered four patterns with two major subgroups among Chinese students studying in the universities in the Netherlands based on their initial intentions: return-return, open-return, open-stay and stay-stay. These patterns made sense when navigating the school-to-work transition: participants experienced varied international experiences, cultural perceptions and acknowledgment influences when enhancing employability and shaping their career decisions. Participants in the return-return and stay-stay groups indicated strong resilience and consistency in achieving their goals and strongly focused on long-term objectives. However, participants' open-return decision demonstrated a thoughtful alignment of personal goals and knowledge of the possible beneficial influence they may have in their home country. Open-stay participants utilized the overseas study opportunity to finalize their decisions and increase their employability in the local labor market, thereby creating a transition from university to work in the host country.

Originality/value

The authors highlight the way Chinese graduate students manage their international experience and provide novel insights into the role played by the cultural characteristics of their home country and host country.

Details

Career Development International, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1362-0436

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 28 August 2023

Luisa Helena Pinto, Rita Portugal and Patricia Viana

Numerous studies have shown that minority workers are disadvantaged in the labour market due to stereotypes and discrimination. However, published research on résumé screening has…

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Abstract

Purpose

Numerous studies have shown that minority workers are disadvantaged in the labour market due to stereotypes and discrimination. However, published research on résumé screening has overlooked the effects of multiple social categorisations pertaining to candidates' gender, education and origin. This study addresses this gap and examines whether the gender, the level of education and the national origin cues mentioned in the résumé affect the perceived employability of candidates.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employs an experimental between-subjects factorial design in that 12 résumés varying in gender, education and national origin were rated by 373 Portuguese working adults.

Findings

The results documented a gender premium as women were favoured in interpersonal and job skills but not in job suitability, and an education premium, since higher educated candidates were preferred despite their gender and origin. No meaningful interactions for gender × education × national origin were observed, which suggests that ingroup favouritism and outgroup discrimination in résumé screening can be averted.

Originality/value

The findings endorse a multidimensional view of perceived employability by investigating candidates' skills and job suitability from the viewpoint of the decision-makers, which extends our understanding of résumé-screening discrimination. This is critical to prevent hiring discrimination at an earlier career stage, which can increase youth employment and enhance the integration in the labour market of local minorities such as women, inexperienced workers and second-generation immigrants.

Book part
Publication date: 4 July 2024

Luminiţa Chivu, George Georgescu and Drago Cvijanovic

Under the circumstances of the accelerated technological advance and the overlapping of various global crises in the recent years, one of the main strategic priorities of the…

Abstract

Under the circumstances of the accelerated technological advance and the overlapping of various global crises in the recent years, one of the main strategic priorities of the European Union in medium and long terms consists of building resilient regional and local communities which implies the aim to protect citizens against the impact of climate changes. Considering the essential role of the human capital in this endeavor, this chapter aims to investigate the relationship between human resources and economic development focusing a SWOT analysis in the case of Romania taking into account recent developments and trends of the European and global labor market related to various aspects induced by the green transition. The analysis of the structural demo-economic characteristics of Romania’s population revealed a decline of the total population, against the background of negative demographic and net migration, the increase in the average and median age of the total population, the rise in demographic and economic dependency ratios representing serious challenges for the development strategy on short, medium and long terms. To these, increasing quantitative and qualitative shortages in the labor market are added, which complicate the advancement of the green transition in Romania. In the conclusions of this chapter, strategic milestones on policies and measures in the short, medium and long terms at macroeconomic and labor market levels are proposed.

Details

Entrepreneurship and Development for a Green Resilient Economy
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83797-089-6

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 20 August 2024

Akhona Ndzuta

While referring to the inability of South Africa (SA) to absorb the large number of new musicians produced by SA universities each year and how South African music practitioners…

Abstract

While referring to the inability of South Africa (SA) to absorb the large number of new musicians produced by SA universities each year and how South African music practitioners find limited employment opportunities for themselves in SA's cultural sector, a panel member at a musicology symposium in 2011 stated that “we are creating exiles.” The panel member made the statement during dialogue on the state of national higher education level music curricula, whether they were transformed to mirror the needs of the country or not, and what this meant for a contemporary music performance career in SA. Exile is the point of departure of this chapter, where conditions of public and institutional policy during and after apartheid are framed as encouraging the expanded borders of SA musicians. The emphasis is on how exile is a desired economic result especially among Black musicians who have a scarcity-prone SA music marketplace. This chapter also engages with multilevel policy-led interventions of inclusion and diversity that attempt to grow the SA Black music market.

Details

Accessibility, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Cultural Sector
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83753-034-2

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 July 2024

Robin Jung-Cheng Chen, Sophia Shi-Huei Ho, Futao Huang and Ying-Yan Lu

The internationalization of higher education institutions (HEIs) is the top stage of international relations among universities, and it is no longer regarded as a goal but as a…

Abstract

Purpose

The internationalization of higher education institutions (HEIs) is the top stage of international relations among universities, and it is no longer regarded as a goal but as a means to improve the education of sustainability. As institutional commitments to internationalize higher education continue to grow, so does the need to critically consider the intended purposes and actual outcomes of the resulting programs and policies. This study aims to explore how institutional international policies influence outcomes of HEIs internationalization in the East Asian region, specifically in Taiwan and Japan.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used quantitative design. 3,158 participants, including 1,192 participants from Taiwan and 1,966 participants from Japan, were randomly recruited to complete the Academic Profession in the Knowledge Society (APIKS), an international survey examining the change in academic work in HEIs. The study adopted quantitative data and used two variables (institutional international policies and outcomes of internationalization) with descriptive, correlational, and moderated multiple hierarchical regression analysis with SPSS computer software to answer the research questions.

Findings

The study showed that both Taiwanese and Japanese academics have high agreements on the outcomes of internationalization for enhancing academic quality and increasing mobility of students. In both countries, two institutional international policies of HEIs internalization-- clear internationalization strategies and funding for faculty members to undertake research abroad-- can significantly influence the process of internationalization in the teaching-oriented and research-oriented HEIs respectively.

Originality/value

This study provides insight into the relationship between institutional international policies and the outcomes of HEIs internationalization in Taiwan and Japan. It provides university leaders with empirical evidence for implementing managerial strategies of internationalization that promote education for sustainability in HEIs.

Details

International Journal of Comparative Education and Development, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2396-7404

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 November 2023

Mohammad Alqahtani, Desmond Tutu Ayentimi and Kantha Dayaram

Saudi Arabia (SA) is amongst the few countries with a significant foreign workforce who are employed in the higher education sector. More specifically, 39% of SA's academic staff…

Abstract

Purpose

Saudi Arabia (SA) is amongst the few countries with a significant foreign workforce who are employed in the higher education sector. More specifically, 39% of SA's academic staff members are foreign nationals and 63% of that proportion occupy professorial positions. Drawing from a workforce localisation perspective, the study was framed as an exploration of equity and social justice amongst Saudi nationals and foreign nationals in a university work setting. The authors employ the lens of how human resource development (HRD) opportunities are administered.

Design/methodology/approach

Following the choice of an exploratory qualitative study, the authors employed a multi-case study approach where each of the six universities represented a unit of analysis.

Findings

The authors found that nationality differences influenced access to HRD opportunities. These differences are reinforced by practices associated with procedural processes, managerial discretion and selective restrictions in accessing HRD opportunities.

Social implications

The findings have both practical and social implications, specifically for the SA government's strategic vision of developing local human capabilities.

Originality/value

The workforce localisation agenda within the higher education sector has both a compounding effect on local human capital and supports SA's 2030 Vision and human capital target. Nonetheless, perceived inequity and injustice in accessing HRD opportunities by foreign nationals potentially undermine morale, academic quality standards and research performance, which impacts the development of future human capital and the ‘Saudization’ goals.

Details

Personnel Review, vol. 53 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0048-3486

Keywords

Abstract

Details

Social Constructions of Migration in Nigeria and Zimbabwe: Discourse, Rhetoric, and Identity
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83549-169-0

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 31 July 2024

Lyndsey McGrath, Mario Chong and Michelle Rodríguez-Serra

This study aims to present a Faculty-Led Program applied in two contrasting countries, the USA and Peru, focused on the supply chain management of food and beverages to…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to present a Faculty-Led Program applied in two contrasting countries, the USA and Peru, focused on the supply chain management of food and beverages to demonstrate its benefits in human capital development. This Faculty-Led Program provides valuable opportunities to acquire skills and knowledge in foreign environments.

Design/methodology/approach

Students from Universidad del Pacífico and Rochester Institute of Technology were exposed to the food and beverages industry in Lima and New York. The theory will be presented to justify the program’s positive impact on the human development of the participating countries and empirical evidence of training capabilities that it allowed, according to the theoretical framework proposed by (Braskamp et al., 2009), to identify dimensions of learning. The study was based on primary data collected from 20 students from Universidad del Pacífico through a participant observation approach, retrieving a final essay project and the students’ testimonies at the end of the program implemented in other similar studies in Peru (Simone, 2021). The data were categorized into three domains and then summarized to provide key insights. In this case, the methodology is qualitative, but the data were also subjected to statistical analysis.

Findings

The results suggest that knowledge of the value chain of food and beverages obtained in this program was successfully consolidated. The learning outcomes from this method were obtained through students’ projects aimed to share the learned global practices with the industry and were materialized in three domains: the cognitive domain, with students recognizing and valuing cultural aspects; the interpersonal domain, students learned from social interactions with stakeholders; and the intrapersonal domain, students showed high acceptance of US culture within the course context, though their affect toward it was more potent than toward their own culture. These domains allowed students to assess how such international experience impacted their learning in more than just the academic outcome.

Research limitations/implications

The study relies on self-reported subjective methods in the short term since it summarizes students’ perspectives, expressed in a final written essay, regarding three main dimensions of learning. Besides, the process assesses the improvement of those dimensions through a participant observation approach and collecting testimonies. More objective, comparable outcomes could be achieved in the medium term by evaluating the participants’ performance in the business world.

Originality/value

This paper presents a conclusive application of the Faculty-Led Program, which exposed students to the diverse food and beverage industry in Lima and New York, providing valuable insights through field studies and allowing them to experience both cultures and different realities. They recognized technological advancements and delays applicable to both countries, benefiting future managers and planners in workforce development. The firsthand experience taught students practical skills and perspectives for effective industry management. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first research in Peru focused on a short-term study abroad program based on the food and beverage supply chain industry to identify its value and contribution to a more holistic human capital development.

Details

Journal of International Education in Business, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2046-469X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 23 August 2024

Chih-Hao Chang and Yuji Utsumi

Drawing on the perspectives of cultural capital theory, this study investigated the impact of international internships on the performance of Japanese undergraduates on the Test…

Abstract

Purpose

Drawing on the perspectives of cultural capital theory, this study investigated the impact of international internships on the performance of Japanese undergraduates on the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) using a between-group pretest-posttest experimental design.

Design/methodology/approach

Students participating in international internships were compared to their counterparts in a noninternational internship control group. Using TOEIC data collected in June 2019 and September 2019, we performed t-tests and estimated a difference-in-differences model with propensity score matching to measure the impacts of participation in international internships, students’ demographic information, family socioeconomic status, and independent learning characteristics.

Findings

The study showed that students’ participation in international internships and independent learning activities had significant effects on TOEIC performance. The findings of this study also indicate that in addition to the effects of international internship experience and independent learning on students’ English performance, learner learning behavior may be important for improving students’ performance.

Research limitations/implications

This empirical research provides meaningful insights for parents, educators, and researchers not only in Japan but also in a broader context in which international internships and independent learning activities have a crucial impact on student performance. It also sheds light on our understanding of the role of activities conceptualized through the lens of cultural capital in educational stratification.

Originality/value

This study elucidates the association among cultural capital theory, international internships, and students’ linguistic achievement and makes an important contribution to the broader conceptual literature.

Details

Education + Training, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0040-0912

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 July 2024

Andrés Bórquez Basáez, José Manuel Morales Valdés and Osvaldo Guzmán Núñez

The following article Chinese students' migration projects to the global south. Little work has sought to deepen the understanding of Chinese students' mobility to developing…

Abstract

Purpose

The following article Chinese students' migration projects to the global south. Little work has sought to deepen the understanding of Chinese students' mobility to developing countries. This is key to determining a more complete profile of Chinese students and whether they fit into the categories of foreign students described by mainstream literature.

Design/methodology/approach

In order to understand the respective experiences and points of view of foreign students in on the process of choosing the country of study, we proceeded to identify different students of Chinese origin who have made their trip to Chile during the last decade. In addition, documents on China's international student mobility policy were reviewed, mainly focusing on documents dealing with Chinese students going abroad.

Findings

Chinese students are increasingly looking to travel to countries in the Global South as an opportunity to differentiate themselves. Chile emerges as an attractive destination as it is seen as a stable country in Latin America. It is a place where China has several strategic interests that may allow future professional development.

Originality/value

This article focuses on this aspect, mainly on how Chinese students perceive Chile as a place to pursue higher education. There is strong evidence of Chinese student flows to developed countries, but there are still insufficient studies on South-South mobility.

Details

Asian Education and Development Studies, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2046-3162

Keywords

1 – 10 of 249