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1 – 10 of 226Edem M. Azila-Gbettor, Christopher Mensah and Martin K. Abiemo
The study aims to examine the moderating influence of perceived co-worker support in the nexus between compulsory citizenship behaviour, job involvement and social loafing amongst…
Abstract
Purpose
The study aims to examine the moderating influence of perceived co-worker support in the nexus between compulsory citizenship behaviour, job involvement and social loafing amongst university interns.
Design/methodology/approach
Four hundred and sixty-two) respondents took part in the study by completing a self-reported questionnaire distributed via online WhatsApp platform. The respondents were selected using multistage sampling technique. The data were processed and analysed using IBM SPSS version 24 and PLS-SEM, respectively.
Findings
Results reveal interns’ experience of compulsory citizenship behaviour positively influences their social loafing and negatively influences their job involvement. Furthermore, the support received from co-workers’ reduces the negative influence of compulsory citizenship behaviour on interns’ (1) social loafing and (2) job involvement.
Research limitations
The study’s main limitations have been identified as the type of organisation in which the internship was completed and the number of years of internship experience. Future research may seek to address this problem by obtaining data from a cohort that is categorised based on the nature of the organisation and duration of the internship.
Practical implications
Perceived co-worker support has been found to reduce the negative effects of interns’ compulsory citizenship behaviour on their job outcomes. It is recommended that organisations establish a supportive work environment to assist interns. This can be achieved through various means, such as engaging in team-building activities and assigning mentors, among other strategies.
Originality/value
One of the first to have examined a model linking compulsory citizenship behaviour, job involvement, social loafing and perceived co-worker support amongst interns in a higher education environment.
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This study aims to document students’ supply chain solutions developed through the internship hackathon program. The study profiled innovative solutions developed by university…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to document students’ supply chain solutions developed through the internship hackathon program. The study profiled innovative solutions developed by university students in Kenya to solve health supply chain logistics challenges during and beyond COVID-19. This is done by exploring students’ experience in developing sustainable logistics and supply chain management capacity-building programs in a low-middle-income country (LMIC).
Design/methodology/approach
This study used a qualitative approach to explore the experiences and perceptions of students and mentors who participated in a hackathon program. The study followed a cross-sectional descriptive survey design, collecting data from the participants through online questionnaires. The data were analyzed and presented using thematic analysis and narrative techniques.
Findings
Findings provide preliminary evidence for narrowing the gap between theory and practice through a hackathon internship blended with a mentorship program. Assessment of this program provides evidence for developing solutions toward ensuring the availability of essential medicine in LMICs during a pandemic such as COVID-19 by students. The profiled solutions demonstrate a broader perspective of innovative solutions of university students, mentors and potential opportunities for a triple helix approach to innovation for health supply chain system strengthening.
Research limitations/implications
This original study provides evidence for advancing contribution to developing innovative solutions through partnerships between investors, universities and industry practitioners interested in mentoring students in the health-care supply chain during COVID-19 in LMICs. Specifically, contingency factors that affect the implementation of innovative programs during and beyond global pandemics such as COVID-19 by students’ innovators are identified, and implications for policy action are discussed based on the praxis of sensemaking.
Practical implications
This study examines a novel approach that combines internship, mentorship and hackathon projects for logistics and supply chain students in LMICs. The approach aims to bridge the gap between theory and practice and to create innovative solutions for essential medicines during and after COVID-19. The study urges more resources for supporting such programs, as they benefit both academia and industry. The study also argues that hackathon internship programs can help the logistics and supply chain industry adapt to the post-pandemic era. The study offers insights for investors, universities and practitioners in the health-care industry.
Originality/value
This study shows how to develop innovative solutions for the health-care supply chain during COVID-19 in an LMIC through partnerships between investors, universities and industry practitioners who mentor students. The study identifies the contingency factors that influence the success of such programs during and beyond global pandemics such as COVID-19 and discusses the policy implications based on the sensemaking praxis of the student innovators.
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Nitha Siby, Mohammad Ammar, Jolly Bhadra, Elmogiera Fadlallh Elsaye Elawad, Noora Jabor Al-Thani and Zubair Ahmad
Research internships are integral components of undergraduate programs that nurture students' skill sets. However, the current trend of these internships adopting a direct…
Abstract
Purpose
Research internships are integral components of undergraduate programs that nurture students' skill sets. However, the current trend of these internships adopting a direct apprenticeship model, often termed “cookbook” laboratory sessions, falls short of cultivating 21st-century skills. Therefore, this study proposes an innovative Outcomes-directed Research Internship Model (ODRIM) designed to enhance research competencies.
Design/methodology/approach
This study introduces a pioneering research internship model by integrating the course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) framework with principles rooted in outcomes-based education (OBE). To evaluate its effectiveness and compare it with traditional research internship models (TRIMs), a two-group pretest-posttest design was utilized. Statistical analysis was performed on data collected from 66 participants to assess their research competencies.
Findings
The results revealed a significant positive difference in utilizing the tailored innovative ODRIM track (pre-mean = 17.525, post-mean = 19.875; p = 0.009) compared to the TRIM track (pre-mean = 19.769, post-mean = 19.615; p = 1.000) in enhancing overall student research competency. Specifically, this innovative internship model notably enhanced students’ abilities in conducting research, showcasing technical skills, collaborating within teams, and disseminating research outcomes, encompassing the composition of research articles and reports.
Originality/value
This tailored approach to the “Research Internship” encourages a harmonious blend of hands-on, inquiry-based learning and clear, measurable learning goals. It not only cultivates an immersive and thorough research experience to improve students’ research competencies, but also guarantees a concentrated alignment with predetermined research learning objectives.
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The effect of vicarious learning during clinical or medical internships on graduates' adaptive career behaviours has attracted scant attention from healthcare researchers…
Abstract
Purpose
The effect of vicarious learning during clinical or medical internships on graduates' adaptive career behaviours has attracted scant attention from healthcare researchers, particularly, in the developing world context. Drawing upon the social cognitive career theory model of career self-management (SCCT-CSM), the current study examines how vicarious learning influences the clinical graduates' adaptive career behaviours (i.e. career exploration and decision-making) via career exploration and decision-making self-efficacy (CEDSE) and career intention.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from 293 nursing graduates undertaking clinical internships in 25 hospitals across Nigeria who willingly participated in this study as they were also assured of confidentiality at two-waves. The proposed hypotheses were tested using a path analysis.
Findings
The findings showed that vicarious learning during clinical internship had a direct effect on career exploration, decision-making and career decision self-efficacy among graduate trainees. Also, the findings revealed that the effects of vicarious learning on the graduates' career exploration and career decision-making were significantly mediated by career decision self-efficacy and career intentions.
Practical implications
The findings of this study have important practical implications for higher education institutions and industries that send and receive clinical graduates for clinical internships to gain more skills. More emphasis should be on encouraging learners to learn vicariously in addition to other forms of learning experiences available during clinical internships.
Originality/value
The study explains that the graduates' higher engagement in clinical career exploration and decision-making was based on a higher level of vicarious learning during internships. The results suggest that higher education institutions and healthcare service providers can derive greater benefits from more emphasis on promoting vicarious learning during clinical internships.
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Esther Asiedu, Ebenezer Malcalm, Afia Nyarko Boakye and Cornelius Kwarkoh Kwarkoh Amoah
The purpose of this study is to examine the moderating effect of the reflective practice of business students on how it helps to develop their employability skills through various…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the moderating effect of the reflective practice of business students on how it helps to develop their employability skills through various university strategies.
Design/methodology/approach
The study employed a simple random sample to select undergraduate level 400 students from the Universities under study (the University of Ghana, University of Professional Studies Ghana, Lancaster University Ghana and Webster University Ghana). Only final-year students with an informed judgement on the reflective practice and various institutional practices to acquire graduate employability skills were participated. The independent variables of the study are institutional strategies (curriculum design, extra curriculum, work-integrated learning, career development centre, university collaboration with the industry, student engagement, internship job placement), the moderator is the reflective practice and the dependent variable of the study is graduate employability.
Findings
The study found that the moderation role of reflective practice had a significant effect on institutional strategies (extracurriculum, career development centre, university collaboration with the industry, student engagement and internship job placement) and graduate employability.
Research limitations/implications
The study was limited to only undergraduate business students from four universities ignoring other disciplines and postgraduate students.
Practical implications
The practical implication is that reflective practice must be an integral tool for various universities if they want students to use their strategies to sharpen their employability skills.
Social implications
The social implications of the study emphasise the reflective practice of graduate students in universities. This implies that firms and other institutions must consider reflective practice for the maximum output of their employees.
Originality/value
The concept of employability is a bit complex as it concerns many stakeholders of the educational process; the students, academic staff, employers, policymakers and higher education; the private sector; and the government. Although examining students' employability development skills is of great importance, students' reflective practice tends to be overlooked in most studies. Therefore, the focus of this study examines how the reflective practice of graduate students promotes employability through the various university strategies, which had not been considered.
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This study examines two crucial aspects of employability in the tourism industry, with a particular emphasis on contemporary advancements. The first aspect pertains to the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study examines two crucial aspects of employability in the tourism industry, with a particular emphasis on contemporary advancements. The first aspect pertains to the emerging demands in the employability sector of the tourism industry, driven by technological advancements. Given the evident nature of this emerging trend, it is imperative to possess a robust infrastructure and comprehensive knowledge. The second aspect is to evaluate the level of education that industry employees receive in relation to the tourism sector in order to ensure sustainable development.
Design/methodology/approach
The study employed a thematic literature review to evaluate the significance of tourism education on employability and the necessity of adopting technology.
Findings
The findings deviate from the extensive literature search showed that Higher Education Institutions should prioritise ensuring that the new generation’s technological capabilities align with the traditional curricula in their respective fields, given the widespread use of personal computers and smartphones. Ultimately, students are increasingly expecting that technology will significantly impact their educational experiences and modes of communication for their future careers.
Practical implications
It is widely acknowledged that the most efficient approach to fostering learning is to exert authority over the learning setting, and educators should generate learning prospects for students rather than merely transmitting information and facts.
Originality/value
This review assesses two key aspects of employability in the tourism industry, focussing on recent technological advancements and the necessary skills for students' future careers.
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Daniella Delali Sedegah, Ricky Yao Nutsugbodo, Anna Arthur-Amissah, Sampson Wireko-Gyebi, Gifty Adobea Duodu, Valerie Efua Kwansima Bempong, Peace Ankor, Bernadette Ekua Bedua Afful and Michael Tuffour
The study aims to examine the entrepreneurial intentions (EIs) of tourism and hospitality (T&H) students in Ghana using the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). Specifically, the…
Abstract
Purpose
The study aims to examine the entrepreneurial intentions (EIs) of tourism and hospitality (T&H) students in Ghana using the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). Specifically, the study examined the role of university support on students’ EIs and behaviour within the framework of TPB.
Design/methodology/approach
An online questionnaire was used to collect data from 929 T&H students from six universities in Ghana. Structural equation modelling using AMOS was used to test the stated hypotheses.
Findings
The results showed that perceived university support (PUS) played a key role in influencing students’ attitudes, subjective norms and behavioural controls towards their EIs. Furthermore, the EI of T&H students was also found to have influenced students’ entrepreneurial behaviours (EBs). All seven hypotheses were significant.
Research limitations/implications
To increase the entrepreneurial drive of T&H students, universities and T&H educators need to provide support through strengthening experiential learning activities (guest speaker series, mentorship sessions, practicals and internships) to provide an avenue for students to be trained on risk management and failure recovery skills, develop positive attitudes and behaviours and learn from experts. Policymakers should also enact favourable laws to regulate business practices.
Originality/value
This is likely the first paper to address the issue of PUS for entrepreneurship amongst T&H students in the context of a developing country. Specifically, it addresses the role of universities and T&H educators in supporting T&H students to be entrepreneurs.
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Abhilasha Singh and Patrick Blessinger
The purpose of this study is to investigate the differences between labour market requirements in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the 21st century and university graduates’…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the differences between labour market requirements in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the 21st century and university graduates’ level of knowledge, skills and aspects of competence (KSAs) qualification benchmark.
Design/methodology/approach
The study used a discourse analysis methodology, which is a qualitative and interpretive method of analysing texts. The content for the analysis was extracted from Scopus, Ebscohost, Proquest, Google Scholar, Web of Science, news, publications, thesis papers, dissertations and other research papers. A narrative approach for analysing the content was adopted.
Findings
The findings reveal that new graduates often encounter difficulties in searching for jobs due to a lack of awareness of how to conduct an employment search that best aligns their KSA with the requirements and needs of the labour market. The study concludes that to increase the employability of graduates, higher education institutions should reduce the KSAs gap by collaborating with the private sector and providing students with relevant, industry-based job experience before graduation.
Originality/value
This study investigates the gap between graduate KSAs and labour market requirements in the 21st-century UAE. The findings of the study encapsulate the weaknesses and shortcomings of the current educational systems amid the reform agenda in the UAE. It also deliberates upon the state-of-the-art recommendations regarding making the country a knowledge-based economy and society.
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Purpose. This chapter discusses the challenges and different strategies to increase skill development for the future workforce.Methodology. Multiple sources on the topic were…
Abstract
Purpose. This chapter discusses the challenges and different strategies to increase skill development for the future workforce.
Methodology. Multiple sources on the topic were studied and reviewed in this chapter. The idea of skill and its development is discussed in the literature review.
Findings. Different nations’ governments have promoted human capital development by providing up-skilling and retraining programs to balance supply and demand. Skills gaps need to be brought to the attention of stakeholders, such as governments, businesses, and the educational system. Teachers, employers, and other stakeholders need to develop strategies and action plans to ensure that the skills gaps are appropriately identified and adequately addressed. These initiatives must be developed with input from various stakeholders.
Practical Implications. The research results would inform the curriculum, incorporating skill development processes tailored to various scenarios. These findings would aid business organisations in crafting skill development programs that address identified skill gaps. Challenges in skill development would be taken into account during course development, and relevant teaching–learning materials would be created. Key stakeholders, such as accrediting organisations, employers, and students, should exert more influence on academic institutions to prioritise societal demands for economic development.
Originality/Value. The uniqueness and significance of this chapter lie in its concise summary of the strategies to tackle the hurdles in skill development.
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Eduarda Escila Ferreira Lopes Monteiro and Vera Teresa Valdemarin
This chapter presents theoretical and empirical studies that investigate the influence of digital culture on the educational process of university students where mobile devices…
Abstract
This chapter presents theoretical and empirical studies that investigate the influence of digital culture on the educational process of university students where mobile devices and the internet have become increasingly present as resources in everyday school life. The researchers investigate how such devices and the internet interact with university environments in ways that change the more traditional academic practices, such as reading, writing, and studying. Moreover, in the context of what has been widely labeled as humanities studies, interest has grown in understanding how “culture” may be studied via varied strands of interpretative lines of inquiry, each configured by different methods and ways of reflection. At master education levels, digital technology becomes even more present as a means of academic activity and, as a result, amplifies the impacts of digital culture on contemporary university culture. The purpose of this work is to study the concept of culture, digital culture, and scholarly culture, and, on a second approach, to review aspects of the development of communication methods and their impacts on university educational environments. As a methodological theoretical procedure, this research builds on authors who have raised practical and scholarly cultural questions, such as Pierre Bourdieu, Pierre Levy, Raymond Williams, Roger Chartier, Anne Marie Chartier, and Bernard Lahire, among others. This study engages in empirical research with students in an Advertising and Marketing course in a private higher educational institution in the city of Araraquara, which is located in the “interior” of the state of São Paulo in Brazil.
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