Thesis (Ph. D.)--Oregon State University, 2008. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 197-203). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Submitted in fulfillment of the academic requirements for the Master of Technology in Business Administration, Durban University of Technology, 2017. / This study investigated the concept of entrepreneurial intent within a South African Higher Education (HE) context using a sample of final year commerce students at the Durban University of Technology (DUT). The backdrop of this is within growing calls for universities to be located more within the ideal and agenda of generating future entrepreneurs for the economy. Further, arguments are made that graduates within South African Higher Education (HE) may possess the necessary theoretical knowledge but fall short concerning coming up with innovations that are responsive to the changing and diverse labour market. Entrepreneurship, thus, emerges as a possible panacea to the challenges affecting HE in South Africa. The aim of the research was to investigate factors that influence a student’s entrepreneurial intent within a South African HE context. A quantitative survey design was implemented amongst a sample of 250 respondents studying at the DUT. Correlation and regression analysis were used to test relationships between variables. The findings show a positive relationship to exist between individual risk taking propensity and variables such as a) subjective norms; b) perceived behavioural control; c) proactive personality; d) entrepreneurial education and e) student attitude towards entrepreneurial education and intentions. The findings provide a useful precursor to encouraging entrepreneurial efforts within HE in South Africa. Practitioners can use the findings of this work to come up with interventions that promote the development of an entrepreneurial culture within the South African context, especially using a vulnerable yet important cohort within the youth of the country. / M

D.Phil. (Personal and Professional Leadership) / For most graduates, entry into the working world is the start of everything they have aimed for through school and university. (Holden & Hamblett, 2007). They arrive with an intense desire to prove themselves, along with often unrealistic expectations of what the organisation will deliver. The organisation, driven by deadlines, profits, and promises to shareholders, has its own aims, and all this is situated “in a time of vast changes – changes so epochal that they may dwarf those experiences in earlier eras… changes that call for new educational forms and processes.” (Gardner, 2006, p.11). Add to this South Africa’s specific issues around quality of education, historical inequalities, and culturally disparate workforces, and you have multiple reasons for why both business and graduates could “fail to achieve their real goals” (Schein, 1964, p. 68). In order to better support graduates, it is necessary to more deeply understand the nature of the graduate transition from university to the world of work. As identity is critical to the process of adapting to new professional roles, I focused on the graduate identity journey in the first year of work (Ibarra, 1999). Using constructivist grounded theory, I tracked a group of 20 graduates over a one-year period, in a graduate development programme in a financial insitiution in Johannesburg, South Africa. Comparing the data I collected to Holmes’s (2001) Claim-affirmation Model of Emergent Identity, I provide insight into the identity issues that graduates need to overcome during this first year, how these issues impact their self-esteem, personal agency, and self-efficacy, and which coping methods they choose to employ during this time. The results suggest that by providing graduates with a liminal temporary identity, the graduate identity, they are better able to manage the transition from student identity to professional identity. The temporary graduate identity allows them to play with their identity rather than work at their identity while on the graduate programme (Ibarra & Petriglieri, 2011). In order to create the temporary graduate identity it is suggested that graduate development programmes need to be reconceptualised as rites of passage, filled with ritualised activities that enable graduates to experience communitas with other graduates on the programme (Turner, 2008). Various graduate rituals are suggested to this end. Within the graduate rite of passage, graduates need to be supported in developing their interpersonal, intrapersonal and technical skills. To help graduates develop deeper insight into self and others, a graduate self development model is proposed. In order to support the development of technical skills, rotational technical skills programmes and fixed role programmes are explored. A framework is suggested for how to develop rotational programmes that maximise the pros and minimise the cons of rotational programmes. In order for the graduate programme managers to best support graduates during their time on the programme I recommend that they need to become more sensitive to the needs of the graduates, I adapt the graduate self development model and offer this as a tool for programme managers self development. This model will help graduate programme managers to begin to uncover some of their own stereotypes and unconcious biases, and more deeply develop their coaching, mentoring and supporting skills. Many of the graduate issues that arise while on the graduate programme involve graduates and managers leaping to conclusions based on faulty assumptions about each other. This often results in an impasse between graduates and their managers. I suggest that graduate programme managers take on the added role of mediator in order to point out to graduates, and their managers, how they might be misconstruing each other, therefore helping to avert some of the issues graduates experience. The findings of this study therefore have implications for graduate programme managers, and provides insight into how to better design and develop future graduate programmes.

This study explores the role of social capital in the development of employability skills and attributes of first generation undergraduate students in a business school. The research, based on the reflections of graduates, examines the impact of social capital on participation in higher education and investigates the conditions within the learning environment which enhance or inhibit the development of bridging and linking social capital, as students connect with networks within the institution and with the wider business community. The findings suggest that the ability to recognise and activate bridging and linking social capital is an important determinant of employability. The analysis illustrates that when students have opportunities to connect with and work within a variety of networks, they build a range of employability skills and capabilities, particularly the interpersonal and social skills valued by employers. Students, who are confident and have the necessary skills to participate in a variety of networks within the immediate environment and with the wider business community, are not only able to access a greater range of resources but are more able to recognise the potential benefits that these activities have to offer. The reflections of the participants also illustrate that the skills and competencies which enable them to network effectively need to be developed deliberately. By supporting students in recognising the relationship between bridging and linking social capital and employability, and giving them the opportunity to reflect upon the achievement of interpersonal skills and affective capabilities, including the importance of relating to diverse others, their understanding and acknowledgement of employability will be enhanced. The study also reflects on Quinn’s concept of imagined social capital and considers its impact on the development of employability. Building on her work, the analysis identifies two new typologies; unimagined and unimaginable social capital. Both categories are important in understanding how students acknowledge the potential networks and resources available to them.

An exploratory study was conducted to discover significant events and feelings attached to those events during the experience of unemployment for university graduates under 25 years of age. Twelve university graduates of mixed sex, under the age of 25 were interviewed. The phenomenological/critical incident methodology adapted by Amundson and Borgen (1984) was utilized. The experience was found to be comprised of two segments: the initial holiday period, and the downward trend. Idiosyncratically occurring positive and negative critical incidents were identified. Job search activities were found to be most closely aligned with middle class professionals rather than less educated youth findings. The subjects were found to channel their energy into new areas of interest and activity, particularly further education in spite of feelings of disillusionment. These results may aid counsellors in understanding the experience of unemployed university graduates, and lead to more effective therapeutic interventions for this population. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether differences exist between characteristics and attitudes of graduates and those of non-graduates of doctoral programs in education. The subjects were the 256 students who had successfully completed the qualifying examinations in the College of Education at North Texas State University during the years of 1978 through 1980. Although the data findings from this study are too numerous to list within the restrictions of this abstract, the most notable findings include that (1) 74.2 per cent had graduated; (2) graduates were more likely to have selected the dissertation topic before the qualifying examinations; (3) graduates rated personal motivation higher than did non-graduates; and (4) there were no significant differences in Graduate Record Examination scores (verbal, quantitative, or total) between graduates and non-graduates. Among the conclusions drawn from this study are that (1) the process of going through a doctoral program discourages the less serious students before they reach the qualifying examinations and (2) graduates have high personal motivation and receive high support for dissertation efforts from many segments of life (spouse, family, friends, major professor, and doctoral committee). The recommendations drawn from this study are for (1) further research into the personal motivation of the candidate, (2) further research as to the effect of the candidate's attitudes toward and grades for courses in research and statistics, (3) universities to maintain records that allow for determination of completion rates of doctoral students and to consider these rates in the evaluation of doctoral programs, and (4) graduate faculty to encourage doctoral students to give serious consideration to possible dissertation topics early in their graduate programs.

The success of an organization's employees is affected by many factors, including the organizational entry process itself. While much emphasis is given to the selection of new employees and developing them for future advancement, organizations, employees and universities often overlook the critical process of transforming the new employee from naive outsider to knowledgeable insider capable of making a significant contribution. Although the research shows that the first year is a critical time period, the organizational entry and socialization processes are not well understood. In particular, very little research is available to describe the process from the new employee's perspective rather than the organizations. The central question of this study is: what exactly do new college graduates encounter as they enter work organizations and does that experience affect their opinions and attitudes. An exploratory, descriptive study of Virginia Tech's May 1990 undergraduate graduating class was conducted to systematically describe and analyze their transition from college into work organizations. Key research questions included analyzing demographic characteristics; the effectiveness of their preparation for the transition; their perceptions of the organizational entry experience; their opinions about their first jobs and organizations; their understanding of their organization's structure and culture; the extent to which their expectations about the job were met; their attitudes toward their organizations; the tactics and strategies they used to adapt; and the socialization tactics they encountered. The survey was mailed to 2,306 graduates approximately one year after graduation with 846 (38.6%) returned. Only those employed in a position appropriate for starting their career and employed in a business or for-profit organization were used in this study (n=378). Data were factor analyzed and then mean responses calculated for scales identified. Correlational analysis and analyses of variance were used to probe for possible relationships between the scales. Respondents generally reported positive transition experiences but with considerable variability. However, use of individual adaptation strategies and organizational socialization strategies were low. Important relationships were found between critical job attitudes, anticipation of the transition, organizational socialization strategies and individual adaptation strategies and important aspects of the transition. Implications for HRD programming, university curricula and individual career strategies are discussed. / Ed. D.

Mini-dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Homoeopathy, Durban University of Technology, 2009. / Anecdotal evidence suggests that students perceive the research component of the Master’s Degree in Technology: Homoeopathy (M.Tech: Homoeopathy) qualification at Durban University of Technology (DUT) in a negative light, and as an unnecessary obstacle to the qualification and the practice of homoeopathy (Naude, 2008). One of the reasons for this negative perception is that in terms of the Homoeopathic programme, the only exit point is upon completion of the Master’s Degree. Although relevant status is awarded upon completion of N. Dip: Homoeopathy after the third year of study and B. Tech: Homoeopathy after the fourth year of study, no actual certificates/qualifications are awarded or issued nor can the student register/practice as a Homoeopath (Durban University of Technology, 2009). The Homoeopathic profession in South Africa is unique as there are very few professional qualifications which prescribe an obligatory Master’s level qualification in order to register and practice the respective profession. Due to the M.Tech: Homoeopathy being the only exit point in the Homoeopathy programme, every registered student must complete a Master’s dissertation in order to qualify and ultimately practice Homoeopathy in South Africa, this often results in students conducting research for the wrong reasons, without the genuine academic desire to do so or the maturity and skills required (Naude, 2008). According to the Education Department of South Africa (2007), the primary purposes of a Master’s Degree are to educate and train researchers who can contribute to the development of knowledge at an advanced level, or prepare graduates for advanced and specialised professional employment. A Master’s Degree must have a significant research component. iv The Education Department of South Africa (2007), states that a Master’s Degree may be earned in either of two ways: (1) by completing a single advanced research project, culminating in the production and acceptance of a thesis or dissertation, or (2) by successfully completing a course work programme requiring a high level of theoretical engagement and intellectual independence and a research project, culminating in the acceptance of a dissertation. In the latter case, a minimum of 60 credits at level 9 must be devoted to conducting and reporting research. According to the Education Department of South Africa (2007), Master’s graduates must be able to deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively, make sound judgements using data and information at their disposal and communicate their conclusions clearly to specialist and nonspecialist audiences. Graduates must be able to demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a professional or equivalent level, and continue to advance their knowledge, understanding and skills. Methodology A non-experimental descriptive survey was conducted to determine the perceptions of DUT M.Tech: Homoeopathy graduates with regards to research as a component of the degree. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed and 50 anonymous responses were obtained. Raw data was analysed using descriptive statistics and the relationships between variables tested for correlations. v Results 27% of practicing graduates felt that research had a direct benefit on their professional development. Graduates said that after completing research they felt more competent and gained more faith in their profession. 34% of graduates thought that research had a direct benefit on their personal development. Graduates felt that on the path of working towards a long term goal they had discovered that they possessed a significant amount of patience and will power. 40% of graduates agreed that research had no contribution to their personal and professional development as a Homoeopath. Although some graduates said they felt a “sense of accomplishment” upon completing research, other graduates argued that the delay in qualifying as a result of research contributed to the loss of income and valuable clinical knowledge. Conclusions and Recommendations The process of research is a multi–factorial problem. One has to look at each individual case in order to gain insight into how to best address respective problem areas in order to improve the process of research and reduce the delays in qualification. Many graduates expressed dissatisfaction at the inconsistent time factor, from conception of the research design, to awaiting both approval of the DUT 186 and finally the marking of the completed work. Some graduates felt that difficulties relating to the quality and quantity of supervision as well as poor patient/ participant compliance were the factors responsible for their delay in qualification. Many graduates reported that the previously limited Homoeopathic research budget left them compromised for scope, diversity and new ideas. vi It was recommended that future students insist on formal supervision contracts which clearly define issues such as accessibility and timeframes. It was also recommended that future students consider at least two supervisors, preferably one being an external supervisor with suitable specialist skills concerning the respective research study. Furthermore, it was recommended that future research should be designed around easily accessible target populations. The M.Tech: Homoeopathy programme is currently undergoing recurriculation; the new curriculum will be most likely implemented in 2011. A draft curriculum has been designed by academic staff of DUT and University of Johannesburg. The proposed new curriculum aims to addresse issues such as difficulties with research as well as solutions to these difficulties.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In most developing economies, and in South Africa in particular, students’ perceptions, motives and attitudes towards the Master of Business Administration degree (MBA) have increasingly become a topic of interest to researchers and academics. Given the high number of students registering to study towards an MBA degree each year, this research assignment aimed to investigate and illuminate the perceived impact of an MBA degree from the University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB) on salary and career advancement. Data was collected through a carefully designed and structured questionnaire. Supplemented by a comprehensive literature review, the study applied descriptive and inferential statistical procedures along with various tools of analysis to analyse the perceived effects of the USB MBA degree on its students’ income and career advancement. The general perception among MBA graduates was that an MBA degree might help them achieve a major breakthrough in their career path and long-term advancement, accompanied by an increase in income. A further perception was that the reputation of an accredited business school would get them rewarding job opportunities at reputable organisations.