Employers have criticized the secondary education program stating graduates are not meeting expected entry-level job competencies and attitudes. Recent surveys of employers indicated wide dissatisfaction with the educational quality of high school graduates and confirmed much of the general criticism which has been made of American education.The purpose of this study was to obtain data to answer the following research questions:1. What are the entry-level job competencies and attitudes needed by high school graduates?2. What effect does the number of employees have the entry-level job competencies and attitudes required?3. What effect does the type of business have on the entry-level job competencies and attitudes required?Data were collected from 679 employers by the use of a mailed questionnaire.Major Findings In response to all three research questions, employers indicated an entry-level employee did not need understand basic economic/free enterprise concepts to be successful in an entry-level position. According to the responses to Research Questions No. 1 and 3, employers rejected the need for an entry-level employee to have the ability to speak critically and constructively in the exchange of ideas and to know the terminology of the business/industry. Employers rejected other questionnaire items but at a lower frequency rate than noted above.Conclusions1. A list of competencies and attitudes was established as being needed by an entry-level employee.2. The number of employees and type of business/industry did have an effect on the competencies and attitudes needed by an entry-level employee.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1937 B51

本研究針對台灣政府在2008年底開辦的「97-98年度國中畢業未升學未就業青少年職能培訓輔導試辦計畫」進行成效及過程評估，該計畫以全台灣23間培訓機構進行培訓輔導之15-19歲雙待青少年為對象。研究方法採取量化及質化研究均等的混合型設計，從相關文獻回顧中歸納出就業力不足、社會網絡的匱乏及惡性循環的社會排斥，是在個人、社區及結構層次上造成雙待青少年問題出現的主要成因，並從而發展出提升就業力、聯結社會網絡及積極促進參與，作為處理雙待青少年問題之對策，以及檢視該計畫成效的三個面向。 / 研究發現該計畫對於協助參與的青少年脫離雙待狀態整體而言具有顯著成效，而在促進其聯結社會網絡面向及積極促進參與面向則成效良好，但在提升就業力面向成效較為有限，主要原因可能培訓時間過短，未能有效發展雙待青少年就業力的相關效能。再者，在過程評估方面，研究發現分散式的體驗教育安排方式在積極促進參與及聯結社會網絡方面較有顯著的效果，混合式的工作體驗安排方式在積極促進參與面向上明顯優於分開式，而學員半數以上來自法院轉介的班級呈現較顯著的進步，小班制在聯結社會網絡及積極促進參與面向上都具有較佳的成效，本研究也匯報了該計畫設計和執行過程中其他的可改進之處。 / 基於本研究的發現，研究者進一步提出值得關注的是社會角色的「不正當性」，是雙待青少年被視為問題的首要原因；另外，除了社會網絡的欠缺，他們還會涉入一些「負面社會網絡」，而「欠缺穩定性」的習氣，也是造成雙待青少年無法持續參與就學、就業及培訓的重要原因。最後，本研究提出相應的政策和實務層面之建議，例如建立陪伴式「在職輔導」的長期職業培訓模式，建立「以培訓機構為中心的社區網絡」，以及結合社會安全政策，鼓勵企業提供就業及見習機會等，以有效協助雙待青少年。 / This study evaluates the outcome and process of Evaluation of “The Project of Vocational Skills Training and Guidance for Junior High School Graduates not in Education or Employment in Taiwan. It is a training program targeting at young people aged 15-19 years old, who are not in education, employment or training (NEET). The mixed method of qualitative and quantitative research design was adopted. Exploring from the personal, community and structural levels, the inadequate employability, poverty of social network, and negative effect of vicious cycle of social exclusion were derived from literature review. As a result, the three dimemsions inadequate employability, poverty of social network, and social exclusion were identified and used as strategies to deal with the problem of NEET, and to examine the effectiveness of the Project. / The Study found that the Project has achieved significant effect as a whole in helping young people to get out of the situation of NEET, and also effectively promoted their social network dimension and active participation dimension; but the effectiveness of enhancement of employability was limited. / The major reason is mainly due to the short training time which cannot effectively developed the relevant employability of young people. Moreover, in the process of evaluation, the study also found that the scattered experiential education approach has significant effect in promoting active participation, the mixed mode of work experiential practice approach is better than separate approach, classes with students more than half referring from the courts demonstrate significant progress, and small classes in linking social networks and promoting active participation dimension have shown better results. Besides, the Project also reported other areas of improvement in relation to its design and implementation. / On the basis of the findings, the researcher further pointed out the stereotyped “illegitimacyof youth’s social role being seen as a problem in the major cause of young people to become NEET. Beside, despite of poverty of social network, they were laso involved in some “negative social network and fostered the “instability habit that affects the young people unable to participate in education and employment continuously. Finally, relevant policies and practices are suggested for future consideration, such as establishing long-term accompanying “on the job counsellingmode of training, developing the “training institute-based community network, and combining with social security policy, to encourage enterprises to provide jos and training opportunities to assist young people of NEET. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / 吳正煌. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2012. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 340-363). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in Chinese and English. / Wu Zhenghuang. / Chapter 第一部分 --- 理論與方法 --- p.1 / Chapter 第一章 --- 導論 --- p.2 / Chapter 第一節 --- 研究背景 --- p.2 / Chapter 第二節 --- 研究目的 --- p.13 / Chapter 第二章 --- 文獻回顧 --- p.14 / Chapter 第一節 --- 雙待青少年的定義 --- p.14 / Chapter 第二節 --- 雙待青少年的特徵與背景 --- p.20 / Chapter 第三節 --- 對「雙待」問題視角的批評 --- p.24 / Chapter 第四節 --- 雙待青少年研究的相關理論取向 --- p.27 / Chapter 第五節 --- 雙待青少年的對策 --- p.51 / Chapter 第六節 --- 方案評估 --- p.73 / Chapter 第三章 --- 研究架構 --- p.88 / Chapter 第一節 --- 研究框架 --- p.89 / Chapter 第二節 --- 成效評估及過程評估的效應理論 --- p.92 / Chapter 第三節 --- 研究問題及假設 --- p.93 / Chapter 第四節 --- 方案成效評估的測量指標 --- p.95 / Chapter 第五節 --- 小結 --- p.99 / Chapter 第四章 --- 研究方法 --- p.100 / Chapter 第一節 --- 哲學研究典範取向：後實證主義 --- p.101 / Chapter 第二節 --- 研究設計取向及研究策略 --- p.104 / Chapter 第三節 --- 量化研究部分之測量工具 --- p.118 / Chapter 第四節 --- 量化研究資料蒐集方法及過程 --- p.135 / Chapter 第五節 --- 量化資料信效度檢驗 --- p.147 / Chapter 第六節 --- 質化研究資料蒐集方法及過程 --- p.157 / Chapter 第七節 --- 資料整理與分析方法 --- p.170 / Chapter 第八節 --- 小結 --- p.178 / Chapter 第二部分 --- 研究發現 --- p.179 / Chapter 第五章 --- 參與研究樣本基本資料及機構相關變項 --- p.180 / Chapter 第一節 --- 量化問卷樣本的基本資料描述 --- p.180 / Chapter 第二節 --- 機構相關變項資料描述 --- p.186 / Chapter 第三節 --- 小結 --- p.190 / Chapter 第六章 --- 量化成效評估：提升就業力 --- p.191 / Chapter 第一節 --- 提升就業力的整體成效 --- p.191 / Chapter 第二節 --- 提升就業力之成效分析 --- p.193 / Chapter 第三節 --- 小結 --- p.196 / Chapter 第七章 --- 量化成效評估：聯結社會網絡 --- p.197 / Chapter 第一節 --- 聯結社會網絡的整體成效 --- p.197 / Chapter 第二節 --- 聯結社會網絡之成效 --- p.198 / Chapter 第三節 --- 小結 --- p.201 / Chapter 第八章 --- 量化成效評估：積極促進參與 --- p.202 / Chapter 第一節 --- 積極促進參與的整體成效 --- p.202 / Chapter 第二節 --- 積極促進參與之成效 --- p.203 / Chapter 第三節 --- 小結 --- p.207 / Chapter 第九章 --- 整體方案量化成效及過程評估 --- p.208 / Chapter 第一節 --- 成效評估：整體方案的量化成效 --- p.208 / Chapter 第二節 --- 過程評估：量化資料的研究發現 --- p.210 / Chapter 第三節 --- 小結 --- p.218 / Chapter 第十章 --- 質化資料的研究發現 --- p.220 / Chapter 第一節 --- 成效評估：質化資料的研究發現 --- p.220 / Chapter 第二節 --- 過程評估：質化資料的研究發現 --- p.247 / Chapter 第三節 --- 小結 --- p.273 / Chapter 第一節 --- 成效評估 --- p.278 / Chapter 第二節 --- 過程評估 --- p.282 / Chapter 第三節 --- 小結 --- p.285 / Chapter 第三部分 --- 討論、啟示及結論 --- p.286 / Chapter 第十二章 --- 討論 --- p.286 / Chapter 第一節 --- 個人層次：提升雙待青少年之就業力 --- p.287 / Chapter 第二節 --- 社區層次：強化雙待青少年的社會網絡 --- p.298 / Chapter 第三節 --- 結構層次：積極促進雙待青少年參與及社會融入 --- p.303 / Chapter 第四節 --- 相關理論的反思：對雙待青少年的適用性 --- p.311 / Chapter 第五節 --- 小結 --- p.319 / Chapter 第十三章 --- 啟示 --- p.321 / Chapter 第一節 --- 政策建議 --- p.321 / Chapter 第二節 --- 實務建議 --- p.324 / Chapter 第十四章 --- 結論 --- p.330 / Chapter 第一節 --- 研究結論 --- p.330 / Chapter 第二節 --- 研究貢獻、研究限制及未來研究建議 --- p.332 / ◎參考文獻 --- p.340 / Chapter 附錄一 --- 97-98年度國中畢業未升學未就業職能培訓輔導計畫 --- p.364 / Chapter 附錄二 --- 問卷 --- p.375 / Chapter 附錄三 --- 訪談大綱 --- p.379 / Chapter 附錄四 --- 受訪者同意書 --- p.381

The purpose of this study was to provide educators with empirical information on the qualifications personnel managers expect from entry-level employees. The study also compared school officials' rankings of employment qualifications of high school graduates with qualifications found by business personnel managers when selecting entry-level workers.The data collection process involved a card sort technique utilizing two decks of cards. Surveys were mailed to Indiana public school superintendents, high school principals, public school board presidents, and business personnel managers. A total of 1924 surveys were mailed with 528 ranked surveys returned.Six null hypotheses were two-way comparisons of desired entry-level qualifications and current entry-level qualifications. Ten null hypotheses compared desired qualifications with current entry-level qualifications.There was little agreement among the respondents or respondent groups regarding the most desired or currently found entry-level qualifications. All respondent groups ranked science and technology, social and economic studies, and writing as the least found qualifications. Personnel managers ranked science and technology as the most desired entry-level qualification. School officials ranked this qualification as one of the least desired entry-level qualification.If educators are to prepare students to meet the challenges of entry-level employment, general expectations must be developed that are acceptable to a variety of employers. Only through collaborative efforts between business and school officials will entry-level qualifications be developed that have meaning to both groups. Until that collaboration occurs, educators willcontinue to rely on their own beliefs as they prepare students for entrance into the world of work. / Department of Educational Leadership

Among the evidences of a successful school program is its power to reduce probable failures and increase the proportion of success among graduates in their past school careers. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the school personnel to make continuous checks on the changing needs of boys and girls and to offer opportunities for growth and development according to their individual needs. / Advisor: Stewart Murray, Professor Directing Paper. / Typescript. / "August, 1952." / "Submitted to the Graduate Council of Florida State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts." / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 46-47).

No description available.

This study was undertaken to determine the effects of each of the production typewriting factors of keystroking, planning, and error correction on proficiency at typing business letters at two levels of instruction, at three levels of difficulty, and under three conditions. The conditions were designed to isolate the effect of each of the three factors on proficiency in typing business letters. A secondary purpose was to estimate the relationship between straight copy and letters, between letter conditions, and between speed and accuracy for straight copy and letters. The study involved 107 beginning typewriting students and 84 advanced typewriting students who were enrolled in six suburban high schools in Virginia. The same straight-copy timed writings and business letters were used in both the beginning and the advanced typewriting classes. The two 3- minute timed writings consisted of paragraph materials that had a stroke intensity of 6.0. The nine business letters also had a stroke intensity of 6.0 and consisted of three 150-word letters at low, medium, and high difficulty levels. The primary data analysis of mean performance scores for speed and accuracy on letters was carried out via repeated measures ANOVAS. The Pearson product-moment correlation was used to compute the relationship between variables. Some of the major findings of the study were as follows: 1. Keystroking accounted for a little less than half of total production time, planning accounted for a third of production time, and error correction accounted for approximately a fifth of production time. 2. Keystroking and error correction were greatest for low difficulty letters; planning was greatest for high difficulty letters. 3. At the advanced instructional level, the percentages of production time used for keystroking and planning increased, while the percentage of production time used for error correction decreased. 4. The correlation between straight copy and letters for speed was moderate to high; the correlation between straight copy and letters for accuracy was low. 5. The correlations between letter conditions were high for speed and moderate for errors. 6. For straight copy, the correlations between speed and accuracy were not significantly different from zero. For letters there was a weak negative relationship between speed and accuracy. / Ed. D.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the selected students' characteristics, participation in vocational education, and the labor market achievement (job satisfactoriness, income, job satisfaction) of 1983/84 graduates of a comprehensive high school in S.W. Virginia. Data were collected from students, their academic records (transcripts and test records), the students and their employer follow-up. The selected student characteristic variables used were: ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT VARIABLES: Grade Point Average (GPA), Virginia Competency Test scores in Reading and Mathematics (VCT-Reading, VCT-Math); ACADEMIC APTITUDE VARIABLES: Science Research Associate scores in Language and Applied Science (SRA-Lang., SRA-App. Sci.); SOCIOECONOMIC VARIABLES: Educational level of head of household (HEAD-ED); OTHER VARIABLES: the number of vocational education credits taken (VTE-Credit), Sex, Job Satisfactoriness (Boss-Sat) of the graduates, job performance, income earned per hour, and Job . Satisfaction. The data collected were analyzed by using the stepwise regression to predict the labor market achievement variables. A partial correlation was used to investigate the relationship between overall labor market achievement variables and each of the independent variables while the effect of others were controlled. Cohen's criteria were used to investigate the strength of relationship (practical importance) between variables. The coefficient of determination and the partial correlation of the findings outlined below were too small to be of practical importance in the investigation of high school graduates' labor market achievement. However, the results of the analyses of graduates' job satisfactoriness showed that male graduates with high academic achievement, low socioeconomic status, low aptitude tended to have higher job satisfactoriness. Females with high degree of participation in vocational education tended to experience higher job satisfactoriness. In terms of income earned by male graduates, academic achievement (GPA) was the best predictor. Analysis showed that females with low socioeconomic status (SES) tended to earn higher income. Those females with high degree of participation in vocational education tended to earn higher income. For job satisfaction of males, those with low SES tended to be more satisfied with their job, while females with high aptitude and high degree of participation in vocational education tended to be more satisfied with their jobs. For overall job satisfaction, without sex differentiation, individuals with high academic achievement tended to have low job satisfaction. High aptitude in English language tended to make graduates more satisfied with their jobs. In terms of income, graduates with high achievement tended to earn low income. On job satisfactoriness, graduates with high achievement tended to have higher job satisfactoriness. / Ed. D. / incomplete_metadata

這項研究探討父母角色、性格及性別相關的變量對香港中學生於事業相關的自我概念發展的影響。事業相關的自我概念包括兩個關鍵構念：職業興趣和職業選擇目標(即抱負和實際期望)。同時，這項研究量度職業抱負和實際期望之間的不一致性(包括興趣類型、職業地位及性別典型性)。研究的六大目標包括：(1)確定社會認知事業理論於香港學生的適用程度，(2) 研究個人(即職業決策自我效能、性格及性別相關的變量)及環境變量(即父母的影響)對職業選擇目標的影響，以拓展社會認知事業理論，(3)識別具文化獨特性的性格維度，以解釋職業興趣和職業選擇目標，(4)估計父母對學生職業選擇目標的影響因素，包括父母社會經濟地位、學生感知的集體職業決策效能、父母期望及支持，(5)探索父母個人對孩子的學業成就和職業選擇的期望，以及對於協助孩子作職業決策的自我效能，及(6)調查性別和性別相關變量(即性別角色的傳統觀念)對於職業選擇目標的影響。一共有1382名中學生參與這項研究。另外，其中114位參加者的父或母親亦參加了這項研究，組成114對親子二人組合。結構方程模型顯示社會認知事業理論中的選擇模型適用於香港學生。此外，具文化普遍性及具文化特定價值的性格因素有效解釋了社會認知事業理論模型中的職業興趣和對興趣類型的自我效能。學生的職業選擇目標及抱負和實際期望的不一致性，亦與職業決策自我效能、父母社會經濟地位、及性別角色觀念直接相關。學生感知的母親影響因素，與學生的職業決策自我效能有直接關係。父親因素對事業發展的影響並無顯著性。大多數性格因素都有效預測職業決策自我效能，而人際取向因素亦與感知的父母影響因素相關。研究亦發現男生和女生於職業興趣、自我效能、性別角色觀念及職業選擇目標有顯著的性別差異。親子二人組合的子樣本顯示父母的期望和學生的選擇目標具一致性。這項研究將個人及文化相關因素融入現有的理論模型，在理論層面上擴大了西方的事業理論框架。在應用層面上，研究結果將有助研究員及教育工作者理解香港中學生的事業發展。 / This study investigated the roles of parental influences, personality and gender variables in career-related self-concept development among secondary school students in Hong Kong. Two key career constructs, namely vocational interests and choice goals (i.e., aspirations and expectations), were included to assess the career-related self-concept. The incongruence between aspirations and expectations, in terms of interest types, occupational status and gender-typicality, was also estimated. The six major goals of this study include: (1) to determine to what extent the choice model of Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) is applicable to Hong Kong students, (2) to expand the SCCT by examining how individual (i.e., career decision-making self-efficacy, personality and gender-related variables) and contextual variables (i.e., parental influences) may account for the aspirations and expectations as well as the aspiration-expectation incongruence, (3) to identify the value of culture-relevant, relationship-oriented personality dimension beyond the culture-general dimensions in explaining interests and aspiration-expectation incongruence, (4) to estimate the specific roles of paternal and maternal influences, including parental socio-economic variables, collective contributions to career efficacy, perceived parental expectation and parental support, in the development of aspiration-expectation incongruence, (5) to explore the parents’ perceived expectation on their child’s academic achievement and career choices, as well as their efficacy in assisting their child’s career decision-making, and (6) to investigate the differential effects of gender and gender-related variables (i.e., gender role traditional attitudes) on the development of aspiration-expectation incongruence among boys and girls. A total of 1382 secondary school students and a sub-sample of 114 parent-child dyads were used in this study. Results from structural equation modeling (SEM) indicated that the choice model of SCCT was applicable to Hong Kong students. In addition, both culture-general and culture-specific personality factors were useful in explaining vocational interests and self-efficacy in interest types in the SCCT models. In relation to students’ aspirations, expectations and aspiration-expectation incongruence, these factors were directly associated with career decision-making self-efficacy, parental socio-economic variables and gender role attitudes. Perceived parental influences from mother (i.e., collective contributions to career efficacy, perceived parental expectation and parental support) were directly associated with students’ career decision-making self-efficacy and indirectly related to outcomes of aspirations and expectations (via career decision-making self-efficacy). The effects of perceived parental influences from father on career variables were insignificant in general. Most personality factors were predictive of career decision-making self-efficacy. Furthermore, Interpersonal Relatedness was related to perceived parental influences from both parents. Gender differences in interests, self-efficacy, gender role attitudes, and gender-typicality in aspiration-expectation incongruence were observed. As demonstrated in the parent-child dyads, there was a good degree of concordance in interest types and gender-typicality between parents’ expectation and students’ choice goals. Parents’ efficacy in assisting child’s career decision-making was positively associated with students’ perceived career-related parental support. On a theoretical level, this study expanded the current western-based theoretical frameworks by incorporating individual, contextual and cultural variables relevant to the Chinese culture into the existing career models. On an applied level, the findings would inform researchers, practitioners and educators about the career development of secondary school students in Hong Kong. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Wan, Lai Yin. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2013. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 228-262). / Abstract also in Chinese. / ABSTRACT --- p.i / Acknowledgements --- p.v / Table of Contents --- p.vi / List of Tables --- p.viii / List of Figures --- p.ix / Chapter CHAPTER I: --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Cultural generalizability of western career theories and models --- p.3 / Possible cultural gaps and cultural biases in current career theories --- p.4 / Need for studying career choices among Hong Kong students --- p.9 / Chapter CHAPTER II: --- LITERATURE REVIEW --- p.13 / Vocational interests --- p.13 / Vocational choice goals --- p.26 / Theoretical frameworks in studying vocational aspirations and expectations in adolescence --- p.38 / Evaluation of theoretical frameworks in studying vocational interests and choice goals --- p.48 / Predictors of vocational interests and choice goals --- p.52 / Chapter CHAPTER III: --- OBJECTIVES and research questions of the study --- p.77 / Chapter CHAPTER IV: --- METHOD --- p.100 / Participants --- p.100 / Measures --- p.108 / Procedure --- p.119 / Planned analysis --- p.121 / Chapter CHAPTER V: --- RESULTS --- p.123 / Descriptive statistics of major variables --- p.123 / Inter-correlations among demographics and major variables --- p.128 / Differences in major career variables across gender --- p.146 / Measurement applicability of adopted instruments --- p.149 / Identification of the original SCCT choice models --- p.150 / Role of personality factors in the SCCT choice models --- p.155 / Effects of personality, gender role attitudes and perceived parental influences on students’ career decision self-efficacy, occupational status and gender-typicality in career choices --- p.165 / Effects of personality, gender role attitudes and parental influences on career decision self-efficacy and discrepancies in occupational status, gender-typicality and interest types between aspirations and expectations --- p.173 / Concordance between parents’ expectations and students’ aspirations and expectations --- p.182 / Gender differences in parents’ expectations --- p.183 / Inter-relationships between parental efficacy, parental expectation on academic achievement and career choices, and students’ career variables --- p.186 / Incremental values of parent-child concordance, parents’ efficacy and parents’ expectation in explaining students’ career decision-making self-efficacy --- p.194 / Chapter CHAPTER VI: --- DISCUSSION --- p.198 / Applicability of SCCT’s choice models in Hong Kong Chinese adolescents --- p.198 / Interest types of aspirations, expectations, and aspiration-expectation incongruence among Hong Kong students --- p.200 / Interest types, occupational status and gender-typicality of aspirations, expectations, and aspiration-expectation incongruencea gendered pattern --- p.202 / Career decision-making self-efficacy as a key predictor in aspirations, expectations, and aspiration-expectation incongruence --- p.205 / Perceived parental influences on adolescents’ vocational choices in the SCCT framework --- p.206 / Concordance between parents’ expectations and students’ aspirations and expectations --- p.213 / Roles of socio-economic status of parents in adolescents’ career development --- p.215 / Roles of culture-general and culture-specific personality in explaining interests, choice goals and career-related parental influences in SCCT --- p.216 / Limitations of study --- p.220 / Directions for future research --- p.222 / Implications and significance of study --- p.224 / REFERENCES --- p.229

Based on the social cognitive view of the school-to-work transition proposed by Lent, Hackett and Brown (1999), the study presents a comprehensive conceptual framework for career counselling, with special emphasis on enhancing adolescents' career-exploration behaviours and work-related motivations and attitudes. The career readiness model proposed in this study deals with interactions among a number of variables that affect career decision-making self-efficacy, career decision-making outcome expectations, career decision-making intentions, career-exploration behaviour, vocational identity and performance goals. It explains and illustrates the paths and factors that play a significant part in the development of career readiness. / The findings of this study may be used to develop individual and group interventions that will nurture students' school-to-work transitions. / The purpose of this study is to explore the relationships among students' performance goals, vocational identity and career-exploration behaviours and to examine the effects of their personal attributes on these variables. / The results support the hypothesis that career decision-making self-efficacy in plays a significant role in career decision-making outcome expectations, career decision-making intentions, exploration behaviour, performance goals and vocational identity of secondary school students. Most of the structural paths in the model were found to be significant. / The study also shows that a strong intention to develop one's career decision-making capacities may significantly enhance exploration behaviour, which Phillips and Blustein (1994) have found to be a vital element of career readiness and job choice. Exploration behaviour is directly correlated to the development of realistic career expectations (Stumpf & Hartman, 1984) and it enables individuals to determine the suitability of certain work environments (Stumpf et al., 1983). The process of career exploration should therefore be essential preparation for students' job searching. / The study concludes that students' self-efficacy in career decision-making is a crucial factor, which, together with outcome expectations, significantly affects performance goals and exploration activities, and strengthens subsequent effort. Students develop an affinity for career-exploration and decision-making activities when they have sufficient self-efficacy and expect positive outcomes. They normally establish goals for sustaining or increasing their involvement in these activities and maintain high performance goals, which, turn, increase the likelihood of active engagement. / The target population was secondary fourth form and secondary sixth form students in Hong Kong. A total of 1216 students from 14 secondary schools participated in this study. Gender had a more significant impact on scores than the effects of different backgrounds. Male respondents generally had lower mean scores than female respondents in most variables. It was also found that the standard deviations of the male students' scores from were greater than those of female students. Apart from gender differences, there were no significant differences among students from various grade levels and streams of study. / Chui, Yat Hung. / Adviser: Alvin Leung. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 69-02, Section: A, page: 0584. / Thesis (Ed.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 224-246). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / School code: 1307.