Thesis (M.Comm.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2009. / Full text also available online. Scroll down for electronic link.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Ohio University, August, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 135-157)

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Drexel University, 2006. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 234-251).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Drexel University, 2006. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 139-172).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2006. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 111-119). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.

Thesis (Ph. D.) University of Missouri-Columbia, 2006. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on August 9, 2007) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Career management gains new meaning in the context of employability demands in a global world economy. In this context, increased mobility, a dynamic work environment, and an enhanced level of career support from employers are seen as a fundamental aspects of an expatriate’s career. This study presents the results of a qualitative research approach that addressed the general question as to how expatriates perceive the effect of their international assignments on their career development. The study followed a descriptive and qualitative research design, using purposive sampling and unstructured interviews to obtain the data. Eighteen participants were identified in a South African-based company operating in Zambia. The study found that expatriates believed that their experience will have a positive effect on their future careers. Some limitations of the study can be said to be reporter bias, the cross-sectional design and self-report interviews which made it impossible for the study to predict whether the expatriates’ perceptions would translate into actual benefits in their future career. The positive relationship between expatriate assignments and career development therefore needs to be proved by means of longitudinal empirical research. Copyright 2008, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Jooste, HH 2008, An exploration of the perceived effect of an expatriate assignment on the career development of skilled South Africans, MCom dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-03152012-130712/ > C12/4/71/gm / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Human Resource Management / unrestricted

Engineering graduates of the twenty-first century must be worldly and understand how to work with professionals from many cultures on projects that cross international boundaries. Increasingly, employers are finding that prospective employees who have studied abroad make better, more rounded candidates than those who have no life experience outside of their home region. The objective of this study was to determine whether engineering students who participate in a major-specific, study abroad experience are more desirable as candidates for employment than those who only study at their home institution. This descriptive study surveyed the membership of the combined Industrial Advisory Boards of the University of North Texas College of Engineering (n=90) which is a focused group of skilled managers and directors that represent various businesses, industries and organizations. The survey yielded a 58% response rate. The evaluation was validated by a survey that searched for a perceptual trend among representatives from business and industry who are in a hiring capacity for engineering graduates, evaluating a major-specific study abroad experience as part of a graduate’s employability and career growth. Statistical Analysis was made on Companies whose scope of business is domestic and international comparing the perceived value of study abroad as a characteristic for hiring new engineers, as well as comparing the perceived value of foreign study or work experience on the career development of engineers. These tests indicated that at the 0.05 level there was no statistical significance in the findings. Additional analysis was made on groups of employees that either had foreign experience (work or study) and those that did not. These tests indicated that there was no statistical significance in the findings. Analysis of the data indicates that although having a major specific study abroad experience may not be important at the entry level, it becomes more important as an engineer progresses into mid-career. It could also indicate change in the business climate and a growing need for global awareness. Additional observations show that other co-curricular activities, such as internships and grades weigh more in the hiring of a new engineering graduate.

This study examined the influence of a professional development project on the process of change experienced by four veteran physical education teachers. This study was part of a larger study that included all of the physical educators within an entire school district. The information shared here is from a sub-group of teachers who taught primary-age students. The professional development project was content-based, situated in classroom practice, sustained over time, focused on the design and implementation of standards-based content and assessment into physical education classroom practice. A qualitative methodology was used to investigate the process of change experienced by these teachers before, during, and after participating in this project. Findings were based on project conversations, interviews, multiple classroom observations, questionnaires, and document analysis of materials produced during the project and in the classrooms of these four veteran physical education teachers throughout the three-year span of the project. It was found that the participants changed their thoughts and practices regarding content, instruction, and assessment in an interconnected non-linear manner. Changes include: student learning became a predominant instructional goal; standards were viewed as a planning tool; and assessment for and of student learning became important. Perceptions of self as professional changed from feelings of marginalization to being an important and valued member of their schools. Four major conclusions were drawn from the findings about the features of the professional development project. These are: (a) teaching is an isolated enterprise, and the social context of this project supported change; (b) learning to teach as a situated endeavor and by situating the project in the context of classroom physical education supports change; (c) adequate resources to maintain a sustained focus during implementation of practices supported change; (d) incompatibility of teacher knowledge and beliefs with the intentions of the professional development personnel inhibited change. / Ph. D.

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