An assessment of students’ job preference using a discrete choice experiment: a postgraduate case study

Henry Gyarteng-Mensah,De-Graft Owusu-Manu,David Edwards,Hatem El-Gohary,Isaac Baidoo

doi:10.1108/jhass-02-2020-0025

Abstract

Purpose Using a discrete choice experiment (DCE), this study aims to better understand the job preference of postgraduate students studying at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology-Institute of Distance Learning, Ghana and also rank the attributes of a job they deem important. Design/methodology/approach The research adopted a positivist epistemological design contextualised within a deductive approach and case study strategy. Primary survey data was collected from a stratified random sample of 128 postgraduate students with multi-sectorial career prospects. Sample students were subjected to a DCE in which their stated preferences were collected using closed-ended questionnaires with 28 pairs of hypothetical job profiles. Respondents’ preferences from the DCE data were then modelled using the conditional logit. Findings The research reveals that: salary in the range GHC 2,800.00 to GHC 3,400.00 ($1 = GHS 5.3); supportive management; very challenging jobs; and jobs located in the city were the top attributes that were significant and had the most impact in increasing the utility of selecting a particular job. Interestingly, jobs with no extra hours workload were not significant hence, had a negative impact upon student preferences. Originality/value This novel research is the first to use a DCE to better elicit preference and trade-offs of postgraduate students in a developing country towards varying job characteristics that have an impact on their future employment decisions. Knowledge advancements made provide invaluable insight to employers and policymakers on the key criteria that should be implemented to retain the best candidate.

Highlights

Humans have the innate capacity to express their preferences based on certain characteristics of the subject matter at their disposal – and from these characteristics, individuals gain different utility
The key attributes of supportive management, job located in the city, a challenging job and salary increased the utility of the male respondents’ preferences of a career or a job
Amongst these attributes was a job with supportive management, which was seen to have a positive impact on the preference of a job, and ranked higher than a salary of GHS 2,800.00

Summary

Introduction

Humans have the innate capacity to express their preferences based on certain characteristics of the subject matter at their disposal – and from these characteristics, individuals gain different utility. Factors that affect the career preference of an individual may be categorised into extrinsic, interpersonal and intrinsic or altruistic (Sibson, 2011). These categories include a plethora of variables including: an enjoyable working environment; good career opportunities; job security; ability to have a positive impact upon society; flexible hours of work; and a good starting salary. Hitherto, scant research investigation has been conducted in most developing countries to uncover key considerations that lie behind an individual’s career preferences using various job characteristics This area delineated upon requires urgent research attention to assist employers and policymakers who seek to attract and retain the best qualified candidate. Graduates are instrumental to economic development and prosperity in developing countries

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Conclusion