Knowledge of the Business Environment: Exploring Engagement With and Discrimination Between Business Media Among First-Year and Final-Year Students

Abstract

Students’ broad knowledge of the business environment offers opportunities to lecturers to bring realism and context to disciplinary concepts; however, greater understanding of existing student practices is needed. This study compares first- and fourth-year Accounting and Finance students’ knowledge of the business environment, and their engagement with and discrimination between various business media. Using a survey methodology, data were collected from first- and fourth-year students at one university. The findings indicate fourth years have greater knowledge of the business world and levels of engagement with business media. There was no difference between years as to the level of discrimination between different media sources. The findings also indicate that males have greater knowledge of the business world than females, although there is little difference in their levels of engagement and discrimination.