Relevant Work Experience Research Articles

The Nature and Roles of Small Tourism Businesses in Poverty Alleviation: Evidence from Guangxi, China

This research examines the characteristics and economic effects of small tourism businesses in the context of pro-poor tourism development. The sample came from a survey in rural Guangxi, China. A large majority of the businesses were micro in scale, newly established, and run by couples. Business-owners had a low level of educational attainment, but had rich relevant work experience. The economic contribution of the business to the owner and the owner's family was substantial and well recognized. Implications were drawn for future research.

Tomorrow's doctors – the place of creativity

Many doctors have creative talents to be proud of – among our own medically qualified friends and colleagues are performing musicians, published poets and more than one painter. These days there is no question that they would need not only to enjoy, but to trade upon, these skills if they were competing for a place at medical school. Those of us who face the awesome responsibility of deciding between applicants for medical school, most of whom are destined to gain exam results we only dreamed about for ourselves, let alone hope for our children, cannot help but take note of potential tie-breakers, such as Distinction in Grade 8 piano or regular starring roles in school productions. We set the 18-year-old applicant the daunting task of studying for A levels, carrying out relevant work experience (which is increasingly difficult to come by unless you are fortunate enough to know professionals in the field) and being a sporting or creative high achiever. We do this in the hope of attracting outstanding, yet rounded, individuals. However, two issues come to mind in relation to this aspect of the selection process. First, do we give equal weight to the full range of creative activities with which a young person may engage? Secondly, do we protect, nurture and harness the roots of creativity and self-expression which are potentially sown by these early pursuits and value the various ways in which their engagement continues beyond the moment they send off their UCAS form? On the first question, those of us assessing potential

Knowledge and Skill Requirements for it Graduates

This study examines the knowledge and skills required of entry-level IT workers as perceived by nearly 600 IT managers and workers from across the United States. In keeping with previous studies, the findings suggest that personal and interpersonal skills are the top rated skills with technical skills following closely behind. Organizational knowledge, particularly knowledge of primary business functions, is important, but less important for entry-level works than technical skills. The findings also suggest that possessing relevant work experience is more important for graduates seeking entry-level positions than a having a high GPA. Implications of the findings for curriculum design, student advisement and job placement are discussed.

A Contingent Model of Network Utilization in Early Financing of Technology Ventures

Most of the entrepreneurship literature has addressed the benefits and necessity of using social network ties as opposed to market methods in early venture finance, but it has largely understated the potential limitations and costs of doing so. Specifically, very sparse research has examined the factors that influence entrepreneurs’ choice between using networks versus market methods. In this study, we propose a contingent model of network utilization when approaching initial investors, based on the dimensions of human capital of the entrepreneurs. We test this model with primary field survey data from 226 new high–tech ventures in Singapore and Beijing. The results show that high occupational status and relevant industrial work experience are positively associated with the entrepreneurs’ propensity to utilize existing networks by enhancing the resourcefulness of their network ties (social capital); however, such influences are alleviated by entrepreneurs’ marketing or managerial experience, which increases the entrepreneurs’ ability to interact with strangers (an aspect of social competence).

Working with schools in deprived areas to raise aspirations for medicine and other healthcare science careers

Educational attainment is inversely related to socio-economic status. The achievement gap widens as children progress through the system. Take up of science options is particularly poor and difficulties are compounded by lack of relevant science-based work experience in deprived areas. The interaction of these factors is examined in some detail in an area of socio-economic deprivation. High attainment in sciences is usually considered a core requirement for acceptance into medicine and widening access to medicine for school leavers is therefore very difficult in these circumstances. A partnership between hospitals and local schools, including science-based work placements, is described. Cooperation between the NHS and schools by provision of work experience and teaching materials could help to address these issues as well as potential staffing difficulties in other healthcare science careers in the future. Expenditure can be justified on the grounds of known links between health, education and employment.

An examination of the factors affecting contractors' competition strategy: a Hong Kong study

The development of the construction industry has led to an increase in the number of criteria imposed by project clients for selecting contractors. For example, clients often request tenderers to satisfy various conditions such as a tight programme, financial strength, management ability, relevant work experiences, technical strength, high workmanship standards, safety requirements and more. This trend has attracted research interest in devising various methods for helping project clients to assess contractors' bids. It appears, however, that there is little existing research on helping contractors to formulate their competition strategy when these multiple criteria are imposed. This paper examines the attributes affecting contractors' competition strategy in competing for public works in Hong Kong. The understanding of the key factors of a competition strategy will contribute to identifying an effective competition strategy. The data used for the analysis were collected from the Hong Kong construction industry. The research findings provide valuable references for investigating effective competition strategies in other construction industries outside the region.

Search strategies of the unemployed in the Russian Federation

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of job search and human capital of the unemployed in the Russian Federation for obtaining a job the following year.Design/methodology/approachCross‐sectional data on human capital and job‐search strategies from different years of the Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey are used in different probit specifications to present and analyse empirical results.FindingsSearching through friends and directly are the most common search methods, implying a large trust in networks. Moreover, people tend to do the right thing when trusting their networks; in 1994, searching via friends and directly were the only methods with a positive impact. People used fewer methods in 1994 and the impact of job searching is also higher in the latter two samples. This indicates a society gradually adapting to unemployment. As regards human capital, it is worth noticing that the results in 2004 are in accordance with several predictions of human capital theory, whereas the impact of medium education and work experience in the samples based on earlier years is weaker. This suggests that more people have had time to upgrade their skills, to obtain relevant work experience and/or to obtain a post transition secondary education in 2003.Originality/valueThis paper identifies the importance of both different job‐search strategies and human capital when searching for a job in the Russian Federation. The result presented may be of interest to both policy‐makers and scientists.

Between Meritocracy and Ethnic Discrimination: The Gender Difference

Using a two stage correspondence test methodology, this study tests employer priors against job-applicants with Arabic names compared to job-applicants with Swedish names. In the first stage, employers are sent CVs of equal observable quality. Thereafter, in the second stage, the CVs with Arabic names are given an advantage of, on average, two more years of relevant work experience. This setup allows us to test the strength of unfavorable priors against job-applicants with Arabic names and to what degree these priors are revised, on average, when resumes are enhanced. Results indicate no significant differences in call-backs for female applicants when CVs with Arabic names are enhanced. The call-back gap for men however remains large and significant despite a positive adjustment of CVs with Arabic names. This implies that negative priors against male job applicants with Arabic names are not revised by an increase in observable merits.

Hospitality Undergraduate Students' Career Choices and Factors Influencing Commitment to the Profession

Given the high turnover rates in the hospitality industry, there is a need to better understand our potential employees - hospitality undergraduate students and their career expectations. This study collected data from 360 hospitality undergraduate students and identified factors that impact their career choices and commitment to the profession. Regression analysis revealed four variables (gender, current employment status, career decision self-efficacy, and career outcome expectation) as strong indicators in predicting hospitality graduates' retention in the industry. Results also indicated that hospitality students who believed they have compatible competence skills and relevant work experiences were more committed to their career choices.

Professional Ethics as an Important Factor in Clinical Competency in Nursing

It is imperative to understand the factors that influence clinical competency. Consequently, it is essential to study those that have an impact on the process of attaining clinical competency. A grounded theory approach was adopted for this study. Professional competency empowers nurses and enables them to fulfill their duties effectively. Internal and external factors were identified as affecting clinical competency. A total of 36 clinical nurses, nurse educators, hospital managers and members of the Nursing Council in Tehran participated in this research. Data were obtained by semistructured interviews. Personal factors and useful work experience were considered to be significant, based on knowledge and skills, ethical conduct, professional commitment, self-respect and respect for others, as well as from effective relationships, interest, responsibility and accountability. Effective management, education systems and technology were named as influential environmental factors. Personal and environmental factors affect clinical competency. Ethical persons are responsible and committed to their work, acquiring relevant work experience. A suitable work environment that is structured and ordered also encourages an ethical approach by nurses.

Competence indicators in academic education and early labour market success of graduates in health sciences

In this study, the effects of several educational and non‐educational indicators of competence on short‐term labour market outcomes for university graduates are estimated. The research question is: to what extent do indications of specific and generic competence during the educational program predict labour market outcomes? Labour market outcomes in this study pertain to employment chances and quality of the job. We use data on specific and generic aspects of competence, all of which were assessed during the university programme, i.e. test scores on the attainment of domain specific knowledge, scores on group functioning, and the Masters’ thesis result. In addition, some other indicators of human capital acquired outside education are used, i.e. relevant work experience and managerial experience. The results indicate a rather differentiated pattern for the value of specific and generic competence acquired during education for the labour market. Group functioning scores have large effects on attaining jobs on the academic level.

Learning and teaching

Learning and teaching

The Impact of Work Quality and Quantity on the Development of Career Decision Status

A study is reported that investigates the relationship between career decision status, quantity and quality of work experience obtained by university students. Career decision status is the term used to capture an individual's level of decidedness and comfort with their career decisions and the reasons underlying this state (Jones & Lohmann, 1998). Measures of career decision status were collected from students enrolled in the third year of a Computer Science and Engineering degree over two phases: at the beginning of their third year (Time I); and at the beginning of fourth year (Time II). In between phases, some students completed paid intensive training placements as part of their course requirements, others gained non-degree relevant work experience and others did not work at all. Information was collected on the quantity of work undertaken and quality of work in terms of satisfaction, met expectations and relevance to course of study. Decidedness about career choice was a function of satisfaction and met expectations at work, rather than the number of hours worked. Decisiveness was a function of relevance of work to university degree, rather than the number of hours worked.

‘I have learned that psychology is linked to almost everything we do.’ Developing and evaluating the impact of a work–based learning module in an undergraduate psychology programme.

Providing structured work experience for undergraduate psychology students is seen by many authors, employers and students as academically desirable and the Dearing Report (1997) indicates that work experience is something which all undergraduates should undertake. It is a problem for psychology degree course administrators to provide relevant work experiences and few courses do this. To provide work experience for psychology students at Glasgow Caledonian University, a second level credit bearing module was developed enabling students who are working part time to capitalise on their part time work. The module requires students to reflect on the job they are doing, the skills they are developing in the work setting and to relate aspects of their psychological knowledge to the job itself. Early evaluation, both qualitative and quantitative, has already shown that the module has been well received by the students and that it is enhancing their learning experiences as undergraduate psychology students.

Effective work experience: an exploratory study of strategies and lessons from the United Kingdom's engineering education sector

There are number of advantages to be gained from work-experience programmes. For the enterprise they provide a cost effective source of skilled or semi-skilled labour and a means of screening potential employees. Whilst for the education institution they offer a ready source of practical experience for young people, enabling institutions to develop employability skills. Traditionally, work experience programmes formed part of a sandwich course in which a young person would spend a year in industry obtaining relevant work experience. However, the nature of these programmes are beginning to change in response to policy reforms in the education system and due to the demands of the workplace. This article presents the findings of a study that investigated how work experience programmes are coping with these pressures. Using a series of case studies it identifies how programmes in the field of engineering at the Further and Higher Education level are responding to the varied needs of industry. Overall, the study finds that these programmes are undergoing changes and the traditional year-long sandwich programme, involving a year placement in industry, is not always the typical route followed by engineering students in the United Kingdom today. On a theoretical level the article argues that the market orientated reforms introduced into country' s education and training system over the past two decades, has done little to encourage industry-education links at FE or HE institutions. Moreover, when such links do occur they are a result of the innovative approaches adopted by individual departments, as well as the commitment of staff working in these institutes.

Contemporary skill migration in Australia

Immigration has always been a key of the Australian social and economic development. Australia administers separate Migration and Humanitarian Programs. The Migration Program has two streams: Family and Skill. The smaller Special Eligibility stream includes groups such as former Australian citizens and former residents who have maintained ties with Australia. The Skill stream of Australia's Migration Program is specifically designed to target migrants who have skills or outstanding abilities that will contribute to the Australian economy. The migration to Australia of people with qualifications and relevant work experience can help to address skill shortages in Australia and enhance the size, skill level and productivity of the Australian labour force. Skilled migrants were mainly employed in managerial, administrative, professional or paraprofessional occupations or as traders. Permanent movement represents the major element of net overseas migration. Australia has experienced not only permanent influx of skilled but longterm movement as an affect of globalisation of business, the creation of international labour and education markets and cheaper travel. The level of longterm movements is strongly influenced by both domestic and international conditions of development, particularly economic conditions. More Australians are going overseas to work and study and foreigners are coming to Australia in larger numbers for the same reasons. Skill migration in FRY is mostly correlated with the economic situation in the country. Skill stream from FRY to Australia has been significantly increased since 1990. In the Australian official statistics separate data for the FRY has been available since July 1998. Prior to July 1998. FRY component was substantial proportion of total Former Yugoslav Republics. Estimated Serbian skill stream is around 4500 people.

Does successful work experience mitigate weight‐ and gender‐based employment discrimination in face‐to‐face industrial selling?

An experiment was carried out to evaluate whether or not relevant and successful work experience would mitigate employment discrimination in cases involving women and overweight industrial salespeople. The study was conducted in a salesforce setting and used practicing sales managers as subjects. The results indicate that for obese salespeople, positive work experience improved their fit for a job assignment only when the job was less challenging. In the case of a more challenging assignment, successful experience did not seem to help; non‐obese salespeople, with and without successful experience, were both considered more fit than obese salespeople with successful experience. Men and women were found to be equally fit for both more and less challenging assignments.

South Asian entrepreneurship in Great Britain: factors influencing growth

Analyses the factors influencing South Asian entrepreneurial expansion in Great Britain and the validity of conventional wisdom which attributes its success to cultural factors. It suggests that entrepreneurial growth depends positively on educational attainment, personal savings invested at start‐up, hard work in the initial stages, and the delegation of responsibilities to non‐family members. Further analysis indicates that later entrants into business gained relevant prior work experience and focused on serving non‐Asian customers, which may have contributed towards their success. The pursuit of constant product and technological improvement and employee training have also influenced growth. There is strong evidence that entrepreneurs with larger‐sized businesses have developed international linkages and focused on one key business area.

Temporal factors in mental work: Effects of interrupted activities

Although interruptions are daily occurring events for most working people, little research has been done on the impacts of interruptions on workers and their performance. This study examines the effects of interruptions on task performance and its regulation, as well as on workers' psychological and psychophysiological state. Two parallel experiments were carried out in the Netherlands and in Russia, using a common conceptual framework and overlapping designs. Employees with relevant work experience carried out realistic text editing tasks in a simulated office environment, while the frequency and complexity of interruptions were experimentally manipulated.It was hypothesized that interruptions: (i) would cause a deterioration of performance; (ii) evoke strategies to partially compensate for this deterioration; (iii) affect subjects' emotions and well‐being negatively; and (iv) raise the level of effort and activation. It was also hypothesized that greater frequency and complexity of interruptions would enhance the expected effects.The hypotheses are only partially confirmed. The results show that, contrary to what was expected, interruptions cause people to perform the main task faster while maintaining the level of quality. Participants develop strategies enabling them to deal effectively with the interruptions, while actually over‐compensating the potential performance decline. Interruptions do have a negative impact on emotion and well‐being, and lead to an increase of effort expenditure, although not to an increase in activation. Thus the improved performance is achieved at the expense of higher psychological costs. Greater complexity evoked more favourable responses among the Dutch participants and more unfavourable ones among the Russian participants. These differences are interpreted in terms of the participants' professional background.The research demonstrates that the effects of interruptions reach beyond the execution of additional tasks and the change of work strategies. Interruptions appear to have an after‐effect, influencing the workers' subsequent readiness to perform. Detailed analysis of the activity in the interruption interval, focusing on cognitive processes during episodes of ‘change‐over’ and ‘resumption’ support this interpretation.

Fostering Relationships With Business/industry: A Partnership Model

LEARNING OUTCOME:To describe the efforts regarding fostering relationships between university dietetics programs and business/industry.Fostering relationships with business/industry is proving effective at the University of Southwestern Louisiana (USL). A partnership model, conceptualized from the dynamic effects experienced in the Dietetics Program of the School of Human Resources, couples university faculty and students with leaders in business/industry. The two components fostering this winning partnership are advisory committees and undergraduate internships.The focus of this research presentation is the mutual benefits derived from fostering partnerships. It is a model by which others can measure their success in creating and/or maintaining ties with business/industry leaders. Advisory committees offer the university curricula updates, internship sites, scholarships, professorships, and guest lecturers. These committees provide a method of public relations and educational options that make university students more employable in business and industry. Undergraduate internships provide the university with aid in placing future graduates, offering relevant work experience, and providing public awareness of the university's program. It helps business/industry by providing intern labor at no expense to the business and by helping to prepare a pool of qualified applicants for future positions.Through advisory committees and internships, university faculty formulate a vision of the future with business/industry leaders. Students gain work experiences, enrich academic knowledge, and gain employment in specialized areas. Business/industry leaders participate in shaping the work force and hire qualified graduates from the program.