Employment Outcomes of Postgraduates in the Academic Field - Assignment Example

The choice of post-graduate education. Executive summary This analysis seeks to fulfill a number of aims including keeping track employment outcomes with respect to both female and male postgraduates in the academic field as well as mapping out significant differences in gender issues. It will also investigate the effects of having postgraduate students with respect to gender differences in academia. It will go deep in identifying and assessing the potential determinants and barriers for university careers, which lie in contexts of the PhD experiences therein. Through closer investigations of the impacts of motivations and career aspirations on personal differences, it will evaluate the employment outcomes. The analysis will also determine the final implications of various empirical results with respect to subsequent career progression for post graduate part-time MBA at QUT from the university sector. Through considerations of the main determinants of the probable options for pursuing postgraduate studies, it will develop advice on academic preferences and policies from the drawn conclusions. Table of Contents Executive summary 2 Table of contents 3 Introduction 4 Creation of decision matrix 4 Application of compensator rule 8 Analysis of choices 9 Conclusion 11 Bibliography 12 Introduction This manual will prepared to facilitate every member of the career evaluation panel to access the evidence on the new structure on higher education. It will also outline how the evaluations work through practical definitions. It is based on methods of customer behavior assessment in education with in-depth understanding of intercollegiate postgraduate system. It is evident that the capability to effectively determine a career choice, whether in terms of constructing written test items or conducting dynamic exchanges based on relevant scenarios, real life educational problem involve a sequence of skills that call for preparation and development, careful thought. Both extended matching questions [EMQ] and single best answer items [SBA] ably illustrate the numerous pitfalls as well as the difficulties of reaching into good conclusions. This could further allow exploration of advanced processes of thought that are applied on solving of such problems (White, 2004). The conduct of the postgraduate education sections in terms of examination undergoes significant and continuous change. It is therefore necessary to introduce appropriate structure, and blueprinting careful setting of standards. Educational professionals emphasize the importance and value attached to customer satisfaction by the universities while lay representatives assert that the traditional methods used to sample the curriculum are defined by improving accuracy. The relevance of probing higher cognitive procedures and processes of postgraduates receives much emphasis also. Further, there are plenty of excellent sections in this analysis that explain and provide practicable examples of module selection as well as other related issues. Creation of decision matrix There are a number of terms used to describe decision matrix including Pugh matrix, selection matrix or grid, decision grid, problem selection matrix, problem matrix, criteria rating form, opportunity analysis, solution matrix and criteria-based matrix. It is used to evaluate and prioritize a list of viable options. The evaluator, in this case, will first establish a list of weighted approaches then evaluate each of the options against the criteria. When possible, it is used to analyze data that is collected relating to the various criteria. Several approaches for selecting a post graduate option or a simple improvement opportunity require substantive guesses on the ultimate solution. For instance, evaluation of resources required, difficulty to solve, payback, and time required to select. Therefore, the rating of the options is only as good as the assumptions about the viable options. It is critical that high ends of a criteria scale (5 or 3) is always the end to be chosen (Happell & Pinikahana & Roper, 2009). Criteria like difficulty, resource use and cost could bring cause mix-ups. Here, low cost in terms of tuition fees is highly desirable. If the rating scale rates desirable states like 5 or sometimes as 1, the correct results may not be achieved. This can be avoided by rewording the criteria like using “low cost” other than ‘cost’. The term ‘ease’ can be used instead of ‘difficulty’. Another way of improving on the outcome is having the matrix column headings generate low and high ratings. This decision matrix is to be used when the list of postgraduate options has to be narrowed to a single choice such as part-time MBA at QUT. It is also applicable when the decision has to be made based on several criteria. It can also be used after a list of postgraduate options is reduced to a significantly manageable number through list reduction. Individuals/Alternatives tuition fees duration program reputation entry requirements Totals 1 4 3 5 2 2.4 2 5 5 1 4 4.5 3 2 2 4 3 3.3 WEIGHT 4 5 1 3 1 The table below illustrates the matrix to be used in the evaluation of the post graduate options that are presented by various universities. Decision Matrix Procedure involves Brainstorming the evaluation approach appropriate to a situation. Involve various stakeholders in this process is important. Hold discussions to refine the list of options. Identify criteria that has to be included and that which must not be listed. Shrink the list of approaches to those that which one believes are most viable (Pimpa, 2003). Tools like list multi-voting and reduction are useful here. Assign relative weights to each criterion based on importance of the criterion to a given situation. This can be done by distributing a total of 10 points to the criteria. The assignments are done through discussion and consensus. Draw up an L-shaped matrix and write the criteria and respective weights (as labels) at one edge. The list of postgraduate options can be written along the other. The group with fewer items will occupy the vertical edge. Evaluate each criterion against the choice. The three ways of doing this include establishing rating scales for each criterion. For this analysis, the scales will make sure that the rating approaches are consistent. Wording the criteria and setting the scales will make the most attractive option at the top ends of the scale (5). The rating that tends to make the selection inclined to that option is the impact on most customers, least difficulty, greatest importance and greatest likelihood of success. Each year, people determine whether or not to embark on courses of postgraduate studies. The main reasons they consider ion doing this include the urge in seeking a sense of academic challenge. This is on the basis of the rapid changes and developments in the economic world today. It then follows that they need to adequately conform to the changing market demands and requirements through seeking ample and adequate knowledge through institutions of higher learning (Bliuc & Goodyear & Ellis, 2006). The other reason as to why this is the case includes the fact that they need to expand and increase their levels of professional expertise, knowledge as well as interpersonal skills. This is well in line with ensuring relevance and ample qualifications for the job market. The next reason for seeking higher education in for of post graduate modules is the fact that they need to continually develop their research skills especially for courses in France for PhDs and Masters full-time INSEAD MBA. They also seek to gain a thoroughly competitive qualification, which is useful ingredients in progress, their careers. They also seek to increase the chances of employment in chosen field. This can only be achieved through improving on their levels of competence through adding knowledge. People also engage in postgraduate learning to experience life in different countries especially at universities abroad. The manner in which this matrix Works is that along its left hand side, the possible decision alternatives are all listed. The next step is entering the crucial factors that the post graduate individual is interested in at the top. The analyst then needs to settle on the desired weight for every factor. In this case, the matrix shows course completion risks as a 4 and the weight of management difficulty stands at a 2. This clearly indicates that the potential student feels that safety is more important that a factor of management inefficiency of the university. The new entries are for the opinion on a scale of 1-10 depending what the perception of a given factor influencing a given option is. It is important to note that negative factors will present the opposite. It means that each negative factor like safety risk there are high numbers meaning low risk. For each positive factor, say stability, an indication of high numbers could mean high stability (Lambert & Goldacre & Turner, 2006). The ultimate option is that with the highest totals in the column. It then follows that one is still required to decide between 3 or more post graduate options at LBS to study an MBA with totals that are similar or very close. Fortunately, a lot of the less desirable alternatives are already eliminated. Application of compensatory decision rule Information evaluation is also an important aspect of the option analysis approach. At this point, the consumer will consider comparing the university offers and facilities evoked in their set. This addresses issues to do with the way the marketing organization increases the probability that their courses are part of the evoked sets by consumers. Here, consumers will evaluate certain alternatives with respect to terms of the psychological and functional benefits offered by various universities. Therefore, the marketing organization is required to adequately understand the kinds of benefits that consumers seek and the attributes which are most crucial in the decision making process. It further needs to check on competitor brands of the consideration set of the customer in the preparation of the right plans for its postgraduate brand (Zhou, 2007). The Purchase decision is particularly the most impactful stage of the entire system. This involves the customer settling on the university and the postgraduate course to pursue therein. Once all options have been evaluated and assessed, the consumer is now ready to settle on a desirable purchase decision. At times, the purchase intention and goal does not necessarily result into actual purchases. In this event, the marketing organization needs to facilitate the potential consumer to respond on the presented purchase intention (Blue & Adams, 2008). The university can employ a number of techniques to attain this. Provision of credit or installment programs in fees payment terms could encourage enrolment or promotion of LBS to study MBA. This also covers issues to do with the opportunities to receiving premiums or engage in competitions, which may provide incentive towards instant enrolment. A relevant internal psychological process, which is linked to a purchase decision, is based on integration. In case integration is attained, the marketing organization influences the consumer’s purchase decisions more easily. Analysis of choices Depending on the levels and extent of Information search, the consumer recognizes a potential postgraduate course. This is followed by a thorough search for education information on education and services that can address the individual needs. Gender is a very important factor that affects the choice of a post- graduate program. Two respondents were very keen on joining a program where they would interact with both gender. Nobody wanted to join a program whereby there would be no opportunity to interact. The respondents also made their choices based on the gender of their course professors. For the men, they stated that they did not want to be taught entirely by women because they are sometimes emotional. The respondents preferred a mixture of men and women in the teaching staff. Income is also a factor that influences the decisions in post-graduate education. The respondents only wanted to join programs that they could afford. This was in view of the fact that they have other financial responsibilities and obligations apart from paying their tuition fees. The respondents avoided stretching beyond their financial capabilities just to finance their education. It was quite clear that the respondents expect good returns after completing their post-graduate studies.Ethnicity was a factor that influenced the choice of post-graduate course. The respondents feared discrimination of any form in the course of pursuing their studies. They sought to join programs that provided equal opportunities for all qualified candidates. They also minded about the composition of teaching staff in terms of ethnicity. In essence they did not want to join an institution that does not cater for multiculturalism. Personal traits also played a critical role in decision-making. For instance, being an outgoing person is a personal trait that affected decision making in this case. One individual had to make a choice of a particular program simply because it is offered on part time basis and the lectures can be attended to in town. To such an individual this was convenient because the program would not interfere with his social life. The program would be pursued while still maintaining the social life of going out with friends and other social activities. Being an aggressive person is a personal trait that also affected decision making in this case. One person had to factor in his ability to move around the city in the course of finding data for his research. This implies that this person already knew that in the city he could easily talk to more people and get their views on his topic of interest during research. Most consumer behavior experts maintain that consumers undertake both an external search and an internal (memory). In this regard, the main sources of information will include personal sources, commercial sources, public sources and personal experience. Relevant internal psychological processes that are linked to search for postgraduate information is perception. In social marketing, perception is explained as the process through which individuals receive, select, organize, and interpret information in order to generate meaningful pictures of the world (Monash Postgraduate Association, 2003). Consumers of education services have the tendency of extensively searching for information relating to education options that make it necessary for university program developers to forecast the procurement plans of these consumers through brief descriptions their interest. The selective perception process also has direct influence on the final decisions of the most appropriate educational modules to be used. Stage Description involves selective exposure to post graduate consumers to select the promotional messages that they wish to expose themselves through (Donaldson & McNicholas, 2006). Conclusion The example given above for a decision matrix illustrates a logical approach to assessing and analyzing the option alternatives for the individual seeking to pursue a post graduate course. It is well designed to portray full flexibility in availing a logical approach to analyzing choices with respect to rational decision-making models. The option selective attention of the consumers allows them to select the main promotional pieces of information and Decision making models that they need to pay attention to. Selective comprehension of the consumer’s most preferred study option enables easier interpretation of the ideas in line with their attitudes, beliefs, experiences and motives. Selective retention of potential service (education) consumers places emphasis on the needs that are more influential or important to them. The consequences of this decision making process develop effective promotional strategies as well as in the selection where various sources of information are effective for each brand. The main decision matrix considerations include the extent of problem’s resolution, ease of implementation, training factors, value to customer, control of the solution, environmental, health, or safety factors, cost to maintain and potential negative consequences. The decision-making criteria, which were commonly used under the categories of cost, effectiveness, time required, feasibility, capability, support and enthusiasm. The other criteria that could also apply in this case include improvement opportunity, difficulty of solving, time required, management interest or support and urgency of problem. The matrix in this case is applicable in comparing opinions. Bibliography Blue I., Adams J., 2008 Education choices a program of educational support for multidisciplinary health professionals in rural & remote areas: Australian Journal of Rural Health. Retrieved on 26th April 2012 from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1440-1584.1993.tb00074.x/abstract Bliuc A., Goodyear P., Ellis R., 2006 Research focus and methodological choices in studies into students' experiences of blended learning in higher education: Institute of Teaching and Learning. 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