Eija Elina Lehtonen, Petri Nokelainen, Heta Rintala and Ilmari Puhakka
The purpose of this study is to better understand factors related to turnover intention (TI) and job satisfaction (JS) in the information technology and engineering sectors…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to better understand factors related to turnover intention (TI) and job satisfaction (JS) in the information technology and engineering sectors. Specifically, this study investigates the role of workplace learning opportunities (WLO) afforded by the environment and individual’s subjective career success (SCS). The connections between learning opportunities and career success are examined, as well as their connections to JS and TI.
Design/methodology/approach
The current research was based on self-report questionnaire data (N = 153). The questionnaire included existing instruments measuring WLO, SCS, JS and TI. The analyses of the data included Pearson product-moment correlations, path analysis (based on multiple regression) and analysis of relative importance (dominance analysis).
Findings
Results indicated that higher access to resources that support learning, more opportunities for professional growth and satisfactory career decisions made by employees were connected to lower TI. The processes of well-being and learning are strongly intertwined and mutually reinforce each other, reducing the willingness to change a job in the near future.
Originality/value
This study adds to the previous research by providing more detailed knowledge on the connections between the various dimensions of WLO and SCS. The findings of the present study can offer insights for developing work environments where employees wish to remain, learn and are satisfied with their job and careers, thus ultimately supporting their well-being.
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Laura Pylväs, Petri Nokelainen and Hilkka Roisko
The purpose of this paper is to apply the Developmental Model of Vocational Excellence (DMVE) in the domain of air traffic control and to describe the characteristics and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to apply the Developmental Model of Vocational Excellence (DMVE) in the domain of air traffic control and to describe the characteristics and predictors related to air traffic controllers’ (ATCO) vocational expertise and excellence. Based on DMVE, the study analyses the role of natural abilities (gifts), intrinsic characteristics (self-regulatory abilities) and extrinsic conditions (domain and non-domain specific factors) in ATCOs’ vocational development.
Design/methodology/approach
The target population of the multiple case study consisted of ATCOs in Finland (N = 300), of which 28 were interviewed. The interviewees represented four different airports. Initially, three key personnel interviews were conducted to validate the structured theme interview instrument that was subsequently used for the 28 interviews. The data set also included the ATCOs’ aptitude test scores and training records. Employee assessments were used to determine their on-the-job performance level (expertise vs excellence). The research questions were examined using theoretical concept analysis. The qualitative data analysis was conducted with content analysis and Bayesian classification modelling.
Findings
The findings indicate that cognitive skills, self-reflection, volition and goal-orientation are considered to be ATCOs’ most important vocational characteristics in addition to interpersonal, intrapersonal and spatial skills. The main differences between the ATCOs representing vocational expertise and those representing vocational excellence were related to self-regulation; motivation and volition in particular proved to be somewhat stronger in the latter group.
Research limitations/implications
It was acknowledged that there are limitations in the present study. First, the four airports were not selected randomly. Although they represent different types of airports (and ATCO job profiles) in Finland quite well, future studies should include comparative aspect to airports in other countries. Second, the number of participants (N = 28) in the study was quite small, limiting generalization of the results to the target population (N = 300). Future research on this domain should be extended to include also quantitative measurements, allowing more generalizable results. Third, although the analysis for the research question 3 was based on a technique that is not sensitive to missing values (BCM), missing data in ATCOs’ aptitude test scores, training records and employee assessments added uncertainty to the results.
Practical implications
ATCOs’ highly controlled and pre-defined work presents a challenge to work motivation, which is seen as one of the determining factors in safety in air traffic controlling (ATC). In the future, more emphasis should be placed on the prerequisites of professional development such as leadership (human resource management, feedback, employees’ opportunity to influence), working environment (physical and social environment), educational possibilities and career progression, as well as professional benefits (salary and working hours).
Originality/value
Although ATC is a fairly studied topic since 1970s, most studies related to ATCOs have concentrated on training, learning on the job, cognitive capacity and processing and stress tolerance. This study extends the emerging research in the field on self-regulation by adopting DMVE to investigate its role, alongside natural abilities and domain and non-domain specific factors, to vocational talent development in different skill acquisition stages.
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Petri Nokelainen and Pekka Ruohotie
This study aims to examine the factors of growth‐oriented atmosphere in a Finnish polytechnic institution of higher education with categorical exploratory factor analysis…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the factors of growth‐oriented atmosphere in a Finnish polytechnic institution of higher education with categorical exploratory factor analysis, multidimensional scaling and Bayesian unsupervised model‐based visualization.
Design/methodology/approach
This study was designed to examine employee perceptions of how their managers create conditions that support professional growth and learning, and how the employees perceive their growth motivation and commitment to the organization. Data were gathered from 447 employees with the Growth‐oriented Atmosphere Questionnaire in a Finnish polytechnic institution of higher education.
Findings
Results showed that the theoretical four‐group classification of the growth‐oriented atmosphere factors was supported by the empirical evidence. Results further showed that managers and teachers had higher growth motivation and level of commitment to work than other personnel, including job titles such as cleaner, caretaker, accountant and computer support. Employees across all job titles in the organization, who have temporary or part‐time contracts, had higher self‐reported growth motivation and commitment to work and organization than their established colleagues.
Practical implications
Leaders in various organizations may benefit from learning what is the current professional growth status of diverse employee groups, and in understanding the potential differences in employee growth motivation.
Originality/value
This study contributes to an understanding of organizational growth and learning as a non‐linear process. The statistical non‐linear modeling approach is novel providing research and practical example of how to use these techniques in practice.
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Riina Koris and Petri Nokelainen
The purpose of this paper is to study Bayesian dependency modelling (BDM) to validate the model of educational experiences and the student-customer orientation questionnaire…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to study Bayesian dependency modelling (BDM) to validate the model of educational experiences and the student-customer orientation questionnaire (SCOQ), and to identify the categories of educatonal experience in which students expect a higher educational institutions (HEI) to be student-customer oriented.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper employs a cross-sectional quantitative survey study, mixed methods research, exploratory factor analysis and BDM.
Findings
The validated model of educational experiences and the SCOQ; results indicate that students expect to be treated as customers in some, but not all categories of educational experience.
Research limitations/implications
The authors contribute to existing literature on two fronts: the validated model of educational experiences and the categories of educational experience in which students expect to be treated as customers.
Practical implications
The validated SCOQ presented in the paper may be used by other HEIs to assess the degree to which students expect a particular HEI to be customer oriented. Also, HEIs should assess students’ expectations concerning student-customer orientation before employing such an approach.
Originality/value
The paper presents a validated model of educational experiences and a SCOQ. Additionally, the study does not investigate whether students expect a HEI as such to be student-customer oriented (as most studies have done so far); instead, the aim is to find out whether, in which categories of educational experience and to what extent students expect a HEI to be student-customer oriented. Thus, the study explores the phenomenon of student-customer orientation at a deeper level, i.e. separately at the level of educational experiences.
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Romana Bates, Barbara Brenner, Erwin Schmid, Gerald Steiner and Stefan Vogel
Climate change, poverty and pandemics are some of the complex real-world problems that are increasingly challenging higher education institutions (HEIs) to equip future graduates…
Abstract
Purpose
Climate change, poverty and pandemics are some of the complex real-world problems that are increasingly challenging higher education institutions (HEIs) to equip future graduates with meta-competences that have hitherto not been demanded. These graduates need to be able to capture and operate within complex systems and relationships. By focusing on complex real-world problems, this study aims to systematically review competences and frame meta-competences supporting curricula development in HEIs.
Design/methodology/approach
This study applies a systematic literature review according to the review protocol of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. The review process resulted in the selection of 39 articles, which were subjected to qualitative synthesis to identify competences for tackling complex real-world problems. These competences were grouped into meta-competences and aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Findings
Scientific disciplines commonly describe four competences for tackling complex real-world problems including domain-specific competence, inter-relation competence, intrapersonal competence and normative competence.
Originality
This study found that inter-relation competence is in line with all the SDGs, which is considered important for tackling complex real-world problems across disciplines.
Research limitations/implications
A study in a survey design across disciplines and a weighting of these competences in respect to complex real-world problems aligned with the SDGs could contribute to a more consolidated and common understanding of the meta-competences identified.
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Santiago Velasquez, Petri Suomala and Marko Järvenpää
This paper aims to take note of the need to better understand cost consciousness from a management accounting perspective and serves as an exploratory study striving to analyze…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to take note of the need to better understand cost consciousness from a management accounting perspective and serves as an exploratory study striving to analyze how the notion has been addressed by management accounting scholars.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper presents the findings of a thorough literature review identifying the drivers, interpretations, definitions and results which management accounting scholars have associated with cost consciousness.
Findings
This paper has synthesized the definitions and interpretations by considering their conceptual broadness and the subjects that cost consciousness characterizes. In addition, various potential drivers of cost consciousness have been identified where management control systems play a major role. Also, this paper summarizes both the positive and negative outcomes which scholars seem to expect from an increase of cost consciousness.
Research limitations/implications
Given that no prior work has focused on the conceptual development of cost consciousness, it was necessary to infer most of the interpretations, drivers and results which management accounting scholars have associated to the cost consciousness notion.
Originality/value
Cost consciousness is a concept that appears in hundreds of peer-reviewed articles on management accounting. However, only a handful of management accounting scholars have defined or evaluated this concept to a certain degree. As a result, what management accountants believe cost consciousness to be, how it is driven and what result may be expected from it, is nowhere to be found in any synthesized manner. The findings of this paper develop the concept of cost consciousness by illuminating the common use of the construct across various disciplines.