STUDENTS' CHOICE OF A BUSINESS MAJOR AND ... - Core

STUDENTS' CHOICE OF A BUSINESS MAJOR AND CAREER: A QUALITATIVE CASE STUDY OF MOTIVATION TO STUDY

FINANCE AND BANKING

by SOKALYAN MAO

A thesis submitted to Victoria University of Wellington in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

Master of Education

Victoria University of Wellington 2013

Abstract

Little is known about how or why Cambodian university students choose a major and a future career. The decision regarding a major is important for a student's life and future career. The Cambodian labour market has a shortage of graduates in science, technology, engineering, maths and agriculture and a predicted oversupply of business graduates. In recognition of the mismatch between the supply of business graduates and the demands of the labour market, the current study was designed to explore why and how Cambodian students choose a business major and a future career.

This qualitative study employed a multiple case study design. The study utilized semistructured interviews to collect data from five male and five female students enrolled in finance and banking majors, who volunteered to participate in the research. Data analysis was mainly inductive with consideration given to the expectancy-value theory (Eccles, 2009) using a within-case and cross-case analysis within a thematic approach.

The findings were that value beliefs were important in students' choice of a major. Students chose a finance and banking major because they believed that this major would have good employment prospects and lead to a worthwhile career. Other reasons included the interest value related to the subject and to a career, their beliefs in their ability to earn a business degree, and usefulness to the long-term plans of business ownership. In some cases, students chose the business major over a preferred major for diverse reasons including: not wanting to move away from family; a family's desire to provide security for female offspring; the prohibitive costs of the preferred major; and doubts about their ability to succeed in the preferred major. The extended family was influential in decisions around choice of major and career. Participants listened to the advice of older siblings. The financial support of parents was also pivotal. Farmers did not want their children to work in agriculture and saw business as offering a better life.

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Acknowledgements

This thesis is dedicated to the Cambodian Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and my scholarship donor: the New Zealand Aid Programme. Without this scholarship, I would not have been able to begin my academic life at Victoria University of Wellington. Its final completion is due to some key people and I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude for their support and encouragement. I would like to thank a number of people: Dr Stephanie Doyle for her superb supervision, kindness and ongoing support. Your belief and encouragement have stimulated me to successfully complete this project. You will be a role model for my future career once I return to work in Cambodia. Thank you so much. My cohort group members: Alana Moriarity, Liz Chinlund, and Vu Thuong Ha for being my critical friends from the beginning of this current study. Elizabeth O'Connor, Student Learning Support adviser, for her support in improving the quality of the thesis. Dr Lottie Thomson, Mabel Hamon and Dr Geoff Plimmer for their guidance, advice and willingness to share experience. Especially my loving husband, Sam Oll, for your eternal love, support and beliefs in me. Thank you for your patience in listening to me despite your tiring work. I love you. My family and friends for their love and encouragement. Knowing that you were waiting for my return to Cambodia stimulated me to work faster. Many thanks to the rector and staff of the University of Battambang in arranging a research data collection. Thanks to the student participants who generously chose to be involved in this project, without you this research would not have been possible.

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Table of Contents

Abstract ........................................................................................................................... i Acknowledgements........................................................................................................ ii Table of Contents .........................................................................................................iii Table of Figures ............................................................................................................ vi List of Tables ............................................................................................................... vii Chapter One: Introduction .......................................................................................... 8

Rationale ......................................................................................................................... 8 Purpose of the study ........................................................................................................ 9 Significance of the study ................................................................................................. 9 Context of the research.................................................................................................. 10

Chapter Two: Literature review................................................................................ 15

Introduction ................................................................................................................... 15 Search method ............................................................................................................... 16 Past research in the choice of major and career ............................................................ 16 Theoretical considerations: Motivation theories ........................................................... 19

Social cognitive theory of self-efficacy ............................................................... 19 Achievement goal perspective ............................................................................. 20 Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT).............................................................22 Holland's theory: RIASEC .................................................................................. 25 Expectancy-value theory ..................................................................................... 26 Choosing a major or career as a complex decision-making process............................. 30 Major choice: Decision-making model ............................................................... 31 Information for the choice............................................................................................. 32 Diversity ........................................................................................................................ 33 Gender difference in decision making ................................................................. 33 Influence of geographic location ......................................................................... 33 Cultural influences on motivation and choice of major ................................................ 33 Summary of the chapter ................................................................................................ 35

Chapter Three: Methodology..................................................................................... 36

Introduction ................................................................................................................... 36 Research design............................................................................................................. 36

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Setting ........................................................................................................................... 37 Ethical considerations ................................................................................................... 38 Research participants and recruitment .......................................................................... 39 Data collection, methods and tools ............................................................................... 41 Data Analysis methods.................................................................................................. 43 Trustworthiness ............................................................................................................. 46 Self-reflexivity .............................................................................................................. 47 Limitations of the research ............................................................................................ 48 Summary of the chapter ................................................................................................ 49

Chapter Four: Findings and descriptions of individual cases ................................ 50

Case one: Mony............................................................................................................. 52 Case two: Chamnab....................................................................................................... 57 Case three: Sophy.......................................................................................................... 62 Case four: Mara ............................................................................................................. 66 Case five: Boeb ............................................................................................................. 70 Case six: Navy............................................................................................................... 74 Case seven: Sam............................................................................................................ 77 Case eight: Sokha .......................................................................................................... 80 Case nine: Phally ........................................................................................................... 83 Case ten: Chea ............................................................................................................... 85

Chapter Five: Findings from cross-case analysis ..................................................... 90

Motivation to choose a major........................................................................................ 90 Cultural influences on choice of major ......................................................................... 95 Key influencers ............................................................................................................. 96 Information sources....................................................................................................... 98 Future goals and career plans ........................................................................................ 98 Why not other majors? ................................................................................................ 100 Summary of the findings ............................................................................................. 100

Chapter Six: Discussion and conclusion ................................................................. 103

Reasons for choosing a business major....................................................................... 103 Mobility and inter-dependency ................................................................................... 104 An individual's or a family's choice? ......................................................................... 104 Influences of parental occupations .............................................................................. 105

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