Judith Semeijn

Defining and Measuring Competences: An Application to Graduate Surveys

In this article, we review the competence concept and apply it to the measurement of competences in graduate surveys. The relevant literature reveals that three important perspectives on the meaning and operationalisation of competences may be distinguished: The educational perspective, the labour market perspective and the human resources perspective. The second part of the article is concerned with the measurement of competences in the context of labour market research using graduate surveys. Using the insights obtained from the literature, competences are defined and a measurement method is chosen. Empirical evidence suggests that this measurement method performs better than previously used measurement methodologies.

The Role of Education in Selection and Allocation in the Labour Market: An Empirical Study in the Medical Field

Abstract In this study, we explore the role of education in explaining the labour market outcomes for a sample of graduates in medicine. More specifically, the following research question is answered: To what extent are labour market outcomes of physicians explained by the skills acquired in education, as indicated in the theory of human capital, or by competences already present at the start of education, as suggested by the screening theory? The study uses separate measurements of competence at the start and at the end of education. Moreover, we use a direct measurement of competence development during medical education. This enables us to disentangle the effects of the suggested mechanisms. The results suggest that after graduation human capital factors do not explain subsequent differences in labour market outcomes. The medical degree seems a sufficient signal of screening device as such. However, selection processes during education take place on human capital acquired before and during medical education.

Aspects of Learning style and Labour market entry; an Explorative study

Since ‘soft factors’ gain more interest for their relevance for the labour market, this study explores the effect of learning style on labour market entry. Learning style is considered to be a relative stable educational concept representing an individual’s learning preferences. This study links the educational concept of learning style with labour market research. The sample has been composed of graduates in Economics of the Maastricht University who graduated in between 1991 and 1995. They all started their studies in 1986 or 1987, in which years their learning style data were collected. Learning style aspects were tested for their effect on job chances, quality of work and type of job (job match) at the time of the survey one and a half year after graduation. Analyses were applied within a two step model. In the first step only learning style data and control variables were included. In the second step, relevant covariates like study results were included in the analyses in addition to the learning style data. Logistic and normal lineair regression analyses point out that the motivational aspects of learning style tend to have an effect on most of the labour market indicators, whereas the cognitive information processing aspects merely affect the chance of getting an academic job. Results of multinomial logistic regression analyses reveal some effects on entering an accounting job in comparison with a managing job (job match). The learning style aspect ‘holism’ shows a limited, although unexpected positive effect in this respect. For globalism a negative effect on entering an accounting job appeared. Extendedness appeared to have a limited negative effect on entering an accounting job as well. For research jobs in comparison with managing jobs, no effects are found. Altogether, the effects of learning style aspects appear to be more profound than the effects of study results with respect to labour market entry. Implications and limitations of the study are discussed.

Mind the mindset! The interaction of proactive personality, transformational leadership and growth mindset for engagement at work

Purpose n n n n nThe purpose of this paper is to analyze whether and how employees’ proactive personality is related to work engagement. Drawing on job demands-resources theory, the study proposes that this relationship is moderated by a three-way interaction between proactive personality × transformational leadership × growth mindset. n n n n nDesign/methodology/approach n n n n nThe study is based on survey data from 259 employees of an internationally operating high-tech organization in the Netherlands. n n n n nFindings n n n n nIn line with prior studies, support is found for positive significant relationships of proactive personality and transformational leadership with engagement. Additionally, transformational leadership is found to moderate the relationship between proactive personality and work engagement, but only when employees have a growth mindset. n n n n nOriginality/value n n n n nThe study advances the literature that investigates the proactive personality-engagement relationship. Specifically, this study is the first to examine a possible three-way interaction that may deepen the insights for how proactive personality, transformational leadership and growth mindset interact in their contribution to work engagement.

Graduates Learning Style and Labour Market Entry

Ability to learn, adaptability, flexibility and employability are just a few of the modern organisational concepts that reflect the new demands for the educational system. In the 1990 report of the Industrial Research and Development Advisory Committee of the Commission of the European Community (IRDAC), it was stated that skills shortages are hampering growth possibilities. Therefore, the need for adaptability to new skill requirements was stressed by this committee (IRDAC, 1990). The Dutch Scientific Council for Government Policy (with the Dutch shortcut WRR) emphasises the need for intellectual mobility and flexibility to keep up with the overall changes in the labour market (WRR, 1995). And the European Commission published a report “Teaching and Learning. Towards the Learning Society” that underscores the need for lifelong investment in education and training as the main instrument to improve Europe’s competitiveness and to combat social exclusion (European Commission, 1996).