Analysis of the Factors Affecting the Track Choice of BS Agribusiness Management and Entrepreneurship Students and Their Consequent Choice Implications

Date

6-2022

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness Management

College

College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Adviser/Committee Chair

Gemma U. Reyes

Committee Member

Dinah Pura T. Depositario, Marjorie S. Florentino

Abstract

The author conducted the study to determine the factors affecting the track choice of BS Agribusiness Management and Entrepreneurship students and their impacts on the individuals. Specifically, this study aimed to: (a) describe the socio-demographic characteristics of junior and senior students included in the study; (b) determine the factors affecting the track choice of the students; (c) discuss the implications of the track choice on the participants; (d) identify the recognized problems and issues encountered by the students that are related to their tracks; and (e) formulate relevant recommendations.

The researcher used a questionnaire administered through Google Forms to gather the primary data from the participants. Furthermore, she utilize binary logistic regression to determine if there was a significant correlation between the track choice of the students and the variables identified in the study. The researcher categorized the variables into four categories which were intrapersonal, interpersonal, institution-wide, and community-wide. The results revealed that the principal factors that affected the track choice of the participants were self-efficacy, social status improvement, faculty profile, employment availability, and occupational prestige. However, the resulting positive coefficients did not support the self-efficacy and social status improvement hypotheses. The researcher assumed that the two mentioned variables are more evident in the Entrepreneurship track, but the findings showed that as the participants become more agreeable with their track. On the other hand, the coefficients supported the hypotheses focused on faculty profile and employment availability. The positive coefficients indicated that the participants connected the influence of the two factors more on the Management track. Moreover, the negative coefficient verified the author's assumption that occupational prestige is a significant factor and is more evident in the Entrepreneurship track.

Furthermore, the researcher investigated the implications of the track choice on the individuals. Most of the respondents shared that the courses offered under their tracks provided them with the knowledge and skills that will enable them to perform well in their chosen careers in the future. Additionally, the participants expressed that their track choice allowed them to develop their planning, leading, and communication skills. Moreover, it helped improve their self-esteem and skills in collaboration and socialization. The author also learned that the students' tracks enabled them to be more persevering, motivated, focused, organized, observant, practical, and socially aware, especially on matters concerning the agriculture sector. Another objective was to identify the problems encountered by the students that were related to their tracks. The researcher concluded that the challenges experience by the students included confusion due to a lack of information on the difference between the two tracks, their final requirements, and financial constraints. Furthermore, most of the respondents expressed that the biggest challenge was coping with the challenges brought by the pandemic. Other obstacles faced by the students were the difficulty of some courses and confusion about the instructions for their track.

Based on the study's findings, the researcher made recommendations for the Department of Agribusiness Management and Entrepreneurship, which included the following: (1) facilitation of a test to know which track fits the students better, (2) career orientations, (3) earlier announcement of professors, (4) provision of events to showcase how management learnings can improve one's social status, (5) additional activities that highlight society's high regard for entrepreneurship, (6) providing students with valuable insights and pieces of advice, (7) earlier assignment of Special Problem adviser, (8) financial assistance, (9) provision of refresher courses before internship, and (10) improvement on the delivery of the tracks through students' feedback. Furthermore, the researcher suggested that other educational institutions can utilize the findings of the studies to identify the factors affecting the academic track or major selections of students and promote Management and Entrepreneurship as majors. The researcher also deemed it beneficial if the government could contribute to addressing the study's findings and problems encountered by the students through additional scholarships, mentorship, and job generation. Lastly, the author recommends additional exploration of the factors affecting the track choice of BS Agribusiness Management and Entrepreneurship students, including more participants, using different sampling methods, and applying factor analysis.

Language

English

LC Subject

Decision making—Evaluation

Location

UPLB College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Call Number

LG 993 2022 M17 A58

Notes

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Document Type

Thesis

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