Patterns of Self-Efficacy Within NAFTA: United States,Canada, and Mexico

Self-efficacy has been shown to be a key attribute of successful business leaders and in today's global economy, must be studied in terms of patterns of crossvergence. The paper examines both individual characteristics (gender, age, work experience, and management experience) and culture as they relate to self-efficacy in North America. Women in our sample had slightly lower self-efficacy, which increased with work and management experience. Age and membership in an individualistic culture were not related to self-efficacy; in fact, our Mexican participants demonstrated slightly higher self-efficacy propensities. These results suggest that organizations might consider devoting special attention to development of mentor and other programs particularly to females initiating their career. However, expected cultural patterns relating to self-efficacy might not hold as strongly, particularly with empowered groups such as executives and MBA students. Individual characteristics, particularly experience levels, have a greater impact on self-efficacy and should receive heightened considerations when organizations are making selection and other personnel decisions.     

Relevant factors that affect service recovery performance

This paper explores the factors that affect employees' service recovery performance from the perspectives of internal management. In addition, this paper combines the techniques of linear multi-variable statistical analysis and nonlinear fuzzy neural network methodology to analyse data and validate hypotheses. This paper selects travel agents who have frequent interactions with customers and provide intangible services. The empirical finding indicates that the more authoritative leaders have a more negative effect on employees' service recovery performance. Strong corporate culture works against employees' service recovery performance. Employees with high self-efficacy have better service recovery performance. The important characteristic of this paper is that it combines multi-variable analysis and nonlinear fuzzy neural network methodology in its empirical approach. Meanwhile, the factors concerning internal management within an organisation are examined, and measures to enhance employees' service recovery performance are proposed. In other words, these are responses to improve service recovery performance of employees on a preventive basis within an organisation. This is very different from the consumers' perspectives as seen in most of the previous literature. Past studies tend to focus on the amendments and responses of service recovery from the perspectives of consumers, and a vast majority of the case studies examine western enterprises. This paper studies small and medium enterprises in Taiwan and illustrates the factors that affect employees' service recovery performance.     

大学生创业意愿影响因素研究——基于社会网络关系视角

大学生创业意愿有多方面影响因素,重点是社会网络因素。家人、学校等社会网络强关系通过影响创业态度和创业自我效能感影响并作用于创业意愿,网络榜样力量也会对创业意愿产生积极影响。家人、学校等外部因素要给与大学生支持、鼓励和经验传授,给予创业实践帮助,大学生自己要注重积累创业资源,提高创业意愿,通过正向的创业态度和创业效能感来影响创业意愿。     

Achievement Goal Theory: The Relationship of Accounting Students’ Goal Orientations with Self-efficacy,Anxiety, and Achievement

Abstract

Students’ goal orientations are examined using two major frameworks for learning: achievement goal theory (AGT) and students’ approaches to learning (SAL). Previous student success research is extended, by examining goal constructs from the AGT framework to determine if they help explain the learning process in accounting. Data were gathered using an established instrument and used to examine how mastery and performance goals are related to students’ academic expectations, achievement, self-efficacy, and test anxiety. Cluster analysis was used to identify four motivation groupings (multiple-goal, mastery, performance, and low motivation). Pairwise comparisons of groups, for expected grades, self-efficacy, anxiety, final exam grade, and course grade, identified differences among some of the clusters. Results suggest that a combination of mastery and performance goal motivations, rather than a singular perspective, may provide better outcomes related to course grades, while reducing dysfunctional outcomes. Based on the results, suggestions are provided to help instructors influence student success.     

The Sheldon effect: fixed mindset does not always mean fragile confidence

ABSTRACT

More than just intelligence is needed to learn accounting. We see from prior work that the non-cognitive aspects of learning can influence the experience for accounting students. We investigate by survey both self-efficacy beliefs [Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review, 84(2), 191–215] and mindset [Dweck, C. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Random House] relative to academic performance of accounting students in a first year university course. Analysis of the data shows that mindset is not a predictor of academic success, whereas self-efficacy beliefs have explanatory power. Dweck [2000. Self-theories: Their role in motivation, personality, and development. Psychology Press; 2006. Mindset: The new psychology of success. Random House] claims that students with a fixed mindset also will have fragile confidence. By measuring both self-efficacy beliefs and mindset together, we provide evidence that this may in fact not be the case. Students can have a fixed mindset and high confidence towards learning accounting.     

运用网络教学提高口语学习自我效能感

自我效能感是班杜拉社会学习理论的一个重要概念。运用网络进行口语教学可以充分提高学生的自我效能感,消除交际恐惧,提高口语课堂教学效果与学生的口语能力。     

International graduate students' perceptions and interest in international careers

This research developed and tested a comprehensive model of the antecedents of international graduate students' interest in an international career. Based largely on Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), the model included elements that pertain to perceptions of external constraints (perceptions of the labor market, family pressure to return), international student experience (adjustment in the foreign country during graduate studies, exposure and immersion to the international context) and individual factors (self-efficacy with respect to working abroad and outcome expectancy). Participants were 139 international graduate students in the UK. Individual factors and perceived constraints were directly related to interest in an international career. The factors that comprised current international student experience were indirectly related to interest via their relationship with self-efficacy, while adjustment moderated the relationship between self-efficacy and interest. Although the hypothesized moderating role of family pressure to return did not materialize, the findings suggest that perceptions of constraints play a more substantial role in the formation of interest than has been assumed by SCCT theory thus far. The findings are discussed with respect to their implications for the literature and for the policies of host country stakeholders.     

The Place Identity - Performance relationship among tourism entrepreneurs: A structural equation modelling analysis

Drawing on the literature on tourism, entrepreneurship, environmental psychology, and corporate philanthropy, this research examines how place identity, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, and support for community influence the entrepreneurial performance of small and medium tourism enterprise (SMTE) owners. Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modelling are used to analyse the responses from 301 tourism entrepreneurs operating in regional South Australia. The data supports a model suggesting that the place identity of tourism entrepreneurs has a significant, positive effect on entrepreneurial self-efficacy and support for the community. Findings also suggest that the place identity of tourism entrepreneurs has a positive, indirect effect on entrepreneurial performance: a tourism entrepreneur’s sense of identity with the place in which his/her business operates contributes toward entrepreneurial success.     

Exploring the role played by entrepreneurial self-efficacy among women entrepreneurs in tourism sector

This study aimed to explore how entrepreneurial self-efficacy impacts firms' performance among women entrepreneurs in developing countries in tourism and hospitality industry. Survey data collected from women entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka confirmed entrepreneurial self-efficacy is influenced by social media, entrepreneurial passion and entrepreneurial role models, whereas education and work experience had no influence over entrepreneurial self-efficacy. The mediating behavior of entrepreneurial persistence behavior is confirmed. For entrepreneurship stakeholders, this research revealed a critical factor that entrepreneurial self-efficacy is influenced by social media in digital world of technologies. Moreover, this research provided a validated model of entrepreneurial self-efficacy, enhancing its usage during the adversity or growth stages of business while producing valuable insights to policy makers in developing countries, enhancing women entrepreneurs’ contribution to the economy.