ABSTRACT
The
study examines the effect of Peer Group and Parental Socio-Economic background
on Career Choice of business education undergraduates in Lagos State. Specific
objectives of the study are to investigate the role played by peer group in
career choice of an undergraduate, to find out if parents level of education
have any influence on students career choice, and to determine the relationship
between peer group and parental socio-economic and career choice of
undergraduates. In carrying
out the study descriptive research design was employed, the population of the
study comprises the entire parent and undergraduate
student in the University of Lagos, while the sample size analysed was one
hundred and forty five (145), out of the one hundred and fifty respondents
sampled.The returned questionnaires were analysed using descriptive statistics
while stated hypotheses were tested using chi-square technique. The study found
that peer group plays significant role in career choice of an undergraduate;
and that parents level of education have significant influence on students’
career choice. The study also established that parental economic status has
significant effect on career choice of undergraduate. Based on this, the study
recommends that youths should avoid mingling with friends that will lead them
into making a wrong career decision. Parent are also encouraged to invest
immensely in their children education and not deprive them of the will to
pursue their dreams in any way as the study has shown that parental economic
status also influences career choice among youths
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page i
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgement iv
Abstract v
Table of Contents vi
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Background
to the Study 1
1.2 Statement
of the Problem 2
1.3 Objectives
of the Study 3
1.4 Research
Question 3
1.5 Research
Hypotheses 3
1.6 Significance
of the Study 4
1.7 Scope of
the Study 4
1.8 Operational
Definition of Terms 4
REFERENCES 5
CHAPTER TWO
2.0 LITERATURE
REVIEW 7
2.1 Preamble 7
2.2 Theories
of Career Decisions 8
2.3 Empirical
Review of Previous Works in Related Areas of the Study 14
REFEENCES 22
CHAPTER
THREE
3.0 RESEACH
METHODOLOGY 25
3.1 Preamble 25
3.2 Research
Design 25
3.3 Population
of the Study 25
3.4 Sampling
Procedure and Sample Size 25
3.5 Data
Collection Instrument and Validation 26
3.6 Method
of Data Analysis 26
3.7 Limitation
of the Methodology 26
REFERENCES 27
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 DATA
PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS 28
4.1 Preamble 28
4.2 Presentation
ad Analysis of Data 28
4.3 Test of
Hypotheses 33
4.4 Discussion
of Findings 37
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0 SUMMARY,
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 39
5.1 Summary 39
5.2 Conclusion 41
5.3 Recommendations 41
5.4 BIBLIOGRAPHY 42
APPENDIX 45
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Schooling days is one time where a
youth’s mind is most susceptible to influence, ideas and values which alter the
way a person thinks, acts and perceives things (Oyebode, 2010). This is a
particularly important moment which will affect one’s own decision-making
processes and career choices. Thus, parents are always assumed to play
significant role in shaping and influencing how their school-going children
make wise career decisions, which inevitably, impact their future career
choice. From another perspective, parents are also considered influential which
in turn means they also have the ability to influence their children’s future.
As students are invariably impressionable, their decisions could be very much
influenced by their parents, but peers‟ influence on their choice of career should also not be
underestimated (Oto, 2014).
Career may be defined as the progress and actions taken by a person
throughout a lifetime, specially related to that person‘s occupations. A career
is often composed of the jobs held, titles earned and work accomplished over a
long period of time, rather than just referring to one‘s position (Knowles,
2014). (Fayomi, 2012) defines career as an occupation or profession, especially
one requiring special training, followed as one‘s lifework. It also defines
career as a person‘s progress or general course of action through a phase of
life, as in some profession or undertaking (Head, 2015).
Choosing a career is an extremely
important decision that impacts an individual‘s entire future. Career
exploration is defined as the extent to which possible careers are researched
and considered. Research by Breakwell G. and Beardsell (2013), has suggested
that exploring career options before committing to a career increases future
career success and satisfaction. However, the choice of career by an individual
is influenced by various factors and among them parental and social influence
is very important. Each individual undertaking the process is influenced by
many factors, including the context in which they live, friends and peer group
and parental socio-economic background and status (Calkins, 2013).
Friends and peer group are important for individual socialization
as well
as behavioral
modification
while such group include same-age group i.e. not necessarily friends
while its formation is
dependent
on multiple factors including situation, an accident, or association (Farley,
2014). The development of
a child is initially the
outcome
of family, however; peer overtakes the socialization process with the selection and adoption of lifestyle, appearance,
social activities, academics, career
etc (Odusanya, 2008). Similarly, peer and friends are pivotal and dramatic in
shaping individual’s perceptions, attitudes
and
ideas to understand
the outside world as well as decisions in future lives.
Parental socio economic status plays
an important role in the life of a child. The status opens the ways for his
progress. Intelligence, attitudes, aptitudes and even interests are patterned
by socio economic background of the individual. Socio economic status refers to
the position that an individual and family occupies with reference to
prevailing average standards, cultural possession and participation in group
activity of community. It is also said that socio economic status includes both
the social and economic status of the individual in the group. The variations
in achievement are also due to the differences in socio economic status of the
children, differential treatment given by parents, parent’s educational level,
and influence of the surroundings and so on (Fishbein and Ajzen, 2015). As
pointed out by Awolowo (2012) children belonging to higher socio economic
status are not only brilliant but also are provided better opportunities for
developing intellectually, physically and emotionally, and these has effect on
their career choice. Hence, the purpose of this study is to examine the effect
of peer group and parental socio-economic background on career choice of
business education undergraduates in Lagos State.
1.2 Statement of the
Problem
The choice of career made by university undergraduates
is greatly influenced by the experience the individual undergoes right from
childhood, the type of information made available as he matures and the way the
parents direct the vocational choice of their children. The opportunities and
facilities available to the child and hence his choice of career can be either
facilitated or inhibited to a large extent by the experiences that his parents
make available to him.
The problem is, what kind of effects
do the peer group and the parental socio-economic background have on the career
choice of undergraduates?
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The objectives of the study
is to appraise the effect of Peer Group and Parental Socio-Economic background
on Career Choice of Business Education undergraduates in Lagos State
Specific
objectives of the study are to:
- Investigate the role played by peer group in career
choice of undergraduates
- Find out if parents level of education have any
influence on students career choice
- Determine the relationship between peer group and
parental socio-economic and career choice of undergraduates
- Evaluate the effect of parental economic status on
career choice of undergraduate
1.4 Research Question
The
following research questions are answered in this study:
- What is the role played by peer group in career
choice of undergraduates?
- Will parents’ level of education have any influence
on students’ career choice?
- What is the relationship between peer group and
parental socio-economic and career choice of undergraduates?
- What is the effect of parental economic status on
career choice of undergraduates?
1.5 Research Hypotheses
The following hypotheses are formulated for this study.
Hypothesis I
Ho: Peer group plays no
significant role in career choice of an undergraduate
Hi: Peer group plays significant role in career choice of
an undergraduate
Hypothesis II
Ho:
Parents level of education have no significant influence on students’
career choice
Hi: Parents level of
education have significant influence on students’ career choice
Hypothesis III
Ho: Parental economic
status has no significant effect on career choice of undergraduate
Hi: Parental economic
status has significant effect on career choice of undergraduate
Hypothesis IV
Ho: There is no significant
relationship between peer group and parental socio-economic and career choice
of undergraduates
Hi: There is significant
relationship between peer group and parental socio-economic and career choice
of undergraduates
1.6 Significance of the Study
The study seeks to assist the educators and educational
institutions to have a better understanding of their students on the impact of
influences from parents and peers in making career choice. It is also hoped
that findings from the study will help the institutions and related bodies to
develop a better plan that can guide and expose undergraduates to understand
their profession clearly. The study will also educate parents on their role in
guiding their children and wards in choosing a career for themselves. The study
will also serve as a theoretical basis for future researcher that will be
carrying out research around the research domain. Lastly, the study is a
requirement for the award of degree in this great institution of higher
learning (University of Lagos).
1.7 Scope of the Study
The
coverage of the study is limited to appraising the effect of peer group and
parental socio-economic background on career choice of business education
undergraduates in Lagos State. The focus of this study is on students of the
University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba,Lagos.
1.8 Operational Definition of Terms
It is pragmatically
essential to exegesis on the various operational definitions of major concepts
of this topic. Below are some of such important terms:
Career: This refers to what one does for a living, that is source of
livelihood, occupation or profession.
Career Choice: Career choice is the occupation or professional path that an
individual chooses.
Peers: Peers are one’s age mates, class mates or friends.
Peer Group: This refers to the age group to which a student or an individual
belong
Parent: Father and mother of the individual student.
Socio-Economic
Background: This
refers to the social and economic class or level to which a family belongs in
the society. In any society, this could be high, middle class or lower class.
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