Factors Influencing Career Decision-Making: A Comparative ...

1 Factors Influencing Career decision - making : A Comparative Study of Thai and australian tourism and hospitality students By Siriwan Ghuangpeng Diploma of hospitality (Canberra Institute of Technology). Bachelor of Business ( tourism , University of South Australia). Master of Business ( hospitality Management Professional Practice, Victoria University). A thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy The School of International Business Faculty of Business and Law Victoria University, Melbourne 2011. DECLARATION. I, Siriwan Ghuangpeng, declare that the PhD thesis entitled Factors Influencing Career decision - making : A Comparative Study of Thai and australian tourism and hospitality students is no more than 100,000 words in length, exclusive of tables, figures, appendices, references and footnotes.

2 This thesis contains no material that has been submitted previously, in whole or in part, for the award of any other academic degree or diploma. Except where otherwise indicated, this thesis is my own work. Siriwan Ghuangpeng ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to all those who have contributed in various ways and assisted me to undertake and complete this research. Some of these influences have enabled me to complete my PhD and others gave me the support and opportunity to start my PhD studies. First, I would like to thank the Royal Thai Government and Mahasarakham University for the financial support they provided to me during my PhD studies. I would like to sincerely thank my two supervisors, Associate Professor Susan Gillet and Associate Professor Barry O'Mahony.

3 I would like to gratefully acknowledge their valuable time commitment and thank them for providing me with the guidance, feedback, and encouragement to keep me moving forward and to have confidence in my abilities to accomplish this research. I would also like to give special thanks to Assistant Professor Albert Assaf, who supervised me whilst a lecturer at Victoria University and continued to generously and patiently assist me after he had resigned from the university to take up his position at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. I am most thankful to him for his assistance with my data analysis and for the help and advice he gave me in terms of my data analysis and understanding of my results.

4 His support enabled me to complete this thesis and to develop a better understanding of quantitative research methods. I would also like to thank Mr. Austin Norman, my respected lecturer at Victoria University. I am grateful for his advice and encouragement, which were valuable beyond words. In addition, I would like to acknowledge the support given by a variety of academics and colleagues who assisted me prior to and during the data collection in australian and Thailand. These included Dr. Thu-Huong Nguyen, Mr. Barry Broon, Ms. Patricia Hasenrader, Assistant Professor Thanet Srisathit, Dr. Suvenas Sophonsiri, Mr. Pongphan Sathatip, Mr. Ruengsin Ommeepean, Dr. Puangchompoo Sapjaroen, Ms. Lanna Supyen and Ms.

5 Parinda Jantori. Thank you so much, I really appreciate that you generously gave me your time and support and enable me to undertake this research. iii I am indebted to many of my friends and PhD colleagues who made my study much more enjoyable. I wish to particularly acknowledge the assistance provided by two of my friends and PhD colleagues who played an important role in this process Pan and Proud. They encouraged me, pushed me, believed in me and most importantly were always there when I. needed them. I also would like to acknowledge the help of family members in Thailand for their continued support for whatever I chose to do. I especially want to thank my father, for his lifetime of sacrifices, which have enabled me to reach this point.

6 He has been my foundation and given me strength throughout this PhD journey. Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to two of my high school teachers who started me on this educational journey of achievement Mrs. Kruawan Panyamee and Mrs. Rampuang Poopat. They went beyond their call of duty when teaching me to learn and helping me to achieve. Without their dedication and encouragement, I would not have been given these academic opportunities. I know that I was very lucky to have been one of their students . iv ABSTRACT. The current study investigated what Factors appear to drive the Career decision - making of Thai and australian tourism and hospitality students . This study was conducted to identify various Factors that Thai and australian students perceived to play an important role in their decision to seek a Career in the industry.

7 It also sought to understand the way these Factors impacted on Thai and Australians' Career decision - making and how their cultural interpretations influenced their decision - making . Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to collect and analyse the data. The quantitative study, which involved 818 questionnaires, was used to help identify the Factors that Thai and australian students perceived to be important. The qualitative study involved 88 semi structured in-depth interviews and provided further explanations for how the Factors suggested by the quantitative study were interconnected and influenced Career decision - making of Thai and australian students . The findings identified several Factors that were perceived to influence the Career decision - making process of Thai and australian students .

8 Of particular importance were gender, the feedback students received during work-placement, family obligations and Career opportunities in the industry. These Factors appeared to be interrelated and could have a positive or negative impact on students ' decision to seek a Career in the industry. The study also highlighted the important implications of culture for Career decision - making and suggested that although Thai and australian students identified similar Factors as Influencing their Career decision - making , they perceived the importance of these Factors differently. The study concluded that Career decision - making is a complicated process. Although this study provided a structured model to demonstrate how students make their Career decision , it is essential to recognise the complex range of Factors associated with students ' decisions.

9 It should also be recognised that since a case methodology was used this research should be regarded as a template for further research rather than as providing a definitive Career decision - making model for tourism and hospitality students in Thailand and Australia. v TABLE OF CONTENTS. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .. iii v TABLE OF CONTENTS .. vi LIST OF xii LIST OF xiv Chapter One An Overview .. 15. 15. Context of the 15. Plan of the 17. Conclusion .. 19. Chapter Two Career decision - making : Theory and Research .. 20. 20. The Concept of Career 20. Theoretical Approaches of Career decision - making .. 21. Psychological Approaches to Career 22. Sociological Approaches to Career decision - making .. 27. Research into Career decision - making Theories.

10 34. The Context of Career decision - making 36. Employee 36. Student 39. vi Cultural Influence on Individuals' Career 41. Conclusion .. 43. Chapter Three Context of the Research .. 44. 44. Career Prospects in the tourism and hospitality 44. Career Paths within the tourism and hospitality Industry .. 45. Career Development of tourism and hospitality Employees .. 48. Individual 49. Environmental Factors .. 52. Additional Factors Impacting upon Employees' Career Success .. 54. Factors Influencing Career decision - making in the tourism and hospitality Industry . 57. Limitations of Existing Research into Career 62. Conclusion .. 64. Chapter Four Theoretical Framework .. 65. 65. Proposed Theoretical 65. Orientation of the Current Research.