Sunday, January 02, 2005

University student:

Acquiring knowledge as against wealth is the prime motivation of majority of University student.
The University is one of the world’s most durable institutions. Image and personality of youth assail a person of certain age who returns to the University after away from many years. At University, students learn skills and knowledge that seems to point to the future. These facts clear that University is the factory of knowledge not only passport generation to get a job. A student needs to maintain a stable, organised and meaningful structure of their world in order to prevent chaos. At that period different factors motivate students according to their attitude, personality, age, culture and situation. Some student motivates financially whose main objective is to acquire money not knowledge. They only want to get degree to get nice job for this competitive world. But most of the student motivated to gain knowledge that will give them more professional skills for this competitive world. Theirs’ main objective is to get better education for their bright future. This all depends on the model of man that is characteristics by their behaviour, attitude and personality.
Establishment and Development of University Education:
The first University was founded at Bologna in the 11th century. In the 12th century, there were founded two universities at Paris and Oxford. The main reason to establish University is for development of knowledge, skills and mankind. According to Cicero (1997) University would be dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake, would be “the high protecting, power of all knowledge and science, of fact and principle, of inquiry and discovery, of experiment and speculation.” There are two main powerful forces play in the purpose and self-images of University are: first is the intellectual and the second is political. According to self-image of University, it affects the main goal of students and motivates differently. In context of UK’s Universities, there is one group of Universities which is known as Russell group of Universities and the members are: Oxford, Cambridge, Bristol, Durham, Edinburgh, Warwick, Nottingham, Birmingham, St. Andrews, Sheffield, Southampton, Glasgow, Newcastle, Manchester, Liverpool, London school of Economics, Imperial college of London, University college London and King’s college London. The Russell group’s main objectives are to produce skilled and talent student to bring revolution in the world. Student go to study for better education and their prime motivation is to gain more and more scientific and theoretical knowledge which will help them to get professionalism in their specific field. To get admission in these universities, they are specified few rules which will discourage a lot of students to get admission. The tuition fees for overseas students are too expensive in European or well known Universities. It will make clear that those Universities are only for developed countries people who will get help from their government or family to pay that huge amount of money. The prime motivation of the overseas students who come to study at UK, US, Japan or other European country is, after finishing their University course, probably, there would be more chance to start his or her career at the local market of the country or overseas for their bright future. Some of the overseas students mostly from Asian and African country, who come to study at developed country like UK, USA, Japan, European Country, think after doing graduation or Postgraduate degree, there would be more chance to get employment at develop country so that they take any under-graduate or postgraduate course and pay huge amount of money and spend valuable time. Kun completed a Masters in engineering related course but he has been unsuccessful in securing job. He has done his graduation in Business management course from India. Most of the employer told him that he was over qualified and did not have related work experience. He started to regret his Masters as all he achieved so far was £9,000 more debt. The second reason for change in the University has been the rise of democracy, and the demand for mass education. As an increasing proportion of country’s citizens go on to post school education so some tertiary qualification become the main passport to get a job. University education has become a sorting machine for employers, job seekers, companies and different organisations. According to Peter David (1997) University is one of the world’s most durable Institutes. But now, it must pass a complex new test. As an increasing proportion of country’s citizens go on post education. The University’s education method and environment for getting education is main thing for every student. Some of the overseas students go to further education to become a qualified person that is the passport for them to get a good job in the world market; it makes them more competitive to the world. At that context, Students’ prime motivation is quality education and knowledge. The period which they spend at University, makes them more skilful and gives broad knowledge to get maturity and competitive in this world market. The main factor for behaviour is that students find them at different particular situation, that is age, situation of student, family background, opportunity and so on which influences a student for their goal to achieve professional qualification, increase their knowledge of particular sector or perhaps most importantly, to enhance their employability. Most students will also have to consider how their knowledge of Wordsworth will improve their overall employability in an already crowded job market; however motivation varies over time and according to their circumstances. The world is changing rapidly day by day. University’s degree does not guarantee employment, but it is definitely advantageous in this tough competitive market to achieve goal in this global job market. A postgraduate qualification is evidence of hard work, commitment, a greater knowledge of particular field, and often specific work-related skills. Student gets knowledge and skill from University and that degree opens every door for competition to the global job market. A qualified student achieves his or her goal more than unqualified person does. Students who have difficult goals perform well than student with easier goal. Attitudes are in adequate in resolving a particular issue, then the acquisition of new knowledge could bring about a changed attitude. Every person is generally information –seekers, they have a need to know and this drives them to gain information that gives meaning to their social world. The culture and society also affect to motivate student differently. The University student means a mature and qualified person who has different target and goals about their individual life. That target and categories can be summarised by following:
· Comfort (including primary needs and drives, and a comfortable life style.)
· Structure (including financial security and certainty.)
· Relationships (including love, warmth and friendship.)
· Recognition (including status and praise.)
· Power (including control and authority.)
· Autonomy/ Creativity/ Growth (including self acquisition or self fulfilment.)
All these factors affect directly or indirectly to the student or individual, however, Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs theory has identifies five levels of human needs which are in ascending order:
Physiological needs: Homeostasis, the body need to breathe, drink, eat and sleep; shelter; comfort; sexual desire.
Safety: Safety and security; stability; protection from danger, pain, deprivation and physical attack.
Social: Social activities; friendship, affection and love; interaction with other people.
Esteem: Independence and achievement; self respect and respect of others; prestige and status; recognition.
Self-actualisation: Personal fulfilment; realisation of one’s potential; surmounting Maslow has defined his view that people generally fulfil these needs in the order given, but there were exceptions, and that might in some special circumstances be a reversal of the order. Reversal of the social and esteem elements in the hierarchy in the most frequent encountered. To some people, esteems assumes a greater important than the social elements, such as love. Some highly educated person may accord greater value to the respect of their associates, rather than their affection. Some of the student/individual who has finished his or her higher education unfortunately he or she does not get what they have expected and unemployed may be willing to settle for any job and its attendant security. Student/Individual with high levels of motivation, such as idealists and creative person, may be little concerned with lower level needs such as food, shelter and security, provided they are decided. (page:153, Management for engineers) Hirotaka Takeuchi (June 1998) has stated his view in terms of knowledge in different ways. He has classified the knowledge in two forms. The first one is explicit knowledge that can be expressed in words, numbers and shared in the form of data, scientific formula, product specifications, manuals, universal principles and so on. This kind of knowledge can be transmitted to individuals formally and systematically. This kind of knowledge has been the dominant form of knowledge in the Europe and has been using in multinational companies as Knowledge Management. This kind of knowledge can be named as bookish or subjective knowledge; it could be disappeared after certain years if it is not being used in practically. The second one is tacit knowledge which depends on individual’s action and experience, as well as in the ideas, values or emotions and it is hard to formalise as explicit knowledge. Tacit knowledge can also divide into “technical” and “cognitive” knowledge. The technical knowledge can be gained through work experience. This kind of knowledge can be developed by individual’s involvement in work and they can develop expertise after years of experience. However, involvement in learning is not a new idea, as following Chinese quotation shows:
“Tell me……………………………I’ll forget,
Show me………………………….I’ll remember,
Involve me……………………......I’ll understand.”
-K’ung Fu Tze (551-479 BC)
This kind of knowledge is very success in Europe however it doesn’t make clear the scientific or technical principle behind what they are doing. It would be very success when individual would get highly subjective and personal insights, intuitions, hunches and inspiration at work place, University or Higher Education Institute, and would involve in such kind of work, can develop expertise after few years experience. It would be very expertise knowledge for that particular field. Tacit knowledge also contains an important dimension which is known as cognitive. Cognitive knowledge contains of beliefs, perceptions, ideals, values, emotions and mental models are deeply embedded to us. This kind of tacit knowledge shapes the way the student or individual understand the world around us so that it cannot be marked with apparent very easily.
The approaches of model of man:
University students the most important thing is to set target and goal for readiness to learn and cutting down procrastination time. Learning is a feature of all human activity. Learning means to develop knowledge and skills. A child learns to eat, walk and talk through trial and error and learns with body, not only with mind. But it is also universally truth that Body or matter does have an extension we can see and touch but doesn't think, a mind has no extension but thinks. Thus, according to the Cartesian, true knowledge can be obtained only by the mind, not by the body, when we want to get professionalism in that particular field. Some of the intellectual tradition also depends on different learning process. In the western intellectual tradition values depends on value precise, conceptual knowledge and systematic sciences however in the Eastern intellectual tradition values depends upon direct, personal experience. These are the different traditions that make the difference in the importance in explicit and tacit knowledge. The growth of any society requires individuals to develop new skills and competencies and to have flexible attitude to cope with future challenges. A student learn at University that
· What to do which includes skills and knowledge. How to be that includes role behaviour.
· The ropes that includes socialisation process and culture.
· The social rules that include norms and attitude.
· Personal development that includes skills of maturing, assessing, advising, policy development which include learning organisations.
· Coping with changes and development, enabling ‘loose’ creative and laterals thinking.
As characteristics of model of man, it is vary about their thinking, target, goal, behaviour, and attitude. Their motivation factors are also varying between each other. A rational-economic person’s main thing is money. A University student whose thinking is rational-economic is always motivated to acquire to get only degree not knowledge. He/She is always motivated by money. A social concept person’s main goal is to get opportunity for development. That type of student always motivated by quality education than the money. Their main target to get quality education, which will help them to do something for society and world. A self-acquisition person’s main motivation factor is quality education. That type of student always wants to get quality education that will help them to be a qualified person for the sector. They always do hard for to get knowledge and skill for competitive world. A complex person’s motivation is also complex because they are very strict and may be motivated by both money and knowledge. Some are motivated by money and some are knowledge however they always strict about their work. A complex man mainly motivated by knowledge and skill because they are strict about their work and they do not like public contact. Actually, they always like to be in a high post in any company and organisation. To get a high post, they always motivated to get more and more skills and knowledge to achieve their goals
Conclusion:
The majority of University student’s prime motivation is different among different characteristics, attitude, value, goal, behaviour, environment, age and culture. Most of the students go to University to get degree which is sorting machine for employers, must ensure that their own degree is awarded by elite University rather than the college down the road, or pursuers further degrees. Universities are increasing as produces and disseminators of useful knowledge that they justify their claim on public purse. From the above facts and points, it can be concluded that majority of University students are motivated for knowledge than to get wealth.
References:
1. Armstrong, M., (1996), Personnel management, Kogan page limited, London. 2. J. Mullin, L., (1999), Management and organisation behaviour, Financial times & Pitman publication UK 3. L.Gibson, J. and M. Ivan (1998), Organisation-behaviour-structure-process, IRWIN publication, USA 4. McKenna, E. (1998), Business psychology and organisational behaviour: A student handbook, Psychology press ltd, UK 5. Chase, Richard B., Nicholas J. Aquilano, (1995), PRODUCTION AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT: Manufacturing and Services, 7 th , IRWIN 6. Payne, Andrew C., Chelsom, John V., Lawrence R. P. Reavill, (1996) Management for Engineers, John Wiley & Sons Ltd., West Sussex, England. 7. Shrestha & Adhikari (March 2002), Self-Esteem and Nepali Managers, Business Age Monthly Magazine, Nepal (Web: http://www.nepalnews.com/ New Business-age). 8. Poddar, Hanuman Prasad, (1985) THE PHILOSOPHY OF LOVE- Bhakti Sutras of Devsrsi Narada, Radha Press, Delhi, India 9. Curtis, Graham and Cobham, David, (2002) BUSINESS INFORMATION SYSTEMS-Analysis, Design and Practice, 4 th Edition, Pearson Education Ltd., Essex, England 10. http://www.prospectus.ac.uk/ (2004 Prospects Postgrad, Spring)

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