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RES880-W2Assignment-ProspectusPowerpointDraft-2ndRevision.pptxThe Monetary Value of Professional Certifications to Corporations D’Ainsley Smith Dr. Kristine Quade September 26, 2021
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Literature Review: Background to the Problem
A professional certification is becoming more valuable in today’s workplace because employers value a standardized set of skills and qualifications to perform the job – especially in the fields of IT, corporate business, and healthcare. In a competitive job market, certifications offer heightened career advancement opportunities for workers.
In fact, conservative research shows that employees who hold certifications are more confident and knowledgeable, reach job proficiency quicker, are more reliable, and perform at a higher level than those without (Wierschem & Mediavilla, 2018).
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The study provides insight on the larger related scale of employer valuation of academic degrees, certifications, and work experience.
Literature Review: Background to the Problem
The majority of information technology (IT) employment literature is focused on academic degrees and certification. Little, if any, have viewed the big picture of relative employer valuation of academic degrees, certifications, and work experience.
To address this gap, this research focuses on the employer’s relative valuation of academic degrees, certifications, and work experience; this research has failed to acknowledge the curriculum that employers are most (50%) interested in experience (Wierschem & Mediavilla, 2018).
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The study focuses on certification and academic degree programs as it relates to the importance of corporate institutions.
Literature Review: Problem Space
There is limited empirical work to examine the relationship between the elements of career motivation and key employee behavior.
Existing research fails to acknowledge that 50% of employers are most interested in experience (Lisa, Katarina & Newman, 2019).
The research focuses on the employer’s relative valuation of academic degrees, certifications, and work experience.
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Literature Review: Problem Space
Linda and Nurnida (2019), found in their study that training contributes to enhanced employee performance.
The participants were sampled using probability sampling method - Simple random sampling
Data was collected by administering questionnaires to employee at Pharmacy of PT Kimia Farma Unit Bandung.
The data was analyzed using quantitative and descriptive-causality analysis methods.
The results reveal that training increased performance by 41.1%; the other 58.9% was influenced by other factors not examined.
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The study findings on employees at Pharmacy of PT Kimia Farma Unit Bandung revealed that employee training, which is translated to qualification enhance their productivity. However, it only contributes to 41.1% of performance, there are other factors that were not examined, which contribute to 58.9% Training aims at enhancing human skills necessary for a specific type of job.
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Literature Review: Problem Space continued
Sanjeev and Santhi (2019), conducted a quantitative study to determine the relationship between employee’s tenure and performance.
The sample size was 239 employees, sampled from supervisory level employees in the ceramic tile industry in Malaysia.
The study focused organizational factors and employee performance.
The data was analyzed quantitatively
The findings showed that organizational tenure was related to employee performance.
Sanjeev and Santhi (2019), recommended that organizations should allow employees to remain in the organization an extended amount of time.
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The study conducted in the tile making industry focused on determining the relationship between the number of years an employee has worked in the organization and employee performance. The findings showed that the longer an employee worked in an organization, the higher the performance. In this regard, the experience of the employee influences performance.
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Literature Review: Problem Space continued
An empirical study in 2019 on preferred entry-level job qualifications sampled 11,938 entry-level job postings in cyber security. (Jim & Ahmed, 2020).
The findings showed that 60% of the jobs required a college degree in the related field.
Of the 60%, 24% required a graduate degree (Jim & Ahmed, 2020).
29% of the sampled jobs required certification while 16% required skills.
The recommendation is in the cyber security sector, college degree is preferred.
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A study conducted in the cyber security sector showed that the sector preferred college degree, and then followed by certifications, and finally skillsets. This essentially means that industry preferences vary.
Literature Review: Problem Space continued
Pang, et al., (2019), conducted a study in Hong Kong to determine employers’ perceptions of new graduate competencies that contribute to job success.
Questionnaires were administered to business employers
The study revealed that competencies, such as self-control, cooperation, and teamwork, analytical thinking were ranked in high regard.
The study recommended that universities should develop-work oriented programs.
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The study in Hong Kong focused on preferred skills as perceived by employers. In this case, graduates in addition to their academic qualifications should have skills that suit the industry, such as being analytical thinkers. In this case both skill and academic qualifications are deemed necessary approaches.
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Literature Review: Problem Space Continued
A study on employability, which is the personal attributes and skills necessary for graduates to secure employment in Slovakia found that employers focused on practical experience (Lisa, Katarina & Newman, 2019).
The survey involved 27 employers and 534 students from Slovakia.
A study entailed administering questionnaires to employees to determine their perception to graduates and highlight their employability.
The findings showed that 60% of employers ignored fresh graduate students, because of a lack of practical skills or experience in the industry, and only 30% employed those individuals (Lisa, Katarina & Newman, 2019).
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A study conducted in Slovakia on employability found that two-thirds of employers focused on practical experience rather than on academic qualifications.
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Literature Review: Theoretical Foundations
The theoretical foundation of the study is classical theory of employment.
In the classical theory, output and employment are determined by the production function.
The production function: Q=f (K, T, N) where total output (Q) is a function (f) of capital stock (K), technical knowledge (T), and the number of workers (N).
In this study, the focus is on the technical knowledge, which is exhibited through skillsets, experience, certifications, and academic qualifications.
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Employers desire candidates with up-to-date knowledge, and professional certifications that display an individual’s mastery of a particular technology or practice. The classical economists believe in the existence of full employment in the economy. The economists believe that full employment was a normal situation, and any deviation is regarded as something abnormal. There is a tendency of the economic system to automatically provide full employment in the labor market when the demand and supply of labor are equal. Notably, company employees put in long hours of study to achieve the highest level of professional standards or technical knowledge. On the other hand, professional certifications provide increased options to an individual’s career. However, professional certifications are not a requirement in the corporate setting, however employees who attain them add/offer value to the organization.
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Literature Review: Review of Literature
Theme 1: Cognitive Development
Empirical research shows that a relationship exists between professional certification, development, and monetary value.
Theme 2: Employee success
There is a connection between professional certification and employee success in terms of career development.
Theme 3: Employee performance
Professional certifications leads to improved employee performance.
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The focus on the technical knowledge as part of the production function is a mechanism that influences employee success, employee performance, and cognitive development.
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Problem Statement
It is not known how corporate leaders value the use of professional certifications as a perceived profitability to their organization.
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Research Questions and Phenomenon
RQ1: Do corporate leaders value the use of professional certifications as a perceived profitability to their organization.
RQ2: The knowledge and information will be used based on conceptual framework.
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The research question addresses the topic by seeking to unveil the importance of professional certification to an organization’s profitability.
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Research Questions and Phenomenon continued
Phenomenon
Potential employees pursue what they believe would assist their efforts to obtain employment.
Financial, and time constraints allow potential employees to focus on proper assistance programs in their perspective industry.
Potential employees decide amongst obtaining a formal degree, obtaining industry certifications, and obtaining skills or experience in their chosen field or industry.
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Potential employees pursue what they believe may assist them to obtain employment; however, financial, and time constraints allow them to focus on what would help them most. For example, potential employees in the information industry ask questions on whether the cost of a college degree is worth the investment, because employers also look for skills and certifications with the aim of optimizing employee performance.
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Methodology Justification
Qualitative
Archival Documentation Analysis
Stewart and Cash (2017), define qualitative research as one that collects qualitative data, such as perceptions, observations, beliefs using techniques such as oral interviews.
Nelson and Evans (2014), mention that some of the ways of qualitative data collection approaches include, focus group discussions, descriptive interviews, and observation research.
Justification for qualitative:
This process will be completed with small sample size. Qualitative research focuses on the "why" and “how” and depends on the direct experiences and based on this fact this qualitative method is justified.
Quantitative
Apuke ( 2017), defines quantitative research as the determination to collect quantitative data, such as figures and numerals, which are analyzed using quantitative statistical approaches.
Sukamolson (2017), defines quantitative research as one that entails manipulation of observations for the aim of describing the phenomena reflected by observational approach.
Justification against quantitative:
Requires large sample size - Quantitative methodology allows researchers to make predictions using hypotheses
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The qualitative approach use methods, such as descriptive interviews, focus groups discussions, collecting information from social media users, and engaging in archival documentation.
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Design
| Design | Definition | Justification (use /not use) |
| Qualitative Descriptive | The qualitative descriptive involves collecting and analyzing data simultaneously. The analysis is descriptive in nature. It entails extensive description of the phenomena (Lambert & Lambert, 2012). The analysis will include summarization of participant perceptions regarding study questions. | Use The design should be used, because answering the research question will focus on why and how, which are the unique elements characterizing qualitative design. |
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Qualitative descriptive is an empirical method of investigation aiming to describe the informant's perception and experience of the world, and its phenomena. This method is appropriate in the study, because the researcher will reflect and explore responses from the participants.
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Design – Cont’d
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| Design | Definition | Justification (use /not use) |
| Phenomenological | Phenomenological creates an understanding of the scenario based on how it is experienced by the participants without further investigation. The uniqueness of phenomenology is the lived experience, which would differ from participant to participant (Qutoshi, 2018). | Not use. Whereas the participants may have the experience with the phenomena, their perceptions may be different, hence making phenomenological design inappropriate. |
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Phenomenology produces a close examination of the phenomena under-study to explore the complex world of lived experiences from the actors (those who live the experience).
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Design – Cont’d
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| Design | Definition | Justification (use /not use) |
| Narrative | The narrative relies on the spoken or written presentations by participants with the aim of creating a coherent story from participants’ experiences. Under narrative approach, the stories by participants is the data. | Not use The approach is not suitable for the study because the chronological timelines of the participants differ. |
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Design – Cont’d
| Design | Definition | Justification (use /not use) |
| Case Study | Case Study is an in-depth investigation of a group or community by considering the history, development, and other aspects. It is an exploration of a time, and space-bound phenomenon. Case study design is preferred when the researcher wants to answer “how” or “why” questions but he or she has no control over the current real-life context being studied. | Use Case study design may be used when studying the past organizational performance by considering the organization’s choice of technical knowledge, which is a factor in the production output. |
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Design – Cont’d
| Design | Definition | Justification (use /not use) |
| Grounded Theory | Ground Theory focuses on constructing theory from the data collected. Data focuses on the experiences, and the perceptions of the participants. Chun et al., (2019), describes grounded theory as a qualitative approach that aims at discovering or constructing theory from systematically obtained data, and analyzed using comparative analysis. | It should not be used in the study because the focus is not developing a theory from the participants’ experiences. |
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Purpose Statement
The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study is to explore if corporate leaders value the use of professional certifications as a perceived profitability to their Northern United States organization.
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Population, Target Population, and Sample
| Population | Target | Sample |
| Corporate managers and staff supervisors in different industries | The corporate manager is engaged in a managerial position of an organization. Staff supervisor manages a group of employees, he or she monitors and evaluates their performance based on organizational standards. | 50 participants who fit the definition of corporate management professionals, and 50 participants who embody the definition of staff supervisors. |
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Instrumentation and Data Sources
| Data Sources #1 | Data Source #2 |
| Semi-structured interview Requires informed consent from participants Data will be recorded using an Echo Livescribe pen Interviews will last about 30 minutes to one hour The data will be transcribed using MyScribe The data source will answer the research questions | Questionnaire Requires informed consent from the participant Questions developed by using a variation of questions from previous studies Clarifications for participants may be done The data source will answer the research questions |
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Data Collection Steps: Slide 1 Required permissions
Required permissions/approvals (prior to data collection)
Site approval not required
Permission to use each instrument or data source – not required, because they will be developed by the researcher
Obtaining administrative guide and validation information on each data sources from owner/literature – not required
Results of the field tests for qualitative studies - required
Results of the expert panel review for qualitative instruments, such as interviews and questionnaires
GCU Chair and Committee Approvals - required
AQR Approval - required
IRB Approval - required
Consent form from individual participants - required
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Data Collection Steps: Slide 2 Sampling Strategy and Sample Selection
| Strategy #1 | Strategy #2 | |
| Sampling Strategy Description | Convenient sampling – Choose participants based on their availability to respond to the research questions | Random sampling- Involves randomly selecting the participants from a list, all candidates can participate |
| Sampling Steps | Identify organizations in Northern United States Identify organizations that only hire certified employees Identify organizations that hire only academically qualified employees List the corporate managers and staff supervisors of the organizations | Identify organizations in Northern United States Identify organizations that only hire certified employees Identify organizations that hire only academically qualified employees Randomly select them from the list |
| Sampling Selection Criteria | Available and willing to participate in the study | Once selected |
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Data Collection Steps: Slide 3 Collecting the Data
Step 1: Identify the target population and sample the participants who are corporate managers, and staff supervisors.
Step 2: Inform leaders based on the intention of the study, and obtain informed consent
Step 3: Conduct one-on-one verbal interviews
Step 4: Administer follow-up questionnaires
Step 5: Collection of questionnaires and recorded interviews
Step 6: Conduct participant interview transcript reviews (ITR)
Step 7: Produce final transcripts for data analysis
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Data Collection Steps: Slide 4 Data Management and Storage
Where will you store the data? – The data will be stored on secured file systems and platforms.
How long will you store the data? – 3 years for a dissertation and 10 years for articles.
How will you protect the data? Data protection is provided through non-accessible control settings
How will you destroy the data? Participant questionnaires will be shredded, and recorded interviews/statements will be deleted from digital recording platforms
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Data Analysis Steps: Slide 1
Data Source #1-Interview – Analysis Strategy
Thematic analysis
Step 1: Collected coded data
Step 2: Data is organized and prepared for analysis using MAXQDA
Step 3: The researcher will review, and identify emerging patterns from the transcribed data
Step 4: The researcher will identify themes addressing research questions
Step 5: Researcher will use descriptive statistics to summarize the data
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Data Analysis Steps: Slide 1
Data Source #1-Interview – Coding Process
Coding is a method of mapping or indexing data, with a focus of obtaining an overview of disparate data.
Coding allows the researcher to properly research collected data in relation to the research questions.
Transcripts will be evaluated, and provided the proper research, and recordings will be reviewed.
Each part of the transcript will be coded into specific themes, based on deduced coding that will reflect the theoretical foundation.
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Data Analysis Steps: Slide 1
Data Source #1-Interview – Coding Process
Similarities in the data is recognized and coded into themes, this effort assists with the research review process.
Themes will be reviewed, modified, and refined to ensure the information relates, and is a reflective meaning of the data.
Themes will receive final refinement to identify the essence of each theme.
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Data Analysis Steps: Slide 2
Data Source #2 – questionnaire-
Thematic analysis
Step 1: Data will be organized and prepared for analysis using MAXQDA
Step 2: Researcher will review, and identify emerging patterns based on data
Step 3: Researcher will identify themes addressing research questions
Step 4: Researcher will use descriptive statistics to summarize the data
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Feasibility - Slide 1
Resources for study:
Sample of oral interviews from previous research
Questionnaires from previous exercises, this process enriches the development of the research question
Audio recording
Observation Worksheets
Ethical Concerns:
Confidentiality of collected information
Informed consent before continuing with the study
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Feasibility – Slide 2
Feasibility Concerns:
Time constraints to the study are possible
The study is feasible, because it will yield new information
Findings are beneficial to professional employees and Corporations
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Study Alignment with Program
The study aligns with the program of study: Doctorate of Business Administration with an emphasis on Finance.
The research study is a contribution based on professional certifications influence to an organization’s profitability.
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Next Steps
Organize and schedule meetings/appointments with business professionals and industry experts familiar with expected challenges when addressing the topic
Begin research process, and literature review to understand the available information concerning the topic of choice
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The next steps will involve connecting with experts on the topic and familiarizing with expected challenges when addressing the topic. Then, conducting the literature review to understand the available information concerning the topic of choice.
List of References
Apuke, O. D. (2017). Quantitative Research Methods: A Synopsis Approach. Kuwait Chapter of Arabian Journal of Business and Management Review, 6(11), pp. 40-47. Doi: 10.12816/0040336
Chun Tie, Y., Birks, M. & Francis, K. (2019). Grounded theory research: A design framework for novice researchers. SAGE open medicine, 7, 2050312118822927
Jim, M. & Ahmed, E (2020). Skills, certifications or degrees: What companies demand for entry-level cyber-security jobs. Information Systems Education Journal, 18(1), pp. 22-29
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List of References
Lambert, V. & Lambert, C. (2012). Editorial: Qualitative descriptive research: An acceptable design. Pacific Rim International Journal of Nursing Research, 1(1), pp. 1-5
Linda, M. & Nurnida, I. (2019). The effect of training on employee’s performance. Journal Sektretaries & Administrasi Bisnis, 2(2), pp. 52-55. Doi: 10.31104/jsab.v2i2.49
Lisa, E., Katarina, H. & Newman, D. (2019). Comparison between employers’ and students’ expectations in respect of employability skills of university graduates. International Journal of Work-integrated Learning, 20(1), pp. 71-82.
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List of References
Nelson, G. & Evans, S. D. (2014). Critical Community Psychology and Qualitative Research: A Conversation. Qualitative Inquiry, 20(2), pp. 158-166. Doi: 10.1177/1077800413510873
Pang, E., Wong, M., Leung, C. H. & Coombes, J. (2019). Competencies for fresh graduates’ success at work: Perspectives of employers. Industry and Higher Education, 33(1), pp. 55-65. DOI: 10.1177/095042221879233
Sanjeev, R. & Santhi, J. (2019). Investigating employee’s tenure and performance among middle managers: The moderating role of psychological empowerment. International Journal of Academic Research in Business $ Social Sciences, 9(6), pp. 548-559. Doi: 10.6007/IJARBSS/v9-i6/5971
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List of References
Stewart, C. J. & Cash, W. B., Jr. (2017). Interviewing principles and practices. 15th edition. New York: McGraw Hill Education
Sukamolson, S. (2007). Fundamentals of quantitative research. Language Institute Chulalongkorn University, 1(3), pp. 1-20.
Wierschem, D. & Méndez Mediavilla, F. A. (2018). Entry Level Technology Positions: No Degree Required. Journal of Information Systems Education, 29(4), pp. 253-268
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