CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

With the rise of the hospitality and tourism industry in recent years, this dynamic

sector has experienced a significant development; one contributing factor is the

inquisitiveness of students in these fields. Thus, over the years, this created a vacancy

that seeks for skilled employees to fill in the positions. However, employees should be

well equipped with sufficient skills and knowledge to fit in for the position one is intended

for.

In order to succeed in the profession, skill such as employability is a prerequisite.

Success requires an employee’s full potential with the involvement of skills for this will

allow them to showcase what one can contribute to an organization. Some significant

employability skills include communication, problem solving, teamwork, planning and

organizing, and creativity. All of these are the key components in identifying whether an

employee is well performing, and if it is proportional to the company’s performance.

Career preparedness on the other hand secures an individual with equipped

skills, and knowledge regarding the profession one is planning to undertake. Aside from

skills and knowledge learnt, an individual who is prepared for a career still shows

willingness to learn new skills and knowledge in order to be fully equipped with things

which are needed in the workplace.

As defined by Coursera, employability skills are skills applied into a workplace,

these are the abilities or talents that are useful and relevant to various jobs, this term is

also referred to as transferable skills that are significant in making an employee

impactful. Meanwhile, according to Indeed, career preparedness is the process of

getting yourself ready for the workforce. This includes developing new abilities, setting

objectives, and getting ready for a career. Thus, one who is prepared for a career is

armed with employability skills.

Career perception is of utmost significance in an individual's life, especially for

college students aspiring to enter an industry-aligned to their programs. Ambiguous

career paths may cause dissatisfaction and loss of individual resources. Choosing a

career is often complicated, and their long-term results are not immediately apparent to

individuals (Nyamwange & Masai Mara University, 2016). Good career planning leads to

life fulfillment; however, different factors can affect these perceptions. One's career is a

significant concern in youth developmental life. It is associated with either negative or

positive psychological, physical and socio-economic variations which exist beyond a

young age in the adult stage (Twumasi et al., 2018).

Educational institutions are also important in preparing students for careers in

their chosen fields. They cultivate the information and abilities required in the sector and

shape students' ideas of their future careers. The Far Eastern University's Institute of

Tourism and Hotel Management (ITHM) likewise plays these important roles with its

students. Students who enroll in the BS Tourism Management and BS Hotel and

Restaurant Management programs do so for a variety of reasons and motives. The

curricula of both programs are designed to prepare graduates to be highly competent

and competitive practitioners both within and outside of the institution. The growing

demand for more sustainability in the tourism sector has resulted in the development of

new curriculum and learning environments (Ali et al., 2017; Camargo & Gretzel, 2017;
Hales & Jennings, 2017). Because of the nature of tourism and hospitality education,

some practical courses may necessitate the usage of professional equipment used in

commercial settings. As a result, tourism and hospitality educators should consider

changing traditional teaching approaches to ensure that online courses are as good as

offline courses (Ye, I., & Law, R., 2021).

As stated in the study of Divan and McBurney (2016), students in the control

group are the least certain regarding their future career plans. Investigation of the

reasons why the control group did not participate in the employability programs was

outlined and their lack of career preparation is necessary for further investigation.

Moreover, employers are hesitant to hire recent graduates because they lack the

essential skills and training, according to the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and

Industry's Human Resources Development Foundation Inc. (PCCI HRDF).

Employability abilities are linked with career preparedness and significantly

influenced by it. The generic abilities of career preparation were shown to have a major

impact on employability skills when independently regressed (Gevana and Tan, 2023).

Prior studies have found to support this study, this would also provide

researchers a foundation for conducting the study. These studies highlight the

importance of career preparedness and employability skills for hospitality and tourism

students. They suggest that students who participate in employability programs and

develop their career preparation abilities are more likely to have better employability

skills and be more attractive to employers.

 Bridging the gap, the study aims to determine which domain of career

preparedness best influences the employability skills of hospitality and tourism students.

Specifically, this study aims to describe the level of career preparedness of hospitality

students in terms of generic skills; and hospitality-related skills.

Research Locale

The research study was conducted in Batangas City. The researchers gathered

respondents enrolled in BS International Hospitality Management at the University of

Batangas. These respondents were gathered by requesting the list of the enrollees from

the professors and were asked to answer the survey through an online survey

questionnaire converted in Google Forms.

Statement of the Problem

The purpose of this study is to determine the career perception of the University

of Batangas International Hospitality Management students.

More specifically, this study sought answers to the following questions:

1. What is the profile of the respondent according to:

1.1 Sex

1.2 Year Level

1.3 Previous experience job/training in the Hospitality Industry

2. How do the hospitality management students perceive their career after

graduation;
 3. How do student assess their employability skills ;

4. Is there a significant difference between the profile of the respondents and

their career perception and assessment of employability skills after they

graduate?

5. What strategy could be proposed to enhance employability skills of the

students?

Hypothesis of the Study

The research study premised on the null hypothesis that there is no association

between the respondents' profile and their perception of their career after they graduate.

Conceptual Framework

The researchers employed the Independent Variable-Dependent Variable model

of the Conceptual Framework, as implied in the Paradigm, the model illustrates on

determining the relationship between career perception and employability skills of

hospitality students. Specifically, the study aims to describe the level of career
perception of hospitality students in terms of generic skills and hospitality-related skills,

namely the product and services, management skills, service quality, hotel operation,

safety and security, marketing strategy, and planning and organizing.

The independent variable (IV) - dependent variable (DV) model is suitable for this

study because it allows the researchers to examine the relationship between career

perception (IV) and employability skills (DV) of hospitality students. By measuring

career perception in terms of generic skills and hospitality-related skills, the researchers

can determine how these specific aspects of career perception influence employability

skills. This model also allows the researchers to control for other relevant factors or

variables that may influence the relationship between career perception and

employability skills.

Using the IV-DV model, the researchers can test their hypothesis that there is a

positive relationship between career perception (in terms of generic skills and

hospitality-related skills) and employability skills of hospitality students. This model can

also help the researchers identify which specific aspects of career perception have the

greatest impact on employability skills.

Scope and Delimitations

This quantitative study focuses on determining which domain of career

perception best influences the employability skills of hospitality students. The

respondents of the study will be from the program of International Hospitality

Management encompassing second and fourth year graduating students. They will be

chosen using stratified random sampling. The study will be conducted at University of
Batangas during the second semester of the academic year 2022-2023. The

researchers will make use of a correlation research design and will utilize a survey to

gather data from the respondents.

The study is limited to the following variables: Career perceptions of hospitality

students, measured in terms of generic skills and hospitality-related skills, and

employability skills of hospitality students

The study’s population is second year and fourth year college students. The

researchers will consider using stratified random sampling to calculate the sample size.

Significance of the Study

The findings of the study would be beneficial to the following:

Educators. Educators in the hospitality and tourism industry could use the

findings of this study to design more effective employability programs and career

preparation courses that focus on developing the skills that have the greatest impact on

employability.

Employers. Employers in the hospitality and tourism industry could use the

findings of this study to identify potential employees who have strong career

preparedness and employability skills.

Students. Students in the hospitality and tourism industry could use the findings

of this study to better understand the importance of developing their career

preparedness and employability skills in order to succeed in the industry.

 Researchers. Researchers in the field of hospitality and tourism could use the

findings of this study to further their understanding of the relationship between career

preparedness and employability skills and to inform future research on this topic.

Research Paradigm

Definition of Terms

This chapter presents the terms that were conceptually and operationally defined

by the researchers to help readers understand the study further.

Career - refers occupations in the hotel industry such as accommodations, food and

beverages, and front office.

Competence - refers to having suitable or sufficient skill, knowledge, experience, etc. in

the hospitality industry.

Employability skills - This term could be conceptually defined as skills applied into a

workplace that are useful and relevant to various jobs. It refers to transferable skills

needed by the IHM students such as mental, physical, emotional, and social skills.

Operationally, the researchers could measure employability skills using a standardized

assessment tool or survey.

Generic skills - This term could be conceptually defined as general skills that are

applicable across a wide range of jobs and industries. These could include skills such

as communication, problem solving, teamwork, etc. Operationally, the researchers could

measure generic skills using a standardized assessment tool or survey.

Hospitality-related skills - This term could be conceptually defined as specific skills

that are relevant to the hospitality and tourism industry. These could include skills such

as customer service, food and beverage service, hotel operations, etc. Operationally,

the researchers could measure hospitality-related skills using a standardized

assessment tool or survey.

Learning Management System (LMS) - a web-based program or technology used to

organize, implement, and assess a particular learning process.

Students - someone who is studying in order to enter a hospitality profession.

 CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This chapter discusses some relevant research studies and literature that has

been found to support the current investigation. Despite their limitations, these articles

certainly provide researchers a framework for conducting the study.

Conceptual Literature

This section includes concepts and empirical findings found in books, reliable

general references, and articles published in research journals that define the relevant

variables of this study and how they are related to this study.

Career Perceptions of Hospitality Students

According to Menon & Santha (2017) career perception is an individual's desire

to pursue or attain a specific career. It is the aim that someone sets for oneself in order

to attain their intended or existing vocation. Furthermore, it is an individual's perceived

route that he wishes to follow. The concept of perception refers to being aware, having

comprehension, and understanding of something. This concept also refers to a process

whereby the students will organize, select, and interpret their interests to develop a

meaningful career choice in the future (Bordean & Sonea, 2018).

Several articles were created based on different authors' findings; the

researchers agreed that when you say career perception, it refers to being aware of the

interests and talents that an individual wants to pursue in the future. Because the idea

of job perceptions is linked to human decision-making, Njoroge et al. (2015) discovered

that the majority of undergraduate respondents prefer to work for an aircraft company,

despite having previously worked in a hotel.

According to several studies, some students are interested in pursuing a career

in the hospitality industry. Reichenberger, I., and Raymond, E. M. Conducted a study

that could support this statement. (2021). COVID-19, according to the authors, causes

significant disruption and challenges for student recruiting, as well as raising questions

about the future desirability of hospitality and tourism careers. In addition, Mannaa and

Abou-paper Shouk’s showed a good impression of the students, who claimed that they

are delighted to have chosen a hospitality management career path and plan to stay in

the business after graduation (2020).

According to Teerati and Wattanasan (2016), most students identified tourism

and hospitality as important fields in which to offer their knowledge and expertise.

However, as the pandemic had emerged, the students were forced to reconsider their

plans that had been made given the current situation, which caused them uncertainties

towards their career perception knowing that the hospitality industry slowed down

because of the pandemic (Samuel et al., 2020).

Employability Skills of Students

A study titled "Enhancing the Employability Skills of Hospitality Management

Students: A Stakeholder Perspective" by Zhang et al. (2018) proposed a conceptual

framework for enhancing the employability skills of hospitality management students,

which includes strategies such as integrating employability skills into curriculum and

providing students with practical learning experiences.

 A research article titled "Developing employability skills in business graduates:

the role of work-integrated learning" by Smith et al. (2018) suggested that

work-integrated learning can enhance employability skills of business graduates, and

provided examples of successful programs.

Another study titled "Enhancing the Employability of Business Graduates: The

Case of the Hospitality Industry in Thailand" by Kaewkitipong and Napatsorn (2019)

recommended strategies such as collaboration between industry and academia, and

incorporating industry-specific skills into curriculum, to enhance the employability of

business graduates in the hospitality industry.

The Challenges of Hospitality and Tourism Education in the 21st Century" by

Cathy Hsu and Luiz Moutinho (2016) - This article addresses the challenges facing

hospitality and tourism education in the current era, including the need for more

interdisciplinary approaches, the increasing importance of sustainability, and the impact

of digital technologies on the industry.

The demand for highly skilled managers with cross-cultural, context-independent

skills that go beyond the needs of a single industry is rising as a result of the industry's

broad range of services (such as food and beverage, transportation, lodging, and arts

and entertainment) and its ongoing complexity. Additionally, in order to succeed, future

tourism professionals will need to be creative, imaginative, and entrepreneurial, all of

which call for the capacity for critical thought (Stone, Duffy, Pinckney & Bradley, 2017).

The traditional conceptualisation of graduate employability has often focused on

acquiring knowledge, skills, attributes, and behaviours that are valued by employers.
The literature has identified a set of employability abilities that businesses expect new

graduates to have. Flexibility, critical thinking, time management, willingness to learn

(learning skills), oral and written communication skills, problem solving, interpersonal

skills, teamwork skills, numeracy, creativity, leadership skills, conflict management,

ethical awareness, self-confidence, positive attitudes and behaviors, work experience,

enthusiasm and motivation, self-management are the most common employability skills

identified as important by employers.(Mainga et al. 2022; Chhinzer and Russo 2018;

Osmani et al. 2019).

Later conceptualization included the importance of psychological, cultural, and

social capital (Behle 2020; Tomlinson 2017a; Romgens et al. 2020). Views have shifted

from obtaining satisfying work to the adaptive capacity an individual needs for obtaining

and retaining work during an environment of fast-moving changes (De Vos et al. 2021;

Presti et al. 2019). Later conceptualizations include the need to strengthen

self-awareness, self-efficacy, proactivity, career building skills, self-directedness,

resilience, adaptability, agility, reflectivity, persistence/grit, social and cultural

awareness, emotional intelligence, lifelong learning, growth mindset, and labour market

understanding as some of the bedrocks for a sustainable career in precarious,

constantly evolving, and turbulent labour markets of the twenty-first century. (Rowe

2019; Van Harten et al. 2022; Masole and van Dyk 2016; Lock and Kelly 2020). What is

clear is that employability skills are highly sought after by most employers when

recruiting entry-level graduates (Robinson and Garton 2008; Lim et al. 2016; Succi and

Canovi 2020). It is important for students to know which of the above listed skills and

attributes are prioritised by employers.

 The acceleration of digital transformation of work processes necessitates the

development of new soft skills and competencies among recent graduates. Graduates

will need to develop new skills such as complex problem solving, interdisciplinary and

multidisciplinary skills, the ability to handle and analyze large amounts of data,

IT-enabled virtual team collaboration, systems thinking, reasoning, and ideation,

articulation ability, curiosity/imagination, and continuous self-directed active learning.

Such skills will enable future graduates tackle and solve ill-structured, complex, and

interconnected global challenges, such as fighting poverty, climate change, food

security, biodiversity, and water scarcity (World Bank 2019; WEF 2020; Sousa and

Wilks 2018; Deloitte 2020).

Profile of students with their Career perceptions and employability skills

Students' exploration of their future careers has been linked to their perceptions

of study and program relevance (Bennett, 2019). Indeed, employability perceptions

related to program relevance and career exploration could potentially vary across

gender. Tomlinson (2013) concurs that gender can influence students' impressions of

the graduate labor market. Garca-Aracil and van der Velden argue that gender is a

crucial contextual issue because workplaces are socially created, complex spaces,

which may be symptomatic of the dangers of gender generalization. These debates

show that gender variations in employability may exist. According to Bennett et al.

(2020), we expected female students to have higher perceived employability confidence

than male students.

 Colleges and universities usually provide career guidance to their students to

prepare them after they graduate. Most institutions have established stable and

embedded career programs for the students that offer a wide range of activities and

opportunities (Nightingale et al., 2020). The career guidance program aims to achieve

long-term outcomes that are measurable when the students leave the school. The same

study indicated that the engagement of the schools with the local employer for the

success of the career programs is typically challenging in terms of building a good

relationship with them. It is further stated that the development of such programs plays

a huge role in preparing the students in their lives, particularly in choosing a career path

after graduation. This also includes developing students’ ability to choose the right

direction for career opportunities based on their core skills that will suit the corporate

world they will be facing in the future. Thus, such programs are significant and

necessary for the students, especially at this pandemic, to somehow relieve their worry

for their future careers in the tourism industry.

According to Cantos et al. (2019) they discovered that females make superior

career decisions in terms of planning. The reason for this is because women have the

patience to plan before acting. Women desired to establish a plan before making any

career-related decisions. Furthermore, females appear to plan more efficiently than

males. It was due to the fact that females were more focused than guys.

The University of Batangas (UB) is a private university that was formed in 1947

as the Western Philippine College with the goal of providing accessible quality

education to Batangas residents. Since its establishment, the University of Batangas

has strived for academic excellence through a variety of research and development
programs. The institution is divided into three branches: the Hilltop campus, the M.H.

del Pilar, as well as the Lipa campus. Engineering, Business and Accounting, Liberal

Arts, Education, Allied Medical Sciences, Law, Technical Education, and Nursing are all

areas where the university is well-known. The University of Batangas is also proud of its

Criminology and Tourism Management programs, which annually produce competent

workers.

In collaboration with Fast track IT Academy, a full-service training facility with a

wide range of Information Technology Courses and Certifications for Front Office, Food

and Beverage procedures, Rooms Division, and Control and Events Management, the

College provides students with a Hotel Management System. It provides a Bachelor of

Science in International Hospitality Management (Dual Diploma Program), a Bachelor of

Science in Tourism Management, and a Bachelor of Science in International Hospitality

Management with a specialty in Travel Management. These programs entail

collaborations with a number of notable organizations in the tourism and hospitality

industries, acting as a strong training ground for students to gain hands-on experience

(University of Batangas, 2017).

Related Literature

I. Foreign

The mentorship program received favorable feedback from both mentors and

mentees. From the mentee's perspective, networks, employability skills, and

self-confidence were improved. Mentors indicated satisfaction with their involvement in

the local community. It was difficult to match mentors with suitable mentees. The

relationship failed from a perceived poor match. Mentors noted that mentees lacked a
clear professional path and appeared to comprehend the expectations of the mentoring

process only to a certain extent (Spence and Hyams-Ssekasi, 2015).

Employability has been described in many, related ways throughout literary

genres. Strong similarities exist between the two study lines for a number of component

characteristics of employability, as suggested by Romgents, Scoupe, and Beausaert

(2019). The importance of social skills, including networking skills, the necessity of

lifelong learning, the need to (pro-)actively as well as passively adapt to changing

situations and environments, and metacognitive skills for self-reflection on one's goals

and values, ambitions, and identity are just a few of the examples. In explaining the

significance of establishing a good work-life balance and emotional regulation,

respectively, both study streams—from higher education and workplace

learning—complement one another.

II. Local

The respondents' high levels of job readiness and employability abilities imply

that both variables' measurements are often exhibited. The study's conclusions also

showed a correlation between career readiness and employability abilities and their

considerable effect. The general skill of career preparation was shown to have the

greatest effect on employability skills when independently regressed (Gevana and Tan,

2021).

Related Studies

I. Foreign

A study conducted by Cheng et al. (2022), demonstrates that the UK government

has given higher education institutions employability responsibility despite abundant

evidence that it must be shared by all important partners for it to be effective.

Additionally, there is a disparity between the government's strategy for employability and

what companies demand of job candidates.

Various employability skills namely communication, problem-solving, teamwork,

planning, and creativity shows a great significance in attaining the objective of the study.

The study of Tankovik et al., (2022) investigated the communication skills of

Generation Z as future tourism employees. The study used a questionnaire to explore

five communication skill dimensions: written, oral, listening, digital, and non-verbal

communication skills influencing the intention to improve these communication skills.

Findings indicated that nonverbal communication skills belong to the high

importance-high performance group

Moreover, one study advocated for problem-solving orientation in tourism

interfirm exchanges and identified critical relational behaviors necessary for instilling it.

The behaviors were identified by considering key characteristics of the tourism industry

and their corresponding business implications

Communication skills in Generation Z as future tourism employees (Mwesiumo,

2019)

Furthermore, a study conducted by McEwan et al. (2017) found positive and

significant medium-sized effects of teamwork interventions on both teamwork and team

performance.

Additionally, a study investigated the effect of transformational leadership and

social capital on creativity from the perspective of tourism and hospitality students. The

study found that interaction frequency, cooperative culture, and knowledge sharing in
the learning environment setting were important factors for increasing creativity (Liu,

2017).

Another study conducted by Bavic & Kuo (2021) systematically reviewed studies

in the tourism and hospitality field to strengthen future work on employee creativity. The

study results showed that leadership was the most powerful predating and moderating

factor in employee creativity

II. Local

All of the respondents concurred that they display career knowledge, skills, and

personality preparedness. There is a significant distinction between knowledge and

abilities when arranged by program. It was discovered that participants in the CAKO

program are more knowledgeable and equipped of their future careers. Respondents

enrolled in the CLOCA program are more skilled and prepared. The International

Hospitality Industry Instructors of management programs may assess each student's

performance on an individual basis by having the activities to test students' hospitality

knowledge, abilities, and personalities if they are developed at a level that will equip

them for their future careers. (Vincent et. al., 2018).

The hospitality industry is one of the most lucrative areas for professional

advancement because of its impact on the business sector. In the Hospitality and

Tourism Sector as a service industry, staff quality is a critical aspect in deciding

services. Employees who obtain education in hospitality management and earn

professional competency play a critical role in improving service quality for the industry's

advancement and volume. It is one of the most profitable industries to experience

career growth (Ince & Kendir, 2016). Students should verify that the career they choose

will lead them down the right path. Given all of these factors, every students’ orientation

and application in developing a career and boosting employment in the business after

they graduate are critical. To improve competent and trained personnel' career

pathways, their positive perspective of their professions, and their firm commitment to

the business, the industry must understand and respond to these traits.

Synthesis

This chapter includes the review of related studies. The researchers used

different sources to get information to explain and justify the project.

This study of Menon & Santha (2017), is similar to the study since our study also

discusses the concept of perception refers to being aware, having comprehension, and

understanding of something. This concept also refers to a process whereby the

students will organize, select, and interpret their interests to develop a meaningful

career choice in the future (Bordean & Sonea, 2018).

The hospitality industry. Reichenberger, I., and Raymond, E. M. Conducted a

study that could support this statement. (2021). COVID-19, according to the authors,

causes significant disruption and challenges for student recruiting, as well as raising

questions about the future desirability of hospitality and tourism careers. The study of

Teerati and Wattanasan (2016), is somehow similar to the study since it identified

tourism and hospitality as important fields in which to offer their knowledge and

expertise. (Stone, Duffy, Pinckney & Bradley, 2017), found that in order to succeed,

future tourism professionals will need to be creative, imaginative, and entrepreneurial,

all of which call for the capacity for critical thought

 Zhang et al. (2018) proposed a conceptual framework for enhancing the

employability skills of hospitality management students, which includes strategies such

as integrating employability skills into curriculum and providing students with practical

learning experiences. Smith et al. (2018) discussed that work-integrated learning can

enhance employability skills of business graduates, and provided examples of

successful programs.

Kaewkitipong and Napatsorn (2019) found strategies such as collaboration

between industry and academia, and incorporating industry-specific skills into

curriculum, to enhance the employability of business graduates in the hospitality

industry. Hsu and Luiz Moutinho (2016), This article addresses the challenges facing

hospitality and tourism education in the current era, including the need for more

interdisciplinary approaches, the increasing importance of sustainability, and the impact

of digital technologies on the industry.

(Behle 2020; Tomlinson 2017a; Romgens et al. 2020) satisfying work to the

adaptive capacity an individual needs for obtaining and retaining work during an

environment of fast-moving changes (De Vos et al. 2021; Presti et al. 2019), strengthen

self-awareness, self-efficacy, proactivity, career building skills, self-directedness,

resilience, adaptability, agility, reflectivity, persistence/grit, social and cultural

awareness, emotional intelligence, lifelong learning, growth mindset, and labour market

understanding as some of the bedrocks for a sustainable career in precarious,

constantly evolving, and turbulent labour markets of the twenty-first century.

(Bennett, 2019). Indeed, employability perceptions related to program relevance

and career exploration could potentially vary across gender. Tomlinson (2013) found
that gender can influence students' impressions of the graduate labor market. Bennett

et al. (2020), expected female students to have higher perceived employability

confidence than male students.

(Nightingale et al., 2020).This program aims to achieve long-term outcomes that

are measurable when the students leave the school. The same study indicated that the

engagement of the schools with the local employer for the success of the career

programs is typically challenging in terms of building a good relationship with them.

Cantos et al. (2019) discovered that females make superior career decisions in terms of

planning.

The University of Batangas (UB) has strived for academic excellence through a

variety of research and development programs. (University of Batangas, 2017), a

Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management, and a Bachelor of Science in International

Hospitality Management with a specialty in Travel Management. These programs entail

collaborations with a number of notable organizations in the tourism and hospitality

industries, acting as a strong training ground for students to gain hands-on experience

Several studies have investigated the importance of employability skills such as

communication, problem-solving, teamwork, planning, and creativity in the tourism and

hospitality industry. Cheng et al. (2022) found that there is a disparity between the UK

government’s strategy for employability and what companies demand of job candidates.

Tankovik et al. (2022) found that nonverbal communication skills are highly

important for Generation Z as future tourism employees. Another study advocated for

problem-solving orientation in tourism interfirm exchanges (Mwesiumo, 2019). McEwan

et al. (2017) found positive effects of teamwork interventions on both teamwork and
team performance. Liu (2017) found that transformational leadership and social capital

influence creativity in tourism and hospitality students. Bavic & Kuo (2021) found that

leadership was the most powerful factor in employee creativity.

Locally, Vincent et al. (2018) found that students in the CAKO program are more

knowledgeable and equipped for their future careers while those in the CLOCA program

are more skilled and prepared. They suggest that instructors of management programs

assess each student’s performance on an individual basis to test their hospitality

knowledge, abilities, and personalities. Ince and Kendir (2016) said that the expansion

and volume of the sector are greatly aided by employees who complete courses in

hospitality management and demonstrate their professional expertise. In terms of

professional advancement, it is one of the most profitable sectors.

 CHAPTER 3
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter introduces the methodology that will be employed in the study. This

includes the research design that constitutes the blueprint for the collection,

measurement, and analysis of data. The research instrument is also presented; it is the

primary tool for obtaining data from the respondents. Respondents of the study are also

stated in this chapter, these are the source of the primary data of the study.

Furthermore, data gathering methods are introduced in this part, in which the

researchers will present how the data is being gathered. Data gathering procedure is

also specified, it explains the course of action taken by the researchers to gather the

data.

Research Design

The study's main objective is to determine the career perception of the University

of Batangas Hospitality Management students.

The proponents used the quantitative research method, specifically a descriptive

research design to attain the cited research objectives as it is deemed most appropriate

in assessing current situations. This method enables the researchers to interpret the

findings' theoretical meaning and hypothesis development for further studies. Definitely,

the researchers utilized a survey questionnaire that enabled the researchers to gather

information from the respondents without having any difficulties answering questions

required for the researchers to have information regarding the students' career

perception.
Research Instruments

The researchers will make use of a survey questionnaire as the primary

instrument to obtain data from the respondents which would help the researchers find

answers to the problem presented in the study. A survey questionnaire is a research

instrument consisting of a series of questions prepared by the researchers for the

purpose of gathering data from the respondents. The questions were originally

constructed by the researchers.

Respondents of the Study

The research respondents are the second-year and fourth-year graduating

students of the University of Batangas who are in the field of International Hospitality

Management. They were selected as the respondents since IHM students are primarily

affected by the employment crisis in the tourism and hospitality industry after they

graduate.

Data Gathering Procedures

The researcher first asked for consent from the dean of the department of

International Hospitality Management to conduct the study. Upon approval, with the

guidance of the research adviser, the researcher constructed questions aligned with the

research topic and problem raised. After the construction, the instrument was then

validated.

The next phase is the distribution of questionnaires to the respondents, which will

be answered during their most convenient time. After this step, the researcher will finally

retrieve the questionnaire from the respondents.

Statistical Tools

The following tools will be utilized by the researchers in data treatment.

Frequency count. Is computation of the number of individuals who fall into a particular

group or the frequency with which a feature occurs. Both the absolute (actual number)

and relative (%) totals are used to illustrate this computation.

Percentage. Will be used to determine the data on the distribution of the respondents. It

will be utilized to determine the proportion of the responses of the respondents in each

category.

Formula: P= f/n x 100

Where: P= percentage

f= frequency

n= total of cases

Mean. This is used to determine the average of the responses of the respondents.

Formula:

Where:

x̄- Mean

∑x- sum of x

N- total number of respondents

Likert Scale. It is the most widely used approach to scaling responses in a survey

approach study.