Marija Čutura Mirela Mabić Faculty of Economics University of Mostar Bosnia and Herzegovina AN EXAMINATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP AMONG ATTITUDES TOWARDS EDUCATION AND WORK RELATED VALUES OF THE YOUTH IAREP - Rome

Research background This paper relies on the values’ dimensions defined in the study of work related values of young in Croatia (Matić, 1991). The main starting point for this paper was to establish the future employability characteristics of this social group based on: –value orientation towards the work, –and potential relation between student’s attitudes towards education their work related values.

Sampling and questionnaire characteristics Upperclassmen from three faculties at The University of Mostar were sampled (n=210). According to Matić (1991) the examinees were offered 20 characteristics of future employment and asked to evaluate how desirable are certain characteristics of future employment or job organization to them. The second part of the questionnaire contains the claims about the importance of education and possibilities that education offers in social positioning. Participants were asked to evaluate on the Likert’s type scale from 1-the least evaluated to 5-the most evaluated all proposed statements.

Working hypotheses H1 Statistically significant differences between students according to their age, sex and faculty will not be present because of the small range of sample and the similarities of generational and social position since there are only students in this sample. H2 High evaluation of education is in positive relation with value orientations towards work which express intrinsic aspects of work.

Research findings Considering the mentioned study (Matić,1991) relation between five groups of value orientations was tested, (Figure no. 1). In data analyzing factor analysis of main components, varimax rotation factor analysis and the classical variance analysis were used (ANOVA). Internal consistency of all the scales was confirmed by satisfied Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient (  ≥.7). SPSS- statistical package

Figure no. 1 The hierarchy of values for the sample of students at The University of Mostar

Figure no. 2 The overlapping of values’ dimensions

Table no. 1 Correlation between value orientationsn towards work Factor 1. Factor 2. Factor 3. Factor 4. Factor 5. Factor 1. Self-actualization value orientation Factor 2. 0,514(**) Socially altruistic value orientation 0,000 Factor 3. 0,145(*)0,243(**) Utilitarian value orientation 0,0360,000 Factor 4. 0,474(**)0,223(**)0,076 Adventurous value orientation 0,0000,0010,275 Factor 5. 0,347(**)0,393(**)0,301(**)0,227(**) Authoritarian-technocratic value orientation 0,000 0,001 ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level. * Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level.

Figure no. 3 Separated scale with dominant social-altruistic and authoritarian-technocratic value dimensions (varimax rotation)

Figure no. 4 Separated scale with dominant self-actualization value dimensions (varimax rotation)

Table no. 2 Separated scales of attitudes towards education Factor 1 Attitudes towards chances offered by the formal education MeanVariance Factor loading It is worth to study 4,200,7890,590 People who complete studies have a reputation in society 3,900,9650,612 Studying means invest in one’s own future 4,530,5280,396 Factor 2 Attitudeds towards long term learning MeanVariance Factor loading Upon obtaining diploma it is necessary to improve in a profession 4,630,3860,402 Human has to learn all his life to be able to become an expert in some field 4,640,4040,357

Scale 1Scale 2Factor 1Factor 2 Scale 1 Altruistic - authoritarian- technocratic value orientation 0,610(**)0,1110,172(*) 0,0000,1100,000 Scale 2 Self-actualization value orientation 0,632(**)0,580(**) 0,0270,000 Factor 1 Positive evaluation of educational chances 0,335(**) 0,001 Factor 2 Positive evaluation of long term learning ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level. * Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level. Table no. 3 Correlation analysis (Testing of H2)

Conclusion Judging by the hierarchy of the values, the utilitarian (extrinsic) dimension is dominant in value orienatations towards work in the case of our sample. When it comes to structure of value system, separated value orientations point on the domination of self-actualization and socially altruistic (intrinsic) value dimensions that appear in all combinations. According to results of the analysis there are the least meeting points between self-actualization and utilitarian dimensions of work values. It is visible considering the hierarchy and the structure of work values in that an expressive meaning of work overlaps with its instrumental meaning showing close position of, in fact, opposite aspirations. Self-actualization value orientation in this case comprehends the characteristics of demanding work and challenging professions and in this case it is closely related to positive attitudes towards education.

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