Summary of thesis of Education management: Management of graduation internship activities of business administration students in Ho Chi Minh city complying with the outcome standards approach

VIETNAM ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES GRADUATE ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

PHAM QUOC LUYEN

MANAGEMENT OF GRADUATION INTERNSHIP ACTIVITIES OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION STUDENTS IN HO CHI MINH CITY COMPLYING WITH THE OUTCOME STANDARDS APPROACH

Major: Education Management Major Code: 9.14.01.14

SUMMARY OF THESIS OF EDUCATION MANAGEMENT

Hanoi - 2021

This work was completed at

GRADUATE ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

Supervisor: Dr. Do Thi Le Hang Ass. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Khac Hung

Ass.Prof. Dr. Tran Thi Tuyet Oanh Hanoi National University of Education

Ass.Prof. Dr. Tran Thi Minh Hang National Academy of Education Management

Reviewer 1: Organization: Reviewer 2: Organization: Reviewer 3: Organization: Ass.Prof. Dr. Pham Van Son Ministry of Education and Training

The thesis will be defended in front of the academical dissertation evaluation panel holding at the Graduate Academy of Social Sciences at ……. hour …… .. date …… month …… year 2021 The thesis can be found at:

- National Library of Vietnam; - Library of the Graduate Academy of Social Sciences

INTRODUCTION

1 The necessary of the thesis title

In education activities at universities, it is especially important and necessary to train professional skills for students while equipping them with knowledge. This is the fundamental to improve the training quality.

Graduation internship is an activity of training vocational skills for students in the practical working environment after systemically equipped with theoretical and professional knowledge at the higher education institutions before graduation. This is an indispensable module in the undergraduate training process for students in general, and for business administration students in particular because of the benefits that the internship brings. For the graduation internship activities of the BBA students to be effective, it is necessary to have the management of this activity from the Rector, the administrators, and other departments of the university.

In higher education, to develop in the right direction, ensure and improve the training quality, it is necessary to comply with the educational standardization. Nowadays, the universities have communicated the outcome standards and have managed the education activities complying with those the outcome standards approach. However, whether management activities have really been implemented properly and brought highly practical results as expected or not? Up to recently, there have not been much research works in Vietnam that reflect, so it needs to be further studied.

Being brought into Vietnam since the early 1990s, the BBA program has become one of most common bachelor programs in many universities. However, the educational quality of the program has not met the increasing demands of businesses in Vietnam. This situation raises the need to improve the quality in educating the BBA program to meet the human resources need of the society. In order to fulfill that requirement, in addition to solutions to improve the quality of training management in general, it is necessary to have research on finding solutions to improve the quality of managing the graduation internship activities complying with the outcome

standards approach for Business Administration students. However, up to now, no research on this issue has been done in Vietnam in general and in Ho Chi Minh City in particular.

Stemming from the above reasons, the thesis title “Management of graduation internship activities of business administration students in Ho Chi Minh City complying with the outcome standards approach” was selected for research. 2 Research purpose and tasks 2.1 Research purpose

Researching the theory and assessing the status of management of graduation internship activities of business administration students, then proposing solutions to manage graduation internship activities complying with the outcome standards approach at universities in Ho Chi Minh city, contributing to improve the quality of the BBA program in order to meet the demand of high quality human resources from the businesses and society. 2.2 Research tasks - Literature review on management of graduation internships of students complying with the outcome standards approach.

- Building a theoretical framework for the management of graduation internships of business administration students complying with the outcome standards approach.

- Evaluate the management status of graduate internship activities of graduation internships of business administration students complying with the outcome standards approach and the factors affecting the management of these activities.

- Proposing some solutions to manage graduation internship activities of Business Administration students in Ho Chi Minh City complying with the outcome standards approach and test a solution. 3 Object and scope of the study 3.1 Object of the study Management of graduation internship activities of BA students in Ho

Chi Minh City complying with the outcome standards approach. 3.2 Scope of the study

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3.2.1 Research content

In this study, stemming from the outcome standards and management functions approaches, the thesis focuses on researching the functions of management of graduation internship activities of Business Administration students in Ho Chi Minh City, including planning, organizing, directing, testing and evaluating the graduation internship activities of Business Administration students in Ho Chi Minh City complying with the outcome standard approach. 3.2.2 Research area

Research on graduation internship activities and management of graduation internship for BBA students at some HEIs in Ho Chi Minh City: University of Economics - Finance, University of Finance - Marketing, University of Economics of Ho Chi Minh City, University of Economics and Law; Ho Chi Minh City Open University and Van Hien University; Research on graduation internship activities of BBA students in different types of businesses in Ho Chi Minh City and neighboring provinces. 3.2.3 Research participants

Total number of respondents: 722 people. In which, educational managers: 50 people; Instructors: 110 people; administrators and student guidance officers at businesses: 162 people; graduation internship students and alumni: 400 people. 3.2.4 Management subjects identifies the main subjects as This study

the University’s administrators, leaders of Business Administration faculty/department and other subjects as the coordinating subject. 3.2.5 Time of study Data of the status of training activities from 2015 to 2019, surveying

and testing proposed solutions in 2019. 3.2.6 Organization of testing

The solution testing was conducted at the Faculty of Business Administration, University of Finance - Marketing and Faculty of Economics, University of Economics - Finance, HCMC. 4 Research methods 4.1 Research approach

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The thesis was finished based on the following research approaches: outcome standard approach; managerial functions; operational approach; and systematic approach. 4.2 Specific research methods

The following research methods were jointly used in the research process: Documentation; Survey by questionnaire investigation; In-depth interview; Test method; and mathematical statistics analysis. 4.3 Research questions

The thesis was designed to answer the following research questions: 1. What scientific point of view is the research on management of graduation internship activities of Business Administration students based on? What is the theoretical framework of management of graduation internship activities of Business Administration students complying with the outcome standard approach?

2. What is the current situation of management of graduation internship activities of business administration students in Ho Chi Minh City complying with the outcome standards approach? 3. Are there any factors that affect the efficiency of management of graduation internship activities of business administration students in Ho Chi Minh City complying with the outcome standards approach?

4. What management solutions need to be implemented to improve the quality of management of graduation internship activities of business administration students in Ho Chi Minh City complying with the outcome standards approach? 4.4 Research assumption

If the research proposes and synchronously applies management solutions to practically scientifically managing graduation internship activities of business administration students complying with the outcome standards approach, it is possible to improve the quality of educating BBA program at the universities in HCMC. 5 New contributions of the thesis 5.1 Theoretically

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The thesis has built a theoretical framework on management of graduation internship activities of business administration students complying with the outcome standards approach at universities. In which, including constructs and theoretical issues about the graduation internship activities of business administration students, management of graduation internships of business administration students complying with to the outcome standards approach and factors affecting the effectiveness of managing these activities. By using the outcome standards approach and the managerial functions approach, the thesis has concretized the management contents such as planning; organizing; leading and directing; controlling and evaluating graduation practice activities of students. 5.2 Practically

The thesis has analyzed and assessed the actual status of graduation internship activities and management of the graduation internship activities of business administration students in Ho Chi Minh City complying with the outcome standards approach; as well as factors affecting the effectiveness of managing these activities. Based on theoretical and practical research results, the thesis has proposed 5 solutions to manage graduation internships of business administration students in Ho Chi Minh City complying with the outcome standards approach. 6 Significances of the thesis 6.1 Theoretically

The research findings contribute to enrich the theoretical framework on management of graduation internship activities of business administration students complying with the outcome standard approach. 6.2 Practically

The research findings will be a significant reference to help leaders of HEIs apply to the management of graduation internship activities complying with the outcome standards approach for students, especially Business Administration students. This is also a useful reference for researching, teaching, and learning about management of training and graduation internships in higher educational institutions. 7 Structure of the thesis

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Besides the introduction, conclusion, recommendations, references and appendices, the thesis is arranged into 04 chapters: Chapter 1. Overview of related studies; Chapter 2. Literature review for managing the graduation internships of business administration students complying with the outcome standard approach; Chapter 3. The practice of managing graduation internship activities of Business Administration students in Ho Chi Minh City according to outcome standards; and Chapter 4. Solutions to manage graduate internships of Business Administration students in Ho Chi Minh City complying with outcome standards approach.

Chapter 1 OVERVIEW OF THE RELATED STUDIES ON MANAGING THE STUDENTS’ GRADUATION INTERNSHIPS COMPLYING WITH THE OUTCOME STANDARD APPROACH 1.1 Studies on graduation internship activities complying with the outcome standards approach

The domestic and foreign studies on graduation internship activities in recent years focused on the main contents such as: objectives, contents and form of graduation internship.

1.2 Studies on management of graduation internship activities complying with the outcome standards approach

The domestic and foreign studies on management of graduation internships over the past years have focused on major contents such as planning, leading, and implementing the internship plan, and testing and evaluating the graduation internship activities.

1.3 Overview of the related studies

Previous studies have been focused on several common arguments include:

- Graduation internship is an activity that plays an important role in forming career skills for students. Organizing graduation internships for students is essential in completing the training process and improving the quality of education.

- Management of graduation internship activities of Business Administration students need to innovate and perfect complying with modern approaches.

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- Management of graduation internship activities of Business Administration students complying with the outcome standards approach should be done synchronously through stages: planning, organizing, directing, and evaluating graduation internships consistent with career characteristics, competency frameworks and program outcome standards...

Chapter 2 LITERATURE REVIEW FOR MANAGING THE

GRADUATION INTERNSHIPS OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION STUDENTS COMPLYING WITH THE OUTCOME STANDARD APPROACH

2.1 Graduation internship outcome standard for business administration students

Outcome standards are the requirements of professional knowledge, skills and attitudes that students achieve after completing a training program and are linked by the higher education institutions with learners, employers and the society. In other words, the outcome standard is the expected learning achievement that we see on our educational object and it must be so specific that it becomes teachable content.

Typical program outcome standards of Business Administration curriculum include areas of knowledge, skills and attitudes associated with specific skills.

Based on the program outcome standards and the actual requirements of the training activities at the university, the managers of graduation internships shall supplement and adjust the contents of graduation internship module in the curriculum framework within the regulated scope. Therefore, the outcome standard of the graduate internship module of Business Administration students is also based on the BBA program outcome standard, with all requirements on internship objectives, knowledge, skills, and similar attitudes.

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2.2 Graduation internship activities of business administration students complying with the outcome standards approach

2.2.1 Concept

Internship activities complying with the outcome standards approach is a system of students’ field guided activities before graduation in order to solidate knowledge, develop skills and professional attitude, thereby, meeting the program outcome standards.

2.2.2 Role and significances of students’ graduation internships complying with the outcome standards approach

Graduation internships play a role in strengthening knowledge and training skills and attitudes for students before graduation.

Graduation internship complying with the outcome standards approach is a practical training stage, contributing to the implementation of educational principles, linking theory with practice in the process of educating BBA program. It helps students apply professional knowledge and skills to practice, practice doing professional tasks; thereby forming, training, and strengthening professional practice competences; Forming discipline, self-awareness, habits and learning behavior for interns, practicing ethical and professional qualities for interns; Helping higher education institutions benchmark and evaluate the quality of its education products.

2.2.3 Objectives of graduation internships of business administration students complying with the outcome standards approach

Objectives of graduation internships of business administration students complying with the outcome standards approach consist of general objective and specific objectives.

2.2.4 Contents of graduation internships of business administration students complying with the outcome standards approach

The graduation internship activities of Business Administration students complying with the outcome standard approach focus on the following contents: systemize and apply in practice the equipped knowledge of business administration science; Formation and consolidation of occupational skills complying with the professional competency framework and outcome standards; Fostering professional

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attitudes and management styles; and Solve practical situations in business administration and build relationships with business.

2.2.5 Process and forms of graduation internships of business administration students complying with the outcome standards approach

In general, the basic steps in the graduation internship process include: - Step 1: Prepare the graduation internship activity. - Step 2: Implement the graduation internship at the internship bases. - Step 3: Report the results of the graduation internship. The organization of graduation internships for business administration students often applies one of two forms: uncoordinated part-time form and coordinated form. In particular, the form of coordination can be divided into two more specific forms: internship by groups under guidance of HEIs’ mentor; and internship by group without guidance of HEIs’ mentor Semi- concentrated.

2.2.6 Examining and evaluating of the graduation internships of business administration students complying with the outcome standards approach

The examination and evaluation of the graduation internships of business administration students complying with the outcome standards approach must ensure the following contents and requirements: - Meet the requirements in examining and assessing graduation internships. - Examining and evaluating the contents of graduation internship activities;

- The results of assessment of graduation internship activities must: accuracy, fairness, and correctly reflect the qualifications and capabilities of students.

2.3 Managing the graduation internship activities of business administration students complying with the outcome standards approach 2.3.1 Concept

Managing the graduation internship of business administration students complying with the outcome standard approach is a set of organized,

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purposeful, oriented, and planned impacts of the managers to the management objects through the implementation of management functions to achieve the internship objectives for Business Administration students, to meet the requirements of the program outcome standards.

2.3.2 Graduation internship management decentralization

Decentralization of internship management of Business Administration students at universities is implemented specifically to: Principal and Rector Board; Heads of Departments; Deans; Instructors.

For organizations and enterprises that receive interns, the management decentralization is as follows: the director boards and field mentors of the organizations.

2.3.3 Planning graduation internships for students complying with the outcomes standards approach

It is performed as following steps: Assessing the situation of HEIs’ management of graduation internships; Setting graduation internship goals; Considering the prerequisites for the achievement of internship goals; Building activities for graduation internship complying with the outcome standards approach; Developing measures to implement graduation internship activities; and Developing supporting plans.

2.3.4 Organizing graduation internships for students complying with the outcomes standards approach

The organization of graduation internships for business administration students complying with the outcome standards approach includes the following management measures: Building the organizational structure to manage internships; Organizing staffs and resources for management of internships; and Coordinating among HEI’s departments in managing internships.

2.3.5 Leading graduation internships for students complying with the outcome standards approach

- Decide the form of graduation internship. - Develop a process of graduation internship implementation. - Issue decisions/ regulations, documents to organize the implementation of the graduation internship plan.

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- Organize the dissemination and implementation of decisions, regulations and documents guiding graduation internship. - Implementation of decisions, regulations, and guidance documents for graduation internship. - Implement the policy of regular controlling and rewarding in the process of managing graduation internship. - Timely implementation of emulation, commendation, and discipline policy.

2.3.6 Controlling the graduation internship of students complying with the outcome standards approach

- Plan to check regularly throughout the internship process and cover all elements of the internship process. - Check the formulation and implementation of graduation internship goals. - Check the development of activities and chosen the form of graduation internship activities.

- Check the plan of implementing graduation internship. - Check the organizing and staffing for management of graduation internship activities. - Develop a system of standards, criteria, and indicators to test and evaluate graduation internship activities. - Check the organizing and directing the stages of the graduation internship process. - Check activities of preliminary review, review, learn from experience in implementing graduation internship tasks.

- Detecting and correcting errors in graduation internship activities. - Define the role of the instructor for the assessment of the professional capacity of students.

2.4 Factors affecting the management of graduate internships of business administration students complying with outcome standards approach

- Curriculum - Quality of teaching professional modules - Perception and attitude of interns

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- Method and form of instruction, evaluation graduation internships - Quality and competencies of mentors - The management subjects of graduation internships - The documents, regulations on graduation internships - Facilities conditions for the graduation internship activities - Relationship between higher education institutions and internship

bases

Chapter 3 THE PRACTICE OF MANAGING GRADUATION INTERNSHIP ACTIVITIES OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION STUDENTS IN HO CHI MINH CITY ACCORDING TO OUTCOME STANDARDS

3.1 Organization and methods for researching situation of management of graduation internship activities of students

3.1.1 Research organization

- Research instruments design phase - Formal investigation phase: to find out the status of graduation internship activities, management of these activities, and the factors affecting the management of graduation internship activities of business management students complying with the outcome standards approach.

- Survey location: at 6 universities in Ho Chi Minh City: Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics, University of Economics - Law, University of Finance - Marketing, Ho Chi Minh Open University, Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics – Finance, and Van Hien University.

- Participants of the survey: In the phase of research instrument design: 100 people, including: 50 educational managers, lecturers and 50 students; The formal survey phase: 722 people, divided into three groups:

+ Managers, lecturers, and instructors participating in graduation internship guidance for students of Business Administration at HEIs: 160 people. + Business managers and field guidance staff at the internship bases: 162 people. + Interns, alumni: 400 people.

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3.1.2 Research methods

Survey method In-depth interview method Methods of statistics analysis

3.2 Situation of graduation

internship activities of business administration students complying with the outcome standards approach

3.2.1 Perception of the graduation internship activities of business administration students complying with the outcome standards approach

In general, the participants highly appreciated the role of graduation internships, affirming that graduation internship activities play a key role in training professional skills for students complying with the outcome standards approach. Respondents affirmed the significance of graduation internship activities that help interns apply professional knowledge and skills into practice, practice doing professional tasks; thereby forming, practicing, and strengthening professional capacity.

3.2.2 Implement graduation internship goals complying with the outcome standards approach

Respondents did not highly appreciate the achievement level of graduation internship goals in both the general goals and in specific goals. The reasons are those the time length for graduation internship activities of students is not enough, the activities of graduation internship have not been fully implemented, the form of organizing and operating graduation internship activities has not kept up with the changes of the business environment, with the development of culture - education, economy - society...

3.2.3 Implement graduation internship contents complying with the outcome standards approach

The implementation quality of graduation internship content of students was considered as quite good with the average score of 2.48. Business Administration students were quite active in handling work, skillful in communicating with customers, and handling situations quite well during

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their time in businesses. However, some students were quite confused and lack confidence in handling assigned tasks at enterprises.

3.2.4 Process and forms of organizing graduation internship 3.2.4.1 Perform steps in the process of organizing graduation internship activities complying with the outcome standards approach

The quality of implementing the steps in the process of organizing graduation internship activities to meet the program outcome standards at higher education institutions is at average asymptotic to good level. Two steps in the preparation phase of graduation internship were rated as “Good”: “Notifying eligible interns to apply for the graduation internship” and “Subgrouping interns”. The stage with the lowest rating was “Contacting the graduation bases that receive interns”. This reflects the limitations in cooperation with enterprises of higher education institutions.

3.2.4.2 Forms of organizing graduation internship

The form of graduation internship organization “uncoordinated part- time” was rated by the respondents as the most reasonable method. In the other two forms, the form of “internship by group without guidance of HEIs’ mentor Semi-concentrated” was more appreciated. Most of the participants said that a group of interns should be limited to 1-3 students.

3.2.5 Examining and evaluating of the graduation internships of business administration students complying with the outcome standards approach

The quality of implementation of assessing the graduation internship activities of business administration students complying with the outcome standards approach at universities in Ho Chi Minh City was rated quite good. In which, the evaluation score of the contents of inspection and assessment activities reflects the results of graduation internship activities with the highest value. However, the inspection and evaluation of graduation internship activities were still in general, qualitative, not completely objective, fair, and depends on the experiences and feelings of the assessors.

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3.2.6 The response level of the graduation internship to the program outcome standards

Figure 3-1 The response level of the graduation intership factors of Business Administration students complying with the program outcome standards

Mean 2.27 2.42 2.37 2.40 Std. Err 0.678 0.620 0.640 0.628 Graduation internship factors Objectives of graduation internship Implementation of graduation internship contents Process and form of graduation internship Examining and evaluating of graduation internships 2.37 0.641 Average

In general, the response level of the current graduate internship factors to the BBA program outcome standards is quite good. The factor with the lowest rating is: “Objectives of graduation internship”.

One way ANOVA analysis was performed to check whether there was a statistically significant difference in assessing response level of graduation internship activity among respondent groups. ANOVA analysis results showed that, there was not significantly difference in the assessment of the level of compliance with the program outcome standards of the graduate internship activities of Business Administration students among respondent groups.

3.3 Situation of management of graduation internship activities of business administration students complying with the outcome standards approach

3.3.1 Graduation internship management decentralization

The performance level of the assigned role in the decentralized management of graduation internships for business administration students complying with the outcome standards approach of the management subjects was scored with the Mean value at the average level.

The instructors at the internship bases were assessed to perform well in his/her role. Principals and administrators of universities also received high appreciation from respondents for their performance in the management of graduation internship activities. The departments and faculty received the lowest score for the performance of their management role in the

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decentralized management of graduation internship activities, at average score.

3.3.2 Planning graduation internships for students complying with the outcomes standards approach

The level of implementing management measures to plan graduation internship for business administration students complying with the outcome standards approach was rated at above average. Management measures “Assessment of the situation of the school's graduation internship management”, “Setting objectives for graduation internship” and “Building graduation internship activities” were not performed well, the average score was lower than the management measures for the remaining activities. The management measures in the group of management measures for the construction of auxiliary plans were rated from rather good to good with Mean value higher than the remaining activities. Activity “Building graduation internship schedule” was rated as the best performance compared to other activities.

3.3.3 Organizing graduation internships for students complying with the outcomes standards approach

The degree of implementation of management measures to organize graduation internship activities was rather good. Group of management measures to organize structure to manage graduation internship activities was assessed at good level. In which, the measures “Identifying and building strategic partnerships of the school with internship bases in managing graduation internship activities” and “Establishing the board of directing the graduation internship activities” had the highest score, close to the very good level. The group of measures for implementing

the mechanism of coordinating of different departments in managing graduation internship activities had the mean value lower than that of other groups of management measures as well as the average score of all measures.

The group of measures to arrange resources to manage graduation internship activities was highly appreciated. In which, the activities “Assign members of the administrators to manage the graduation internship” and

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“Preparing conditions to support graduation internship” were scored good.

3.3.4 Leading graduation internships for students complying with the outcome standards approach

The degree of implementing management measures in leadership, directing the graduation internship activities complying with the outcome standards approach was assessed at the average level. Management measures “Decide the form of organizing the graduation internship” was assessed weakest level of implementation, showing the fact that HEIs were still disconcert in choosing the forms of graduation internship for students. The management measures “Building the process of organizing graduation internship” and “Issuing decisions / regulations, documents on organizing the graduation internship” were also evaluated not as good as other activities.

3.3.5 Controlling the graduation internship of students complying with the outcome standards approach

The survey results show that, although for a long time the examination and evaluation in management of graduation internship activities was familiar, the degree of implementation was not highly appreciated. Some management measures received rather low rated scores, such as: “Examining the construction and implementation of graduation internship objectives” and “Examining the organizing the structure for managing graduation internship activities”.

The current regulations /rules/documents guiding the graduation internship of the higher education institutions were rated as general, qualitative, unspecific and lack of features of BBA program. The preparation for graduation internship activities at HEIs was appreciated, but the implementation and evaluation at the internship bases were considered ineffective: infrequent, formal and lack of coordination between the HEIs and internship bases, not match the progress of graduation internship.

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3.4 Factors affecting the management of graduate internships of business administration students complying with outcome standards approach

In general, all proposed factors were proved having influence on the management of graduation internship activities of business administration students.

Four factors considered to have the most influence on the management of graduation internships of Business Administration students is: “Quality of teaching professional modules”, “Method and form of instruction, evaluation graduation internships”, “Curriculum”, and “Quality and competencies of mentors”.

3.5 Overview of the management status of the graduation internship activities of business administration students complying with the outcome standards approach

Table 3-2 Response degree of the management of the graduation internship activities compared to the outcome standards of the BBA program

Management contents Graduation internship management decentralization Planning graduation internships for students Organizing graduation internships for students Leading graduation internship activities Controlling the graduation internship activities Average Mean Std. Err 2.06 2.00 2.29 2.11 1.95 2.08 0.720 0.670 0.744 0.705 0.709 0.710

The response degree of the management contents of graduation internship compared to the program outcome standards was not highly appreciated. These findings were consistent with the comments and assessments from the survey results of the management of graduation internship activities. The management contents of graduation internship activities have not yet achieved high efficiency mainly based on the qualifications, experience and habits of the schools; the innovation in management is still slow and unclear; The quality of graduation internships of students is not as high as the goals and expectations of the training institutions and employers. Innovating the management of graduation internship activities complying with the outcome standards approach, improving the efficiency and quality of training vocational skills for business administration students is an urgent issue, stemming from the 18

limitations in operation and the requirements of society, business environment, today's job world.

Chapter 4 SOLUTIONS TO MANAGE GRADUATION

INTERNSHIPS OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION STUDENTS IN HO CHI MINH CITY COMPLYING WITH OUTCOME STANDARDS APPROACH

4.1 Principles of proposing solutions

The proposal of solutions to manage the graduation internship activities of Business Administration students complying with the outcome standards approach is based on the following principles: Ensure objectives; Ensure systematic and inheritance; Ensure practicality; Ensuring efficiency and feasibility.

4.2 Solutions to manage graduation

internships of business administration students complying with outcome standards approach at universities in Ho Chi Minh City

4.2.1 Organize propaganda to raise awareness for managers, lecturers, instructors and students about management of graduation internships complying with the outcome standards approach In order to raise awareness of management staff, lecturers, instructors and students about the position, role, importance of graduation internships and management of graduation internships of Business Administration students complying with the outcome standards.

Ways to implement the solution: Step 1. Leaders of HEIs direct the implementation of solutions in universities for staff, lecturers, and students.

Step 2. Direct the faculties, departments of Business Administration to disseminate the necessary contents for intern groups before they come to the internship bases.

Step 3. Direct the faculties and departments of Business Administration to appoint staffs, lecturers to find and coordinate with the internship bases to scan the actual situation and guide interns before the graduation internship period begin.

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Step 4. Faculty/department leaders coordinate with and suggest the leaders of the internship bases to direct the field instructors to follow strictly the internship policy in guiding interns at businesses.

Step 5. Direct the internship instructors to carefully disseminate the business situation of the internship base to interns; rules and tasks performed during the internship for students to successfully complete assigned internship activities.

4.2.2 Innovating in planning for graduation internship for business administration students based on outcome standards

The goal of this solution is to ensure that the planning activities are carried out complying with a scientific, rigorous, organized and quality process. Then, it can help the graduation internship activities of Business Administration students can meet the program outcomes standards.

Ways to implement the solution: Step 1. The school leaders direct the implementation of solutions and implement them in the school for the graduation internship managers.

Step 2. The Academic Affairs Department develops annual and semi- annual academic masterplans for the whole university as a basis for other faculties/departments to develop their own specific training plans.

Step 3. The faculties/departments develop the graduation internship plans for their students on the basis of the school’s annual and semi-annual academic masterplan.

Step 4. Obtain comments to appraise and complete the plan of graduation internship complying with the outcome standards approach and publish the plans. Step 5. Organize the implementation of graduation internship plans for students complying with the outcome standards approach.

4.2.3 Adjust graduation internships for students according to a form and process that conforms to output standards

The goal of the solution is to build, organize and direct graduation internship activities in a form and process that is appropriate to the process of formation and development of professional skills of Business Administration students in universities and appropriate to characteristics of business administration internships.

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Ways to implement the solution: Step 1. The HEIs announce the policy of organizing graduation internships for students in the form of Coordination - Semi-concentrated. Step 2. Develop regulations for coordination in management of graduation internships for students. Step 3. Organize instruction the graduation internships for students in the form of coordination with a standardized process. Step 4. Closely coordinate with the internship facilities in the process of organizing, instructing graduation internships for students.

Step 5. Coordinate assessment of students' internship results; conduct preliminaries, review, reward and discipline for the staffs, teachers, and interns.

4.2.4

Innovation of assessing the graduation internship activities of business administration students complying with the outcome standards approach

The goal of the solution is to develop a comprehensive, objective, and reliable method of internship assessment complying with the competency framework and output standards. Then, it can help the graduation internship be suitable with the requirements of training vocational skills for students in the current context, help to accurately evaluate internships.

Ways to implement the solution: Step 1. The HEIs’ rectors direct to innovate methods of assessing and evaluating the graduation internship activities of Business Administration students complying with the outcome standard approach.

Step 2. Develop a set of standards and criteria to evaluate the content of graduation internship activities, evaluate the internship summary report and graduation thesis.

Step 3. Implement the principle of assessment according to the competency framework and outcome standards (integrating 3 elements: knowledge, attitude and skills).

Step 4. Direct coordinating the implementation of the process of examining and evaluating the results of graduation internships of Business Administration students complying with the defined set of standards.

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4.2.5 Ensure the conditions to improve the efficiency of graduation internships and management of graduation internship activities of Business Administration students complying with the outcome standards

The goal of this solution is through the synchronous implementation of several management measures, creating a resonant effect on the effectiveness of the measures, to ensure the conditions for improving the real performance management of graduation internships of Business Administration students complying with outcome standards approach.

in reviewing, editing, developing, and completing

Ways to implement the solution: Step 1. The Rector Board directs the departments and faculties to coordinate the regulations, processes, curriculums, and outcome standards for academic programs.

Step 2. Ensure conditions of finance, facilities, and documents to support graduation internship activities complying with the outcome standard approach.

Step 3. Building a friendly school culture environment associated with the HEI’s conditions, encouraging the sense of task responsibility for members in organization, implementing graduation internship activities complying with outcome standards approach. Step 4. Fostering competencies for faculty staffs and field mentors.

4.2.6 Relationship between solutions to management of graduation internships activities for Business Administration students complying with the outcome standards approach

In order to manage the graduation internship activities of Business Administration students complying with the outcome standards approach, the thesis proposes 5 solutions. Besides that, there may exist other solutions that affect the management efficiency of graduation internship but has not been mentioned in this thesis. Each proposed solution has different positions, roles and functions, but they have a close relationship, interact and support each other in order to improve the efficiency of management of graduation internships of Business Administration students complying with the outcome standards approach.

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In addition to the relationship between the objectives - content - the method in the solutions system, the solutions also have a managerial functional relationship. According to the managerial functional approach, solutions 2 and 5 can be considered belong to the planning function; Solution 1 and 3 belong to the organizing function; Solution 4 belongs to the controlling function; Solutions 3 and 4 also have a leading function in managing graduation internship activities of Business Administration students complying with the outcome standards approach. The dialectical relationship between solutions demonstrates the systematic, synchronous, in order to fundamentally and comprehensively innovation and improve the efficiency of management of graduation internship activities of Business Administration students complying with the outcome standards approach. The solutions have a dialectic relationship, close to each other, support each other, promote each other into a unified system of solutions. Therefore, during implementation, the managers of the graduation internship activities need to apply, coordinate smoothly, harmoniously and to reach a high consensus and achieve effective synchronously management. If implementing each solution individually, the management efficiency will not be high and not bring practical effects. Depending on the conditions of each universities, each time, and each specific requirement to apply the solutions.

4.3 Examining the necessity and feasibility of the proposed solutions Conducting survey from 232 respondents including educational administrators, internship instructors, business managers, field mentors of some internship bases.

The survey results on the necessary level showed that the proposed solutions were highly appreciated by the respondents, proving that the proposed solutions rere necessary for managing the graduation internship activities of business administration students. The solution “Innovation of assessing the graduation internship activities of business administration students complying with the outcome standards approach” was considered to be the most necessary. The second rank is the solution “Ensure the conditions to improve the efficiency of graduation internships and

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management of graduation internship activities of Business Administration students complying with the outcome standards”.

The survey results on the feasibility of management solutions were also high, the average score was 2.67, in which all measures also have an average score > 2.5. Solution 4 “Innovation of assessing the graduation internship activities of business administration students complying with the outcome standards approach” continues to be the solution with the highest feasibility. The solutions 2 “Innovating in planning for graduation internship for business administration students based on outcome standards” and 5 “Ensure the conditions to improve the efficiency of graduation internships and management of graduation internship activities of Business Administration students complying with the outcome standards” were assessed for the second feasibility.

Spearman's correlation test result showed that there was a positive and strong correlation between the necessity and the feasibility of the proposed management solutions. Thus, there was a high correlation between the degree of necessity and feasibility in the management solutions, which means that the solutions are both necessary and highly feasible.

4.4 Testing proposed solution of managing graduation internship activities

The author chooses to test solution 4 “Innovation of assessing the graduation internship activities of business administration students complying with the outcome standards approach”.

The test results showed that the mean scores of the students' skills after the test (rated by instructors and field mentors) was higher than those scores before the test in all evaluation contents. This result showed that students had improved career skills, especially skills: Time and resource management skills; Ability to perform the managerial functions; Ability to reason, detect and solve problems; Ability to research and explore social science knowledge; and Teamwork skills... Students participating in the experiment highly appreciated the experimental solution, claiming that this experimental solution contributes to improving the objectivity, accuracy, and fairness in assessing the results of the graduation internship activities of students.

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Thus, the trial solution is completely reasonable and has a good influence on the management efficiency of graduation internship activities of Business Administration students complying with the outcome standards approach. The contents of examining and evaluating the graduation internship activities of business administration students are organized in more methodically and scientifically manner. If the proposed solutions are maintained well, the professional skills system of Business Administration students will be continuously improved, enhanced and well met the purposes and requirements of management of graduation internships of Business Administration students complying with the outcome standards approach.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

1. CONCLUSION Through the research results, some conclusions can be drawn as follows:

1.1. Graduation internship is an activity that plays a key role in training professional skills for students in general and business administration students in particular. Internship activities complying with the outcome standards approach is a system of students’ field guided activities before graduation to solidate knowledge, develop skills and professional attitude, thereby, meeting the program outcome standards.

Managing the graduation internship of business administration students complying with the outcome standard approach is a set of organized, purposeful, oriented and planned impacts of the managers to the management objects through the implementation of management functions to achieve the internship objectives for Business Administration students, to meet the requirements of the program outcome standards.

The research results of the dissertation contribute to theoretical framework on management of graduation internship activities of business administration students complying with the outcome standards approach such as building a system of constructs, especially, the concept of managing graduation internship activities complying with the outcome standards approach. The research results also clearly point out that managing the

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graduation internship activities of students complying with the outcome standards approach is not only an opportunity to improve the education quality, affirm the school's brand, but also a great challenge for participants of this activity. The outcome standards approach, naturally is competency approach, has been applied throughout to study the contents of the thesis.

1.2. The thesis has surveyed and analyzed the overall status of graduation internship activities, management of graduation internship activities of business administration students complying with the outcome standards approach and the factors affecting management of of graduation internship activities complying with the outcome standards approach. Then, the thesis points out the successes and the causes of success, limitations and causes of limitations serving as a practical basis to propose solutions for management of graduation internship activities of business administration students complying with the outcome standards approach in chapter 4.

1.3. Based on theoretical and practical research results, respecting the principles of objective, systematic and inheritance, practicality, efficiency and feasibility, the thesis has proposed 5 solutions to manage the graduation internship activities of Business Administration students complying with the outcome standards approach at universities in Ho Chi Minh City. These are:

- Organize propaganda to raise awareness for managers, lecturers, instructors, and students about management of graduation internships complying with the outcome standards approach. - Innovating in planning for graduation internship for business administration students based on outcome standards. - Adjust graduation internships for students according to a form and process that conforms to output standards. - Innovation of assessing the graduation internship activities of business administration students complying with the outcome standards approach.

- Ensure the conditions to improve the efficiency of graduation internships and management of graduation internship activities of Business Administration students complying with the outcome standards.

Through exploration and testing, the proposed management solutions have been considered essential and highly feasible, in line with the practice

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of business administration training at universities in Ho Chi Minh City. It has been further confirmed through the test results of the proposed solution “Innovation of assessing the graduation internship activities of business administration students complying with the outcome standards approach”, which is remarkably effective in improve the quality of graduation internship activities, improve the ability to practice professional skills of business administration students, and contribute to improving the objectivity, accuracy, and fairness in assessing the results of the graduation internship activities of students. Although the thesis only organized to test one solution, it has confirmed its effectiveness for improving the knowledge and skills degree for students, having a positive impact on management of graduation internship activities of business administration students complying with the outcome standards approach in the current context. It can be seen that the research results of the thesis have confirmed the

research hypothesis and solved the tasks set out by the study. 2. RECOMMENDATIONS 2.1. Recommended for higher education institutions 2.2. Recommendation for internship bases 2.3. Recommended for interns

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LIST OF AUTHOR'S PUBLISHED SCIENTIFIC WORKS 1. Pham Quoc Luyen. (2017). Managing internship activities for

Business Administration students at universities in Ho Chi Minh City. Journal of Social Psychology, Vol 8, August 2017 2. Pham Quoc Luyen. (2019). Factors that affect the management of

graduation internships of business administration students complying with the outcome standards approach. Journal of Education Management, Vol 11(3), March 2019 3. Pham Quoc Luyen. (2019). Some research on managing

graduation internships of business administration students complying with the outcome standards approach. Journal of Education and Society, Vol 1, April 2019 4. Pham Quoc Luyen. (2020). The current situation of management

of Business administration students’ internship in Ho Chi Minh City following Outcome standard approach. Journal of Education Management, Vol 12(1A) Jan 2020.

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