INFLUENCE OF PROFESSIONALIZATION IN BUSINESS EDUCATION TOWARDS DEVELOPING STUDENTS PROFESSIONAL ABILITIES IN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN SOUTH EAST NIGERIA

Abstract

This paper empirically investigated the influence of professionalization in Business Education towards developing students’ professional abilities in public universities in South East Nigeria.Two research questions were answered and two null hypotheses were formulated for the study. The researchers adopted a descriptive survey research design for the study. The population of the study comprised of 64 business educators in public universities in South East Nigeria. The entire population were studied and sampled since they were manageable for the study. Data for the study were collected using a structured questionnaire by the researcher’s captioned “influence of professionalization in Business Education towards developing students’ professional abilities (IPBETDSPA). Mean and standard deviation were used for data analysis while z-test was used for testing the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that professionalization in Business Education influence the development of teaching abilities in students in areas of managing discipline, imparting knowledge, mastering knowledge among others. On the other hand, professionalization influences the development of management abilities in students in line with the ability to interact, work and relate with people among others. It was recommended that business educators should adequately prepare and equip her students with sound professional abilities as it concerns teaching and management abilities to enable them expertly and professionally impart knowledge and as well competently manage human and material resources in organizations and any business outfit under their care.

Keywords: Professionalization, teaching abilities and management abilities.