The cultural aspects of MINT recruitment: How to overcome the skills shortage by understanding graduates' needs : How to overcome the skills shortage by understanding graduates' needs [1 ed.] 9783954895632, 9783954890637

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Benjamin Günther

The cultural aspects of MINT recruitment

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How to overcome the skills shortage by understanding graduates' needs

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Günther, Benjamin. The cultural aspects of MINT recruitment: How to overcome the skills shortage by understanding graduates' needs : How to overcome the skills shortage by

Günther, Benjamin: The cultural aspects of MINT recruitment: How to overcome the skills shortage by understanding graduates' needs. Hamburg, Anchor Academic Publishing 2013 Buch-ISBN: 978-3-95489-063-7 PDF-eBook-ISBN: 978-3-95489-563-2 Druck/Herstellung: Anchor Academic Publishing, Hamburg, 2013 Bibliografische Information der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek: Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek verzeichnet diese Publikation in der Deutschen Nationalbibliografie; detaillierte bibliografische Daten sind im Internet über http://dnb.d-nb.de abrufbar. Bibliographical Information of the German National Library: The German National Library lists this publication in the German National Bibliography. Detailed bibliographic data can be found at: http://dnb.d-nb.de

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Das Werk einschließlich aller seiner Teile ist urheberrechtlich geschützt. Jede Verwertung außerhalb der Grenzen des Urheberrechtsgesetzes ist ohne Zustimmung des Verlages unzulässig und strafbar. Dies gilt insbesondere für Vervielfältigungen, Übersetzungen, Mikroverfilmungen und die Einspeicherung und Bearbeitung in elektronischen Systemen. Die Wiedergabe von Gebrauchsnamen, Handelsnamen, Warenbezeichnungen usw. in diesem Werk berechtigt auch ohne besondere Kennzeichnung nicht zu der Annahme, dass solche Namen im Sinne der Warenzeichen- und Markenschutz-Gesetzgebung als frei zu betrachten wären und daher von jedermann benutzt werden dürften. Die Informationen in diesem Werk wurden mit Sorgfalt erarbeitet. Dennoch können Fehler nicht vollständig ausgeschlossen werden und die Diplomica Verlag GmbH, die Autoren oder Übersetzer übernehmen keine juristische Verantwortung oder irgendeine Haftung für evtl. verbliebene fehlerhafte Angaben und deren Folgen. Alle Rechte vorbehalten © Anchor Academic Publishing, Imprint der Diplomica Verlag GmbH Hermannstal 119k, 22119 Hamburg http://www.diplomica-verlag.de, Hamburg 2013 Printed in Germany

Günther, Benjamin. The cultural aspects of MINT recruitment: How to overcome the skills shortage by understanding graduates' needs : How to overcome the skills shortage by

Table of Contents 1.

Introduction ............................................................................................................ 11

2.

Literature review ..................................................................................................... 13 2.1

Culture ................................................................................................................. 13

2.1.1

Definitions and concepts of culture .............................................................. 13

2.1.1.1

The definition and the Personal Uniqueness Concept of Hofstede ...... 13

2.1.1.2

The definitions of Trompenaars and Schein ......................................... 15

2.1.1.3

Similarities between the definitions ....................................................... 16

2.1.1.4

Schein's layer model ............................................................................. 16

2.1.1.5

Differentiation between macroculture and microculture ........................ 18

2.1.2

The 5D model of Hofstede ........................................................................... 19

2.1.2.1

History ................................................................................................... 19

2.1.2.2

The dimensions..................................................................................... 19

2.1.2.2.1

PDI ................................................................................................. 20

2.1.2.2.2

MAS ............................................................................................... 20

2.1.2.2.3

IDV ................................................................................................. 21

2.1.2.2.4

UAI ................................................................................................. 23

2.1.2.2.5

LTO ................................................................................................ 23

2.1.2.3

2.2

2.1.2.3.1

Criticism ......................................................................................... 24

2.1.2.3.2

Agreement ..................................................................................... 26

2.1.2.3.3

Conclusion ..................................................................................... 27

The skills shortage ............................................................................................... 28

2.2.1

Definitions .................................................................................................... 28

2.2.2

The skills shortage in the short- term view ................................................... 29

2.2.3

The skills shortage in the long- term view .................................................... 29

2.2.3.1

2.3

Reasons ................................................................................................ 29

2.2.3.1.1

Shrinking workforce supply ............................................................ 29

2.2.3.1.2

Rising demand for highly qualified workforce ................................ 30

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Critical acclaim ...................................................................................... 24

Consequences for the price formation on the labor market ... .............. 31

Research questions ............................................................................................. 34

2.3.1

H 1:Expectations about the occurrences of MAS, UAI, IDV and LTO .......... 34

2.3.2

RQ 1: How can employers take the survey results into account concerning their recruitment? ....................................................................... 36

Günther, Benjamin. The cultural aspects of MINT recruitment: How to overcome the skills shortage by understanding graduates' needs : How to overcome the skills shortage by

3.

Methodology of the underlying survey ................................................................ 37 3.1

Subjects ............................................................................................................... 37

3.2

Procedures .......................................................................................................... 38

3.3

Data treatment ..................................................................................................... 40

3.3.1

Allocation of questionnaire components to Hofstede's cultural dimensions ...................................................................................... 40

3.3.1.1

The allocation to MAS ........................................................................... 40

3.3.1.2

The allocation to UAI............................................................................. 41

3.3.1.3

The allocation to IDV ............................................................................. 42

3.3.1.4

The allocation to LTO ............................................................................ 44

3.3.2 4.

Calculation of the dimensions' scores .......................................................... 46

Results..................................................................................................................... 49 4.1

Scores of the single questionnaire items ............................................................. 49

4.2

The occurrence of Hofstede's cultural dimensions .............................................. 57

4.2.1

MAS ............................................................................................................. 57

4.2.2

UAI ............................................................................................................... 58

4.2.3

IDV ............................................................................................................... 59

4.2.4

LTO .............................................................................................................. 60

4.2.5

Comparison of German national macroculture and MINT students'

microculture .............................................................................................................. 61 5.

Discussion .............................................................................................................. 63 5.1

5.1.1

Work- life balance ........................................................................................ 63

5.1.2

Job security .................................................................................................. 64

5.1.3

Diversified tasks ........................................................................................... 68

5.2

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Benefits that employers should offer to MINT graduates ..................................... 63

5.1.3.1

Job enlargement ................................................................................... 68

5.1.3.2

Job rotation ........................................................................................... 68

5.1.3.3

Job enrichment ..................................................................................... 69

Less important attracting factors in MINT recruitment ......................................... 70

5.2.1

Online presence ........................................................................................... 70

5.2.2

Working abroad ............................................................................................ 71

5.2.3

Monetary and non- monetary reward ........................................................... 72

5.3

Important factors in the recruitment of female MINT graduates ........................... 73

5.3.1

Corporate responsibility for environment and society .................................. 74

5.3.2

Ethically problematic business areas ........................................................... 74

5.3.3

Personal contact persons along the recruitment process ............................ 75

Günther, Benjamin. The cultural aspects of MINT recruitment: How to overcome the skills shortage by understanding graduates' needs : How to overcome the skills shortage by

6.

Limitations .............................................................................................................. 77 6.1

Limitations of external validity due to the database ............................................. 77

6.2

Limitations of internal validity ............................................................................... 78

6.2.1

Limitations due to the methodology of data ascertainment .......................... 78

6.2.2

Limitations due to the methodology of data treatment ................................. 79

6.3

Other limitations ................................................................................................... 80

Outlook .................................................................................................................... 82

8.

References .............................................................................................................. 84

9.

Appendix A: Questionnaire used for the underlying survey .............................. 88

10.

Appendix B: Results table of the underlying survey .......................................... 89

11.

Appendix C: Visualization of the single questionnaire items' scores ............... 90

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7.

Günther, Benjamin. The cultural aspects of MINT recruitment: How to overcome the skills shortage by understanding graduates' needs : How to overcome the skills shortage by

List of Figures Figure 2.1: Three Levels of Uniqueness in Mental Programming ................................. 15 Figure 2.2: Schein's Culture Iceberg model.................................................................... 18 Figure 2.3: Rising wage level for MINT graduates due to the skills shortage ............... 32 Figure 2.4: Wage drop for MINT graduates due to offshoring processes ...................... 34 Figure 4.1: Average deviation of dimensions' scores from total average ....................... 62 Figure 4.2: Average gender- related deviations of the dimensions' scores ..................... 62 Figure 5.1: Short- term disadvantages and long- term benefits of providing

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open- ended employments to MINT graduates ........................................... 66

Günther, Benjamin. The cultural aspects of MINT recruitment: How to overcome the skills shortage by understanding graduates' needs : How to overcome the skills shortage by

List of Abbreviations DIW ............................................................... Deutsches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung GDP ........................................................................................... Gross Domestic Product H ...................................................................................................................... Hypostudy HR........................................................................................................Human Resources IAB ............................................................ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung ICR............................................................................. Institute for Competitive Recruiting ICT .............................................................. Information and Communication Technology IDV ...................................................................................................... Individualism Index IfW ............................................................................................. Institut für Weltwirtschaft IVR .............................................................................. Indulgence versus Restraint Index IW ................................................................................. Institut der Deutschen Wirtschaft KPI .......................................................................................... Key Performance Indicator LTO ............................................................................................... Long- Term Orientation MAS ....................................................................................................... Masculinity Index MINT ..................................... Mathematics, Informatics, Natural and Technical Sciences PDI ................................................................................................. Power Distance Index RQ ......................................................................................................Research Question R&D ...................................................................................... Research and Development SMEs ..................................................................... Small and Medium- sized Enterprises UAI ....................................................................................... Uncertainty Avoidance Index USP ........................................................................................ Unique Selling Proposition VDI ....................................................................................Verband Deutscher Ingenieure

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vs. .......................................................................................................................... Versus

Günther, Benjamin. The cultural aspects of MINT recruitment: How to overcome the skills shortage by understanding graduates' needs : How to overcome the skills shortage by

Copyright © 2013. Diplomica Verlag. All rights reserved. Günther, Benjamin. The cultural aspects of MINT recruitment: How to overcome the skills shortage by understanding graduates' needs : How to overcome the skills shortage by

1. Introduction In the current public debate about the labor market in Germany, the skills shortage as a consequence of the demographic change is a term used in an inflationary amount. This becomes apparent from the fact that a Google request of the term skills shortage generates about 15,900,000 hits. However, by observing this debate more consciously and scanning the relevant economics literature, one realizes that there seems to be no generally accepted definition for the term skills shortage. Some economists and politicians hold the view that the skills shortage is already a present problem, others say that it is an issue of the future. As there is no consensus about a definition, it is nothing but logical that there cannot be any consensus about the existence or nonexistence and the temporal horizon of the problem. In this study, the author will try to find at least an approach to bring some order into this quite chaotic debate, so that also a layman can understand it. Another prevalent statement is that the skills shortage affects worst MINT qualifications, i.e. staff employed in the sector of mathematics, informatics, natural sciences and technology. As the initial point for the further examination, the study will check the validity of this statement. If it should prove true, a nearby question would be how employers can compete best for the shortening resource of MINT workforce, i.e. how they can adjust their recruitment to attract MINT graduates. The staff's knowledge and skills will likely be the most important entrepreneurial "resource" throughout the next decades, or citing the Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business, it will be "the ultimate competition edge for (...) organizations and (...) a key in their success" (Amirkhani, Tajmirriahi, Mohammadi & Dalir, 2012, para. 1). Consequently, it has a high significance for companies to develop long- term strategies to cope with an eventually existing or upcoming skills shortage. However, to know which application incentives they have to provide, employers must know what the graduates want. Thus, scarce entrepreneurial resources can be allocated as efficiently as possible in the scope of MINT recruitment. Although a lot of research was already undertaken by management consultants on this

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topic, nobody had the idea to dig a bit deeper into the programming of MINT graduates' mind by also examining the occupational microculture which underlies the preferences of the target group. This study is likely the first approach which examines graduates' preferences from the cultural point of view based upon Geert Hofstede's dimensional model. For that purpose, the author conducted a non- representative survey among

Günther, Benjamin. The cultural aspects of MINT recruitment: How to overcome the skills shortage by understanding graduates' needs : How to overcome the skills shortage by

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MINT students in mature study semesters. The survey shows quite ambivalent results concerning the influence of the cultural dimensions on MINT graduates' job choice. Due to its limited scope as a study, this examination generates neither comprehensive nor representative data about the entire complex issue of MINT recruitment against the background of the skills shortage. Nevertheless, it could serve as an approach for employers to consider new points of view in order to gain an advantage in the

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competition for skilled MINT workforce.

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Günther, Benjamin. The cultural aspects of MINT recruitment: How to overcome the skills shortage by understanding graduates' needs : How to overcome the skills shortage by

2. Literature review 2.1 Culture In general, one can state that an extensive research effort has been undertaken during the last decades in the field of communication sciences. As some highly regarded scientists, one could mention the Dutch researchers Geert Hofstede and Alfons Trompenaars, the Danish marketing specialist Marieke de Mooij, the US organizational psychologist Edgar Schein and the US management consultant Thomas Peters. This list could be continued to a very large amount, and an overview over all relevant publications in this field would go far beyond the scope of this study. In spite of, or maybe due to, the extensive work in this research field, no generally accepted definition for the term of culture exists. To overcome this dilemma and to make the term of culture operational and therefore different cultures comparable more easily, some authors have introduced dimensional models. These models try to analyze the aspects of culture and quantify them along certain dimensions. To clarify the basic idea of these concepts, one of them shall be introduced as an example: the so- called 5D model by Geert Hofstede. For the sake of completeness, it has to be mentioned that other researchers made similar attempts as well, e.g. Hall and Trompenaars. 2.1.1 Definitions and concepts of culture 2.1.1.1 The definition and the Personal Uniqueness Concept of Hofstede

As mentioned above, many authors have contributed to culture- related research during the recent past. However, there is no generally accepted definition for the term of culture. Hofstede (2010) defines culture as "the collective programming of the mind that distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from others." (p. 6). According to Hofstede, culture results from the social environment the members of a group pass during their lives. In other words, he holds the view that culture is passed

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from one generation to the next, i.e. the young learn it from the old. In this context, Hofstede (2010) puts high emphasis on a differentiation against human nature. This term refers refers to inherited, not to learned, aspects, i.e. "our physiological and basic psychological functioning" (p. 6). To keep the analogy to computer software, he compares it to the operating system.

Günther, Benjamin. The cultural aspects of MINT recruitment: How to overcome the skills shortage by understanding graduates' needs : How to overcome the skills shortage by

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In contrast, he also differentiates the personality of an individual, which is the essence of inherited human nature, learned collective cultural programming and learned programming resulting from individual experiences. To make this thought more understandable, it may be helpful to explain it using the example of individual food preferences. It is a fact that all human beings must eat to survive. This belongs to the layer of human nature as it is a biological necessity, i.e. it is inherited and every human being is bound to it. However, the imaginations about which kind of food is acceptable vary between different cultural areas. For example, the consumption of pork is a heavy violation of religious rules in Islam and in Judaism. The question is where the imagination of pigs as tainted animals comes from. Marvin Harris (2005), US anthropologist, assumes that swine were started to be considered tainted when the deforestation in the Middle East and Northern Africa destroyed the living environment of the domesticated swine. Originally, even domesticated swine lived in the forests and nourished on the trees' seed. However, these forests were extincted in the course of deforestation. Therefore, the swine had to be fed with grain and became the humans' nutrition rivals for it. As deforestation resulted in broadening grasslands, swine breeding became uneconomical compared to the breeding of grazing animals like cattle, sheep or goats. Approximately at this point of time, the consumption of pork was started to be considered tainted in many cultures in this geographic area. But where is the connection to Hofstede's concept of culture in this story? Swine breeding was no longer an efficient method to satisfy people's inherited biological need for food, resulting from the layer of human nature. Quite the contrary, it became a waste of precious resources, in that case of grain. For that reason, the consumption of pork was condemned, or in other words, considered tainted. This collective programming was passed from one generation to the next and thus also influenced the religious imaginations of Judaism and Islam. Another determinant for individual food preferences are personal experiences an

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individual gained during its life. For example, someone may execrate oysters due to a stomach upset after the consumption of decomposed oysters in the past. This issue consists of two parts. The first part is the biologically inherited intolerance against decomposed oysters, which likely affects all human beings. The second part is the individual's personal confrontation with this fact. Or regarded vice versa, if this person would not have eaten decomposed oysters and therefore suffered from diarrhea, he or

14

Günther, Benjamin. The cultural aspects of MINT recruitment: How to overcome the skills shortage by understanding graduates' needs : How to overcome the skills shortage by

she would not execrate oysters in general. At the same time, this individual would deny the consumption of pork if he or she was a Muslim or a Jew. Thus, human nature, culture and personal experiences have proven to be determinants for individual behavior. Hofstede visualized this concept using a pyramid. This visualization is shown below. One should note that this pyramid model must not be mixed with Hofstede's dimensional model. The Personal Uniqueness model distinguishes culture from other determinants on an individual's personality, the 5D model describes the occurrence of culture itself. Figure 1: Three Levels of Uniqueness in Mental Programming

Personality learned & inherited specific to individual

Culture collectively learned specific to group or category

5D model

Human Nature biologically inherited universal

(Hofstede et.al., 2010, p. 6)

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2.1.1.2 The definitions of Trompenaars and Schein

A definition referring to the origin of culture to a higher extent is given by Trompenaars. He defines culture as "the way in which a group of people solves problems and reconciles dilemmas". (Trompenaars & Hampden- Turner, 1997, p.6).

Günther, Benjamin. The cultural aspects of MINT recruitment: How to overcome the skills shortage by understanding graduates' needs : How to overcome the skills shortage by

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This definition is close to the one stated by Schein (1985), who defines it as "a pattern of basic assumptions – invented, discovered, or developed by a given group as it learns to cope with its problems of external adaption and internal integration – that has worked well enough to be considered valid and, therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to those problems" (p. 9). 2.1.1.3 Similarities between the definitions

Taking a comparing look on these two definitions, it should be considered that Trompenaars stated this definition in his book "Riding the Waves of Culture – Understanding Cultural Diversity in Business", first published in 1993. It was not only conceived as a scholarly publication, but also as a management guide. One cannot help the impression that Trompenaars only abstracted Schein's definition to an extent which was more suitable for a management guide made for executives, not for scholars. If one regards the definitions of Hofstede and Schein, one comes to the conclusion that actually, they are not very different at all. According to Hofstede, one generation learns a certain collective mental programming from its predecessors. According to Schein, it contains the basic assumptions which are taught to new members as the correct way to solve problems. Even though Schein puts a higher emphasis on the suitability for problem solving, the common core of the two definitions consists of three aspects. First, they share the approach to culture as mental programming or basic assumptions, i.e they both say that culture is deeply rooted in the individual's mind. Second, they agree that culture is shared by its members and third, that it is based upon transmission from one generation to its successors. 2.1.1.4 Schein's layer model

As it is already apparent from his definition, Schein puts high emphasis on the origin of Copyright © 2013. Diplomica Verlag. All rights reserved.

culture. For that reason, he has designed a model which breaks culture down into three layers basing upon each other. It has become broadly accepted as it provides a comprehensible explanation for differences between cultures. It has also been adopted by Trompenaars, who abstracted some aspects of the model understandable very well. For that reason, his explanations and definitions will be used amongst others to clarify some aspects of the model. 16

Günther, Benjamin. The cultural aspects of MINT recruitment: How to overcome the skills shortage by understanding graduates' needs : How to overcome the skills shortage by

The basic layer of Schein's culture model consists of basic assumptions. These can be divided into assumptions about the character of human nature, the relationship between the human and nature, the relationship between humans, time orientation of the human, and activity orientation (Kluckhohn & Strodtbeck, 1961, p.12). A more comprehensive analysis would be suitable, but would go beyond the scope of this study. But in the scope of Schein's definition cited in chapter 2.1.1.2, it is exactly these core assumptions which have developed over centuries facing the daily challenges of a culture's members. In other words, one could see the core assumptions as the basic approach to solve certain problems. Trompenaars explains this issue very descriptively by taking the Japanese culture as an example. He ascribes the strongly communitarian Japanese national culture to the fact that for centuries, the country's rural population had to overcome the challenges resulting from the work at the rice field, combined with the long- lasting feudal system. On the one hand, the farmers had to bear being reigned by the feudal lord. On the other hand, his regency offered protection against external enemies. The work could only be done if everybody fulfilled the tasks assigned to him or her by the feudal lord or his representatives. If there were crop failures, they always stroke the entire community, i.e. every farmer had to share the fate of his or her mates. According to Trompenaars, these social structures have lead to the communitarian culture which is regarded to be typical for Japan nowadays (Trompenaars & Hampden- Turner, 1997). These basic assumptions result in norms and values, which are the middle layer. Norms are “the mutual sense of a group” concerning the justification of certain actions (Trompenaars & Hampden- Turner, 1997 p. 21). In other words, norms are unwritten laws for people's actual behavior. In contrast, values determine how people shall “aspire or desire to behave” (p. 22). To keep the example of the Japanese, it would be a value to aspire a strong group cohesion within the farmer community, or nowadays within the factory staff, combined with absolute loyalty to the feudal lord, who was replaced by the employer in the industrial age. As the outer layer, Trompenaars cites explicit products and artifacts and physical Copyright © 2013. Diplomica Verlag. All rights reserved.

manifestations, i.e. “the observable reality of language, food, buildings, (…) shrines, markets, fashions and art.” (Trompenaars & Hampden- Turner, 1997, p. 21). Due to the fact that only this outer layer can be perceived by outsiders, i.e. by individuals who are not a member of the culture, the model is also called the “Culture Iceberg” (McGuire, 2012, n.p.). As the name implies, the artifacts layer is produced by the norms and values of the middle layer. Again regarding the example of the Japanese, the pursuit for

Günther, Benjamin. The cultural aspects of MINT recruitment: How to overcome the skills shortage by understanding graduates' needs : How to overcome the skills shortage by

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a strong group cohesion is expressed amongst others by the shared singing of the company hymn. The strong loyalty to the employer is expressed for example by voluntary quality circles, in which the employees are heading for possibilities to improve their very own group or individual work in order to increase the company's benefit. This model was introduced by the author because it will prove necessary for understanding the hypostudy that MINT graduates have an own microculture. Figure 2: Schein's Culture Iceberg model

( McGuire, 2012, n.p.)

2.1.1.5 Differentiation between macroculture and microculture

Concerning the criteria which determines if someone is a member of a certain culture, it is separated into the terms of macroculture and microculture. The term macroculture refers to the culture of one or more nations. An example is the Anglo- American culture. To afford a more differentiated view on the individual, nine microcultures have become broadly accepted among scientists: age, gender, ethnic or national origin, religion, Copyright © 2013. Diplomica Verlag. All rights reserved.

social class/ profession, geographic region, urban/ suburban/ rural, exceptionalities (e. g. disabilities) and the affiliation with organizations (e. g. companies). This study will deal with the differentiation by profession, which is implicated by the MINT graduates' branch of study. Thus, MINT graduates will be regarded as members of the same microculture, i.e. it will be assumed that they share common basic assumptions, norms, values and artifacts. 18

Günther, Benjamin. The cultural aspects of MINT recruitment: How to overcome the skills shortage by understanding graduates' needs : How to overcome the skills shortage by

2.1.2 The 5D model of Hofstede 2.1.2.1 History

Geert Hofstede is the presumably most popular author in the field of culture research. For that reason, his so- called 5D model shall be used as an example to clarify the idea of dimensional models in general. In 1980, the first edition of his book "Culture's Consequences" was published (Hofstede et.al., 2010, p. xi). This book was preferentially written for scholars and introduced the five dimensions power distance (PDI), individualism vs. collectivism (IDV), masculinity vs. femininity (MAS), uncertainty avoidance (UAI) and long- term vs. short- term orientation (LTO). These five dimensions were derived from a study among 116,000 IBM employees (Kutschker & Schmid, 2008, p. 716). They were asked to respond to a questionnaire. Hofstede used the numerical data derived from the answers to design his dimensional model and thus make the merely conceptual term of culture operational. The survey was conducted between 1967 and 1973 across 70 countries (Hofstede, 2012, n.p.). In 1991, Hofstede published the first edition of "Cultures and Organizations – Software of the Mind", in which he treated the data for a broader audience than just scholars. For the following editions, his son Gert Jan Hofstede and the Bulgarian scientist Michael Minkov joined him as co- authors, which also resulted in an expansion, validation with other survey populations and re- evaluation of the original database (Hofstede et.al, 2010, p. xii). This resulted in adding the new dimension indulgence vs. restraint (IVR), which was adopted from Minkov's World Values Survey. This database also introduced two other dimensions: exclusionism vs. universalism and monumentalism vs. flexhumility. However, the first one was strongly negatively correlated to IDV, whilst the latter one was strongly negatively correlated to LTO (Hofstede et.al., 2010). For that reason, these two dimensions were not included into Hofstede's model to keep the single dimensions' discriminatory power. The name 5D model remained common due to its five original dimensions. 2.1.2.2 The dimensions Copyright © 2013. Diplomica Verlag. All rights reserved.

These five dimensions shall be introduced now. If any criterion is referred to as typical or as a characteristic below, it means that this criterion showed a high discriminatory power between single countries in Hofstede's survey. As this study only takes into account the dimensions' implications for recruiting, the introduction shall be reduced to aspects Hofstede mentions as business- related.

Günther, Benjamin. The cultural aspects of MINT recruitment: How to overcome the skills shortage by understanding graduates' needs : How to overcome the skills shortage by

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2.1.2.2.1 PDI

PDI is described as "the degree to which the less powerful members of institutions and organizations within a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally" (Hofstede, 2010, p. 61.). According to Hofstede, employees in low PDI cultures prefer a consultative leadership style, i.e. they would like their superior to ask them for their opinion before making decisions. In high PDI cultures, employees prefer an autocratic leadership style, i.e. they want a strong superior who makes decisions without longsome democratic decision processes. PDI was left out phrasing the questionnaire in order to ensure proper validity, as there were too few recruitment- related issues which could have been related to it. 2.1.2.2.2 MAS

According to Hofstede, members of cultures with a high MAS put high emphasis on "achievement, heroism, assertiveness and material reward for success" (Hofstede, 2012, n.p.). This leads to a highly competitive society in masculine cultures. In contrast, cultures with a low MAS aspire "cooperation, modesty, caring for the weak and quality of life" (Hofstede, 2012, n.p.). This results in the fact that feminine cultures are rather consensus- oriented. Related to business and vocational life, Hofstede identified four work goal items for each end of the MAS scale. For masculinity, he identified earnings, recognition, advancement and challenge. Earnings refers to the existence of the possibility for high earnings in one's job. Recognition is related to reward in terms of recognition for good achievements. Advancement refers to the "opportunity for advancement to higher- level jobs" (Hofstede et.al., 2010, p. 139). The need for challenge describes the employee's need for work from which he or she can "get a personal sense of accomplishment" (Hofstede et.al., 2010, p. 139). This goal is closely related to the term of stress. Workrelated stress is defined as "an emotional and psycho- physiological reaction to adverse and harmful aspects of work, work environment and work organization. Stress is a condition characterized by a high level of activation and strain [...] (Rössner-

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Fischer, 2007, p. 14). However, stress can also contribute for an individual to perceive a situation as challenging and therefore positive if the individual has the hope to overcome the situation successfully. This is called eustress and is generally regarded as motivating (Rössner- Fischer, 2007). Consequently, the need for challenge can be described by the extent to which an individual draws personal motivation and a sense of accomplishment from work- related eustress.

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Günther, Benjamin. The cultural aspects of MINT recruitment: How to overcome the skills shortage by understanding graduates' needs : How to overcome the skills shortage by

For the feminine pole, Hofstede identified the items manager, cooperation, living area and employment security. The items manager and cooperation both face to the same need in the relationship to different persons. Manager refers to the need for a good relationship to one's superior, cooperation refers to the same thing, but in relation to one's peers. Living area refers to the need to "live in an area desirable to you and your family" (Hofstede et.al., 2010, p. 139). Although this items does not seem to be directly connected to one's employment, it has an influence on work- related decisions, e.g. moving away from one's neat house in the countryside due to a new employment in a distant city, or rather preferring commuting each day or week. Employment security refers to "the security that you will be able to work for your company as long as you want to." (Hofstede et.al., 2010, p. 139). One should obey that in this context, the terms masculine and feminine are not related to the biological gender terms male and female. However, in high- MAS cultures, gender roles are clearly distinct, i.e. males are commonly expected to behave masculine, whereas females are expected to behave feminine. In contrast, both males and females are rather supposed to behave feminine in low- MAS cultures (Hofstede et.al., 2010) 2.1.2.2.3 IDV

If a culture has a high IDV score, i.e. it is regarded as being individualist, it means that its members prefer "a loosely-knit social framework in which individuals are expected to take care of themselves and their immediate families only" (Hofstede et.al., 2010, n.p.) On the opposite site, in collectivist cultures, the members of the culture have "a preference for a tightly-knit framework in society in which individuals can expect their relatives or members of a particular in-group to look after them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty." (n.p.). Related to business, the occurrence of IDV was also derived from certain work goal items. For each pole, three items were found out. For the individualist pole, these items are personal time, freedom and challenge. Personal time means having "a job that leaves you sufficient time for your personal or Copyright © 2013. Diplomica Verlag. All rights reserved.

family life". (Hofstede et.al., 2010, p. 92), which refers to the issue of work- lifebalance. Freedom means having "considerable freedom to adopt your own approach to the job" (p. 92). The point challenge equals the relevant item for masculinity. For the collectivist pole, the relevant items are training, use of skills and physical conditions. Training refers to possibilities to improve one's skills or to gain new skills. This item is closely connected to use of skills, which refers to the fact that employees in

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collectivist cultures aspire to "fully use their skills and abilities" (p. 93) on their job. The latter item, physical conditions, refers to a working environment with good ventilation, lighting, equipment etc. Another characteristic of collectivist cultures is that people tend to strongly identify themselves with the groups they consider themselves to be a part of, i.e. with their ingroups. Referring to business, this in- group is the company. Just remember the example of the Japanese workers passing voluntary quality circles for their company. If the company would deliver a faulty product and therefore get a bad reputation, the single employee would take it personally. Hofstede explains that in the family clans of collectivist cultures, a loss of family honor equals a loss of personal honor of each single family member. The same principle can be applied to the relationship between employee and company (Hofstede et.al., 2010). Another differentiation criterion between individualist and collectivist cultures is the equality or inequality in treating different business partners. In high IDV cultures, it is commonly regarded as desirable to treat all business partners alike, which is called universalism. In low IDV cultures, it is common practice that business partners one has a long- lasting relationship to are being treated preferentially, which is called particularism or exclusionism. This has a strong impact on the importance of personal relationships to representatives of one's business partner. It implicates that in particularist societies, it is important to establish an interpersonal relationship to a company's representative before any business can be done. For example, Hofstede mentions a Swedish, i.e. high IDV, company which caused itself some problems with signing a contract. They confused, or even annoyed, their Saudi- Arabian, i.e. low IDV, business partners by sending them changing representatives (Hofstede et.al., 2010). Hofstede also expressed the assumption that people in individualist cultures have a higher affinity for using computer- based information and communication technologies. However, Hofstede referred to the access and the use of computers for communication and daily business as an indicator for a high IDV. If one takes a closer look on his IDV

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country ranking, it becomes apparent that wealthy, Western countries tend to have a higher IDV than poorer countries. The big problem of his derivation is that in poor countries with a weak infrastructure, it could be that simply less people have access to the internet or even do not possess a computer at all due to their low income. This could be a typical case of spurious correlation.

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Günther, Benjamin. The cultural aspects of MINT recruitment: How to overcome the skills shortage by understanding graduates' needs : How to overcome the skills shortage by

2.1.2.2.4 UAI

The UAI reflects "the extent to which the members of a culture feel threatened by ambiguous or unknown situations and have created beliefs and institutions that try to avoid these" (Hofstede, 2012, n.p.). It has to be remarked that UAI does not refer to the avoidance of risk. Risk is characterized by the existence of a certain probability for success. In contrast in uncertain, means ambiguous, situations, this probability is unknown and cannot be predicted (Gabler, 2012). Concerning work- related issues, Hofstede identified three characteristics typical for a high UAI level. First, IBM employees in high- UAI cultures tended to have a higher work- related stress level than their workmates in low- UAI cultures. The second characteristic was a strong need to adhere to company rules, regardless of their suitability for the current situation. This is called rule orientation. A closely related finding was that a strength of companies from high- UAI cultures was to implement their business within their framework of rules, whereas companies from low- UAI cultures were better at invention due to their employees' weak ties to predetermined rules (Hofstede et.al., 2010). Hofstede's third finding was that employees in high- UAI cultures aspired a long- lasting relationship to their employer (Hofstede et.al., 2010) One should be careful not to mix this point with the work goal item employment security seen as an indicator for a low MAS. Employment security refers to emphasis on a self- determined point of time for the employee to quit his or her employment. However, this does not necessarily imply the will for an long- lasting future tenure. 2.1.2.2.5 LTO

Hofstede identified several characteristics distinguishing long- term and short-term thinking in business from each other. In this section, the points with relevance for the topic of this study shall be introduced. In low- LTO cultures, one main work value is achievement, which is closely connected

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in the individual's thinking only of itself. This leads to the so- called meritocracy, i.e. reward in an organization is granted depending on abilities and the resulting success. In contrast, "wide social and economic differences are undesirable" in high- LTO cultures (Hofstede et.al., 2010, p. 251). The strongly self- centered thinking in low- LTO cultures also leads to the fact that in these cultures, changing business situations determine one's personal loyalties. In

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high- LTO cultures, people tend to put high efforts in establishing a life- long personal network, which they would not frivolously give up for short- term benefits (Hofstede et.al., 2010). These different attitudes towards short- term benefits are also relevant for entire companies' behavior. In low- LTO cultures, the executives' thinking tends to see only the next quarter's, or at most the recent year's KPIs. To express it more visually, one could compare this to watching the company's business from the worm's eye view. Hofstede calls it focus on the "bottom line" (Hofstede et.al., 2010, p. 251). In contrast, executives in companies from high- LTO cultures tend to focus on profits about one decade in the future (Hofstede et.al., 2010). This also includes not to focus on the "bottom line", but rather considering the entire company's market position. To keep the analogy, this could be compared to the bird's eye view. Furthermore, individuals in low- LTO cultures tend to have clear and very stable imaginations of what is right or wrong. In high- LTO cultures, the definitions of right and wrong depend on the current situation and the context of the matter (Hofstede et.al., 2010). 2.1.2.3 Critical acclaim 2.1.2.3.1 Criticism

The 5D model is controversially discussed. The major points offered by critics shall be listed below. First, it is often criticized is that Hofstede does not consider the possibly strong impact of IBM's corporate culture on the results of the study. As the survey population consists only of IBM employees, the occurrence of the single dimensions could be significantly distorted by the corporate culture of IBM (Kutschker & Schmid, 2008). Second, many critics offer the lack of discriminatory power between Hofstede's cultural dimensions. This demur also considers the procedures used to press the complex

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aspects of culture into the dimensional scheme. On the one hand, this regards the statistical procedures, which some critics call too mechanical, used to match the results to certain dimensions. On the other hand, it regards the insufficient fit between the dimensions and the survey contents they are based upon (Kutschker & Schmid, 2008). This becomes apparent by taking a closer look on the single dimensions' main work goal items introduced in chapter 2.1.2.2. For example, challenge characterizes IDV and MAS. Achievement is used as a goal for LTO and MAS. Freedom is related to LTO and 24

Günther, Benjamin. The cultural aspects of MINT recruitment: How to overcome the skills shortage by understanding graduates' needs : How to overcome the skills shortage by

IDV. These interconnections must result in a certain extent of correlation between the single dimensions, which has a negative impact on their discriminatory power. Third, it is often criticized that Hofstede's approach was too superficial. This means that Hofstede fails to deeply analyze their background. This criticism seems especially justified against the background of Schein's layer model. According to this model, culture rises from basic assumptions. Those are deeply rooted in its members' history and have proven useful to overcome the challenges they had to face again and again. For that reason, it would have been necessary to examine the cultures in depth instead of drawing conclusions based on questionnaires in the opinion of some critics. This would also have included an examination of the basic assumptions of the single cultures based on the work Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck (Kutschker & Schmid, 2008). Fourth, closely connected to this criticism is the fact that it does not become apparent which culture layer the model examines at all. Although Hofstede claims to examine the layer of norms and values. However, the survey actually rather examines the artifacts layer and tries to draw conclusions about norms and values based upon the resulting data. The criticism's core resides in the fact that Hofstede's personal interpretation could distort the results of these conclusions (Kutschker & Schmid, 2008). This leads to the fifth weakness of the model, which is even acknowledged by Hofstede himself in the preface of "Software of the Mind". It resides in the fact that his own point of view is strongly influenced by his Dutch national culture (Hofstede et.al., 2010). A possible consequence could be that the content of the questionnaires used for his survey could be of interest from the Western point of view only. On the one hand, it could therefore leave out aspects interesting for members of other cultures. On the other hand, it could include aspects which absolutely do not play a role or have a totally different meaning in these cultures. However, an attempt was undertaken to eliminate this weakness by conducting a follow- up study designed by the Chinese Culture Connection, which also considered cultural aspects of Eastern cultures in the conception of the questionnaire (Kutschker & Schmid, 2008).

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The sixth argument which disputes the 5D model is that Hofstede assumes coherences which are by far not evident. One the one hand, this refers to the assumed congruence between national and cultural borders in the survey. This criticism must be partly rejected, as Hofstede does not always assume this congruence. Not in vain, he presents his index scores classified by geographic regions in "Software of the Mind" (Hofstede et.al., 2010). One could even argue that his country- related approach

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makes it possible to take a differentiated look on countries which supposedly belong to the same cultural area. However, it cannot be dismissed that his approach does not consider culture differences within countries, which could be important for multiethnic states like China (Kutschker & Schmid, 2008). On the other hand, critics find fault with the fact that Hofstede presumes speculative connections between cultural attributes and people's acting in certain situations in their daily life. These presumptions are not covered by empirical findings (p. 730). However, one has to counter that Hofstede himself introduces the limitation that the survey only reflects average data, i.e. that no direct conclusion can be drawn from the country culture's scores to the situationspecific behavior of individuals. It is only meant to provide an indication to describe individual behavior which can be expected from the majority of the culture's members (Hofstede et.al., 2010). 2.1.2.3.2 Agreement

Due to its large survey population, Hofstede's IBM study is considered the most comprehensive survey ever conducted in cultural and communication sciences up to now. It eclipses all other surveys regarding the number of examined participants and countries (Kutschker & Schmid, 2008). This distinction becomes apparent by comparing it to another major international survey. Although Trompenaars conducted a survey resulting in a similarly structured dimensional model, which included about 15,000 participants, this population seems small compared to the 116,000 participants of Hofstede's IBM study. However, one should not forget that this volume possibly came at the price of distorted survey data as mentioned in chapter 2.1.2.3.1. Another point that Hofstede must be given credit for is that he was the first researcher who combined the examination of different populations with the examination along different aspects. All preceding approaches were merely limited to either the examination of a certain population along different aspects or to the examination of different populations along one single criterion. Although this advantage cannot be denied, one should not forget that the problematic determination of the dimensions

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(Kutschker & Schmid, 2008). In spite of the possible lack of discriminatory power of the dimensions, they have proven quite stable in the course of time in a follow- up examination designed by the Chinese Culture Connection (Kutschker & Schmid, 2008). This could be seen as an evidence for the existence of a relation to the basic assumptions of the examined cultures, which are also constant respectively changing extremely slow (Schein, 1985). 26

Günther, Benjamin. The cultural aspects of MINT recruitment: How to overcome the skills shortage by understanding graduates' needs : How to overcome the skills shortage by

This would again attenuate the demur concerning the lack of an in- depth research approach. Furthermore, by abstaining from this in- depth examination of the cultures' cores and limiting his survey to comparable dimensions, Hofstede enables researchers to compare different cultures along these dimensions. As it was mentioned in chapter 2.1.2.3.1, absolute accuracy in the determination of the dimensions may not be given. However, the model is easy to understand and is appropriate to be transferred to similar research projects. For that reason, it has become the basis for many continuative research projects. Consequently, Hofstede's approach has been so deeply interwoven into scholar work that it became an essential part of modern management theory. Another consequence of its high level of plausibility is the high acceptance not only in scholar circles, but also among international management practitioners. Hofstede's work opened many international executives' eyes for the cultural aspects of leadership. Thus, it was the catalyst for a wave that many other authors did not miss to ride. However, none of his successors was able to acquire a comparable success (Kutschker & Schmid, 2008). 2.1.2.3.3 Conclusion

After examining the limitations and the advantages of the 5D model, one can state that its methodology is by far not faultless. However, it provides a good possibility to make a first approach and to become familiar with the complex issue of culture also for nonscholars. There are two reasons which make the model appear suitable for this study. First, this study is the first one to examine MINT students by ascribing to them an own specific culture. It seems therefore reasonable to choose an approach which can be presented comprehensibly. This necessity accompanies the limited scope of this study. For that reason, the 5D model will be applied for the examination of MINT students cultural aspects.

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After all, there remains one limitation which is inherent to all research which has been undertaken up to now. These approaches met the needs of the time in which they were undertaken, because this time was dominated by growing multinational companies which which were then facing problems in cooperation between their employees in different countries. Meanwhile, international executives have access to a vast number of more or less revolutionary publications about international management. However, all existing literature more or less focuses on aspects of different national

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macrocultures, and more or less leaves aside profession- specific microcultural aspects. Although some authors have touched on this subject, it is considered less important in general. This becomes apparent by a statement of Trompenaars (1997). Even though he dedicates a small chapter of his work to functional diversity, he states that differences between the functional divisions of an organization are "not as strong as international differences" based on his study (p. 235). Although this may be true, taking care of profession- specific microcultural aspects may prove to be important for companies trying to attract job applicants if there is a lack of high- qualified candidates to staff vacancies. 2.2 The skills shortage In common, such kind of situation is also referred to as skills shortage. As this study is limited to the situation in Germany, the analysis of existing studies will be limited to the German labor market. Furthermore, the examination will be limited to employments for MINT graduates due to the limited scope of this study. 2.2.1 Definitions As the term recruitment is closely tied to the issue of the skills shortage, its definition is included here. In the conceptual sense, recruiting is defined as "the part of the human resources management which deals with the coverage of a pre- defined staff requirement" (Hentze & Kammel, 2001, p. 241). In the existing literature, a generally accepted definition for the term skills shortage cannot be found. According to the Bundesagentur für Arbeit (2011), skilled employees are "persons with at least a completed apprenticeship or a comparable secondary grade" (p. 3). In contrast, the definition gives by the IW Köln includes only “graduates and employees with a master craftsman's diploma” (Grasedieck, 2009, p. 155). Although the definitions may differ from each other, it becomes apparent from both definitions that this term refers not only to graduates. However, as mentioned above, the scope of this study is Copyright © 2013. Diplomica Verlag. All rights reserved.

only on graduates due to its limited extent. Unfortunately, there is neither an operational nor a generally accepted conceptual definition for a shortage related to the labor market. If the general definition of scarcity is applied to the labor market, skilled employees are always rare as they are a limited human resource (Gabler, 2012). However, there is no consensus about certain criteria which would justify referring to the current or predicted availability of skilled employees 28

Günther, Benjamin. The cultural aspects of MINT recruitment: How to overcome the skills shortage by understanding graduates' needs : How to overcome the skills shortage by

as a shortage or not. Up to now, there is no scientific method to quantify the lack of qualified employees due to the complexity of the economic variables (Brenke, 2010). 2.2.2 The skills shortage in the short- term view One has to separate different time horizons in the further examination. This clear separation is very important, which was confirmed by Klaus F. Zimmermann, former president of the DIW Berlin (DIW, 2010). One aspect is the short- term point of view which regards the present and a horizon of up to five years. There is a very lively debate between the experts of several renown institutes. This also becomes apparent regarding the fact that there is a vast amount of study material with strongly diverging results. For example, Karl Brenke working at the DIW in Berlin denies the current existence of a skills shortage (Brenke, 2012). In contrast, Oliver Koppel working for the IW Köln is a supporter of the opinion that the skills shortage is already a current issue (Koppel, 2012). However, this current debate is complex enough to dedicate a separate study to it. 2.2.3 The skills shortage in the long- term view For that reason, this study will only refer to the upcoming skills shortage as a long- term issue. The observed time frame starts in 2015 and ends in the decade of 2050. Related to the issue of culture, this approach is unproblematic because it was described in chapter 2.1.1.4 that culture is a construct that changes only very slowly in the course of time. Consequently, the results from culture- related study likely will also be applicable in the long- term view. 2.2.3.1 Reasons

In general, one can state that there are two main reasons for a skills shortage. One reason is on the supply side and the other reason is one the demand side of the labor market. 2.2.3.1.1 Shrinking workforce supply Copyright © 2013. Diplomica Verlag. All rights reserved.

On the supply side, there is a lack of sufficiently qualified employees. In total, the number of people between 15 and 29 years, i.e. the potential of young workforce in Germany, presumably has its peak from 2010 until 2015 with about 9,000,000 individuals. In the following decades, it will decrease to about 6,000,000 in 2040 (Bräuniger et.al., 2002, p. 25). This equals a decrease of one third. The entire workforce potential, which includes the part of the population between 15 and 64 years,

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will decrease from currently narrow 50,000,000 to 35,500,000 in 2050 (Grasedieck, 2009, p. 154). This equals a decrease of about 29%. For the same period, this forecast predicts a shrinking of the total German population of about 17% from 82,5000,000 to 68,800,000. (p. 154). Focusing on the workforce with academic qualifications, forecasts say that the age class between 50 and 64 years, i.e. those who will retire soon, will make up 35% of the entire qualification class in 2015, whereas only 19% will 35 years old or younger (Grasedieck, 2009, p. 156). Unfortunately, a precise long- term forecast about the quantitative development of highly- qualified workforce is virtually impossible as there are many unpredictable factors, e.g. the number of graduates and the yearly immigration of highly qualified foreigners. However, the employees between 50 and 64 years are the best qualified in Germany with a predicted percentage of graduates of 22% in 2015 (p. 156). Even taking into account the risen retirement age of 67 years, this implies that this highly qualified workforce will start retiring latest from 2018. Even if the graduates' share in the total workforce would remain constant within the following generations, it would mean that it decreases due to the decreasing total workforce mentioned above. Even worse, the retiring generation has the highest percentage of graduates among all age classes, which means that their successors will be less qualified. In other words, the amount of skilled employees will shrink stronger than the total workforce. It is obvious that this results in a supply gap, also called replacement demand, if one assumes a constant total demand for highly qualified workforce. This predicted development of the demand side will be examined below. 2.2.3.1.2 Rising demand for highly qualified workforce

By scanning the available literature about the developments of the demand side of the labor market, two major reasons for a rising demand for highly qualified employees crystallize. First, some researchers assume that the aging of the workforce will result in a decrease of economic power. The underlying assumption is that older employees Copyright © 2013. Diplomica Verlag. All rights reserved.

generate less economic output than younger ones. An examination of Germany's economic growth shows a strong negative correlation with the average age of the human capital (Bräuninger et.al., 2002). This issue will likely become relevant from the middle of this decade, as the the number of employees older than 60 years will significantly rise from this point of time (p. 26). the consequence would be an "erosion of the knowledge basis and and a loss of innovation capacity" (p. 1). This would again 30

Günther, Benjamin. The cultural aspects of MINT recruitment: How to overcome the skills shortage by understanding graduates' needs : How to overcome the skills shortage by

result in a deteriorating international competitive capacity in innovation- driven branches which typically require MINT- related qualifications. Avoiding these losses requires an increasing level of qualification and life- long further education, as it is considered a possible way to diminish or even absorb the decrease in productivity resulting from the human capital's increasing average age. Second, the rising share of elderly people in the total population will likely significantly change the structure of the macroeconomic demand. The specific needs of senior citizens are predicted to result in an increasing demand for healthcare- related products and services, e.g. biotech, medical engineering and pharmacy (Bräuninger et.al., 2002).. This again leads to an increasing demand for highly qualified specialists in these branches. 2.2.3.2 Consequences for the price formation on the labor market

As it was stated in chapters 2.2.3.1.1 and 2.2.3.1.2, there will be a shrinking supply of skilled workforce, accompanied by rising demand for exactly this workforce. According to the rules of price formation in a market, this will lead to a rising equilibrium price. Related to the labor market, this rising equilibrium price means higher wages that employers must pay to attract qualified employees. This relation is schematically shown in the diagram below. In this diagram, the x-axis shows the amount of supplied or demanded labor force, referred to as the independent variable L. The y-axis shows the wage resulting from the interaction of supplied and demanded labor force, referred to as the dependent variable w. 2015 is considered the original situation with affluent supply of highly qualified . In this situation, the current level of workforce

workforce, which is referred to as S 2015

demand is referred to as D

These graphs subtend each other and result in the

2015.

equilibrium wage w 2015

Until 2050, the workforce supply will decrease by  to S Copyright © 2013. Diplomica Verlag. All rights reserved.

S

. This equals a movement

2050

of the supply graph to the left. During the same period of time, the labor force demand will increase by D to D2050. This equals a movement of the demand graph to the right. Due to these two movements directed towards each other, the equilibrium wage rises by w to w2050. In this visualization, w2050 is the wage that employers will have to pay in 2050 to cover their need for skilled labor force. It also becomes apparent from the

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diagram that the amount of attracted labor force in 2050 (L2050) will be approximately the same like in 2015 (L

). If one equals the labor extent, i.e. the amount of labor 2015

force applied in the market equilibrium, to the power of an economy represented by the GDP, this implies that wages will have to rise if the GDP of 2015 shall be maintained in 2050. This development will likely transform the labor market from a buyers' market into a sellers' market, i.e. it could give highly qualified employees a position of power towards the employers struggling for them (Bräuninger et.al., 2002). Figure 3: Rising wage level for MINT graduates due to the skills shortage

wage (w)

D2015

D2050

S2050

D

S2015

S

w2050

w w2015

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L2015  L2050

labor force (L)

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Günther, Benjamin. The cultural aspects of MINT recruitment: How to overcome the skills shortage by understanding graduates' needs : How to overcome the skills shortage by

However, this restraint to compete for sufficiently qualified workforce may reach an extent which makes it uneconomic for employers to maintain their value creation in Germany. If the wages necessary to cover the need for qualified employees will become too high, the relevant employments possibly will be offshored to economies with lower labor cost. An important term in this context is offshorability. It refers to the effort necessary to relocate an employment from one country to the other. The level of offshorability can be classified from IV, i.e. not offshorable, to I, i.e. easily offshorable. An important determinant in this classification is the location bondage of the value creation. In other words, this determinant describes if a product or service is produced at the place where it is consumed. The weaker this bondage, the easier it is to offshore the employment. For two reasons, it is assumed that employments which require a academic degree in MINT sciences have a high offshorability. First, employees with a higher level of qualification often work in R&D or production departments, i.e. there is only a weak bondage between their value creation and the place of consumption because they do not have any contact to the end customer. Second, and this especially applicable for R&D, they are often employed in jobs which require the same knowledge all around the world because the tasks are all based upon the same natural laws. It is assumed that slightly more than 50% of the employment requiring an academic degree belong to categories I and II, i.e. offshoring would be easy or would at least not take disproportional big efforts (Schrader & Laaser, 2009, p. 10). This development would turn the skills shortage into the opposite, which is illustrated in the scheme below. In this situation, the labor force demand D would quickly break down by D to Doff due to the high level of offshorability. Doff stands for the demand for qualified workforce after the offshoring process. At the same time, the supply of highly qualified labor force would remain high, so the supply graph S does not move. The reason is that it cannot adapt quickly enough as the endurance of ongoing studies or apprenticeships causes a certain amount of inertness in adaption process. The consequence is a surplus of MINT graduates, also referred to as skills glut (Brenke, 2010, p. 1). Consequently, the equilibrium wage drops by w to woff. The applied labor Copyright © 2013. Diplomica Verlag. All rights reserved.

force drops from L to Loff Holding on to the connection between L and the GDP .

introduced above, this equals a dramatic breakdown of Germany's economic power.

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Figure 4: Wage drop for MINT graduates due to offshoring processes

wage (w)

Doff

D

S

D w

w woff

L Loff

L

labor force (L)

2.3 Research questions Although the approach introduced in chapter 2.2 gives a clear imagination about possible consequences of the upcoming skills shortage, it has one decisive weakness. It ignores other determinants for human decisions, also referred to as soft factors like work- life balance, challenging tasks or employment security. As clarified in chapter 2.2.3.2, rising wages as the only incentive for MINT graduates could possibly bear a great risk for the German economy's international competitive capacity. It seems therefore reasonable for companies to consider soft factors as complementary possibilities to attract MINT graduates. In this study, the author will examine these soft factors in the context of culture. However, it will be helpful to structure this approach by

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breaking it down into explicit research questions. 2.3.1 H 1:Expectations about the occurrences of MAS, UAI, IDV and LTO This hypostudy implies the assumption that MINT graduates have specific occurrences of the dimensional indices from the 5D model introduced in chapter 2.1.2.2, i.e. an own microculture. This assumption results from the underlying theory of this study. It is based upon the thought that culture accrues from the challenges that a certain group of 34

Günther, Benjamin. The cultural aspects of MINT recruitment: How to overcome the skills shortage by understanding graduates' needs : How to overcome the skills shortage by

people have to overcome during its history. Independent from their individual specialization, MINT graduates share the challenge to resolve sophisticated mathematical problems which require a highly analytic approach, ideally should be clearly defined and therefore lead to a certain solution. It is assumed that these challenges result in specific problem solving strategies, which again lead to specific cultural occurrences according to Schein's layer model. According to Hofstede's concept of culture from the Personal Uniqueness model, it is also assumed that these strategies are transferred from one academic or workmate generation to the next. It was mentioned in chapter 2.1.2.2.4 that uncertainty refers to situations with unpredictable results and without predefined algorithms to solve them. This bears an inherent conflict with the solution methods of analytical problems. It can therefore be expected that MINT students in general aspire to eliminate uncertainty to overcome this conflict, i.e. that they score high in UAI. Concerning MAS, it is expected that the participants will score quite high according to a finding from the IBM survey. It showed that engineers and scientists have the secondhighest MAS of all occupational groups employed in the company (Hofstede et.al., 2010, p. 150). The examination of the relevant scores will also show if there is a positive correlation between cultural and biological gender terms. If this would be the case, it should be expected to be accompanied by a high total MAS score (Hofstede et.al., 2010). Furthermore, it can be assumed that the absolute value of the IDV occurrence will b low due to the fact that in common, IDV does not have any occupational correlation (Hofstede et.al., 2010). For two reasons, it is difficult to state any assumption about LTO. First, there is no comprehensible connection between the business- related characteristics of LTO expressed by Hofstede (2010) and the MINT- specific requirement profile expressed above. Still, it would be possible to make such an approach, linking the requirement profile to single aspects of STO and LTO. For example, one could link the STO- typical

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principle of contrary possibilities suspending each other to the solution process of mathematical problems. However, such an approach would only take into account a few single aspects of LTO. It would therefore not be comprehensive enough to state an expectation worth taking seriously. For that reason, no assumption about the occurrence of LTO in this survey will be stated.

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At the end of the analysis of the single dimension's occurrences, there will be a short comparison to the German national culture to evaluate in how far the MINT students' microculture is influenced by the German national macroculture. 2.3.2 RQ 1: How can employers take the survey results into account concerning their recruitment? This research question is important for companies to steer their recruitment efforts into the right direction and therefore contribute to an improved allocation of their limited financial and human resources. To answer this research question, the most striking results of the survey will be applied to the issue of recruitment. One should note that this RQ is not primarily related to the occurrence of the cultural dimension, but to the most striking scores of single questionnaire elements. An important aspect of this RQ is the improvement of an employer's attraction on female graduates. In order to answer the RQ more comprehensibely, the author will also introduce recent practice examples

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where available.

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3. Methodology of the underlying survey 3.1 Subjects As the purpose of the survey is to examine the culture of MINT graduates, it would have made the best sense to conduct it among people who are just to leave the university and to start their vocational life. However, due to Schein's layer model introduced in chapter 2.1.1.4, a culture's core is deeply rooted in the challenges its members have to overcome again and again. To clarify this thought, one should remind Trompenaars' example of the Japanese rice farmers. It seems plausible that MINT graduates and MINT students face similar profession- related challenges. They both have to overcome the challenges mentioned in the first research question.. For that reason, it is apparent that for a survey which is to examine culture, it does not make a difference if it is conducted among graduates or students. Moreover, to ensure a higher level of validity at an acceptable effort, the survey population includes only students who had left at most six semesters left until graduation. On average, the participants had 4,55 semesters left until graduation, which equals a bit more than two years. Presumably, the basic assumptions as the core of culture will not change significantly within this relatively short period. As a Technical University, the author's former university TU Bergakademie Freiberg, was suitable for the conduction of the survey. This becomes apparent regarding the fact that in winter term 2010/2011, 4054 of 5458 students were enrolled at the faculties responsible for MINT sciences (TU Bergakademie Freiberg, 2011, p 4). This equals a share of 74.3%, not even taking into account the students of Engineering and Management enrolled at the Faculty of Business Administration. For that reason, the student population of the university has a high intersection with the target group of the survey. In total, the questionnaire was handed out to 189 students, of whom 18 did not fill in complete data and 34 had more than six semesters left until graduation. In the end,

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103 valid male and 34 valid female students' questionnaires were evaluated. This equals a relation of 75.18% to 24,82%. This relation approximately meets the relation for the entire university, which was 68.1% to 31.9% in the winter semester 2011/2012 (TU Bergakademie Freiberg, 2012). The survey was conducted at the end of the winter semester 2011/2012. The survey population includes 20 students from the Faculty of Chemistry and Physics (Faculty 2), 52 students from the Faculty of Geosciences,

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Geoengineering and Mining (Faculty 3), 51 students from the Faculty of Mechanical, Process and Energy Engineering (Faculty 4), and 14 students from the Faculty of Materials Science and Technology (Faculty 5). This equals an approximate relation of 14.6% : 38.1% : 37.2% : 10.1%. In the winter term of 2010/11, which is the most recent term with available data, the relation between these four faculties' enrollment was about 14.6% : 34.2% : 34.4% : 16.8% (TU Bergakademie Freiberg, 2011, p 4). Although the Faculty of Materials Science and Technology is slightly underrepresented, whereas the geoscientific and engineering faculties are a bit overrepresented, the mixture of the survey at least roughly reflects the circumstances at the university. A more detailed overview over the stratification of the survey population can be found in the table below. Unfortunately, the allowance to conduct the survey at the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics (Faculty 1) as well was denied by its dean. The Faculty of Business Administration (Faculty 6) was left out due to the survey's focus on MINT students.

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Table 1: Stratification of the survey population

3.2 Procedures The survey was done using a questionnaire. Due to the fact that it was conducted at a university in Germany, the questionnaire is completely in German. Students were requested to complete it in their courses after the relevant lecturer gave permission to

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the author to conduct the survey in his or her course. The questionnaire consisted of 23 points. For these points, the participants were asked to rate their importance on a Likert- type scale with five levels from 0 to 4. On this scale, "0" equaled “completely unimportant”, whilst “4” equaled “very important”. The questionnaire points had to meet two requirements. First, they had to be related to recruitment or at least to aspects which can be communicated within its scope. In other words, they had to have something to do with recruitment. Second, they had to be allocated to certain dimensions of Hofstede's model, which is the framework for this study. The questionnaire was divided into two subsections. The first

11 questions concerned

preferences for a possible employer regarded as an entire company. The other 12 questions were related to aspects which would make a certain vacancy interesting for the graduates. Thus, it was possible to pose check questions. For example, students were asked to rate the point “international strategic concept/ possibility for an international career” in the first section. In the second section, they were asked to rate the point “working abroad as an element of the advertised employment”. If there was a strong difference in the rating of these two questions, it should have made the author skeptical. Apart from these 23 points, the questionnaire also scheduled participants' information about gender, faculty membership and the number of terms left until graduation, excluding the winter term 2011/12, in which the survey was conducted. Gender and faculty membership are stratification criteria used to evaluate the accordance between the stratification of the survey population and the stratification of the university's total population. As mentioned in chapter 3.1, the number of terms left until graduation is a criterion used to increase validity by ignoring participants who had left more than six terms. A pilot test was conducted at the Faculty of Business Administration before the conduction of the actual survey. The reason was to eliminate possible ambiguities in the phrasing of the questions and therefore make sure that the questionnaire was clearly understandable by the participants. The Faculty of Business Administration was Copyright © 2013. Diplomica Verlag. All rights reserved.

chosen because it was less laborious for the author to make an appointment with a lecturer of this faculty. The population of the pilot test consisted of 26 students, of whom 10 were male and 16 were female.

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3.3 Data treatment 3.3.1 Allocation of questionnaire components to Hofstede's cultural dimensions Following the description of the survey conduction, it shall now be clarified how the single issues of the questionnaire were allocated to Hofstede's cultural dimensions. The macrocultural dimensions were chosen consciously, because their derivation from job- choice related issues is quite easy to comprehend. It shall now be explained for each dimension which questions can be related to it, positively and negatively as well. PDI was left out, as it seemed difficult to find a link between job- choice related issues and the acceptance for power distance in the target group. In contrast, LTO was put into consideration as it seems likely that for a person's entry into work life it is important if this step is being taken under a long- term or under a short- term perspective. 3.3.1.1 The allocation to MAS

In a masculine culture, much emphasis is put on achievement, i.e. people equalize being successful with being the best achiever in their field. Related to the context of work, Hofstede identified four goals which are most specific for masculinity (Hofstede et.al, 2010). The first goal is the possibility for high earnings. For that reason, the point "aboveaverage payment compared to similar jobs in the sector" was positively related to MAS. The second goal is recognition for good work. This recognition can be shown by nonmonetary payment components like company cars or events within the scope of incentives. The relevant questionnaire point has therefore been positively related as well. The third goal identified by Hofstede is the opportunity for job advancement. This aspect is reflected by the points "advancement chances along the hierarchy", "selective offspring support programs for specialists and leaders" and "taking an executive position as quickly as possible". The fourth goal positively related to MAS is the need for personal sense of accomplishment derived from a challenging work. In general, traveling employments tend to be more stressful than others, so that this point was

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related positively to MAS. Furthermore, the extent to which a person puts emphasis on diversified tasks is likely to be strongly related to the extent to which a person draws personal satisfaction from its work. The relevant questionnaire point is therefore positively related to MAS as well (Hofstede et.al., 2010). In a feminine culture, people are "supposed to be modest, tender, and concerned with the quality of life" (Hofstede et.al, 2010, p 140). As one important, typically feminine

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work- related goal, Hofstede has identified the need for employment security. It is obvious that this is reflected by the questionnaire points "open- ended employment" and "expectable vulnerability of the job to economic crises", which are therefore negatively related to MAS. As there is a strong emphasis on a comfortable work- lifebalance in feminine cultures, the relevant questionnaire point was correlated negatively as well. Another aspect of feminine cultures is that people aspire harmony in their relationships to other members of society. For that reason, the point "Corporate responsibility for environment and society" was negatively correlated to MAS. 3.3.1.2 The allocation to UAI

Based on the definition for UAI mentioned in chapter 2.1.2.2.4, some questionnaire components can clearly be correlated to the occurrence of the UAI. The first point positively correlated to UAI is "congruence of communicated and practiced company culture". As the practiced company culture can hardly be evaluated before the first working day, this is a typical case of ambiguity. If graduates put high emphasis on an employer from whom they do not have to expect any negative surprises in this regard, it would indicate strong UAI. On the one hand, the working environment is determined by the organizational culture. On the other hand, it is determined by the task itself. The culture- related factor therefore goes hand in hand with the point "congruence between working task and my academic specialization" It is obvious that emphasis on these two points would be an indicator for a strong antipathy against ambiguous situations. The second complex from the questionnaire positively related to UAI is about employment security and the length of service itself. In a culture with high UAI, people tend to prefer long- lasting employments. The point "open- ended employment" has therefore been positively related to UAI. In this context, it seems also obvious that people disliking ambiguity are more concerned about possible unemployment in case of an economic crisis. Consequently, this point has also been included as a positive indicator for UAI. The internet and social media have opened the possibility to obtain information about a Copyright © 2013. Diplomica Verlag. All rights reserved.

possible further employer in advance. If an applicant uses these possibilities, it can be seen as an indicator for a high need to reduce ambiguity. This can also include using internet portals on which former or current employees can rate their company. Another way to obtain employees' opinions is word- of- mouth influence, especially if someone applies for a job at regional company. For that reason, the two questionnaire points “design of company homage, presence in social media and career networks” and

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“evaluation by (former) staff members (e.g. internet portals, word of mouth)” are considered an indicator for a high UAI. The last point interpreted as an indicator for strong uncertainty avoidance is "existence/accessibility of personal contact persons along the recruitment process". These contact persons are a possibility for the applicant to clear unclear issues in a fast and, which is much more important, binding way. They are therefore suitable for reducing ambiguity. Emphasis on this point is therefore seen as a sign for this need. In contrast, the affinity for an employment in an international context was negatively correlated to UAI. The reason is easy to understand. Working abroad always means getting used to a new working place with different colleagues in a different national macroculture, not knowing if the effort really will pay off in the end indeed. For that reason, the points "international strategic concept/ possibility for an international career" and "working abroad as an element of the advertised employment" were negatively correlated to UAI. This is going along with the negative correlation of "traveling employment", as this kind of employment also includes dealing with different people in different physical environments every day. Furthermore, traveling jobs are often found in the field of sales, which often means working on commission basis and therefore likely requires a high tolerance for ambiguity. Another point negatively correlated to UAI is "company heading for innovations". Innovations require dynamic organizational structures to be implemented quickly and without much bureaucracy. However, these flexible structures may be regarded as an indicator for low reliability by people with a high degree of uncertainty avoidance. It can be assumed that these people would prefer stable, reliable and constant processes, which would, on the other hand, slow down innovation processes. This also makes sense as such employees would prefer long- lasting employments, as mentioned above. 3.3.1.3 The allocation to IDV

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One of the three work goals typical for a high IDV, which were introduced in chapter 2.1.2.2.3, is having a job that leaves sufficient time for one's private life (Hofstede et.al., 2010, p 92). In other words, this is nothing else than the much debated work- life balance. For that reason, two points from the questionnaire were positively correlated to the occurrence of IDV. The first one is "employer supporting acceptable work- life balance". One way in which the employer can practice this support in the particular employment relationship is to grant the employee the option to decide, at least to a 42

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certain extent, when he or she comes to the working place. As an alternative for the physical presence in the office, the employer can give the allowance to work from the home office. This flexibility will likely give the employee the chance for a time management which more adequately considers the needs of his private life and therefore meets the goal mentioned in chapter 2.1.2.2.3. Consequently, the relevant questionnaire point was positively correlated to IDV as well. Another goal positively connected with IDV is a challenging job from which one can get a personal sense of accomplishment (Hofstede et.al., 2010, p 92). In common, a job with diversified tasks will likely be more satisfying than a job with a high amount of routine and repetitive tasks. For that reason, this point was positively correlated to IDV. However, there is also another important factor which is necessary to get personal satisfaction from an employment. If a person has a job which contradicts his or personal ethical principles, it is unlikely that this person will get a sense of accomplishment from this job. To clarify this argument, one could imagine a vegetarian working in a slaughter house. Although this example is strongly exaggerated, it clearly shows why the point “congruence between business areas and my ethical principles” was positively correlated to IDV. In contrast, one goal typical for collectivism is to have training opportunities (Hofstede et. al, 2010). For this reason, the points “selective support programs for specialists and executives” and “selective qualification programs as an element of the advertised employment” were negatively correlated to IDV. According to Hofstede's IBM survey, people in collectivist cultures try to fully use their skills and abilities on their job (Hofstede et.al, 2010, p 93). A high amount of graduates preferring jobs which meet their academic specialization are therefore seen an indicator for collectivism in this study, because such a high congruence would give them the chance to apply their academic knowledge to their job. As mentioned in chapter 2.1.2.2.3, people in collectivist cultures closely identify themselves with in- groups which they consider themselves to be a part of. In the Copyright © 2013. Diplomica Verlag. All rights reserved.

context of work, this the company they work for. A big company size, a high awareness level and a good reputation of the employer will therefore likely make collectivist employees proud. For that reason, the relevant point was negatively related to IDV. It was mentioned in chapter 2.1.2.2.3 that members of collectivist cultures tend to think in particularist ways, which means for business that establishing a personal relationship to a representative of a company is the condition for further business contacts. In the

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relationship between employer and applicant, it means that applicants thinking in particularist and therefore collectivist ways will likely highly appreciate a personal contact person which they can apply to during the entire recruitment process. The relevant questionnaire point has therefore been negatively related to IDV. As mentioned above, Hofstede also considers the affinity for the use of information technology as an indicator for a high IDV. One could therefore be apt to believe that putting high emphasis on a possible employer's online presence could be an indicator for a high IDV. However, one should remember that this conclusion would possibly be based upon a spurious correlation. Consequently, it would be possible, but very adventurous, to relate the point “design of company homepage, presence in social media and career networks” to IDV. For that reason, the author finally decided not to include it in the IDV- related consideration. 3.3.1.4 The allocation to LTO

One term which was omnipresent in the last two decades is sustainability. But how is it associated with the cultural dimension of LTO? To clarify the connection, sustainability first shall be defined. According to the scientific service of the German Bundestag, it means "present thinking and acting which improves the current generation's living situation without affecting the perspectives of future generations." (Bartol & Herkommer, 2004, p. 1) According to the three- pillar sustainability model, this includes ecological, economical and social spheres of activity. However, these three areas cannot be divided from each other, but can only be implemented in an integrated way (p 1). In other words, it means taking care not only for one's own business, but also for the environment and for society, and that these three points must be all reached at the same time. Some renown companies like Coca Cola, Rockwell Automation, General Mills and Boeing consider sustainable entrepreneurial activities to be a contribution to an increase of long- term return on investment (Rockwell Automation, 2009). At this point, the connection to LTO becomes more obvious. As mentioned in chapter 2.1.2.2.4, companies in cultures with a high LTO tend to focus rather on their economic

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situation approximately one decade in the future, which would mean sustainability in the economical sense. In the sense of the three- pillar model, this economical aspect also requires taking care of environmental and social issues. For that reason, the relevant questionnaire point was positively related to LTO. Focusing on high future profits also includes implementing innovations. Even though a company may not be the typical innovator, it will be necessary to at least adopt 44

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innovations at a certain point of time. However, one should not forget that the survey was conducted among MINT students, who will likely make their way as employees in rather technology- driven branches. In these branches, innovation is likely very important for future success. The high pressure for innovation is confirmed by a survey conducted by the Fraunhofer Institut Stuttgart among HR executives in technology companies. The participants rated a high pressure for innovation with four of five points on a Likert scale as an applicable description for their current entrepreneurial situation (Bienzeisler & Bernecker, 2008, p. 12). For that reason, the relevant questionnaire point was positively related to LTO. This positive connection is confirmed by the fact that executives in countries with a high LTO index tend to consider openness to new ideas as one major work value (Hofstede et.al, 2010). Another issue related to LTO applies the possibility to establish a long- lasting employment relationship to one's employer. According to Hofstede, members of cultures with a high LTO prefer long- lasting relationships. Two points of the questionnaire can be directly connected to the length of an employment. Apparently, the first one is “open- ended employment”. However, the happenings during the economic crisis of 2008 have shown one more time that the vulnerability of an employment to the economic frame conditions can have a significant impact on its durability. It is obvious that it does not subserve a long- lasting work relationship if it ends at the end of its fixed- term duration or if it is being destroyed in an economic crisis. For that reason, these two points was positively related to LTO. Concerning the relation between orientation towards leisure time and LTO, it was found out that members of high- LTO cultures tend to put few emphasis on leisure time in comparison to their working hours. According to this finding, a person who emphasizes work- life balance support by his or her employer should rather be short- term orientated. Therefore, the relevant questionnaire point was negatively related to LTO. Another finding of the survey related to LTO was that in short- term orientated cultures, people tend to have a fixed imagination of what is right or wrong, whereas in long- term

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thinking cultures, this differentiation depends on the circumstances of the situation (Hofstede et.al, 2010). This fixed imagination about wright and wrong also includes ethical principles. For example, the vegetarian stressed in chapter 3.3.1.3 will likely have the clear and rock- solid belief that contributing in meat production is murder. If he or she would highly emphasize the congruence of his or her employer's business areas

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with this conviction, he or she would prove being short- term orientated according to Hofstede's statement. In Hofstede's explanation, members of short- term thinking cultures also tend to emphasize on achievement and to focus on their personal benefit. Such a focus can be expressed by heading for high earnings. One the one hand, this includes monetary rewards. Although emphasis on high monetary rewards is a clear indicator for the importance of personal benefit, it does not directly demonstrate a high status difference to one's peers or subordinates. On the other hand, non- monetary rewards like a company car or the involvement in incentive- related events represent status and a clearly visible differentiation from less successful workmates. From his own experience, the author of the study can confirm this statement. Assisting the regional management of a transport company, he was granted an upper class rental car from time to time as a reward for above- average accomplishments. However, this was considered an unnecessary and unacceptable status demonstration by some members of the driving staff, so this incentive practice had to be terminated. Emphasis on such rewards would be an indicator for a low LTO, as Hofstede draws the conclusion that “wide social and economic differences are undesirable” in cultures with a high LTO (Hofstede et.al., 2010, p 251). Together with emphasis on above- average payment, the relevant questionnaire point has therefore been negatively related to LTO. A further point which shows a clear focus on personal success and achievement is “taking an executive position as quickly as possible”, which has consequently been negatively related to LTO. 3.3.2 Calculation of the dimensions' scores First of all, the total arithmetic average of all questionnaire points' ratings was calculated. It will be used as a benchmark for the single questions' relevance to the participants. It also would be possible to benchmark the single questionnaire points' ratings by means of the median of the used Likert scale, which would be 2.000. However, the purpose of the survey is to compare the importance of the different points Copyright © 2013. Diplomica Verlag. All rights reserved.

with each other. If one would use the scale's median as benchmark value, the result could be that all single points' scores are above or below it. This method would therefore not be very meaningful. For that reason, it is necessary to use a benchmark which establishes a link between the single points. The average of all single questions' scores meets this criterion. In the next step, the average for each single point was separately calculated for male and female participants. Next, overall averages for each

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point were calculated as weighted averages from the male and the female survey population. Than the difference to the total average was calculated. If the difference is positive, it means that the the respective point o average is important to the survey participants. If the difference is negative, it means that the average emphasis on the respective point is low. To find out the difference between male and female respondents, the respective female average was subtracted from the respective male average. If the difference is positive, it means that the female participants put more emphasis on the respective point than the total survey population. If it is negative, it means that the respective questionnaire point is less important for the female participants. In the next step, the arithmetic average for each dimension was derived according to the allocation defined in chapter 3.3.1. First, the sum of all relevant points' difference from the total average was calculated. In doing so, the relation to the respective dimension was taken into account. This means that if the difference was negative, but the relation negative as well, the value for this point was included as a positive summand and vice versa. This procedure shall be clarified by two examples. For example, the point "corporate responsibility for environment" has a slightly positive difference (+0.076) to the total average. However, it is negatively related to MAS. Consequently, -0.076 was taken as a summand for the occurrence of MAS. In contrast, the point "international strategic concept/ possibility for an international career" shows a negative difference of -0.264 to the total average. However, it is negatively related to UAI. Therefore, is is taken into account as a positive summand with +0.264 for UAI. Afterward, the sums resulting from this procedure for each dimension were divided by the total amount of points related to the respective dimensions. This was undertaken to avoid an influence of the number of points related to the dimensions on the findings on the survey. In other words, the average difference from the total average was calculated for each dimension. If this average is positive, it means that the participants' majority has a strong occurrence of this dimension. If it is negative, it means that the

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majority of all participants have a weak occurrence. However, these values cannot be directly compared to the relevant index values of Hofstede's surveys because they were retrieved in a totally different way. They can merely give a rough imagination about the single dimensions' occurrence. Additionally, the average difference between males and females in the respective dimensions' rating was calculated. This was done analog to the procedure described

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above. Consequently, a positive difference would mean that the respective dimensions' occurrence is stronger among the female participants than among the male ones and

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vice versa. The same limitation concerning the portability to Hofstede's indices is valid.

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4. Results In the following section, the data resulting from the survey will be abstracted. First, the scores for the single questions from the questionnaire will be depicted, also regarding the differences between male and female participants. Second, the results concerning the cultural dimensions will be observed. Thereby, gender differences will be taken into account as well. A detailed listing and diagrams of the data verbally abstracted in this chapter can be found in the appendices section. 4.1 Scores of the single questionnaire items The total average for MAS, UAI, IDV and LTO, calculated using the methodology described in the chapter before, is 2.662. For each question from the questionnaire, the deviation from this benchmark will be presented. Furthermore, the deviation between male and female participants' scores will be stated. Both deviations will be explained as far as possible. Concerning advancement chances along the hierarchy, the average for all participants is 2.965, which means a devation of 0.303 from the total average. It shows a clear difference between men and women with a deviation of -0.385 for the female participants. These data shows that this point is quite important for MINT students. The considerable difference between men and women is not very surprising, as the only correlation of this question is a positive correlation to MAS. In contrast to the score of this question, the similar point "taking an executive position as quickly as possible" has a deviation of -0.399 from the total average, i.e. it is less relevant for the participants. In other words, it means a deviation of 0.702 from "advancement chances along the hierarchy". At the first sight, this significant deviation seems quite amazing, as both questions refer to similar topics. However, "taking an executive position as quickly as possible" takes into account the temporal aspect of the vocational advancement, wherefore it is negatively correlated to LTO. This shows that MINT students put emphasis on the possibility to advance their employment, but tend to plan it in the long-

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term point of view. The female participants even exhibit a further deviation of -0.193 from this value. This is not very striking, as this question is also positively correlated to MAS. However, this deviation is less than the -0.385 for "advancement chances along the hierarchy". This could possibly indicate that the female participants have a more long- term oriented thinking.

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The point "corporate responsibility for environment and society" has a slightly superior rating with a devation of 0.076 from the total average. However, with 0.738, the deviation of the female participants' score is the highest within the entire survey. What could be the reasons for this significant deviation? On the one hand, it very can be explained by the positive correlation of the question to MAS. Thus, it would be clear evidence for the assumption that femininity includes the pursuit for consensus and harmony, in this case between the company and its environment. It would also indicate a clear allocation of the cultural gender terms to the biological gender terms among MINT students. This would also explain the large score range between the faculties, ranging from 2.000 at Faculty 5 up to 3.150 at Faculty 2. The reason is that there were only male participants from Faculty 5, whereas 65% of the Participants from Faculty 2 were female. On the other hand, the question was also positively related to LTO. Thus, it could confirm the assumption that the female participants have a stronger LTO than the males. The emphasis on congruence of communicated and practiced company culture has quite a distinct deviation of 0.404 from the total average, whereat the women even have a deviation of 0.264 to the males. As this questionnaire item is positively correlated to UAI, it clearly indicates that the participants in general dislike ambiguity concerning the culture of a possible employer. This tendency is even stronger at women than at men. Tannen (2007) states that women prefer decisions which preclude potential conflicts from the outset. A deviation between communicated and practiced company culture could bear exactly the conflicts that women try to avoid, destryoing consensus that they actually thought they would have established. For that reason, the female participants' stronger need to preclude such a difference could support Tannen's finding about women's stronger pursuit of consensus. Apart from this gender- related characteristic, one could summarize that MINT graduates, especially the females, want to get what they see. Another result of the survey is that MINT students seem to have an aversion against working abroad. Both the points "international strategic concept/ possibility for an Copyright © 2013. Diplomica Verlag. All rights reserved.

international career" and "working abroad as an element of the advertised employment" have gained only low scores. The first one has an average deviation of -0.264 from the total average, whereat women scored even lower by -0.177. The latter question, referring to working abroad as an explicitly mentioned part of an advertised employment, even has a deviation of -0.693 from the total average, whereat women score even much lower than men by -0.507. As both points are negatively correlated to 50

Günther, Benjamin. The cultural aspects of MINT recruitment: How to overcome the skills shortage by understanding graduates' needs : How to overcome the skills shortage by

UAI, this shows that MINT students rather seem to reduce ambiguity by staying in Germany instead of bearing the ambiguity connected to moving or at least working abroad. IT also shows that female MINT students even seem to become by far more reluctant if a job advertisment explicitly mentions working abroad. However, the students from the Faculty of

Geosciences, Geoengineering and Mining have the

highest scores at both questions with 2.722 and 2.245, which equals positive deviation values of 0.324 and 0.276 from the relevant questions' average scores. One could interpret this as an indicator for a lower UAI of the geology students. However, if one talks to students of this faculty, it becomes clear that there are better career chances abroad due to the geographic allocation of certain commodities like fossil fuels and ores. It is therefore not clear if the relatively high willingness to work abroad is a necessity resulting from the choice of the specialization, or if these students chose their specialization and therefore the necessity to work abroad due to a lower a priori UAI. Even though it is not covered by H 1, one could also observe the participants' general reluctance against working abroad taking into account the aspect of ethnocentrism. This term is defined as “the technical name for the view of things in which one's own group is the center of everything, and all others are scaled and rated with reference to it.” (Merton & Sztompka, 1996, p. 248). According to Sumner (1906), it often leads to a belief in one's own culture's superiority, or at least to a certain skepticism or reluctance against the members of other cultures. Without imputing a feeling of superiority to German MINT students, one could argue that one reason for their reluctance against working abroad could be a certain reluctance against other national cultures. Accompanied by a strong UAI, it could mean that MINT students feel comfortable with the German national culture familiar to them, and are rather not willing to engage with other national cultures. Becoming familiar with a foreign culture is accompanied by a certain ambiguity, as it was introduced in the data treatment section. This hindrance is even worsened by the skepticism against the other culture compared to the own German national culture. However, this is only an assumption. To examine it sufficiently, another survey specialized on this topic would be necessary. For that Copyright © 2013. Diplomica Verlag. All rights reserved.

reason, this study will not into this topic. Another examined point is the emphasis MINT students put on an acceptable work- life balance. On average, this is the most important point for the participants with a significant deviation of 0.858 from the total average. Women even have a deviation of 0.521 to their male complements. Regarding the fact that this point is negatively correlated to MAS, this result seems to confirm a connection between the masculinity

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and femininity in the sense of cultural dimensions and the allocation of the gender roles. It could lead to the conclusion that the female participants still put more emphasis on family planning than the males, although it seems to be very important for both genders. However, this point is also positively correlated to IDV. Thus, the high rating would indicate that MINT students have strong individualistic traits, whereat women would be even more individualistic. The point is also negatively correlated to LTO. The result would therefore indicate that MINT students have quite a low LTO. The significant positive deviation of the female participants would contradict the assumption stated above about a higher LTO for women. Against the background of a high emphasis on work- life balance, it first seems striking that “flexible working hours, possibility to work in home office” is rated slightly below total average with a deviation of -0.067 with a relatively small gender deviation of 0.184. However, a flexible work allocation does not mean that there is less work to do. Quite the contrary, the participants seem to be conscious that the possibility to take one's work home also bears the risk to become completely occupied by it. Although the point is positively correlated to IDV, its very small deviation does not allow a conclusion about this dimension's occurrence. However, the fact that it is much less emphasized than worklife balance in general could indicate that MINT students try to establish an acceptable work- life balance by a clear distinction between work and life, i.e. between private and vocational sphere. In total, a congruence between a possible employer's business areas does not seem to be very important for MINT students, which becomes manifest in the small deviation of -0.151 from the total average. Again, the female participants have a strong positive deviation from the males' scores of 0.533. As this point is has a positive correlation to IDV and a negative correlation to LTO, it would mean that the polled women tend to think more individualistic and short- term oriented. Another fact catching the observer's eye is that students from Faculty 3 tend to put less emphasis on this point with a score of 2.019, whilst the scores of all other faculties are around the total average. For that reason, the score of Faculty 3 distorts the average of this point. This distinctiveness of Copyright © 2013. Diplomica Verlag. All rights reserved.

geology students could be explained by the fact that employers coming into consideration for these students often cause ecological damage or contribute to global warming, e.g. oil multinationals or coal mining companies. For that reason, emphasis on sustainability would only be an unnecessary hindrance concerning employer choice. Due to this distortion of the result and its only weak negative deviation from the total

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average, one cannot derive a clear statement about the occurrence about IDV and LTO at MINT students in general. Another pair of questions within the questionnaire refers to the emphasis which the participants put on selective qualification programs. It includes the points “selective offspring support programs for specialists and executives” referring to a possible employer's qualification policy in general, and “selective qualification programs as an element of the advertised employment”. The point “selective offspring support programs for specialists and executives” scored 0.324 above total average, whereat women even score 0.292 higher than men. Considering the positive correlation to MAS, it could be seen as an indicator for a reverse allocation of MAS to the biological genders. This would contradict the traditional gender roles emerging from the scores for work- life balance. The point is also negatively correlated to IDV, which could also indicate that women tend to think more collectivist than men. This would contradict the assumption for women's stronger individualist thinking drawn from their high emphasis on work- life- balance. Consequently, both the MAS and IDV scores of this point contradict the scores for work- life balance. Another point which must be seen in connection with offspring support is “taking an executive position as quickly as possible”, which was rated far below total average. In contrast, MINT graduates seem to put much emphasis on selective support for executives and specialists. This pretended antagonism unveils two facts. First, the phrasing of the questionnaire point is likely not completely suitable. It should have been split into one point related to executives and one point related to specialists. Second, which is much more important, it could imply that MINT students, especially women, prefer specialist careers rather than executive careers. The point “selective qualification programs as an element of the advertised employment” also scored above average, even though with a smaller deviation of 0.184. However, the difference between men and women is higher with 0.438. As this point is only negatively correlated to IDV, this stronger gender- related deviation could again confirm the above assumption about stronger collectivist thinking among the Copyright © 2013. Diplomica Verlag. All rights reserved.

female participants. Furthermore, MINT students in general seem to put high emphasis on an innovationoriented company as their employer. This becomes apparent from the fact that the relevant questionnaire point scores 0.338 above average. However, the female score strongly deviates by -0.392 from the males. This point is positively correlated to UAI.

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The high average score implies that MINT students in general tend to prefer an innovation- driven working environment, which is an indicator for weak uncertainty avoidance. At the same time, women seem to prefer more constant conditions, even at the price of lower innovation power, which could indicate that they have a much stronger UAI. This would confirm the conclusion drawn from their higher emphasis on congruence between communicated and practiced company culture. Moreover, the point is positively correlated to LTO. For that reason, it would indicate that MINT students in general rather think long- term oriented, but that female MINT students tend to think more short- term oriented. The next question complex is related to a priori information gathering about a possible employer. One point related to information gathering refers to the emphasis participants put on a company's online presence, consisting of the company home page and its presence in social and career networks. This questionnaire point reaches by far the lowest score, with a deviation of -1.240 from the total average. As the point is positively correlated to UAI, this striking result shows that MINT students in general do not regard an employer's online presence as an effective method to reduce ambiguity. However, the females' score again strongly deviates by 0.455 from the males' one. Although one should not forget that with 1.765 also the females' score is still far beyond the total average, the deviation from the male score could be interpreted as another confirmation for the females' stronger UAI. Another point related to a priori information gathering about a possible employer is “evaluation by (former) staff members”. The finding of the survey is that MINT students seem to be skeptical concerning such evaluations, which is reflected by this point's slightly negatively deviating score. This could be explained by the fact that the participants are conscious about the possible bias of unsatisfied staff members, which may be even more applicable to fired former staff members. Therefore, they would rather pass up a chance for ambiguity reduction than getting influenced by non- objective information from a biased source. However, it seems like women rather tend to obtain staff members' opinions, which becomes apparent from the deviation of 0.318 from the male score. Again, due to the Copyright © 2013. Diplomica Verlag. All rights reserved.

questionnaire point's positive correlation to UAI, this seems to confirm the assumption that women have a stronger UAI. Concerning the company size, the awareness level and the competitive position of a possible employer, MINT students do not seem to be very demanding, which becomes apparent by the deviation of -0.685 from total average, whereat men and women show almost the same scores. As the point is negatively correlated to IDV, the strong 54

Günther, Benjamin. The cultural aspects of MINT recruitment: How to overcome the skills shortage by understanding graduates' needs : How to overcome the skills shortage by

negative deviation would indicate strong individualism for MINT students. At the same time, regarding the point's positive correlation to LTO, it would indicate a distinct shortterm oriented thinking. The next point targets the participants' preference for continuity concerning their place of work by asking them for their affinity for a traveling employment. Most participants seem to prefer a fixed place of work, which becomes apparent from the strong deviation of -0.683 compared to the total average. Women had an even stronger aversion to traveling employments with a deviation of -0.286 to the men's score. Concerning MAS, these scores seem to confirm the conclusion that MINT students, especially women, tend to put high emphasis on work- life balance. As mentioned in chapter 3.3.1.1, high emphasis on work- life balance point is negatively correlated to MAS and shows a strong positive deviation, whilst “traveling employment” is positively correlated to MAS and shows a strong negative deviation. Together, these findings seem to indicate a low MAS for MINT students. Another preference examined in the survey refers to job security. It consists of the points “open- ended employment” and “expectable vulnerability of the job to economic crises”. Both points are negatively correlated to MAS, but positively correlated to UAI and LTO. Both points scored very high with deviations of 0.728 and 0.561 from the total average. The gender- related deviations for both points approximately equal each other with 0.184 and 0.172. This indicates that MINT students put very high emphasis on job security, whereat this emphasis is even slightly higher at women than at men. Assigned to the cultural dimensions, it would indicate a low MAS score, accompanied by high UAI and LTO scores. One thing that catches the eye is that students of Mechanical, Process and Energy Engineering seem to care less about the vulnerability of their employment in case of an economic crisis. This becomes apparent by their score of only 2.941, which seems to be quite low compared the other faculties' scores, all ranging from 3.340 to 3.500. The reason could be the currently good situation of the machine construction industry in Germany. However, this assumption is highly speculative as the current economic boom in Germany does not only apply to the Copyright © 2013. Diplomica Verlag. All rights reserved.

machine construction sector. Generating useful data for the examination of this issue would necessitate a separate survey, e.g. by applying the questionnaire items of the survey at hand to the course of the economic situation during a certain period of time. In contrast to the high emphasis on job security, an outstandingly high reward for their work does not seem to be a priority of MINT students. This becomes apparent from the,

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even though not extremely, low scores for “above- average payment compared to similar jobs in the sector” and “granting of non- monetary rewards”. The first one scores 0.187 below total average, the latter one 0.486. For both points, women show even lower scores than men with gender- related deviations of -0.163 and -0.234. Both points are positively related to MAS and negatively correlated to LTO. Related to MAS, the scores would therefore confirm the assumption about a low MAS drawn from the high emphasis on job security. At the same time, the females' negative deviation values would confirm the assumption about a positive correlation between cultural and biological gender terms among MINT students. From the both points' negative correlation to LTO and their low scores, one could draw the conclusion that MINT students tend to quite a strong LTO. This would contradict the assumption about MINT students low LTO derived from their high emphasis on work- life balance. Another important work- related aspect for MINT students seems to be “diversified tasks”. With a deviation of 0.729 from the total average and a gender- related deviation of 0.144, it is approximately as important as an open- ended employment for both genders. However, the positive correlation to MAS would be a strong indicator for a high MAS. This would contradict the finding about the low MAS derived from the participants' high emphasis on job security. At the same time, it would strongly support the finding that MINT students have a high IDV. In job seeking, it seems like MINT students put emphasis on the congruence between an employment's working task and their own academic specialization. This becomes apparent from the deviation of 0.331,´. With a gender- related deviation of 0.088, it seems like men and women almost have the same preferences. The point is positively correlated to UAI and negatively correlated to IDV. For that reason, the scores would indicate a high UAI and a low IDV. The latter conclusion would contradict the above assumption that MINT students have a high IDV and would mean that they aspire to bring in their academic knowledge into their job. However, the absolute value of deviation is much smaller than for “diversified tasks”, “employer supporting acceptable work- life balance” and “company size, awareness level, competitive position”. For that Copyright © 2013. Diplomica Verlag. All rights reserved.

reason, the score of this single point cannot invalidate the much more significant results from these other points. The last point covered by the survey refers to the “existence/accessibility of personal contact persons along the recruitment process”. In general, MINT students seem to put emphasis on this point. However, it does not seem to be the most important aspect with

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a deviation from the total average of only 0.184. The much more striking result from this questionnaire point is the high gender- related deviation of 0.595, which is the second highest deviation between men and women in the entire survey. This difference cannot be explained by the above assumption about a correlation between cultural and biological gender terms, as the point is not correlated to MAS. Instead, regarding the point's positive correlation to UAI, it seems to confirm the above assumption drawn from the points related to company culture and a priori information gathering. It clearly shows that women have a stronger need to eliminate ambiguity. Apart from this statement about UAI, there is another particularity that catches the eye. In combination with women's stronger trust in evaluations by current or former staff members, their high emphasis on personal contact persons along the recruitment process leads to the conclusion that they feel most comfortable if they can satisfy this need for ambiguity reduction through interpersonal contacts. Moreover, the questionnaire point is negatively correlated to IDV. In combination with the women's higher score, this would contradict the conclusion about women's higher IDV drawn from the scores of the points “employer supporting acceptable work- life balance” and “congruence between business areas and my ethical principles”. 4.2 The occurrence of Hofstede's cultural dimensions In the following section, the scores for MAS, UAI, IDV and LTO will be examined. The dimensions' scores were derived from the single questions' scores according to the methodology presented in chapter 3.3.2. With the help of these scores, it will be tried to make some major statements roughly describing MINT students' microculture, also taking into account the main reasons for the occurrences. Thereby, RQ 1 will be answered in this chapter. At the end of the chapter, one can find a diagram visualizing the results. 4.2.1 MAS Summing up, it becomes apparent that MINT students rather have a feminine culture.

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With -0.238, the deviation of this dimension is the most striking value regarding the entire survey population. Primarily, this occurrence results from four aspects: the high emphasis on work- life balance, the strong need for employment security, the low stress on high earnings and the aversion against traveling employments. Concerning the gender- related deviation, one can see that females have a deviation of -0.222 from the males. This causes from the fact that in common, the female

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participants share the preferences of their male fellow students, but in general show more significant deviations from the total average. This statement can be especially applied to the emphasis on work- life balance. Additionally, they seem to be less interested in career advancement than the males. They also seem to prefer employers who take responsibility for the environment and for society. Moreover, this negative deviation of the females' score leads to another finding. There seems to be a positive correlation between cultural and biological gender terms among MINT students. This seems astounding regarding the theory that such a correlation is actually typical for cultures with high MAS scores (Hofstede et.al., 2010). After taking a look at these results, one must accept that Hofstede's finding about a high MAS among engineers and scientists cannot be applied to the participants of the author's survey. Quite the contrary, the participants seem to have a rather feminine culture. 4.2.2 UAI With an average deviation of 0.191 from the total average for UAI, MINT students seem to have a certain, even though not very strong, aversion against ambiguity in job seeking. There are three factors standing out as the most important ones leading to this score: the strong need for employment security, the aversion against working abroad and the aversion against traveling employments. Moreover, there are other important factors, though not reaching such outstandingly high deviations. It seems like MINT students need security concerning the company culture they have to expect and want to bring in their academic knowledge into their job. In contrast to their dominating need for uncertainty avoidance, there stands a preference for innovation- driven employers and the fact that they leave out the chances for ambiguity reduction provided by company websites and social media presences. The much more striking result from the examination of UAI is the high gender- related deviation of 0.313. This is the highest gender- related deviation of all examined

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dimensions. It shows that female MINT students seem to be much more uncertaintyaverse than their male fellows. Concerning the most factors introduced in chapter 3.3.1.2, both genders seem to share the same preferences, with more significant deviations for the females. Especially concerning a stay abroad, the participating women seem to be even more anxious than the men. However, there are also some remarkable differences between the genders. Contrary to the male participants, the

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females do not seem to put high emphasis on an innovation- oriented employer. Additionally, they seem to be less averse against the use of possible employers' online presences. Interpersonal contacts to staff members or recruiters seem to be a preferred method for female MINT students to reduce ambiguity concerning the recruitment process. Information gathering by consulting current or former staff members would be classified as active information gathering in the framework about information gathering strategies conceived by Berger & Bradac (1982). The female participants' emphasis on personal contact persons along the recruitment process seems to confirm a finding of Lamoureux (1989). Her study showed that women seem to make more use of interrogation as an interactive strategy of information gathering than men. As personal contact persons in a company offer an applicant the possibility for interrogation, this seems to confirm her finding. Concerning the above assumption predicting a high UAI score, one can say that it proof true. However, this apparently clear image is dulled by the fact that the genderrelated deviation is much higher than the average deviation from the total average. It is therefore not safe to say if occupation or gender is the more decisive factor for the high UAI score. 4.2.3 IDV With a total deviation of 0.115 against the total average, MINT students seem to be rather individualist, even though it is the dimension with the least significant deviation. However, one should pay attention to the single aspects leading to this low deviation. Some of the included points' deviations clearly indicate a strong IDV indeed, like the very high emphasis on work- life balance and diversified tasks accompanied by the callousness against a possible employer's company size, awareness level and competitive position. However, this actual clear occurrence is weakened by more numerous preferences with weak negative deviations, like the emphasis on organized qualification programs and the tasks' congruence to the applicant's academic specialization. Copyright © 2013. Diplomica Verlag. All rights reserved.

Regarding only the average gender- related deviation, the female participants almost set the same preferences like the males with a deviation of only 0.002. Summing up, one can find four main differences to the men. First, the women put even more emphasis on work- life balance. Second, a company's business areas should match the female student's ethical principles to become a preferred employer. Third, female participants appreciate even more than the males if an employer provides organized

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qualification programs. Fourth, women put much more emphasis on personal contact persons along the recruitment process than men. The first two factors alone would raise the females' IDV score significantly, but are diminished by the two latter ones. The fact that IDV in total does not deviate very strong from the total average more or less seems to confirm Hofstede's finding mentioned in chapter 2.3.1 that there are no significant occupation- related differences in IDV. However, one should keep in mind that several aspects are rated very strikingly regarded on their own, so it would be quite superficial to draw a general conclusion from the author's survey data. 4.2.4 LTO The deviations for LTO show occurrences comparable to those for IDV. This means a positive, but relatively low deviation of 0.138 in total and a positive, but very low gender- related deviation of 0.019. Comparable to IDV, the low total deviation from the total average results from very strong, but contrary deviations compensating each other. On the positive side, the need for employment security stands out as the most remarkable aspect beside the less strongly deviating aspect “company heading for innovations” and the weak importance of high earnings. On the negative side, the most outstanding points are the weak importance of “company size, awareness level, competitive position” and the high emphasis on work- life balance. Regarding their high emphasis on a possible employer taking “corporate responsibility for environment and society”, accompanied by their low emphasis on high earnings and fast career advancement, the female participants seem to think much more long- term oriented than their male fellows. However, their much higher emphasis on work- life balance, accompanied by the expectation to a possible employer's business areas to meet their personal ethical imaginations, diminishes this difference on the LTO scale. Giving a final answer about the occurrence of LTO among MINT students seems to be very difficult at this stage of research. It seems to be slightly above average due to its

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small positive deviation. However, the problem of contrary aspects with strong deviations occurs for this dimension as well so it would be very adventurous to regard this finding as a final one.

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4.2.5 Comparison of German national macroculture and MINT students' microculture In Hofstede's IBM survey, Germany scores high in MAS, IDV and UAI with scores between 65 and 67 (Hofstede, 2012, para. 2). At the same time, it scores low in LTO with a score of 31 (para. 5). Comparing these scores to the results of the survey, one can see that there is only a partly congruence. Concerning MAS, the occurrences are contrary. Whilst the German national culture is very masculine, MINT students' microculture seems to be rather feminine. Concerning UAI, there seem to be accordant tendencies towards high uncertainty avoidance. If one regards the occurrences of IDV, one can see that both German national culture and MINT students' microculture are individualist, whereat the occurrence at the MINT students is by far not so significant. Although there is only a weak positive tendency to LTO among the participants of the author's study, it clearly is in contrast to the low LTO score of German national culture. One should keep in mind that this comparison is only a very simplified approach, as the two underlying surveys are based upon totally different scoring systems. Due to the different research methodologies of the IBM survey and of the author's survey, any attempt to make a more detailed comparison based upon the data at hand would likely be in vain. However, the undertaken comparison at least roughly gives an imagination about the similarities between German macroculture and MINT microculture. In summary, the basic occurrences differ from each other to quite a large extent, although there seems to be a strong influence on UAI and at least a certain influence on IDV. It can therefore be assumed that, apart from UAI, the German national macroculture is at

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least not a dominant determinant for the polled MINT students' preferences.

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Figure 5: Average deviation of dimensions' scores from total average MAS

UAI

IDV

LTO

0,300 0,200 0,100 0,000 -0,100 -0,200 -0,300

Figure 6: Average gender- related deviations of the dimensions' scores MAS

UAI

IDV

LTO

0,400 0,300 0,200 0,100 0,000 -0,100

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-0,200 -0,300

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5. Discussion .

Based upon the most striking survey results, this section provides general recommendations to employers about how to conceive their recruitment.On the one hand, this refers to benefits they shoud offer to promising applicants. On the other hand, it refers to aspects which an employer should not spend many resources on or which even should be avoided. For all aspects, practice examples will be introduced where available. 5.1 Benefits that employers should offer to MINT graduates For this section, one should note that it shows the major preferences of MINT graduates which should be implemented in the company and communicated to attract this target group. Due to the limited scope of this study, it will not be examined how to communicate these aspects to MINT graduates in the scope of recruitment, especially of employer branding. 5.1.1 Work- life balance As the survey shows, an acceptable work- life balance is the most important aspect for MINT graduates in general, but even more for women. From this finding, the question arises how companies can enable their employees to balance their private and vocational lives. A really comprehensive answer to this question would by far go beyond the scope of this study. For that reason, the author will introduce some selective possibilities clarified by best practice examples. Although these examples might not always be directly related to MINT graduates, they will be very helpful to give an imagination about how the findings from this study can be implemented in daily business. It seems reasonable that work- life balance is especially important for young graduates' families with children, who have to manage child education and their career at the same time. A very useful method for employers to assist these families in overcoming

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this challenge is part- time employment. Although this kind of employment is already broadly used, it is often regarded as the end of one's career. According to a statement given by the IAB, working part- time often worsenes one's career chances. Consequently, the challenge for employers is to offer part- time employment offers which do not terminate the employee's further career. That it is possible to reach this target is confirmed by a practice example from Gasag, a utility company from Berlin. It offers at least its middle management the possibility to work only 30 hours per week.

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Offering part- time employment possibilities to to management and specialist staff can also contribute in productivity, as a study of the IAB found that part- time workers in responsible positions often show a higher productivity than their full- time working comates (Welt Online, 2012, para. 1). Another possibility for employers to support their employees work- life- balance is internal or supported child care. The difference between the two concepts is that an internal nursery is operated by the employer itself and that a supported nursery school is financially supported, but operated by an external provider. A company which implemented supported child care is the Komsa Kommunikation Sachsen AG, an ICT distributing and repairing company with almost 1,400 employees domiciled in Hartmannsdorf. In 2003, it found the kindergarten "Weltenbaum" in cooperation with an external institution. The company's management was fully aware that this step was absolutely necessary, as on the quest for good staff, the medium- sized company "is in direct competition with DaimlerChrysler, Siemens or Bayer" (Komsa, 2003, p. 1). In this context, the company's management also acknowledges the needs of young women, who make up more than 50 per cent of the company staff (p. 1). The company's management's approach is that young mothers shall "quickly return into their job, not for fear for losing it, but due to their a strong tie to the company, enjoying and comitting themselves to their job" (p. 1). Thus, Komsa accomodates this study' finding that for women, work- life balance seems to be even more important than for men. The last possiblity mentioned in this study how employers can contribute to an acceptable work- life balance for the employee is to aspire a clear time- related separation between vocational and private life. Or expressed in general parlance, work time should be work time and leasure time should be leasure time. Volkswagen made a first approach to this issue by cutting of the email transfer at least to the tariffemployed staff's Blackberry smartphones beyond the limits of the flexible working hours (Spiegel Online, 2011, para. 3). 5.1.2 Job security Copyright © 2013. Diplomica Verlag. All rights reserved.

Another major finding of the survey is that MINT graduates put high emphasis on job security, i.e. on open- ended employments not vulnerable to economic crises. By examining the issue a bit more thoroughly, it will become apparent that there is a strong coherence between the employer's possibility to offer open- ended employments and the employment's vulnerability against ecolomic crises. It will also become clear that the aspect of job security cannot be regarded isolated from certain other survey items. 64

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Concerning the MINT students' preference for open- ended employments, the basic advice for recruiters is: If you want to win the upcoming war for MINT graduates, offer them open- ended employments whenever it is possible! However, for many companies, this may necessitate a rethinking from regarding applicants as replaceable "human resources" to regarding them as individuals with hardly replaceable specific individual qualifications, experiences and needs. The name "human resources" alone implies a certain point of view on the employee as a homogeneous resource which should be used as efficiently as possible in order to maximize its unidirectional benefit for the company. This may not preclude certain benefits like a generous payment or non- monetary rewards like a staff car or highpolish incentive events. However, these benefits are not granted to meet the employee's real needs, but to keep him or her as a valuable resource for the company without implementing fundamental changes. The findings from the survey show that exactly these benefits may not be suitable for all occupational groups. For attracting and retaining MINT graduates, this halfhearted approach will likely not be very effective, as both monetary and non- monetary rewards are not outstandingly important for them. In contrast, offering open- ended employments could prove suitable to attract and retain MINT graduates. However, this would necessitate a more long- term oriented thinking of the employer. The reason is a very practice- related one. In German employment law, a time- limited employment cannot be cancelled during its period of validity indeed. At the same time, it does not necessitate a separate dismissal at the end of this period, which saves the employer from considering social dismissal criteria or even a dismissal protection suit. In contrast, open- ended employments can be cancelled at any time, but bear the risk of a longsome dismissal protection suit. Consequently, short- term oriented employers following the human resources approach will likely prefer an irredeemable, but time- limited employment, which gives them a high amount of flexibility in the future usage of the employee's workforce. In contrast, for a long- term oriented employer aspiring long- lasting relationships to highly qualified Copyright © 2013. Diplomica Verlag. All rights reserved.

employees, the efforts in case of a dismissal do not play a decisive role because it is aspired to obviate a dismissal from the outset. However, especially in branches vulnerable to economic fluctuations, this approach may be accompanied by worsening, if not catastrophic, business figures in times of economic depressions. Due to the MINT graduates' high emphasis on open- ended employments, companies which want to attract them will have to accept this preliminary worsening of their business figures.

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The long- term benefit would be that the company would be able to attract and retain high- value MINT staff. This concept is abstracted in the visualization below. Figure 7: Short- term disadvantages and long- term benefits of providing open- ended employments to MINT graduates

openopen-ended endedemployments employments short- term

long- term

decreasing decreasingflexibility flexibility

rising risinglabor laborcost cost

(wage/ (wage/dismissal dismissalprotection protectionsuits) suits)

attraction attractionof ofskilled skilledMINT MINTgraduates graduates

improved improvedcompetitive competitiveposition position

stable stablefinancial financialsituation situation Especially for SMEs, this could be a strategic advantage and disadvantage at the same time. On the one hand, it can be a chance especially for owner- managed companies to implement such a long- term oriented staff policy, as they do not have to present glossy business figures to their shareholders at the end of each business period. On the other hand, SMEs vulnerable to economic fluctuations presumably have less resources than big corporate groups to tide over staff cost during times with losses or at least decreasing profits. Even if these companies were heading for a long- term oriented staff policy, they may just be unable to finance it in the short term. Consequently, their decision- related independence would be useless. The question Copyright © 2013. Diplomica Verlag. All rights reserved.

arises how these companies can reconcile this dilemma. The first step for economically vulnerable companies which want to attract MINT graduates could be to reduce this vulnerability as far as possible. Introducing the according strategies would go far beyond the scope of this study. For that reason, it shall be referred to the study "Lehren einer Krise – Die Sicht des

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Maschinenbaus" by Lichtblau, Demary & Schmitz (2010). It gives an overview over the strategies of the German machine construction industry to reduce its economical vulnerability, which proof very high during the world economic crisis in 2009 with a decrease in incoming orders of about 40 per cent (p. 21). The study of Lichtblau et.al. also includes a survey about the companies' emphasis on explicit measures to reduce their economic vulnerability. Although a comprehensive analysis of the resulting strategies will not be done in this study, the results for three single measures shall be regarded against the background of the underlying survey of this study. As the Faculty of Mechanical, Process and Energy Engineering is the most relevant faculty for the machine construction sector, all statements will refer to the survey results for this faculty. The survey of Lichtblau et.al. includes three size ranges of companies. Big companies with an annual total revenue of more than 10,000,000 €, medium- sized companies with 1,000,000 € to 10,000,000 €, and small companies with less than 1,000,000 € (Lichtblau et.al., p. 49). For all ranges, the improvement of the innovation power is the most important factor to reduce their economic vulnerability (p. 49). Apart from this reduction, it could also contribute to attracting MINT graduates, who generally find this aspect very important due to the author's survey. For companies of all size ranges, employee qualification is the third most important measure to improve the company's capability to overcome economic crises (p. 50). Although such qualification programs do not range among the most decisive attraction factors for MINT graduates, it could contribute to MINT recruitment. As mentioned in the results section, these programs seem to be quite attracting especially for women. Consequently, by improving their innovation power and providing employee qualification, companies can kill two birds with one stone. First, they can attract MINT graduates by these measures. Second, they can reduce their economic vulnerability. One could argue that this gives machine construction enterprises the possibility to provide more open- ended employments, which would again attract graduate offspring. However, a certain short- term orientation, at least concerning the staff policy of bigger Copyright © 2013. Diplomica Verlag. All rights reserved.

companies, becomes apparent again at this point. Big companies consider a flexibilization of capacities the second most important measure, which of course also refers to staff capacities (p. 50). In plain language, amongst others, it means openended employments. As the author's survey shows, this will not contribute to attracting MINT graduates, especially if one considers the fact that the employer's competitive position, size and awareness level are relatively unimportant for the graduates. In

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contrast, small and medium- sized companies polled in the survey of Lichtblau et.al. scored staff flexibilization only on rank four (p. 50). Considering the above mentioned priorities of machine construction graduates, this could lead to a clear recruitment advantage for smaller machine construction companies. It would also confirm the author's above statement about their wider freedom of action against the interests of shareholders. Summing up, one could say that smaller companies could already have an advance in establishing the above mentioned long- term oriented staff policy. They should use this advance by operating an active recruitment policy which stresses the open- endedness of the offered employments. At the same time, bigger companies will probably have to reconsider their flexibilization approach as an appropiate answer to economic crises. 5.1.3 Diversified tasks According to the survey, diversified tasks are the third major attracting factor for MINT graduates beside work- life balance and job security. In the common literature, one can find three possiblities for employers to contribute to this target: job enlargement, job enrichment and job rotation. Below, these three instruments will be introduced in short form. Moreover, it will be evaluated in how far they are suitable for task diversification of MINT graduates. 5.1.3.1 Job enlargement

Job enlargement means to simply widen an employee's field of activity. The main thing is that this widening is implemented by assigning tasks to the employee equaling his or her current qualification level. As a result, the amount of work to do increases, but the challenge from the work more or less stays the same. The purpose is to make monotonous tasks more diversified. However, Bergmann & Garrecht (2007) demur that this widening may lead to a work overload of the employee as the employee is not granted a compensation for the added workload, e.g. by leaving out or reducing other tasks in return for the added activities. If one considers the polled MINT graduates' high

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emphasis on work- life balance, job enlargement seems therefore not to be a suitable instrument to establish task diversification. Consequently, it will be ignored in the further examination. 5.1.3.2 Job rotation

In job rotation programs, employees pass through varying ativities, work stations or company departments. An example for job rotation which is especially relevant for 68

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graduates are trainee programs (Bergmann & Garrecht, 2007). Still, trainee programs offer a lower average entry salary than a direct entry into vocational life. According to Koschik (2011), trainees' average salary in German companies is five per cent below the salary for a direct entry (para. 2). However, the author's survey shows that MINT graduates do not emphasize a high salary very much. For that reason, offering highvalue trainee programs may be an attraction factor for MINT graduates. However, employers should remember the upcoming stronger negotiating position of MINT graduates on the labor market. For that reason, it is important to offer serious trainee programs and not to abuse trainees as glorified interns. If an employer would abuse a graduate in that way, he or she would likely leave the company at the end of the trainee program at the latest. To accommodate the high UAI level of MINT graduates, companies should consider to align their employment policy according to the rules of certain employer certificates. One example for such certificates is the Fair Company label, awarded by the Handelsblatt through its online platform karriere.de. One principle of this initiative is the participating companies' commitment not to abuse trainees as cheap substitutes for full- time employees, but to put the focus on the gathering of knowledge and experience (Koschik, 2012). Still, the majority of all employers participating in employer certification programs evaluate these certificates' benefits as low or even not identifiable (Lechelt, 2011). However, it cannot be precluded that employer certificates will become a more decisive recruitment determinant regarding the presumable shrinking supply of MINT graduates accompanied by their high UAI level confirmed by the author's survey. 5.1.3.3 Job enrichment

Like job enlargement, job enrichment means to add new tasks to an employee's field of activity. However, there are two important differences to job enlargement. First, the added tasks require a higher qualification than the tasks the employee already is already entrusted with. This also includes planning and control tasks and is what the

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term enrichment comes from (Bergmann & Garrecht, 2007). The second difference is that in contrast to job enlargement, job enrichment substitutes low- qualification tasks by high- qualification tasks, i.e. it raises the qualification- related level of the employment without widening the amout of workload. Due to this increased qualification level of the employee's field of activity, job enrichment can be a possible step on the job ladder. Regarding the fact that advancement chances along the

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hierarchy are important, even though not decisive, for MINT graduates in general, one could evaluate job enrichment as a task diversification instrument suitable for MINT graduates in general. However, one should also consider the negative gender- related deviation concerning advancement chances along the hierarchy, which shows that women put less emphasis on this aspect. Consequently, one should examine the issue a bit more differentiated. Whilst job enrichment could be a suitable instrument to attract male MINT graduates, the correspondent effect will likely be quite low for female MINT graduates. 5.2 Less important attracting factors in MINT recruitment 5.2.1 Online presence The survey shows that the company's website and presence in social media and career networks are by far the least decisive job choice factors for MINT graduates.As the survey does not examine the usage, but the decisiveness of the online presence, this does not necessarily mean that MINT graduates do not use this medium to find a job. However, it shows that MINT graduates hardly seem to draw any conclusions from the Social Media account or company website concerning the company's attractiveness as an employer. Consequently, employers should always use supplementary channels and reconsider their engagement in social media recriting in order to recruit MINT offspring. According to the ICR Social Media Recruiting Report, 48.8% of all polled companies had an increased budget for recruiting via business networks like LinkedIn in 2011 compared to 2010, and 38.8% raised their budget for recruiting via non- business Social Media like Facebook (Zils, 2011, n.p.). The estimated average cost for a Social Media

presence

including

account

registration,

conception,

implementation,

maintenance and controlling can range from 5,500 € for a self- created account on Twitter up to 53,500 € for a YouTube channel created by a professional service provider (n.p.). Especially for small companies like engineers' offices, such an engagement can

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be a major extent factor and can occupy vast resources which could have been invested elsewhere. This includes also manpower which is especially occupied by maintening the account, i.e. keeping it up to date and interesting for potential candidates by adding current contents. For these reasons, small companies which want to attract MINT graduates should consider very thoroughly if the outcome is worth the expense of participating in the above mentioned tendency towards the expanded

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usage of Social Media as a recruiting channel. Although a possible success of such an engagement cannot be precluded, companies should not make it the main pillar of their MINT recruitment according to the results of the author's survey. It rather should be regared as a supplement for other recruiting channels. However, the callousness against a possible employer's online presence seems to be much less distinct among female MINT graduates according to the survey. For that reason, one should regard the above recommendation under the reserve that this strategy may leave a certain amount of female workforce potential idle. Accompanied by women's higher emphasis on evaluation by current or former staff members, this leads to a possibility for the recruiting of female MINT graduates. This possibility consists in the selective posting of employer evaluations by female staff members in Social Media or on the company website. Thus, female staff members can act as testimonials for potentially interested female MINT graduates. Even though not selectively designed to attract female graduates, this method is practiced by many companies, e.g. BASF and Rheinmetall. As there is a vast amount of recent literature concerning the topic of Social Media, and online recruiting in general, the topic will not be examined more detailed. 5.2.2 Working abroad As the survey also shows, a stay abroad as an element of a certain advertised employment scores far below average among MINT graduates. The participants' same general attitude towards an international strategic concept of the employer and the possibility for an international career can be observed. However, the negative occurrence is much weaker. This difference shows that MINT graduates do not refuse an international vocational perspective in general, but are reluctant to take the challenge of working abroad when the decision becomes acute. This finding leads to two conclusions. The first conclusion applies the recruitment chances for small companies. In combination with MINT graduates' weak emphasis on their employer's competitive Copyright © 2013. Diplomica Verlag. All rights reserved.

position, company size and awareness level, it can be a recruiting chance for small companies unable to offer a vocational stay abroad, but willing to attract MINT graduates. As the target group does not emphasize an immediate international entry into vocational life, these companies' missing international structure is no hindrance in MINT recruitment. Accoring to the course of the further employment, most MINT graduates will likely not get the urge to center their life abroad. Thus, it opens the

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possibility for smaller companies to retain MINT graduates over a longer period of time by taking into account the recommendations from chapter 5.1. The second conclusion is that due to their only weak general reluctance to an international career, a stay abroad should not be completely precluded for MINT graduates. However, they should be brought close to it quite slowly and with caution due to their relatively strong reluctance to an immediate stay abroad at the beginning of their vocational life. The strategy could be as follows. Employers could consciously offer the voluntary possibility of a stay abroad in job offers to MINT graduates. Thus, they would meet the preferences of those graduates who want to work abroad, but would also not discourage the more uncertainty- averse candidates. However, employers would have to convince possible candidates that the at least prevalent abdication of a stay abroad would not endanger their future career. The reason is that the possibility for career advancement along the hierarchy is an important, even though not decisive, aspect for MINT graduates. 5.2.3 Monetary and non- monetary reward Concerning their wage cost, employers can save a lot of money if they are aware that an above- average payment and generous non- monetary rewards are no primary attracting factors for MINT graduates. However, the callousness against non- monetary reward is larger than against monetary payment according to the survey. The weak negative deviation score of an above- average payment should not be misinterpreted. It does not mean that MINT graduates do not emphasize a sufficient payment which comes up to their high and widely demanded qualification. However, it seems like MINT graduates are not keen on presenting status by an above- average income. This assumption would also be supported by the general low MAS score as masculinity also includes and self- staging by status (Hofstede et.al., 2010). Concerning non- monetary rewards, MINT graduates seem to be even more humble, as the negative deviation score is stronger for the relevant questionnaire item. If an

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employer communicates benefits like a staff car, incentive events or first- class ICT equipment in the scope of MINT recruitment, this will likely have virtually no positive effect concerning the attraction of applicants. However, the majority of all applicants will likely be male, as women seem to put even less emphasis on non- monetary rewards. An aspect which should be examined within the context of salary and rewards is the observed reluctance against a traveling employment. The connection between

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earnings and traveling consists in the fact that sales engineers – who regularly have at least a certain amount of traveling in their job – tend to have a significantly higher income than their colleagues in the operations department (End- Inanc, 2012). In addition, employees in such jobs are often granted benefits like a staff car or sales incentive events. For that reason, the low emphasis on outstanding monetary and nonmonetary rewards blends quite well with the reluctance against traveling employments. At the same time, this reluctance could cause difficulties for employers to fill sales engineering vacancies. However, there seems to be no distinct difficulty in this section of the labor market compared to other engineering vacancies. For that reason, it is not possible to confirm this finding. Moreover, one should not forget that the results of the survey do not necessarily reflect the preferences of all MINT graduates because they use average scores and are non- representative. For that reason, it is a comprehensible thought that the MINT graduates more affine to above-average rewards and traveling employments will likely tend to apply exactly for these sales positions. However, it will likely be a hard piece of work to enthuse female MINT graduates for sales engineering vacancies, because women show even lower scores concerning the emphasis on rewards, accompanied by an even stronger reluctance against traveling employments. Due to the generally weak attraction effect of high rewards, employers should save the money they would actually spend for outstandingly high salaries, representative staff cars or fancy incentive events. Thus, they can reduce labor cost. If one remembers figure 6.1, one comes to the conclusion that this reduced labor cost could be used as a chance to overcome the financially hard time caused by the alignment of the company's employment policy towards open- ended employments. 5.3 Important factors in the recruitment of female MINT graduates As mentioned in chapter 2.2.3.1.1, one reason for the presumable upcoming skills shortage is a shrinkingworkforce supply. For that reason, it seems nothing but reasonable to attract also female MINT workforce as much as possible. In this chapter, Copyright © 2013. Diplomica Verlag. All rights reserved.

the most important points to attract female MINT graduates are being explained. In addition to the points in this chapter, one should not forget the aspects which were already explained in chapter 5.1 and 5.2. However, this chapter deals with questionnaire items which did not show a significant overall deviation from the total average, but did so concerning the deviation between men and women.

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5.3.1 Corporate responsibility for environment and society As this questionnaire item shows the highest gender- related deviation within the entire survey, it is logical that communicating it in recruitment of female MINT graduates can significantly contribute to recruitment success. The high score of this aspect among the female participants shows that employers' recruitment should communicate that the company has a sustainable business behavior. The term sustainability was defined in chapter 3.3.1.4. Nowadays, many companies have care programs for environment or society. One example is Deutsche Post DHL, which takes a wide environmental and social responsibility. On the side of environmental responsibility, there is the GoGreen initiative, which targets an improvement of the corporate group's carbon dioxide efficieny of 30 per cent until 2020 (DHL, 2011, p. 47). On the side of social responsibility, Deutsche Post DHL assists international disaster management organisations with logistic knowledge and capacities in the scope of its GoHelp initiative. Moreover, the GoTeach program supports underprivileged children all over the world to improve their educational situation. Many companies show similar activities. However, as the author tried to find companies which actively use this sustainable behavior as a USP in their recruitment activities. The reason could be that companies understood the importance of sustainable entrepreneurial behavior in the relation to its customers. However, the communication of sustainability to - in that case female – potential employees as a stakeholder group seems to be treated quite stepmotherly up to now. Consequently, the advice for companies can only be to communicate their social and environmental commitment more offensively in their recruitment if they want to use the workforce potential of female MINT graduates. Why not conduct a recruitment campaign which focuses on the environmental and social commitment of the company? As it was explained in chapter 2.2.3.2, the competition for skilled graduate will not get easier in the future. Recruitment measures which emphasizing the employer's responsibility for environment and society will therefore likely be an instrument used to address female MINT graduates.

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5.3.2 Ethically problematic business areas A topic related to taking environmental and social responsibility is the issue of problematic business areas. In this context, the author refers to business areas as "problematic" which could be regarded as unethical or political incorrect by some recruitees, e.g. defence industry, factory farming or the exploitation and distribution of fossile fuels. The survey shows that for women, the congruence of a potential

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employer's business areas with their own ethical principles is important. To clarify the problem, one should remember the example of the vegetarian working in a slaughter house from chapter 3.3.1.3. The question that arises is: How can companies with such ethically problematic business areas attract female MINT graduates, though? The answer is that this could be a difficult task. Nowadays, it has become much easier to require background information about a company's entrepreneurial activities through the internet. Especially in dealing with scholars, it will likely be difficult to make a dirty vest make look clean. An artillery canon produced by a defence industry company still remains an artillery canon, no matter how one presents it in public, and especially scholars will likely be skeptic enough to look through attempts which try to embellish problematic business areas. Consequently, employers with problematic business areas should focus on benefits which attract female MINT graduates instead of taking the unsuccessful approach of covering up certain business areas. 5.3.3 Personal contact persons along the recruitment process As already mentioned in chapter 5.1, women tend to prefer interpersonal contacts to gather information, which also includes their emphasis on a personal contact person along the entire recruitment process. Although this emphasis can also be observed among the survey population in total, it is much more distinct for the female participants. For that reason, employers should align their recruitment processes in a way which ensures that an applicant does not have to deal with changing contact persons along the recruitment process. This starts at the early beginning of the recruitment process, e.g. with the job advertisement which should contain an explicit contact person, even though if it is an online offer or an automated online application form. Female MINT graduates will likely highly appreciate a person made of flesh and blood whom they can contact to eliminate potential ambiguities. This person should be the one to contact also during the rest of the recruitment process, i.e. responding to the letter of application, at least attending the job interview, and also taking part in the assessment center. In other words, one could say that Copyright © 2013. Diplomica Verlag. All rights reserved.

employers should try to design their MINT recruitment as a guided process in which the applicant gets a certain feeling of security. This does not mean that the professional requirements should be lowered, but that there must be a likable atmosphere which makes the possible further co- mate feel comfortable from the beginning. If one remembers the labor market's presumable upcoming change towards a sellers' market, it leads to the consequence that MINT graduates will be more and more able to quit the

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application process if they feel deterred. For that reason, such a likable atmosphere will be very important, especially for the recruitment of female MINT graduates. However, if one widens the point of view beyond the recruitment process, it would mean that female MINT employees would presumably also appreciate a personal contact person during their employment. This thought leads straight to the concept of mentoring. In this concept, an experienced employee, the so- called mentor, shares his or her knowledge with an unexperienced co- mate, the so- called mentee (Gabler, 2012, n.p.). In the entrepreneurial practice, this concept has proven reasonable especially for women who return from their maternity leave. One company which implemented a mentoring program for mothers re- entering their job is Volkswagen Sachsen GmbH (H. Preußner, personal communication, July 11, 2012). If one regards the results of this study' underlying survey, such mentoring programs accommodate women's higher need for uncertainty reduction. Volkswagen Sachsen meets this need even more by offering so- called stay- in- touch events, i.e. women are invited to a party at the plant during their maternity leave to stay familiar with their working

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environment and their co- mates.

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6. Limitations Although this study may provide a new approach to MINT recruitment, it also has some decisive weaknesses, which will be regarded in this section. For clarity reasons, these weaknesses will be separated into several categories. 6.1 Limitations of external validity due to the database The major inadequacy of the study refers to external reliability. There are two main reasons why the underlying survey population was more or less chosen as a convenience sample. First, it is only a study, so that the financial and time resources for the conduction of the survey were very limited, so that the population survey had to be kept within a limited extent for reasons of feasibility. Second, as the survey was conducted within lecture courses, the author was bound to the lecturers' allowance to conduct it. Consequently, he had only limited influence on the mixture of the survey population. Even though the stratification matches the total MINT students' population at the TU Bergakademie Freiberg quite well, it is non- representative for MINT graduates in general. As the database provides only very small numbers of participants for the specilizations of chemistry, physics and material sciences, one cannot derive any general statements about the distribution of the culture dimensions' distribution among the several specializations. The alternative would have been an online survey, which presumably have generated a larger survey population. However, this would have given the author hardly any possibility to influence the survey population concerning the two stratification variables gender and specialization, so that the survey would have been non- representative as well. Limiting the survey to one university gave the author the possibility to manage the mixture of the survey population at least to a certain amount. Moreover, the chosen database does not make sure that the results of the survey are specific to MINT graduates only, as it does not include a comparison group, e.g. business administration students. However, such a comparison would have gone Copyright © 2013. Diplomica Verlag. All rights reserved.

beyond the scope of this study. Another inadequacy related to the survey's database mixture is the possible influence of local culture on the survey's results. In the semester in which the survey was conducted, 59.2% of all students enrolled at the TU Bergakademie Freiberg were from Saxony (TU Bergakademie Freiberg, 2012, para. 1). Although the participants' origin is not covered by the survey, this almost necessarily leads to the fact that, if a local

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culture should exist, it would be overrepresented in the survey. Unfortunately, no detailed research was undertaken up to now concerning local differences in the occurrence of Hofstede's cultural dimensions, so that one can neither assume nor deny that this was a distorting factor. The last weakness of the database is that it leaves out the M and the I included in MINT. Originally, the survey was designed as a comprehensive poll which should have covered all MINT- related faculties of TU Bergakademie Freiberg, i.e. also the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics. However, after an irritating debate with the responsible dean, he denied his allowance for this plan. Still with 232 of 5458 in winter term 2010/2011 this faculty holds only a low share of the entire enrollment (TU Bergakademie Freiberg, 2011, p. 4). In spite, it is a pity that the students of this faculty did not have the opporunity to participate in the survey. Apart from the database of the survey, there is also one weakness which refers to the demographic and labor market forecasts. All the forecasts are based upon the assumption that no unpredictable events like a great war, a huge natural disaster or a revolutionary invention will occur. All these events could have a decisive influence on the development of demographics and the labor market. Another factor is the general forecast unaccuracy. Although this distorting factor may be quite less for demographic forecasts (Bräuninger et.al., 2002), it cannot be ignored for forecasts about the labor market. For that reason, one should always keep in mind to treat the underlying developments as a very probable forecast, but not as a fact. 6.2 Limitations of internal validity 6.2.1 Limitations due to the methodology of data ascertainment The likely most serious inadequacy of the questionnaire is that is based upon Hofstede's cultural dimensions, but uses a completely different, and especially more limited, set of questionnaire items than Hofstede's IBM survey. In spite, the results are applied to the 5D model unseen. It can be queried if this does not have a significant

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negative influence on internal validity, as the questionnaire may not be completely suitable to examine the occurrences according to the 5D model. As the questionnaire only demands hypothetical ratings by the participants, it does not reflect the way in which they would behave in fact if they face the decision wether do decide for a certain employer or not. Related to Schein's layer model, this means that a survey conducted by a questionnaire can only examine values, but not norms. The 78

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alternative would have been research methodologies including participant observation. However, due to the limited resources mentioned above, this would have made it impossible to generate a sufficient database. Moreover, the questionnaire does not include any specification of the single participant's proficiency level and potential. Consequently, the survey does not provide any statement about preference or culture differences between average students and high- potentials. One can therefore not say if an adjustment of the company's recruitment according to the recommendations given in this study would really attract supreme staff or only the means. Including an inquiry about the participants' proficiency level would not have been a great effort, but it had to be suspected that many participants would have denied this information. Furthermore, the author was necessarily influenced by its own business economist culture when he designed the questionnaire. The result may be that he unconsciously included only items which seemed to be important for himself, but may be quite unimportant for the participants of the survey. Vice versa, and much worse, the questionnaire could leave out items which are very important for the participants and should be noted by employers to attract MINT graduates. 6.2.2 Limitations due to the methodology of data treatment Not only on the questionnaire itself an influence of the author's own culture has to be expected, but only on data treatment. The allocation of the single questionnaire items to the MAS, UAI, IDV and LTO is highly subjective. Though, it was tried to match the single questionnaire items according to Hofstede's findings. However, these findings are broadly considered quite subjective themselves (Kutschker & Schmid, 2008). Moreover, in the end, the allocation is still based upon the author's individual argumentation to a high extent. Consequently, his own cultural imprinting will likely have had a big influence on the allocation. Moreover, the entire concept an allocation between single questionnaire items and

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such a complex issue like culture could be too simplified. This becomes apparent as by regarding the deviations of the single questionnaire items for IDV and LTO. Although the single items partly have strong deviations, their allocations to the relevant cultural dimensions have oppositional directions. This shows that the single cultural dimensions' scores derived from these allocations have only a very limited explanatory power, and that the concept may be insufficient for such a complex issue like culture.

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Furthermore, the data from the employment market forecast were visualized in a very simplified way by the author. This kind of visualization was chosen to make developments understandable also for audience without detailed macroeconomic knowledge because the core topic of this study is not macroeconomics, but culture. In general, one should also consider that the results of the survey are based upon average scores. For that reason, they reflect the preferences and cultural occurrences of the majority of the participants, but are not generally applicable to the individual. Consequently, employers should beware of considering the results generally valid for each MINT applicant. 6.3 Other limitations Apart from the limitations related to database, data ascertainment and data treatment, there also other inherent weaknesses of this study. First, the study applies a macrocultural model to a certain occupational group's microculture. It can be doubted in how far this approach leads to useable results. This applicability would have to be examined in further research. Second, as this study is based upon the 5D model, it necessarily suffers from the same inadequacies, which are mentioned in the literature review. Third, the examination is limited to graduates, although the skills shortage does by far not only affect scholar workforce, but also skilled workers, as mentioned in the literature review. The group of non- academic skilled workers would be worth a further examination. However, the methods applied in this study should be falsified before. Fourth, the recommendations for employers ignore the issue of opportunity cost to a large extent. Also due to the study' limited scope, the author does not provide any approach how to cover the cost for the implementation of the given advice. This refers especially to measures like the adjustment of the employment policy to more openended employments and child care. In this context, it shall also be mentioned that the author's recommendations may not be applicable for every company due to its specific Copyright © 2013. Diplomica Verlag. All rights reserved.

structure and its environment. However, giving detailed action instructions is not the intention of the study at hand. This study cannot provide such instructions at all, as it was conceived in a very generalistic way. This inadequacy results from two reasons. First, it is only a study, so it cannot deal with this aspect of the topic in- depth. Second, it is likely the first approach to regard recruitment deficiences from the culture- related point of view. Nevertheless, it can be the foundation or at least a proposal for a detailed 80

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analysis of the applicability and the implementation of the given advice for a specific

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company.

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7. Outlook As mentioned in chapter 1, this study is only a first approach to the topic of occupational microculture's role in recruitment. For that reason, it raises new issues which may have remained unnoticed without this study. These issues may be worth further examination. The first, and likely most obvious, issue refers to the non- representativeness and the limited extent of the underlying survey. To generate valid knowledge about the study' topic, it would be necessary to conduct a more comprehensive, representative study. This study would have to based upon a larger survey population, using random sampling methods to reduce sampling error. Depending on the available resources, it could also use more advanced methods of data ascertainment like naturalistic inquiry. For example, one could observe the participants decisions in simulated situations from real job seeking. This study either would have to prove or disprove the findings from this survey. If this study would include not only one, but several occupational groups, it could also contribute in finding out if it is suitable to apply macrocultural dimensional models to research about microculture. Another possibility would be a study which examines the correlation between the high female UAI and the glass- ceiling phenomenon, which refers to the fact that many women do not proceed on the job ladder from a certain level in the hierarchy. One possible approach would be a regression analysis between the individual incomes and the invidual UAI scores of this survey's population. This analysis could also be widened to the other cultural dimensions MAS, PDI, IDV and LTO to find out if culture plays a role concerning the issue why certain people climb the social ladder and others do not. One quite interesting result of the survey is that although MINT graduates in general seem to have a quite low MAS, it seems to be clearly higher at men than at women. According to Hofstede (2010), this is only typical for cultures which have a high MAS. This leads to three possible reasons which do not preclude each other. The first and most nearby reason could be the different questionnaires and data treatment Copyright © 2013. Diplomica Verlag. All rights reserved.

methodology. Second, the pretended conflict to Hofstede's theory could result from applying a macrocultural model to microculture. The third reason should be assumed very carefully, as it doubts a quite detailed and renown scholar work based upon a simple study: Hofstede could be wrong. Further research would have to find out which reason or combination of reasons caused this pretended conflict. However, researchers

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would likely have to acknowledge that giving an answer to this reason will not prove easy due to the numerous possible sources of error in their examination. It would also be conceivable to conduct further research to find out if the participants' aversion against working abroad really results from a high UAI, or if it is rather caused by ethnocentrism. Unfortunately, the extent of the conducted survey does not cover the issue of ethnocentrism, but reduces the derivation of the single item scores to cultural dimensions. For that reason, a separate study would be necessary to generate profound data about this issue. It could be conducted by using a questionnaire with statements like "I would feel concerned if a foreigner from a different cultural area would move into my neighborhood." which the participants would have to rate on a Likert- type scale. Another, more valid possibility would be observing ethnocentrismrelated behavior in real life, e.g. reluctance from dealing with students from other cultural areas. For all these proposed research projects, the final step would be to formulate strategies how employers can make use of the relevant study, e.g by adjusting their employer brand according to the survey results. The study at hand owes precise answers how employers can include the results in their recruitment strategy, as mentioned in the limitations section above. To avoid similar deficiencies, there are two possibilities for the design of follow- up studies. Either should they be planned with resources that cope with the wide scope necessary to examine the topic sufficiently, e.g. a dissertation, or

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include only a limited, specified research task according to the available resources.

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8. References Amirkhani, A. H., Tajmirriahi, J., Mohammadi, M. & Dalir, M. (2012). Assessing the Effectiveness of Knowledge Management in Empowering and Development of Human Resources: A Case Study on Ati Luleh Sepahan Company. Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business, Vol. 3/2012. p. 131- 147. Retrieved July 4, 2012 from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=3&hid =21&sid=2ebbaab8-30df-443c-8e06-fe49ed27e6b3%40sessionmgr11&bdata= JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=bth&AN=77304662 Bartol, A. & Herkommer, E. (2004). Nachhaltigkeit – Der aktuelle Begriff. Wissenschaftliche Dienste des Deutschen Bundestages, Nr. 06/2004. Retrieved July 4, 2012 from http://www.docstoc.com/docs/19426344/DER-AKTUELLEBEGRIFF# Berger, C.R. & Bradac; J.J. (1982). Language and Social Knowledge: Uncertainty in Interpersonal Relations. Edward Arnold. London. Bergmann, R. & Garrecht, M. (2007). Organisation und Projektmanagement. Physica. Heidelberg Bienzeisler, B. & Bernecker S. (2008). Fachkräftemangel und Instrumente der Personalgewinnung. Kurzstudie im Umfeld technischer Unternehmen. Fraunhofer IRB Verlag. Stuttgart. Bräuninger, D., Gräf, B., Gruber, K., Neuhaus, M.& Schneider, S.(2002). Die demographische Herausforderung – Demografie Spezial. Deutsche Bank Research. Retrieved April 1, 2012 from http://www.dbresearch.com/ PROD/DBR_INTERNET_EN-PROD/PRO D00000 00000044677/ Demografie-Spezial%3A+Die+demografische+Herausforderung.pdf Brenke, K. (2010). Fachkräftemangel kurzfristig noch nicht in Sicht. Wochenbericht des DIW Berlin Nr. 46/2010. Retrieved June 08, 2012 from http://www.diw.de/ documents/publikationen/73/diw_01.c.363686.de/10-46-1.pdf Brenke, K. & Wittenberg, E. (2010) Fünf Fragen an Karl Brenke. Wochenbericht des DIW Berlin Nr. 46/2010. Retrieved June 10, 2012 from http://www.diw.de/ documents/publikationen/73/diw_01.c.363688.de/10-46-2.pdf

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Brenke, K. (2012). Ingenieure in Deutschland: Keine Knappheit abzusehen. Wochenbericht des DIW Berlin Nr. 11/2012. Retrieved June 08, 2012 from http://www.diw.de/documents/publikationen/73/diw_01.c.394837.de/12-11-1.pdf Bundesagentur für Arbeit (2011). Perspektive 2025 – Fachkräfte für Deutschland. Retrieved June 08, 2012 from http://www.arbeitsagentur.de/zentralerContent/Veroeffentlichungen/Sonstiges/Perspektive-2025.pdf DHL (2011). Bericht zur Unternehmensverantwortung 2011. Retrieved July 13, 2012 from http://www.dp-dhl.com/content/dam/dpdhl/verantwortung/Bericht-zurUnternehmensverantwortung-2011.pdf

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DIW (2010). Pressemitteilung vom 18.11.2010. Retrieved June 09, 2012 from http:// www.diw.de/sixcms/detail.php?id=diw_01.c.363833.de Dodsworth, M., Connelly, K.E., Ellett, C.J. & Sharratt, P. (2007): Organizational Climate Metrics as a Leading SHE Performance Indicator and an Aid to relative Risk Ranking within Industry. n.p. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from http://homepa ges.nildram.co.uk/~dodsy/Chapter%202.htm End- Inanc, S. (2012). Vertriebsingenieure verdienen am meisten. Retrieved July 12, 2012 from http://www.salesbusiness.de/Nachrichten/172/6025/Vertriebsingenieu re-verdienen-am-meisten.html Gabler Wirtschaftslexikon (2012). Knappheit. n.p. Retrieved June 7, 2012 from http://wirtschaftslexikon.gabler.de/Archiv/57185/knappheit-v3.html Gabler Wirtschaftslexikon (2012). Mentoring. n.p. Retrieved July 13, 2012 from http://wirtschaftslexikon.gabler.de/Definition/mentoring.html Gabler Wirtschaftslexikon (2012). Risiko. n.p. Retrieved June 2, 2012 from http:// wirtschaftslexikon.gabler.de/Archiv/6780/risiko-v10.html Grabitz, I. & Wisdorff, F. (2012). Karriere trotz Teilzeit. Welt Online. Retrieved June 30, 2012 from http://m.welt.de/article.do?id=252Fprint%252Fwams%252FWirtscha ft%252Farticle106485738%252FKarriere-trotz-Teilzeit.html Grasedieck, D. (2009). Fachkräftemangel in Deutschland - Dimensionen und Lösungsansätze. In Die Berufsbildende Schule, Nr. 5/2009. dbb Verlag. Berlin Harris, M. (2005). Wohlgeschmack und Widerwillen : Die Rätsel der Nahrungstabus. Klett-Cotta. Stuttgart Hentze, J.& Kammel, A. (2001): Personalwirtschaftslehre 1. UTB. Bern/Stuttgart/Wien Hofstede, G., Hofstede, G.-J. & Minkov, M. (2010). Cultures and Organizations Software of the Mind: Intercultural Cooperation and Its Importance for Survival. McGraw- Hill Professional. New York. Hofstede, G. (2012). Dimensions. n.p. Retrieved May 13, 2012 from http://geerthofstede.com/dimensions.html

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Kluckhohn, F.R. & Strodtbeck, F.L. (1961). Variations in value orientations. p. 12. Row, Peterson. Evanston Komsa Kommunikation Sachsen AG (2003). Kommunikation for Kids im "Weltenbaum". Sächsischer Telekommunikations- Spezialist KOMSA eröffnet Betriebskindertagesstätte. Retrieved June 30, 2012 from http://www.komsa.com/bestand/presse/pdf/1739_11-03%20Er%C3%B6ffnung _Kita.pdf Koppel, O. (2012). Statement zum Artikel „Ingenieure in Deutschland: Keine Knappheit abzusehen“ von Karl Brenke, erschienen im DIW-Wochenbericht Nr. 11/2012. Retrieved June 08, 2012 from http://www.iwkoeln.de/de/studien/ argumentationspapiere/beitrag/70147

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Koschik, A. (2011). Trainee-Gehalt - Fünf Prozent weniger als Direkteinsteiger, aber... . Retrieved July 15, 2012 from http://www.karriere.de/startseite/fuenf-prozentweniger-als-direkteinsteiger-aber-164095/ Koschik, A. (2012). Fair Companies - Fair Company-Regeln. Retrieved July 15, 2012 from http://faircompany.karriere.de/content.aspx?nak=rules Kutschker, M. & Schmid, S. (2008). Internationales Management. Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag. München Lamoureux, E.R. (1989). An Experiential Approach to Teaching Communication Theory: Incorporating Contemporary Media To Clarify Theoretical Concepts.Retrieved June 30, 2012 from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWeb Portal/search/recordDetails.jsp?ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED415552& searchtype=keyword&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&_pageLabel=Record Details&accno=ED415552&_nfls=false&source=ae Lechelt, F. (2011). Aktuelle Studie: „Stellenwert von Mitarbeiterbefragungen und Arbeitgeberzertifizierungen in deutschen Unternehmen“. Retrieved July 15, 2012 from http://pressemitteilung.ws/node/312957 Lichtblau, K., Demary, M. & Schmitz, E. (2010). Lehren einer Krise – Die Sicht des Maschinenbaus. Retrieved July 02, 2012 from http://www.cemat-network.com/ fileadmin/Documents_and_Pictures/02_News_Presse/VDMA/Impuls_LeK_fin al.pdf McGuire, M. (2012). Examining Culture #6 - 'That's just the tip of the Iceberg! n.p. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from http://agents2change.typepad.com/blog4/2012 / 01/examining-culture-6-thats-just-the-tip-of-the-iceberg.html Merton, R.K. & Sztompka, P. (1996). On Social Structure and Science. University of Chicago Press. Chicago Rockwell Automation (2009). Perspectives on Sustainable Production: Delivering Economic Value and Serving the Greater Good. Retrieved May 10, 2012 from http://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/wp/ 5058-wp002_-en-p.pdf Rössner- Fischer, A. (2007). Burnout – Ursachen, Prävention, die besondere Rolle der Entlastungsfaktoren und der Führungskräfte. Grin Verlag. München

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Schein, E.H. (1985). Organizational Culture and Leadership - A Dynamic View. JosseyBass. San Francisco Schrader, K. & Laaser, C.-F. (2009). Globalisierung in der Wirtschaftskrise: Wie sicher sind die Jobs in Deutschland? Kieler Diskussionsbeiträge, Nr. 465. Institut für Weltwirtschaft. Kiel

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Spiegel Online (2012). VW-Betriebsrat setzt E-Mail-Stopp nach Feierabend durch. Retrieved July 03, 2012 from http://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/service/black berry-pause-vw-betriebsrat-setzt-e-mail-stopp-nach-feierabend-durch-a805524.html Sumner, W.G. (1906). Folkways. Retrieved June 25, 2012 from http://books.google.de/ books?id=nzENLwj5RVkC&printsec=frontcover&hl=de#v=onepage&q&f=fal se Tannen, D. (2007). You just don't understand! - Women and Men in Conversation. HarperCollins Publishers. New York Trompenaars, F. & Hampden- Turner, C. (1997). Riding the Waves of Culture Understanding Cultural Diversity in Business. Nicholas Brealey Publishing. Boston, London. TU Bergakademie Freiberg (2011). Zahlen, Daten, Fakten. p. 4. Retrieved May 24, 2012 from http://tu-freiberg.de/presse/pdf/zahlendatenfakten_2011.pdf TU Bergakademie Freiberg (2012). Zahlen und Fakten. n.p. Retrieved May 13, 2012 from http://tu-freiberg.de/zuv/service/zahlen_fakten.html

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Zils, E. (2011). ICR Social Media Recruiting Report. Retrieved July 8, 2012 from http://www.competitiverecruiting.de/WaskostetSocialMediaRecruiting.html

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9. Appendix A: Questionnaire used for the underlying survey

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10. Appendix B: Results table of the underlying survey

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congruence of communicated and practiced company culture

corporate responsibility for environment and society

advancement chances along the hierarchy

-1,500

taking an executive position as quickly as possible

selective qualification programs as an element of the advertised employment

existence/accessibility of personal contact persons along the recruitment process

above- average payment compared to similar jobs in the sector

expectable vulnerability of the job to economic crises

granting of non- monetary rewards (e.g. company car, notebook, events)

working abroad as an element of the advertised employment

congruence between working task and my academic specialization

diversified tasks

open- ended employment

flexible working hours, possibility to work in home office

traveling employment

evauation by (former) staff members (e.g. internet portals, word of mouth)

company size, awareness level, competitive position

design of company homepage, presence in social media and career networks

company heading for innovations

selective offspring support programs for specialists and executives

congruence between business areas and my ethical principles

employer supporting acceptable work- life balance

international strategic concept/ possibility for an international career

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-1,000

-0,500

0,000

0,500

1,000

11. Appendix C: Visualization of the single questionnaire items' scores

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