Student Judgments of the Importance of Image- and Ethos-Related Professionalism Attributes/Behaviors to the Work Environment and Their Shift over Time

Abstract

An exploratory study was conducted to determine which attributes/traits marketing students feel are most important for them to learn for workplace professionalism. And in order to determine perceived shifts in professionalism importance levels over time, students’ perceptions of their parents’/guardians’ judgments were ascertained to see whether there is a significant difference between them. It is hypothesized that societal norms for professionalism are shifting away from image-related ones and more toward those that are ethos-related. Gender, years of work experience, generation, and time spent living in the USA were investigated as potential moderators. Both qualitative and quantitative preliminary data were collected.