Worth doing but not worth having? The influence of personal aspirations and career expectations on the value of a doctorate

Guccione, K. and Bryan, B. (2023) Worth doing but not worth having? The influence of personal aspirations and career expectations on the value of a doctorate. Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education, 14(1), pp. 83-98. (doi: 10.1108/SGPE-02-2022-0012)

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to understand the interaction between the component domains of doctoral value to identify those which have a greater influence on overall perceptions of the value of a doctorate. This study also investigates what may lead an individual to say the doctorate was not worth doing. Design/methodology/approach: Using Bryan and Guccione’s (2018) conceptual model of “doctoral value”, this study used a qualitative survey, to examine 261 perceptions of the value of the doctorate in a range of employment contexts. Findings: Individual perceptions of value are dynamically influenced by the fulfilment of expectations, career achievements and the employer’s perception of the doctorate’s value. The authors found that the circumstances of respondents’ current employment are the most common predictor of overall perceived value and that those who reported that their doctorates were “not worth doing” attributed this to lack of a positive career outcome. Originality/value: A recurring concept was that respondents considered that their doctorate had been “worth doing” for the value it conveyed to them personally, but not “worth having” because of its low value to employers. This new understanding illustrates the complexity of decision-making and the individual career timelines that influence value. This study positions the “career value” and “personal value” domains as determinant in informing individual value judgements. The findings of this study lend weight to calls for doctoral education to focus on non-academic careers and also inspire further investigation into how non-academic employers recruit, motivate and value doctoral graduates.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Guccione, Dr Kay
• Authors: Guccione, K., and Bryan, B.
• College/School: University Services > Research Strategy and Innovation > Research and Innovation Services
• Journal Name: Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education
• Publisher: Emerald Publishing
• ISSN: 2398-4686
• ISSN (Online): 2398-4686
• Published Online: 25 October 2022
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2022 Emerald Publishing Limited
• First Published: First published in Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education 14(1): 83-98
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher