Abstract
Purpose. For-profit colleges/universities focus on preparing students for immediate employability, upward job mobility, or entry into new industries; yet, a key determinant to achieving these goals is the quality of education received. This study investigated instructional delivery by adjunct faculty in undergraduate business-degree programs, since it is believed that a correlation exists between faculty instructional characteristics/abilities and delivery of quality educational experiences to students. Moreover, it sought to understand if students' age, generational cohort membership, or educational funding method contribute as modifiers to perceptions of faculty instructional characteristics/abilities. Methodology. Subjects in this study included 55 faculty members and 491 undergraduate business-degree students from three for-profit colleges/universities in Southern California. Subjects responded to two research survey instruments: (1) a three-item survey capturing demographic information for respondents' current class, and (2) a forty-five-item survey assessing instructional characteristics across eighteen variables to define quality instructional delivery and then examine those characteristics evident in current classes moderated by student age, generational cohort, and educational funding method. Findings. Examination of quantitative data indicates (1) most faculty (76 percent) teaching in for-profit institutions are adjunct, (2) 50 percent of student respondents were pre-adults (eighteen to twenty-four years old; Gen-Y cohort), and (3) 66 percent of student respondents received some form of tuition assistance. Examination of the same data found that students' age exhibited greater influence on effectiveness perceptions while funding method had little or no bearing; although, where influence was evident, funding method did affect students' position and scoring strength. Conclusions. The study data suggest correlation between adjunct faculty instructional characteristics/abilities and delivery of quality educational experiences as influenced by students' age/generational cohort membership and somewhat by educational funding method; furthermore, adjunct faculties do have capacity and instructional dynamism for preparing students to succeed in business. Recommendations. Further investigation could (1) use the same research base with ethnicity and gender variables; (2) examine favoritism as an influencing factor; (3) test for correlation between shareholder value maximization and providing quality educational experiences; and (4) determine if student perceptions in graduate programs are similar to those of undergraduate programs. Finally, replication could be conducted across a wider base—several regions or even nationwide.