Preferences of business students in quality of training and development

Currently there are scarce studies focusing on student preferences as practitioners in adult business education. The aim of this article is to identify and evaluate factors of crucial to meet expectations in adult business education. The data for study were collected among distance university students at a private Czech university. The results are based on a quantitative survey using a questionnaire data collection of 2,265 students. The used indicators are based on students ́ satisfaction with the education process. Descriptive statistics, two and multi dimensional statistical methods were used to evaluate the quantitative results. The factor analysis was employed to identify responses related to the perception of the educational process. The analysis found three groups of students according to their main preferences – usefulnes orientation, business orientation, and output orientation. Half of adult already employed business studens have difficulties to adapt to new or different knowledge and skills presented by education process. They may have problems with teachers’ authority. The second half of students– practitioners enjoy deepening their knowledge; they closely cooperate during education process, share their ideas and appreciate teaching techniques. Both groups expect education process to be linked with knowledge and skills needed in business. Support of employed students with study materials is necessary; it fulfills their expectations. Furthermore, significant differences in behaviour of male and female students regarding their expactations towards higher business education were found. A limitation of the study is a narrow focus on case study of one private university.