Search

Purpose: With the purpose of predicting the problem of procrastination, we study how age, sex, type of studies and grade for admission to higher education influence the procrastination behavior of students. Design/methodology/approach: In a sample of 359 university students, the Pure Procrastination scale was applied, as well as data on sex, age, grade previous to join the university, grade completed and year of study (first to fourth). To identify underlying variables or factors that explain the configuration of correlations in the items of the scale used, an exploratory factor analysis was carried out (principal component analysis with Varimax normalization). Next, a multiple linear regression analysis was performed with the variables sex, age, and admission grade as independent variables and academic procrastination as the dependent variable. Findings: It has been possible to identify the variables that influence the procrastinating behavior of university students. From the identification of which students will possibly present procrastinating behaviors, the people responsible for university education will be able to implement intervention programs to deal with procrastination. Research limitations/implications: The sample is not representative of the universe of university students, although the results obtained are relevant enough to replicate the study in other university contexts. Our data could have included more instruments for collecting information, which in future studies would entail incorporating scales related to the perception of time management, motivation or self-regulation. Practical implications: Distinguishing, among university students, those who may present more procrastination tendencies will guide those responsible for the educational process of said students with respect to measures to alleviate the negative effects of procrastination through psycho-socio-educational intervention programs. Social implications: The knowledge derived from this work has practical implications for the students themselves who, in the case of being identified as a potential procrastinator, may benefit from a psycho-socio-educational intervention that will help them manage their time and reduce the discomfort derived from the procrastination. Originality/value: On the previous corpus of existing scientific knowledge, this work provides knowledge that allows optimizing, both at a public and private level, the academic, economic and social resources of university institutions in which procrastination can affect the preparation and the student performance.

Purpose: The present study identifies the professional skills profile that a Public Affairs (PA) practitioner of a major company or an organization representing the interests of various economic sectors should have in Spain. Design/methodology: The study uses a mixed qualitative and quantitative methodology. The initial identification of the competences, as well as the general functions of the profile to be evaluated, has been carried out using the in-depth interview technique with the directors of APRI (Association of Professionals of Institutional Relations of Spain), who defined these competencies from their expert perspective. Subsequently, through a survey of seventy-two managers, sufficient data were obtained to statistically process the information and obtain significant results in the identification of such competences. This information has been processed, firstly, through factorial analysis, which has made it possible to synthesize these competences. Once the analysis of factors was carried out, a cluster analysis is added for the classification of the respondents or managers. Findings: The perception of the interviewed executives has been determined regarding the functions that an institutional relations practitioner must fulfill. It should be noted that this is a profession for which there is no clarity about the role and the legitimacy of its members, particularly in Spain. In fact, it is associated with a function that is seen as exerting undue pressure on political power. A field study was conducted to determine the opinion of these managers on the competences that a professional in institutional relations should have. Originality/value: This study provides a description of the job position of a person responsible for institutional relations in Spain. Moreover, it adds a typology of managers, according to the competences defined for the person responsible for institutional relations.