Masters Theses

Date of Award

12-1990

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Food Science and Technology

Major Professor

Jeannie Sneed

Committee Members

Jean D. Skinner, Betty Ruth Carruth

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the financial management competencies needed by the entry-level dietitian and to determine how well current Plan IV/V Programs are preparing students in this area. The study determined the importance of financial management competencies to the effective performance of the entry-level dietitian's job as perceived by Plan IV/V, Approved Preprofessional Practice Program (AP4), and Dietetic Internship (DI) educators. To identify academic preparation related to these competencies, the study determined a) extent to which Plan IV/V programs were preparing students in these competencies as perceived by the directors, and b) perceptions which were held by AP4/DI directors related to the adequacy of students' preparation in financial management competencies. A two-part survey was developed that included importance and adequacy of preparation scales for 50 financial management competencies and program characteristic questions. Survey instruments were mailed to the entire population of Plan IV/V (no. =242), AP4 (no. =73), and DI (no. =96) directors. Questionnaires were returned from 195 Plan IV/V, AP4, and DI educators for a combined response rate of 47.4%.

The reliability for the instruments using Cronbach's alpha was 0.97 for the importance scale and 0.98 for the adequacy of preparation scale. Students' t-tests were used to test the research hypotheses at a significance level of p<0.05. Three factors were obtained from the factor analysis of 50 financial management competencies from Cochrane's (1990) study of foodservice directors: Budgeting, financial Analysis, and Cash Flow Management (Factor 1); Financial Knowledge (Factor 2); and Cost Control (Factor 3). These factors were used in this study to compare perceptions of Plan IV/V and AP4/DI educators in regard to importance and adequacy of preparation in financial management competencies.

Importance ratings of financial management competencies for entry-level dietitians were not different for Plan IV/V and AP4/DI educators. Perceptions of adequacy of preparation of students differed for Plan IV/V and AP4/DI educators; Plan IV/V educators rated adequacy higher than did AP4/DI educators for two factors: financial knowledge and cost control.

This study provided information about dietetic educators' perceived importance of financial management competencies to an entry-level dietitian's job and perceptions of students' adequacy of preparation in these competencies. The results may be used to update current dietetic curricula to include the competencies rated most important by educators as well as those competences rated most important by foodservice directors.

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