AD ALTA
JOURNAL OF INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH
Moreover, the current macro-economic situation is as follows. In
2017, the SR spent 4 % of its GDP public spending on
education, which is about 1 % less than the EU average. It seems
that households tend to spend a very small part of their income
on education, which does not create favourable conditions for
the future, for according to the OECD, average pupil results
appear to increase with increasing spending on education.
Another factor affecting the results is the level of attained
education of adults influencing pupils. This category primarily
includes family members as well as teachers who, according to
McKinsey analysts, are able to turn an average pupil to an above
average one, but also vice versa, depending on whether the
teacher is good at what he / she does. However, this is clearly
not the whole range of problems directly related to education, as
evidenced by the author´s research. Thus, it is necessary to
address the issue comprehensively, systematically and with
a broad focus on the whole of education. In fact, the situation
seems to be serious, as proved by various measurements of
pupils' knowledge and skills, which are the so-called school
education products and which are markedly worsening
(Veselková and Holková, 2018, pp. 23-26). This was also
confirmed by the OECD PISA international research for the
2006-2015 period referring to primary school pupils. As regards
adults, the so-called PIAAC testing found that their position is
better, for they ended up just above the OECD average. In this
respect, however, it is also worth mentioning that one has a
worse ability to solve problems when surrounded by new
technologies, yet these can predetermine economic and social
success in the future.
3 Materials and Methods
A questionnaire was compiled for the purposes of this paper,
with its respondents being randomly selected. Questions were
formed having several choices, including open questions, so that
a comprehensive overview of economic and psychological
motives of the implemented decision-making mechanism could
be obtained, also taking into account the theoretical framework
used. One of the strengths is the effort for a complex conception
of a partially solved topic even from the viewpoint of theories
and practice. The weakness is a smaller sample of respondents,
which, however, is compensated to a certain extent by the
present research in this area and the previously realized
questionnaire survey of a more general nature that also
concerned productive elements of consumption. The survey was
conducted between 7th-14th April 2019 through a Google form
sent via email or via social networking.
The questionnaire comprised two main parts with a total of 23
questions. In the first part, there were questions related to
descriptive characteristics (see Table 1) in terms of detecting
a status of households, a number of dependent children in
households and a level of net income per person (Questions 1-3).
Selecting the characteristics served as a reference not only to the
previous survey but also to the Household Budget Survey
statistics, making it possible to interlink and verify individual
findings of the surveys. The second part dealt with the issue of
consumption, expenses, motives, attitudes or opinions. Here, the
questionnaire contained categories of expenditures spent on
education, including open questions, which allowed the author to
point out the motives of decision-making and gain a number of
other and more specific incentives to analyze the consumption
elements of a productive nature in relation to learning in
practice.
Table 1: Descriptive characteristics of target sample
(questionnaire, questions 1-3)
Question
(1.)
Rate of
responses
Question (2.)
Rate of
responses
Question (3.)
Rate of
responses
Pensioner
5.1 %
without children
56.7 %
up to €
13.3 %
500
Maternity
leave
10.2 %
with 1 child
18.3 %
between €
38.3 %
500-1000
Self-
employed
8.5 %
with 2 children
25 %
between €
25 %
1000-1500
Employee
76.2 %
with 3 children
and more
0 %
between €
18.3 %
1500-2500
Unemplo
yed
0 %
-
over €
5.1 %
2500
Source: Own processing.
When analyzing and drawing conclusions from the collected
data, the author is indeed aware that the sample is unevenly
distributed in proportion to the number and structure of the
population of the country under observation. However, in order
to verify certain anticipated trends, determinants, status or
directions in the development of consumption of the selected
productive element, the overall research approach is sufficient in
this respect.
The author used methods of economic analysis as well as critical
literature review, where she was concerned with more detailed
partial hypotheses that were continuously verified and
developed. Also included in the paper was the method of
scientific research, which is the way or process by which an
intended outcome is achieved following a particular starting
point or basis. Selecting the specified methods was dependent on
sub-hypotheses.
4 Results and Discussion
The analytical part consists in identifying the current situation in
the form of basic characteristics in which households live
(mainly from the standpoints of attitudes, motives, and
tendencies associated with educating individuals and the
productive aspect in the "education" consumption). Following is
an analysis and definition of key determinants of the selected
productive element.
4.1 The identification of basic characteristics in decision-
making and the approach to education
The basic information shows that up to 90 % of the respondents
undergo some form of education. The reason why the rest do not
participate in any education process is due to their fatigue,
disinclination or resignation. There are claims that there is no
reason for education or there is an expectation of a new-born
baby as a priority.
Questions 8 and 9 take account of an individual’s approach to
education in terms of time perspective and attitude to changes,
which are a substantial part of education. Only 33.9 % of the
questioned individuals plan their education in a systematic and
long-term manner. The rest claim that they make impulsive
decisions based on current opportunities. It partly indicates that
a short-term perspective is preferred to a long-term perspective
and, in fact, it shows that the application of a selected productive
element of consumption and such a viewpoint of perception are
not preferred. It is obvious that up to 56 % of the questioned
view changes as a challenge in terms of an attitude to changes,
which is more positive, whereas 3.3 % hold the opposite view of
changes, which is related to fear. The rest of the questioned takes
an indifferent attitude to changes. They come as they go and the
respondents do not attribute any adjectives to them or reflect on
them. However, is this right? According to most psychologists
and educationists, an insight, understanding, thinking, reasoning,
and use of inductive or deductive logic with an understanding of
constructive relations are some of the key cognitive processes of
learning. They are the basis for long-term learning and
recognition of the essence of various meanings on the base of
which it is possible to make rational decisions or to have such
ability. If people do not consider changes and do not have
a personal opinion, is it good or easier for them?
The questionnaire clearly shows that the individuals who do not
take part in education give a number of inconsistent answers not
following up in the logical sense and forming about a third of all
the answers. Only a third of them are able to keep a logical
sequence of the following answers. Answers to the open
questions are simple and lack arguments or ideas about the
future. It is worth considering the reasons for voluntary and
anonymous participation of such respondents in the research.
The conclusion seems to be a help or benefit for some other
person as one of the pillars of alternative theories of rationality
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