The Influence of the Value System in Human Capital Investment on the Satisfaction with Studying at Universities

Abstract

The existing gap between the high value of human capital and the low awareness in knowledge acquisition can be brought about by several interrelated and interdependent factors including the value system in society, situation factors, infrastructural, institutional, social, and cultural environment, etc. The research presented in this paper aimed to study the relevance of the value system in human capital investment among younger students and determine its influence on the students’ satisfaction with the study process. The work is based on the axiological approach and the theory of human capital. The main empirical method of sociological research was the mass polling of full-time university students in the Republic of Tatarstan. The overall population of respondents was 870 people. This work deals with the typical modernist value of investing in one's human capital, i.e., training to facilitate career growth and improve the financial situation, as a combination of four modernist values (money, material assets, success, career, professional growth, education, professionalism). The classical value system in human capital investments influences only one of the job dissatisfaction causes: “I am not sure I can get a job in my degree field after I graduate.” This is one of the most popular answers, and it reflects the worry that after the graduation, students will not be able to utilize their human capital. We believe that it is important to consider this trend when setting the quality assessment criteria for educational services and focus on the practical applicability of the disciplines taught.