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Brains versus beauty in the knowledge economy: the relative predictive powers of qualification and physical attractiveness in the decision to employ a knowledge worker

Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2014.

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Other Authors: Price, Gavin
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: University of Pretoria 2015
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access_status_str Open Access
author2 Price, Gavin
author_browse Price, Gavin
author_facet Price, Gavin
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv © 2014 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria.
description Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2014.
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institution University of Pretoria (South Africa)
language English
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license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
publishDate 2015
publishDateRange 2015
publishDateSort 2015
publisher University of Pretoria
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spelling oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/44913 Brains versus beauty in the knowledge economy: the relative predictive powers of qualification and physical attractiveness in the decision to employ a knowledge worker Price, Gavin ichelp@gibs.co.za Ford, Richard UCTD Human behavior Economics—Psychological aspects Knowledge economy Knowledge workers Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2014. It is a widely held belief that those who are attractive generally experience an easier life; that the door to success is opened by perfect bone structure and a sparkling white smile. However, this might not be the case. Attractiveness might play a far lesser role in individual’s achieving their objectives than has previously been thought. Is it possible that an individual’s qualifications may have a greater influence regarding the perceptions of managers who question the suitability of a candidate to fill the position of a Knowledge Worker? The main purpose of this research was not only to identify the existence of the so-called Beauty Premium in the Knowledge Economy but, to determine that if it does indeed exist, how to explore the influence of this aspect regarding the hiring decisions for which managers are responsible. A two-phased experimental design was followed that investigated the existence and strength of the Beauty Premium amongst a group of managers who were provided with fictitious resumes coupled with photographs of the applicants. These managers were requested to make a hiring decision based on the information in front of them. The results revealed the existence of a Beauty Premium but that is was relatively weak and that the qualification of an individual had a far greater influence on a manager’s perception of the suitability of a candidate to fill a position of a Knowledge Worker. zkgibs2015 Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) Unrestricted 2015-04-28T08:01:28Z 2015-04-28T08:01:28Z 2015-03-24 2014 Mini Dissertation Ford, R. (2014). Brains versus beauty in the knowledge economy: the relative predictive powers of qualification and physical attractiveness in the decision to employ a knowledge worker (MBA mini-dissertation).Gordon Institute of Business Science, University of Pretoria. Retrieved from http://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/1818 http://hdl.handle.net/2263/44913 en © 2014 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria
spellingShingle UCTD
Human behavior
Economics—Psychological aspects
Knowledge economy
Knowledge workers
Brains versus beauty in the knowledge economy: the relative predictive powers of qualification and physical attractiveness in the decision to employ a knowledge worker
title Brains versus beauty in the knowledge economy: the relative predictive powers of qualification and physical attractiveness in the decision to employ a knowledge worker
title_full Brains versus beauty in the knowledge economy: the relative predictive powers of qualification and physical attractiveness in the decision to employ a knowledge worker
title_fullStr Brains versus beauty in the knowledge economy: the relative predictive powers of qualification and physical attractiveness in the decision to employ a knowledge worker
title_full_unstemmed Brains versus beauty in the knowledge economy: the relative predictive powers of qualification and physical attractiveness in the decision to employ a knowledge worker
title_short Brains versus beauty in the knowledge economy: the relative predictive powers of qualification and physical attractiveness in the decision to employ a knowledge worker
title_sort brains versus beauty in the knowledge economy the relative predictive powers of qualification and physical attractiveness in the decision to employ a knowledge worker
topic UCTD
Human behavior
Economics—Psychological aspects
Knowledge economy
Knowledge workers
url http://hdl.handle.net/2263/44913