Internet Browsing Behavior of Executive Postgraduate Students

Abstract

This paper examines the motivation for Internet browsing amongst Executive MBA (EMBA) students at the University of Ghana Business School. It underscores the importance of the environmental influences on the social, academic and professional use of the Internet by executive masters students in Ghana. This paper is executed via a qualitative research design. Data for the study was gathered through structured focus group interviews with 24 Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) students of the University of Ghana Business School. The study revealed that students browse the Internet for social, academic and professional purposes. The social use of the Internet includes sending and receiving email, socializing through Facebook, chatting, and making new friends. Professionally, students browse the Internet to obtain trade information, interact with clients, check on conference alerts, and access databases of clients. The academic motivations for browsing the Internet include research, getting access to academic journal databases, interacting with lecturers and supervisors, registering for professional courses and obtaining information on specific courses of study.