Does MBA Studies Increase the Value of Human Capital in the Labour Market?

Presented paper focuses on a research of added value of MBA studies organized at Academy of crisis management and management, Ltd. Uherské Hradiště on its graduates. The added value in this research is monitored in correlation to graduates’ career, recorded changes and also in correlation to the development of their knowledge and skills. Attention is also devoted to the returns of funds invested in these studies. The data are obtained thanks to a semistructured interview and a questionnaire survey among MBA graduates. They are processed by using mathematical-statistical methods, methods of comparison and analysis of information.

Status of Professional Skills in MBA Graduates, Its Challenges, and Way Forward in Kathmandu Valley: Evidence from Professional Skill Index

Today's MBA courses are continuous preparation-based teaching-learning practice to meet the requirements that industries expect from MBA graduates and further enhance their skills and knowledge that would aid them to fit in the job market. Thus, this study tries to assess the status of professional skills in MBA graduates, its challenges, and the way forward with the help of a professional skill index. Based on descriptive analysis, this study is conducted among 280 employers who employ MBA graduates, and a structured questionnaire was applied to collect information. The purposive sampling method was used to select the samples of 280. The study is conducted in Kathmandu valley as many MBA colleges and banks, finance companies, insurance companies, industries, and many private companies are located in Kathmandu valley. So, the graduates also choose Kathmandu valley in the maximum number to pursue their further career. The study's findings revealed that professional skills are generally looked up into hard skills and soft skills, and 100% of organizations look for professional skills possessed by candidates while hiring them. However, they give 100% attention to soft skills possessed by MBA graduates and 99.2% attention to hard skills possessed. In soft skills, an organization thinks communication skills are must by graduates, whereas they prioritize typing skills hard skill. Therefore, this study concludes that MBA students and colleges should focus on enhancing graduates' communication skills. Likewise, being in today's computerized business world typing skill is a must for graduates. Finally, MBA graduates must develop professional attributes among themselves to fit in today's job market

Executive assessment of MBA graduates in Nigerian companies

PurposeThe study aims to explore, via empirical evidence, executive assessment of Master of Business Administration (MBA) graduates in Nigerian companies.Design/methodology/approachThe research utilized a descriptive research design with structured questionnaire developed from relevant extant literature. Relevant data analysis, including determination of the psychometric properties of the research instrument, was undertaken via the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software.FindingsThe research results indicate that MBA graduates in the surveyed Nigerian organizations exhibited desired managerial tendencies only at an average extent.Research limitations/implicationsThe limitations associated with the research include the use of convenience sampling approach, limited sample size and combination of respondents from different industrial sectors.Practical implicationsThe research has practical implications for organizational executives associated with management development programmes via MBA, in addition to university administrators with regard to content, format, curricula and process for MBA education programmes.Originality/valueThe research is original and has practical and theoretical values.

Does an MBA degree advance business management skill or in fact create horizontal and vertical mismatches?

PurposeAn old saying –“Jack of all trades, master of none”– deliberately asserts that the purpose of a master’s degree program is to generate high level job skills in order to improve a nation's economy, while a bachelor degree produces economically productive graduates. Employment of such graduates is fundamentally important for personal and economic development. There is a link between a bachelor’s and master's degree and how these qualifications are linked to the job market. Both horizontal and vertical mismatches are developed which is the central focus of this research.Design/methodology/approachGiven the differentiated nature of research questions, multiple techniques are used to collect the data. However, this research bears the norms of the qualitative method. Both secondary and primary data are used, and meanwhile secondary data are collected by the banks, Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information and Statistics (BANBEIS), University Grants Commission (UGC) and by the institutions sampled. Primary data are gathered from interviews with key people. Data were collected from three institutions of higher education and from six commercial banks and from the Central Bank. The academic results of 21,325 MBA graduates and education backgrounds of 750 executives working in banks served as the basis for establishing our arguments.FindingsThis study discovers that MBA graduates who have studied science subjects achieved much better grades in the MBA compared to their counterparts who studied business from secondary provision to first degree. The market-driven MBA programme has become a “business product”. The major revenue of higher education institutions comes from enrolment in MBA courses. For this reason, a science-friendly MBA program is developed to generate more business. If this continues, the philosophy of the master's program would either be lost or will have to be redefined in the 21st century.Originality/valueWhile a few studies have investigated the area of HE in Bangladesh, none covers the impact of MBA degrees on the job market and its contribution to enhancing job skills.

Employability and skill gap among MBA graduates in India: a literature review

Purpose The purpose of this study is to review scholarly research on employability and skill gap in the context of the Master of Business Administration (MBA) education in India. This paper provides an overview of the critical themes and identifies research gaps for future investigations. Design/methodology/approach Published empirical studies were reviewed and thematically analysed using NVivo 11 Pro. Findings In addition to technical aptitudes and skills, organisations also seek other attributes that are associated with employability, such as communication, emotional intelligence, critical thinking, problem-solving skills and interpersonal skills. Communication is an important skill frequently cited in the literature. Additionally, themes related to reasons for skill gaps are identified. Practical implications Soft skills and non-technical aptitudes should be emphasised in MBA education. Furthermore, significant reforms in MBA education programmes should be implemented in India to make graduates industry-ready. Originality/value Several studies have been carried out to verify the existence of and reasons for skill gaps amongst MBA graduates in India. Through integrative literature review, the issue of skill gap is discussed. Future research directions are also recommended in this paper.

Impact of career shocks on Indian MBA careers: an exploratory study

PurposeThe study explores career shocks in the Indian context and examines their impact on the career development of people with MBAs.Design/methodology/approachIn-depth, semi-structured interviews with 41 Indian MBA graduates were thematically analysed to identify career shocks that resulted in different types of transitions. Eight themes were identified based on ongoing and iterative comparison of these instances.FindingsOutcomes relating to competitive examinations that determined entry into various occupations were the first career shock experienced by participants. Geographical considerations were salient in the deliberations involving events relating to marriage, eldercare and spouse relocation. Events at the workplace that signalled uncertainty, a fall-out with one's boss or a request to relocate, prompted participants to switch employers. Some of the observed differences were gender based. While female MBA graduates adapted to handle both spousal and parental responsibilities, male MBA graduates did the same to shoulder eldercare responsibilities.Research limitations/implicationsThe study's retrospective design could have led to concerns regarding memory recall. The use of open-ended questions partially mitigated this, by giving participants the freedom to recount their experiences, to the extent that they could remember.Practical implicationsOrganisations in India could customise and strengthen policies to support employees who have maternity and eldercare responsibilities. Managers should make greater efforts to have open communication with their subordinates to overcome the challenges of operating in a culture with high power distance and indirect communication styles.Originality/valueThis study explored different types of career shocks and associated transitions. The Indian context, with its growing economy, large population, collectivistic culture and strong influence of family on careers, enabled a deeper examination of novel career shocks. The study also highlighted the dissimilar impact of career shocks for men and women and people at different career stages.

Impact of Academic Libraries on Career Development

Career development is a continuous process that continues and changes throughout. Career development includes progression towards a desired future career. It involves making maximum use of training and development programs to enhance job-related skills and, ultimately, their career. It is observed from the study that one-third of the respondents have a higher level of perception towards resources provided by libraries for career development of MBA graduates. Further, nearly half (49.5%) of the respondents have had moderate levels of perception towards overall level of usefulness of career development related resources provided by library, 27.7% of the respondents have had low level of perception towards overall level of usefulness of career development related resources provided by library, and the remaining 22.8% of the respondents have had higher level of perception towards overall level of usefulness of career development related resources provided by the library.