Identifying Essential Employability Attributes of MBA Graduates without Work Experience Using Grounded Theory

• Published in: An-Najah University Journal for Research - B (Humanities) Vol. 38; no. 2; pp. 339 - 370
• Main Authors: Singh, Puja, Alam, Parveen Ahmed, Kundu, Kaushik
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Nablus, Palestine جامعة النجاح الوطنية 01.02.2024; An-Najah National University, Deanship of Scientific Research
• Subjects: إدارة الأعمال; القابلية الوظيفية; المهارات التشغيلية; النظرية المجذرة; مديرو الموارد البشرية
• ISSN: 1727-8449; 2311-8962
• DOI: 10.35552/0247.38.2.2153

The aim of this study is to identify attributes that are essential to in-creasing the employability of a fresh MBA graduate, i.e., those without any work experience, based on the grounded theory approach. Specifi-cally, the purpose is to explore HR managers' perceptions of attributes re-quired by fresh MBA graduates to assess their corporate readiness or em-ployability so that they can join the corporate sector. The study utilized Strauss & Corbin's (1990) method of grounded theory, where 16 human resources professionals at the middle management level were interviewed one by one to get their perspective on the attributes that are essential for MBA graduates without work experience to be ready to join a workplace. These attributes were thematically grouped into five generic attributes. namely, general knowledge, subject/domain knowledge, decision-making skills, interpersonal skills, and operational skills. The implication of this study is that management schools need to update their courses and aug-ment value-added classes that help students develop the five required traits, which will likely make their graduates much more employable.