The impact of learning outcomes in business education: assessing value, relevance and graduate ability in a multi-country study of employers and business graduates

Ana Azevedo, Doris Gomezlj, Jane Andrews, Helen Higson, Antonio Caballero

Research output: Unpublished contribution to conferenceUnpublished Conference Paper

Abstract

This paper discusses critical findings from a two-year EU-funded research project involving four European countries: Austria, England, Slovenia and Romania. The project had two primary aims. The first of these was to develop a systematic procedure for assessing the balance between learning outcomes acquired in education and the specific needs of the labour market. The second aim was to develop and test a set of meta-level quality indicators aimed at evaluating the linkages between education and employment. The project was distinctive in that it combined different partners from Higher Education, Vocational Training, Industry and Quality Assurance. One of the key emergent themes identified in exploratory interviews was that employers and recent business graduates in all four countries want a well-rounded education which delivers a broad foundation of key business knowledge across the various disciplines. Both groups also identified the need for personal development in critical skills and competencies. Following the exploratory study, a questionnaire was designed to address five functional business areas, as well as a cluster of 8 business competencies. Within the survey, questions relating to the meta-level quality indicators assessed the impact of these learning outcomes on the workplace, in terms of the following: 1) value, 2) relevance and 3) graduate ability. This paper provides an overview of the study findings from a sample of 900 business graduates and employers. Two theoretical models are proposed as tools for predicting satisfaction with work performance and satisfaction with business education. The implications of the study findings for education, employment and European public policy are discussed.
Original languageEnglish
Number of pages18
Publication statusUnpublished - 8 Sept 2008
EventOECD Annual Conference, International Studies in Management in HE - Paris, France
Duration: 8 Sept 200810 Sept 2008

Conference

ConferenceOECD Annual Conference, International Studies in Management in HE
Abbreviated titleIMHE 2008
Country/TerritoryFrance
CityParis
Period8/09/0810/09/08

Keywords

  • learning outcomes
  • business education
  • value
  • relevance
  • graduate ability
  • business graduates

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