SciELO - Scientific Electronic Library Online

 
vol.11 issue2 author indexsubject indexarticles search
Home Pagealphabetic serial listing  

Services on Demand

Article

Indicators

Related links

  • On index processCited by Google
  • On index processSimilars in Google

Share


South African Journal of Economic and Management Sciences

On-line version ISSN 2222-3436
Print version ISSN 1015-8812

S. Afr. j. econ. manag. sci. vol.11 n.2 Pretoria Jul. 2008

 

ARTICLES

 

A critical assessment of the perceptions of potential graduates regarding their generic skills level: An exploratory study

 

 

EE Smith; J Krüger

Department of Business Management, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University

 

 


ABSTRACT

This article outlines the perceptions of potential Business Management graduates regarding their generic skills level. To achieve the aim of this article, a literature study and empirical research were undertaken. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 205 potential Business Management graduates at a tertiary institution. To investigate the relationship between the independent and dependent variables, thirteen null-hypotheses were tested. The results revealed some significant relationships between these variables. Seven predetermined generic skills factors, namely basic, communication, management, environmental awareness, intellectual, self and career management as well as interpersonal skills, were identified and empirically tested in this article. Skills development should take place within an overall framework providing for the coordination and progression of skills development from first to final year of study. Future curricula development should specifically focus on developing those skills lacking most in potential graduates as identified in this article.

JEL: D83, 84, J24

 

 

“Full text available only in PDF format”

 

 

List of sources

1 AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION (2006) "Information literacy for faculty and administration", [http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl]. Accessed 7 March 2006.         [ Links ]

2 ANSWERS.COM (2006) "Administration", [http://www.answer.com/topic/administration]. Accessed 8 March 2006.         [ Links ]

3 ARCIONI, E. (1997) "Generic skills: A student perspective", [http://www.cedir.uow.edu.au]. Accessed 31 January 2006.         [ Links ]

4 BISHOP, K.N.; REID, A.D.; STABLES, A.; LENCASTRE, M.; STOER, S. & SOETAERT, R. (2000) "Developing environmental awareness through literature and media education", Canadian Journal of Environmental Education, 5: 268-286.         [ Links ]

5 CHARTERED MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE (2006) "Graduate key skills and employability", [http://www.managers.org.uk]. Accessed 7 March 2006.         [ Links ]

6 CLIFF, A.F. (2007) "Assessing the academic literacy skills of entry-level students, using the placement test in English for educational purposes", [http://www.ched.uct.ac.za/seminars]. Accessed 19 November 2007.         [ Links ]

7 CONNOR, H.; HIRSCH, W. & BARBER, L. (2003) "Your graduates and you: Effective strategies for graduate recruitment and development", IES Report 400. UK: Institute for employment studies.         [ Links ]

8 CREBERT, G. (2006) "Graduate skills overview", [http://www.gu.edu.au/centre]. Accessed 31 January 2006.         [ Links ]

9 EARL, N. (2006) "Over half of graduate job seekers yet to find graduate-level employment", [http://www.manpower.co.uk/news/graduate]. Accessed 31 January 2006.         [ Links ]

10 EIRONLINE (2006) "The changing meaning of skill and its implications for UK vocational education and training policy", [http://www.eiro.eurofound.eu.int]. Accessed 2 March 2006.         [ Links ]

11 EISENBERG, M.B. & JOHNSON, D. (2006) "Teaching information literacy: The big six skills approach to information problem solving", [http://www.itrc.ucf.edu/webcamp]. Accessed 7 March 2006.         [ Links ]

12 FIELDING, M. (2003) Effective Communication in Organizations: Preparing Messages that Communicate (2nd ed.) Juta: Cape Town.         [ Links ]

13 FRAME, I. & CANTER, M. (2001) "A menu of graduate skills - The specification of degree level skills for construction and surveying students", Paper delivered at COBRA Conference. Caledonian University: Glasgow.         [ Links ]

14 FORSTER, M. (2006) "Graduate skills assessment", [http://www.murdoch.edu.au/eddev]. Accessed 7 March 2006.         [ Links ]

15 GIBSON, J.L., IVANCEVICH, J.M. & DONELLY, J.H. (1997) Organizations: Behaviour, Structure, Processes (9th ed.) Irwin: Chicago.         [ Links ]

16 GOLDFINCH, J. & HUGHES, M. (2007) "Skills, learning styles and success of first year undergraduates", Active learning in Higher Education, 8(3): 259-273.         [ Links ]

17 GRADUATE SKILLS ONLINE (2006) "Key skills", [http://www.careers.rdg.ac.uk]. Accessed 31 January 2006.         [ Links ]

18 GREEN, F. & DICKERSON, A.P. (2002) The Growth and Valuation of Generic Skills. Studies in Economies 0203. University of Kent.         [ Links ]

19 HAIR, J.F.; ANDERSON, R.E.; TATHAM, R.L. & BLACK, W.C. (1998) Multivariate Data Analysis, Prentice Hall, Inc: New Jersey.         [ Links ]

20 HELLRIEGEL, D.; JACKSON, S.E.; SLOCUM, J.; STAUDE, G.; AMOS, T.; KLOPPER, H.B.; LOUW, L. & OOSTHUIZEN, T (2004) Management (2nd SA ed.) Oxford University Press: Cape Town.         [ Links ]

21 HILLAGE, J. & POLLARD, E. (1998) Employability: Developing a Framework for Policy Analysis, DfEE: London.         [ Links ]

22 HOLMES, L. (2000) "Reframing the skills agenda in higher education: Graduate identity and the double warrant", Paper delivered at The future business of higher education conference. Oxford. March 2000.         [ Links ]

23 KAIJAGE, E.S. (2006) "Knowledge and skills of B.Com graduates of the faculty of commerce and management, University of Dar es Salaam in the job market", [http://www.aau.org/studyprogram]. Accessed 31 January 2006.         [ Links ]

24 KELLY, R. (2006) "Graduate skills: What employers want?", [http://www.graduatecareers.com]. Accessed 7 March 2006.         [ Links ]

25 KINGS COLLEGE LONDON (2006) [http://www.kcl.ac.uk/gshs/gsdp/development]. Accessed 31 January 2006.         [ Links ]

26 LA VALLE, I.; O'REGAN, S. & JACKSON, C. (2000) "The art of getting started: Graduate skills in a fragmented labour market", IES Report 364. Institute for employment studies: UK.         [ Links ]

27 MAHER, A. & NIELD, K. (2005) "Enhancing student employability: Higher education and workforce development", Paper delivered at Ninth Quality in Higher Education International Seminar, Birmington. 27-28 January 2005.         [ Links ]

28 MANNIX, E. & NEALE, M.A. (2007) "Diverse teams in organizations", [http://www.psychologicalscience.org]. Accessed 19 November 2007.         [ Links ]

29 MARWALA, T. (2006) "Skills necessary for the advancement of South Africa, Umrabulo, 26, August 2006", [http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/]. Accessed 14 February 2007.         [ Links ]

30 MCNAIR, S. (2003) Employability in Higher Education, LTSN Generic Centre, University of Surrey: Surrey.         [ Links ]

31 MOONEY, D. (2002) "Leadership skills: Leader or manager? Which are you? Which should you be?" Communicator, 3 (2): 1-5.         [ Links ]

32 MULLINS, L.J. (1996) Management and Organisational Behaviour (4th ed.) Pitman: London.         [ Links ]

33 NATIONAL CENTRE FOR VOCATIONAL EDUCATION RESEARCH (2003) At a Glance, Australian Training Authority: Adelaide.         [ Links ]

34 NIEMAN, G. & BENNETT, A. (2004) Business Management: A Value Chain Approach, Van Schaik: Pretoria.         [ Links ]

35 QUEENSLAND UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY (2005) "Graduate capabilities", [http://www.qut.edu.au/admin/mop]. Accessed 18 April 2005.         [ Links ]

36 ROBBINS, S.P. & DECENZO, D.A. (2004) Supervision Today! (4th ed.) Pearson: New Jersey.         [ Links ]

37 SAICA (2006) "Technical and professional skill requirements, March 2006", [http://www.saica.co.za]. Accessed 14 February 2007.         [ Links ]

38 SCHERMERHORN, J.R.; HUNT, J.G. & OSBORN, R.N. (1997) Organisational Behaviour (6th ed.) John Wiley: New York.         [ Links ]

39 UCE. (2006) "Graduate's work: A guide to future employment", [http://www.uce.ac.uk/crq/publications]. Accessed 31 January 2006.         [ Links ]

40 UK CENTRE FOR LEGAL EDUCATION (1998) "General transferable skills: Intellectual skills", [http://www.ukcle.ac.uk/resources/]. Accessed 26 April 2006.         [ Links ]

41 UNIVERSITY OF HERTFORDSHIRE (2005) "Mapping and tracking graduate skills", [http://www.herts.ac.uk/envstrat/HILP]. Accessed 18 April 2005.         [ Links ]

42 WOODBURY UNIVERSITY (2006) "Skills for graduates in the 21st century", [http://www.woodbury.edu]. Accessed 31 January 2006.         [ Links ]

43 WORDNET (2006) "WordNet search", [http://www.wordnet.princeton.edu]. Accessed 2 March 2006.         [ Links ]

Creative Commons License All the contents of this journal, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License