Title: Alignment of undergraduate business student's competencies with Saudi market requirements

Authors: Nasser Saad AlKahtani; Abdul Malik Syed

Addresses: College of Business Administration, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia ' College of Business Administration, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia

Abstract: This empirical study highlights the most significant competencies from the employer's perspective for an undergraduate business administration program in Saudi Arabia. The motivation for this paper stems not only from the notion to align competencies as per the Saudi labour market requirements and National Qualifications Framework but also to adapt the undergraduate business program to the 21st-century knowledge, skills and abilities. The data were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structured Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) to identify generic competencies, i.e. knowledge, skills and abilities of the undergraduate business programs with alignment to Saudi labour market requirements.

Keywords: national qualification framework; undergraduate business competency; PLS-SEM.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMIE.2018.092862

International Journal of Management in Education, 2018 Vol.12 No.3, pp.252 - 263

Received: 24 Apr 2017
Accepted: 03 Nov 2017
Published online: 01 Jul 2018 *

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