Labour market outcomes of business school graduates: the role of university skills

What the paper says

Purpose This research aims to understand the role of factors shaping labour market outcomes of Thailand business school graduates by highlighting the role of employability skills. Design/Methodology/Approach The study is based on data collected from Thai business school graduates. In this Thai context survey, the research team pooled questionnaire responses from 2013 to 2022 to achieve the study objectives. The empirical analysis is based on the estimation of the above-mentioned relationship with multiple regression models, with the outcome variables measuring graduates’ job satisfaction and salary. Findings The results underline the importance of university-learnt knowledge in shaping graduates’ job satisfaction and earnings. Specifically, among other results, it was found that analytical, accounting, computer and presentation skills positively impact the salaries of bachelor’s programme graduates. From the labour outcome perspective, the highest earnings were observed among those who started their own business, while the lowest were for those who worked for state enterprises and as government officers. Additionally, the analysis empirically supports the positive association between job satisfaction and earnings. Originality/Value The study provides value for business programme educators by highlighting the importance of specific skills taught within university programmes and their role in shaping graduates’ labour market outcomes. In this way, the study offers a unique perspective on Thailand as an emerging economy context example and underlines the role of graduate surveys as a tool to monitor graduates’ employability and career pathways over time.