Alignment of managerial competencies in higher education and the labor market: A Case Study on the MSc in Management (MiM) at Lund University School of Economics and Management
(2019) MGTN59 20191Department of Business Administration
- Abstract
- Abstract
Introduction: This paper aims to explore the alignment of managerial competencies in higher education and the labor market by conducting a Case Study on the MSc in Management (MiM) at Lund University School of Economics and Management (LUSEM).
Method: Managerial competencies were identified through content analysis in entry-level management job advertisements in the Swedish Öresund region. From these, a survey was constructed for MiM students and alumni at LUSEM to rate the importance the program gave to the aforementioned competencies on a five-point Likert scale. Thereafter, competencies were categorized into components using confirmatory CATPCA and reliability analysis. Alignment between the competencies mentioned in the... (More) - Abstract
Introduction: This paper aims to explore the alignment of managerial competencies in higher education and the labor market by conducting a Case Study on the MSc in Management (MiM) at Lund University School of Economics and Management (LUSEM).
Method: Managerial competencies were identified through content analysis in entry-level management job advertisements in the Swedish Öresund region. From these, a survey was constructed for MiM students and alumni at LUSEM to rate the importance the program gave to the aforementioned competencies on a five-point Likert scale. Thereafter, competencies were categorized into components using confirmatory CATPCA and reliability analysis. Alignment between the competencies mentioned in the job advertisements and the importance given to them by the MiM program was assessed using Pearson correlation test. Finally, a semi-structured interview with the program director was carried out and analyzed using thematic analysis.
Results: From 198 job advertisements, 68 competencies were identified and categorized into nine components: Leadership and management, Communication, People skills, Coping with time, Dealing with tasks/information, Action-orientation, Entrepreneurship and creativity, Personal development and reflection, and Commitment and accountability. People skills was the most frequently mentioned competency component in the job advertisements (n=164; 83%) and the highest rated competency component in the program (M=4.24; SD=.49). No statistically significant
correlation was observed between the frequencies of the competencies identified in the job advertisements and the competencies emphasized by the MiM program (r=.028, p=.943). The interview indicated a significant need for MiM programs with a curriculum focused on developing a managerial mindset. However, program design needs to comply with various stakeholders including the labor market.
Conclusion: The program seems to adequately prepare students for entry-level management positions. While the job advertisements ask for Action-orientation competencies, the MiM program places high importance on Personal development and reflection. Even though labor market is an important stakeholder and is taken into consideration when it comes to designing the program, there are other stakeholders and factors which are considered to play a more important role. Thus, the main purpose of the MiM program is not the alignment with the labor market, but the development of a managerial mindset. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/8986669
- author
- Kincses, Katalin Éva LU and Martens, Chantal Marie
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- MGTN59 20191
- year
- 2019
- type
- H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
- subject
- keywords
- Master’s in Management (MiM), Managerial competencies, Management education, Labor market alignment, Job advertisements, Skills, Mindsets, Experiential Learning
- language
- English
- id
- 8986669
- date added to LUP
- 2019-06-26 09:00:06
- date last changed
- 2019-06-26 09:00:06
@misc{8986669,
abstract = {{Abstract
Introduction: This paper aims to explore the alignment of managerial competencies in higher education and the labor market by conducting a Case Study on the MSc in Management (MiM) at Lund University School of Economics and Management (LUSEM).
Method: Managerial competencies were identified through content analysis in entry-level management job advertisements in the Swedish Öresund region. From these, a survey was constructed for MiM students and alumni at LUSEM to rate the importance the program gave to the aforementioned competencies on a five-point Likert scale. Thereafter, competencies were categorized into components using confirmatory CATPCA and reliability analysis. Alignment between the competencies mentioned in the job advertisements and the importance given to them by the MiM program was assessed using Pearson correlation test. Finally, a semi-structured interview with the program director was carried out and analyzed using thematic analysis.
Results: From 198 job advertisements, 68 competencies were identified and categorized into nine components: Leadership and management, Communication, People skills, Coping with time, Dealing with tasks/information, Action-orientation, Entrepreneurship and creativity, Personal development and reflection, and Commitment and accountability. People skills was the most frequently mentioned competency component in the job advertisements (n=164; 83%) and the highest rated competency component in the program (M=4.24; SD=.49). No statistically significant
correlation was observed between the frequencies of the competencies identified in the job advertisements and the competencies emphasized by the MiM program (r=.028, p=.943). The interview indicated a significant need for MiM programs with a curriculum focused on developing a managerial mindset. However, program design needs to comply with various stakeholders including the labor market.
Conclusion: The program seems to adequately prepare students for entry-level management positions. While the job advertisements ask for Action-orientation competencies, the MiM program places high importance on Personal development and reflection. Even though labor market is an important stakeholder and is taken into consideration when it comes to designing the program, there are other stakeholders and factors which are considered to play a more important role. Thus, the main purpose of the MiM program is not the alignment with the labor market, but the development of a managerial mindset.}},
author = {{Kincses, Katalin Éva and Martens, Chantal Marie}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Alignment of managerial competencies in higher education and the labor market: A Case Study on the MSc in Management (MiM) at Lund University School of Economics and Management}},
year = {{2019}},
}