Employability of graduates and postgraduates in respect to retail industry: a study of selected states of North India
Industrial and Commercial Training
ISSN: 0019-7858
Article publication date: 29 March 2022
Issue publication date: 24 June 2022
Abstract
Purpose
Taking a multidimensional perspective, the study aims to identify and examine the factors that are essential for employability. The study pursues to understand the underlying causes that facilitate the development of appropriate skills and attitudes that influence the development of employability in an individual.
Design/methodology/approach
The study pursued an exploratory research design followed by a descriptive. It explored the employability factors from the perspectives of the recruiter, student (candidate) and trainer. Additionally, it followed a causal research approach to examine the relationship between factors related to the personal environment, academic system, recruiter’s bias, industry and job attributes and overall employability. The antecedents of employability and their impact were examined with all the constructs taking the recruiter, student and trainer data sets.
Findings
The study identifies and analyses the antecedent factors that influence the employability development among college graduates and undergraduates. With its findings, the study identifies the changes or improvements required in teaching and learning mechanisms, grooming students and societal practices, social and economic biases in accessibility to facilities leading to employability. It also calls for a reflection on individual’s own attitude, motivation and abilities. The study calls for an assessment of the education systems and academic quality to develop employability among students. It conjures that the alignment of teacher and learner with industry requirements is an imperative requirement for the expansion of the industry and, in particular, the retail sector.
Practical implications
The study will be of significance to the policymakers and academicians while designing the retail-specific courses and aims toward addressing the mismatch amidst the demand and supply of manpower in the retail industry. The study has been designed to make it highly relevant for the students who are potential manpower to the retail sector as well as the employees who have already entered the industry. It addresses the major factors required for India to develop a cohesive and inclusive ecosystem that provides for the benefit of millions of youths in India.
Originality/value
The literature lacks a coherent meaning and measurement of employability and identifies the need to empirically explore and examine employability skills. Furthermore, the scant empirical research focuses largely on employee or student perspective, even when the role of recruitment in the assessment of employability is most critical. This study empirically evaluates the market from the perspective of students, employees, employers, trainers and academicians and develops a model that gives a holistic picture of the causes that influence the development of employability in an individual.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This research work was funded by the Indian Council of Social Science and Research (ICSSR), New Delhi, under their grant-in-aid Scheme rules. The project entitled “Employability of Graduates and Post Graduates in Respect to Retail Industry: A Study of Selected States of North India”. File No.: 02/333/2017-18/RP/MJ.
Citation
Malhotra, N., Iyer, V.M. and Dave, K. (2022), "Employability of graduates and postgraduates in respect to retail industry: a study of selected states of North India", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 54 No. 3, pp. 442-459. https://doi.org/10.1108/ICT-12-2021-0087
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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