Perceived Effects of an MBA Degree on Employability and Career Advancement: The Case of Greece

Purpose: Given this rapid expansion in business schools and MBA graduate numbers, the purpose of this paper is to assess whether and how graduate management education offered in Greece makes better managers. Design/methodology/approach: To this purpose an empirical research was conducted, interviewi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Career development international 2006, Vol.11 (4), p.352-361
Main Authors: Mihail, Dimitrios M, Elefterie, Kristina Antigoni
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Administrator Education
Business Administration Education
Business education
Business Schools
Career advancement
Career Development
Career Planning
Communication Skills
Comparative Analysis
Compensation
Competence
Curricula
Education
Education Work Relationship
Educational Benefits
Educational Status Comparison
Effects
Empirical analysis
Employment
Employment Potential
Foreign Countries
Goal Orientation
Graduate Students
Graduate Study
Graduate Surveys
Graduates
Greece
Interpersonal Competence
Interviews
Management
MBA
MBA programs & graduates
Outcomes of Education
Part Time Students
Peer Relationship
Perceptions
Skills
Soft Skills
Students
Studies
Theory Practice Relationship
Universities
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Summary:Purpose: Given this rapid expansion in business schools and MBA graduate numbers, the purpose of this paper is to assess whether and how graduate management education offered in Greece makes better managers. Design/methodology/approach: To this purpose an empirical research was conducted, interviewing 68 MBA graduates from a Greek business school, to assess whether and to what extent, MBA training can influence managerial competencies, employability and career development. More specifically, the paper tests the hypotheses that gaining an MBA will: provide graduates with business-related competencies; enhance graduates' employability; promote career advancement and lead to increased compensation. Findings: Analyzing graduates' perceptions and attitudes, the findings indicate that MBA studies have a positive effect on skills, employability and compensation and a much moderate effect on career advancement. Research limitations/implications: This is an exploratory study that seeks to analyze the self-reports of a limited number of respondents. A large-scale national survey involving graduates from numerous academic institutions across the country would result in a more comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness of MBA studies on managers in Greece. Practical implications: This study has shown that an accredited MBA program seems to add value to graduates' managerial skills and employability in an ever-changing labor market. Originality/value: Given the dearth of empirical research on management education in Greece, this study contributes to debates in the wider academic community discussing the impact of MBA studies on managerial jobs. (Contains 3 tables.)
ISSN:1362-0436
1758-6003
DOI:10.1108/13620430610672559