DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

CHAPTER ITHE PROBLEM

RATIONALE

Every graduate wants to land in a job that matches the degree they earned in

college. However with the stiff competition in the job market, having a college diploma is

not enough. Nowadays, employers do not only rely on the transcript of records but also

on the skills, competencies, attitudes and values of the applicants.

According to Youth Central, employability skills are set of behaviors that are

necessary for every job. Eight employability skills pertinent to individuals are

communication skills, teamwork skills, problem solving and critical thinking skills,

initiative and enterprise, planning and organizing skills, self-management, learning, and

lastly general technology skills. Communication skill is to convey information to people

clearly and simply, in a way that things are understood. Interpersonal skills are the

life skills one uses every day to communicate and interact with other people, both

individually and in groups. It is about transmitting and receiving messages clearly, and

being able to read ones audience. Teamwork is the co-operation between those who

are working on a task. It is generally understood as the willingness of a group of people

to work together to achieve a common aim. Problem solving and critical thinking are the

mode of thinking about any subject, content, or problem in which individuals improve

the quality of their thinking by skillfully analyzing, assessing, and reconstructing it.

Initiative and enterprise are about being able to think creatively and to make

improvements to the way things are. It is also about looking at the bigger picture and

1|Page
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

how the way you work fits into it. Planning and organizing are about things like working

out what is required to get a job done, and then working out when and how to do it. It is

also about things like developing project timelines and meeting deadlines. Self-

management is about getting on with the work without someone having to check up on

the individual every five minutes. One should also be able to stay on top of his own

deadlines and be able to delegate tasks to other people to make sure things get done

on time. Learning skills is about the wants to understand new things and being able to

pick them up quickly. It is also about being able to take on new tasks and to adapt when

the way things are done in the workplace change. Technology skills relate to software,

like using social media, working with design or video editing software or knowing

programming languages. Other technology skills relate to hardware, like knowing how to

use Electronic Funds Transfer at Point Of Sale (EFTPOS), a cash register, a

photocopier or scanner, a camera or a recording studio. Legal responsibility is the

measure of mental capacity, used in deciding the extent to which a person can be held

accountable.(http://www.youthcentral.vic.gov.au/jobs-careers/planning-your-career/empl

oyability-skills)

Competencies are the key to talent. Whether an individual is looking for a new

job or a promotion, employers will try to evaluate how well their talents fit with a given

role. These evaluations are rarely 100% accurate, but when properly carried out they

are the best predictor of future job performance and engagement. When it comes to

skills in employment, the first line of emphasis is typically towards abilities, training and

knowledge of specific skill sets. These are referred to as hard skills. Meanwhile, soft

2|Page
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

skills describe a person's "EQ" or "Emotional Intelligence Quotient". As opposed to "IQ"

or "Intelligence Quotient, soft skills are often overlooked, but they also play an important

role in day-to-day operations.

According to 2015 Global Management Education Graduate Survey Report, the

information on the employability of business graduate states that more than half (59%)

of job-seeking graduate business students in the class of 2015 received an early job

offer prior to graduation. A greater proportion of graduates from full-time two-year MBA

programs and master's programs in accounting, finance, and management have early

job offers compared with students who graduated in 2014 from the same programs.

Among class of 2015 graduates with early job offers, 52 percent accepted mid-level

positions, 18 percent accepted senior-level positions, and 27 percent accepted entry-

level positions. Overall, more than one-third (37%) of this year's job-seeking graduates

will advance to a higher level job after graduation. Globally, graduates accepting early

job offers in 2015 report a median post-degree salary increase of 90 percent over their

pre-degree salaries, up noticeably from the median salary increase of 80 percent seen

in 2014. Nine in 10 (89%) graduates of the class of 2015 rate the value of their business

degree as good to outstanding and a similar percentage (88%) would recommend their

program to others considering a graduate management degree.(http://www.gmac.

com/market-intelligence-and-research/research-library/curriculum-insight/2015-global-

mgt-ed-survey.aspx)

3|Page
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

According to Business Graduates Competencies in the Eyes of Employers: An

Exploratory Study in Malaysia, concerns and problems of employers, as to skills and

competencies of Business Education graduates on global, national, and local data said

that most compelling needs is the enhancement of ones ability to train, educate, and

prepare the youthful population to enter the workforce ready to compete with individuals

from other areas of the world. People are now living in a world where the focus is

shifting to the continual production of knowledge as a commodity, positioning workers

as human capital, virtually immune to obsolescence. In such a world, identifying and

developing the important competencies required of graduates is a challenging task for

curriculum developers. One of the most relevant problems is how to improve citizens

abilities to function in an increasingly global world. A rapidly change in todays fast pace

and extremely competitive business environment. It had become a critical challenge for

employers to attain best talent and good employment and at the same time sustain

economic growth in the global era. In addition rapidly growing collection of skills is

crucial to the success of professionals who must address the issues and conflicts that

may arise in globalized employment settings. Global media increasingly influence local

cultural practices, and globalized education is an issue with which every nation must

contend. The creation and diffusion of new technologies, including those of the Internet,

are transfiguring the nature of science, communication, education, work, and leisure

in other words, nearly every facet of human life. Therefore, only the graduates with

better competencies will be able to meet these challenges and fit in the job market.

Now, it has shown that the graduates had achieved excellent results in their

4|Page
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

qualification. The feedback from employers employing fresh graduates ranges from lack

of communication skills to untested intelligence of the graduates, to lack of knowledge

and expertise in their own area of study. However, business education graduates did

not lack the talent or competency to be employed but it was just that some of them

lacked the direction and inputs to sharpen their natural talent, interpersonal skills and

abilities. (http://www.wbiconpro.com/405-Shirly.pdf)

One of the establishments that employ business graduates in Laoag City is the

Government of Laoag Employees Development Cooperative (GLEDCO). It was

established in the year 2002 in order to create funds and help for productive and

providential purposes to the City Government of Laoag; generate a premium level of

profitability well - above the industry average in a business environment of responsible,

sustainable growth; become a prime organizational example and leader in the

cooperative community.

The researchers, being business education students, would like to gather

information to know the level of satisfaction of industry partners on the competencies of

graduates of Divine Word College of Laoag for them to improve and enhance their

capabilities and skills in order to have more chances to land in jobs related to their

degree.

5|Page
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

Theoretical Framework

The framework of the study was drawn from Heuristic Models, Theory of

employability, Attribution theory and Theory of competency.

Heuristic Model

Heuristic Model refers to techniques based on experience for various tasks such

as research, problem solving, discovery and learning. Heuristic methods enhance the

pace of finding the desirable solution in conditions where the comprehensive search is

unfeasible. Heuristics are strategies that use readily accessible information for problem

solving in machines and human beings.( http://www.portfoliomanagement.in/heuristic-

models.html)

FIGURE 1. HEURISTIC MODEL

6|Page
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

Theory of employability

The theory of employability can be difficult to identify; there can be many factors

that contribute to the idea of being employable. Little (2001) suggests, that it is a multi-

dimensional concept, and there is a need to distinguish between the factors relevant to

the job and preparation for work. Morley (2001), however states that employability is not

just about students making deposits in a bank of skills, Knight (2001) further considers

the notion of employability to be a synergic combination of personal qualities, skills of

various kinds and subject understanding.

The understanding of employability can be seen to be more complicated than the

emphasis that Dearing (1997) has placed on student's personal qualities, which

suggests less emphasis on these qualities and more on generic academic skills.

However, it could be assumed that the individual's personal skills could have

considerable bearing on a particular student's success in the employability stakes.

This theory guided the researchers to identify the factors that the employers use

as their criteria in hiring their employees.(https://www.ukessays.com/essays/employment/theo

ry-of-employability.php)

7|Page
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

FIGURE 2. THEORY OF EMPLOYABILITY

Attribution Theory

In psychology, the word 'attribution' refers to the inference made about the

causes behind an event or behavior. If a car driven by in front of an individual at the

same time that person hears a loud backfire, that individual will likely infer that the

sound came from the car; the sound's attribution is the car. Likewise, if a child performs

better at a sporting event when his or her parents are in attendance, the improved

performance is attributable to the parent's presence.

Motivation is the psychological stimulus that directs people to act in a certain way

to achieve their individual goals. Bernard Weiner stated it more succinctly when he

wrote, ''Motivation is the study of why people think and behave as they do.'' Although

8|Page
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

many theories on motivation exist, Weiner focused on the link between motivation and

behavior attribution.

Weiner's attribution theory states that an individual's causal attributions of

achievement affect subsequent behaviors and motivation. One of the primary

assumptions of attribution theory is that people will interpret their environment in such a

way as to maintain a positive self-image.

No one wants to be the bad guy, and assigning attribution is one of the ways that

people seek to see themselves in a more positive light. By blaming other people and

avoiding personal recrimination, individuals strive to keep a positive self-image. If

people believe they are responsible for bad outcomes, they are less motivated to repeat

their behaviors. By shifting blame, people avoid accountability and therefore feel able to

repeat the same behaviors.( http://study.com/academy/lesson/weiners-attribution-theory-of-

motivation-definition-examples-quiz.htm)

FIGURE 3. ATTRIBUTION MODEL

9|Page
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

Competency Theory

The competency development process, comprised of the above heuristics, is

repeated for quite a number of times, using simple to complex problems, until the

learner has attained mastery in the unit of competency. At each interaction, represented

by expanding circles in the competency theory, the learners level of competency and

professionalism elevates to a higher level. This process continues until the learner

arrives at the point of transposition of competency and learning.

At the point of transposition, the learners are able to apply performance criteria

to new problems or cases independently. The learner is now able to examine new

cases, identify and study new concepts, if any, and using his/her acquired skills is able

to perform in accordance with the requirements of the unit of competency

independently. At that point, the learner is deemed competent and the relationship of

learning to competency is transposed into competency to learning. When competency

and learning are transposed, the learner moves from the Not Yet Competent position

to the Competent position. The learners level of competency and professionalism

elevates to a point where it can take care of his/her learning. The following diagram

illustrates this trans-positioning event.

At the points of transposition of the competency and learning, the learner

becomes self-sufficient to learn independently of the facilitator when confronted with

new cases or concepts within the precincts or boundaries of the unit of competency. At

the point of transportation, the learner enters into the new stage or cycle of learning

10 | P a g e
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

where the learning depends entirely on the learners competency and thus learning

becomes the function of the competency.(https://avetra.org.au/ABSTRACTS2006/PA%2

00058.pdf)

FIGURE 4 COMPETENCY THEORY

11 | P a g e
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

Conceptual Framework

Base from the theoretical framework, the variables that are dealt with in study are

reflected in the research paradigm shown in Figure 5.

The study suggests an analysis on the relationship between the possession of

the following competencies as perceived by the business education graduates and the

industry partners on the level of competencies of business education graduate in the

Government of Laoag Employee Development Cooperative.

The employees competencies are indicated by their knowledge, skills and

attitudes. The knowledge of the employees are based on their intellectual ability, literacy

and numeracy abilities, while the employees skills focused on their planning/organizing,

communication, analysis, decision making and teamwork skills. The employees

attitudes are based on their integrity, confidence, character or personality.

12 | P a g e
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

Independent Variable Dependent Variable

As perceived by the business education Industry partners level of satisfaction

graduates what is the extent by which on the competencies of the employees
(Divine Word College of Laoag
they possess the following Graduates)
competencies;
1.1 Knowledge

1.1 Knowledge 1.1.1 intellectual ability;

1.1.1 intellectual ability; 1.1.2 literacy;
1.1.2 literacy; 1.1.3 numeracy;
1.1.3 numeracy; 1.2 Skills;
1.2 Skills; 1.2.1 planning/organizationa
1.2.1 planning/organizational skills; l skills;
1.2.2 communication skills; 1.2.2 communication skills;
1.2.3 analysis and decision-making 1.2.3 analysis and decision-
skills; making skills;
1.2.4 team-working skills; 1.2.4 team-working skills;
1.3 Attitudes; 1.3 Attitudes;
1.3.1 integrity; 1.3.1 integrity;
1.3.2 confidence; and 1.3.2 confidence; and
1.3.3 character/personality? 1.3.3 character/personality?

FIGURE 5. Research Paradigm

13 | P a g e
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

Statement of the Problem

This study seeks to know the level of satisfaction of industry partners on the

competencies of the graduates of Divine Word College of Laoag in particular at the

Government of Laoag Employee Development Cooperative Laoag City.

Specifically, it seeks to answer the following sub-problems:

1. As perceived by the business education graduates what is the extent by which they

possess the following competencies:

1.1 Knowledge;

1.1.1 intellectual ability;

1.1.2 literacy;

1.1.3 numeracy;

1.2 Skills;

1.2.1 planning/organizational skills;

1.2.2 communication skills;

1.2.3 analysis and decision-making skills;

1.2.4 team-working skills;

1.3 Attitudes;

1.3.1 integrity;

1.3.2 confidence; and

14 | P a g e
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

1.3.3 character/personality?

2 What is the level of satisfaction of the industry partners on the competencies of

graduates of business education of the Divine Word College of Laoag along:

2.1 Knowledge;

2.1.1 intellectual ability;

2.1.2 literacy;

2.1.3 numeracy;

2.2 Skills;

2.2.1 planning/organizational skills;

2.2.2 communication skills;

2.2.3 analysis and decision-making skills;

2.2.4 team-working skills;

2.3 Attitudes;

2.3.1 integrity;

2.3.2 confidence; and

2.3.3 character/personality?

3. Is there any significant relationship between the business education graduates extent

of possession of the competencies and their industry partners level of satisfaction on

their competencies?

15 | P a g e
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

Hypothesis

Significant relationship between the business education graduates extent of

possession of the competencies and their industry partners level of satisfaction on their

competencies.

Scope and Delimitation

This study seeks to determine the level of satisfaction of industry partners on the

competencies of business education program graduates of the Divine Word College of

Laoag in particular at the Government of Laoag Employee Development Cooperative,

Laoag City.

This study will focus on the perception of the business education graduates on

the extent by which they possess the following competencies - knowledge, skills and

attitudes; the industry partners level of satisfaction on the competencies of graduates

of Business Education of the Divine Word College of Laoag; and the relationship

between the extent of possession of the following competencies and the industry

partners level of satisfaction by the business education graduates in the Government of

Laoag Employee Development Cooperative as to knowledge, skills and attitudes of the

employee.

16 | P a g e
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

The respondents of the study will be all the business education program

graduates of the Divine Word College of Laoag employed at the Government of Laoag

Employee Development Cooperative and their immediate supervisors. The Business

Education graduates that will be covered in the study are all those who have been with

the cooperative for the last six (6) months.

The study will be conducted on September to November 2016 using

questionnaire adapted from Hodge and Bruchelle (2003). Set-I will elicit the extent of

possession of the following competencies as perceived by the business education

graduates in the Government of Laoag Employee Development Cooperative; Set II will

elicit level of satisfaction of the industry partners on the competencies of the

employees.

Importance of the Study

This study is deemed important to the following:

Parents/Guardians of the Divine Word College of Laoag Graduates. This

study will make them knowledgeable of the employability of Divine Word College of

Laoag graduates in the City of Laoag so they can encourage their children to stay and

work here instead seeking employment in other places.

The Government of Laoag Employee Development Cooperative (GLEDCO)

located in the City of Laoag. This study serves as feedback to know the rate of

employability of Divine Word College of Laoag graduates in the City of Laoag.

17 | P a g e
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

Business Education Graduate. This study will serve as preference to improved

their performance and skills on job.

Divine Word College of Laoag Administration. The findings of this research

provide the opportunity of the administration to evaluate their performance in teaching

School of Business Administration students.

Business Education Students of Divine Word College of Laoag. The findings

of this study will give information about the job openings and knowledge what the

employers want for an employee in the City of Laoag.

Researchers. The study is a very relevant learning experience to prepare them

for their future careers.

Future researchers. This study can serve as a basis of the rate of employability

of Divine Word College of Laoag Graduates.

Definition of terms

The following section defines words according to how they are used in this study.

Attitude. From the perspective of psychology, the term implies a hypothetical

construct that represents an individuals degree of like or dislike for an item, person or

situation.

18 | P a g e
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

Integrity. The term refers to the quality of being honest, having strong

moral, and principles moral uprightness. Strict adherence to a moral code,

reflected in transparent honesty and complete harmony in what one thinks, says,

and does.

Confidence. This refers to a feeling of self-assurance arising from one's

appreciation of one's own abilities or qualities.

Character/Personality. The terms refers to the mental and moral qualities

distinctive to an individual and a combination of characteristics or qualities that

form an individual's distinctive character.

Business Education Graduates. This refers to the business education

programs offered by the School of Business and Accountancy of the Divine Word

College of Laoag, such as BSA, BSC, BSBA, BSOA, BSHRM, BSTM.

Competence. These terms are the ability of an individual to do a job properly. A

competency is a set of defined behaviors that provide a structured guide enabling the

identification, evaluation and development of the behaviors in individual employees.

Employability. The term refers to the extent to which a business graduate is

able to function in a job, hence, is given preference employment because he/she is

considered as an asset of the company organization.

19 | P a g e
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

Extent of Possession. The term refers to the point or limit to which they

possess on the following competencies as perceived by the employees.

Industry Partner. The term implies the institutions who hire business graduates

represented by the managers, chief operating officers or heads.

Knowledge. These term is about facts, information, and skills acquired by a

person through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a

subject. Awareness or familiarity gained by experience of a fact or situation.

Intellectual Abilities. The term refers to the ability that are needed to

perform mental activities usually involving thinking and reasoning. Mental

activities can be measured by intelligent quotient (IQ) tests that are designed to

ascertain ones general mental abilities.

Literacy. The term refers to the ability to use language, numbers, images,

computers, and other basic means to understand.

Numeracy. The term means having the confidence and skill to use

numbers and mathematical approaches in all aspects of life - at work.

Level of satisfaction. The term refers how high is the level of satisfaction of the

industry partners on the competencies of the employees.

Personal Attributes. These is an attribute is a quality or characteristic of a

person, place or thing. Personal attributes are character traits or personality traits.

20 | P a g e
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

Skills. These term is about the ability to do something well or particular ability.

Planning/Organizational Skills. The term refers to the ability to use your

time, energy, resources, etc. in an effective way so that you achieve the things

you want to achieve. Skills that allow you to look ahead and accomplish goals or

avoid emotional, financial, physical or social hardship. These skills let you make

and implement decisions.

Communication Skills. The term refers on the skills of an individual able

to convey information to people clearly and simply, in a way that means things

are understood and get done. It's about transmitting and receiving messages

clearly, and being able to read your audience.

Analytical Skills and Decision Making. The term refer to the ability to

visualize, articulate, and solve both complex and uncomplicated problems and

concepts, and make decisions that are sensical based on available information

and the process of making choices among possible alternatives. The skills

considered important to effective decision making are based on a normative

model of decision making, which prescribes how decisions should be made.

Team-working Skills. The term is defined as co-operation between those

who are working on a task. Teamwork is generally understood as the willingness

of a group of people to work together to achieve a common aim.

21 | P a g e
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND RELATED STUDIES

This chapter presents and describes the different literature and studies that have

bearing on the concepts and theories.

Related Literature

Employability

Employability is having a set of skills, knowledge, understanding and personal

attributes that make a person more likely to choose and secure occupations in which

they can be satisfied and successful- Dacre Pool and Sewell (2007:280)

Employment and employability are not the same thing. Being employed means

having a job, being employable means having the qualities needed to maintain

employment and progress in the workplace. Employability from the perspective of HEIs

is therefore about producing graduates who are capable and able, and this impacts

upon all areas of university life, in terms of the delivery of academic programmers and

extra curricula activities- Lees (2003:3)

Employability is about having the capability to gain initial employment, maintain

employment and obtain new employment if required.

22 | P a g e
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

Employability is the capability to move self-sufficiently within the labor market to

realize potential through sustainable employment. For the individual, employability

depends on the knowledge, skills and attitudes they possess, the way they use those

assets and present them to employers and the context within which they seek work-

Hillage and Pollard (1998). (http://repository.liv.ac.uk/17213/1/JacksonVic_Jun2013_

17213.pdf#page=23&zoom=auto,69,656)

Skills and competencies needed in workplace

Workplace competency is a description of a required skill, attribute or behavior

for a specific job used to define and measure an individuals effectiveness.

Competencies are arranged into a framework that brings together a number of job roles

and the required capabilities that the job holder must possess or acquire in order to

perform his job effectively. It also said that you will need to exhibit a mix of skills:

employability skills. This means that the specialist, technical skills associated with

different roles may be less important than the 'soft skills' that can be transferred

between different jobs and different employment sectors. Candidates may have the

qualifications and 'hard skills' needed to be able to manage the job role but, without a

well-honed set of 'soft skills', employers are less inclined to hire. Employability skills are

those skills necessary for getting, keeping and being successful in a job.

(http://smallbusiness.chron.com/workplace-competencies-46820.html)

23 | P a g e
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

Importance of skills and competencies to Employee or Workers

Based assessments are not a new innovation or trend but an overall good

practice to adopt. Employee competency assessments have been around long enough

to have withstood the test of time and have proven to be a very useful tool for the HR

professionals toolbox. Employee competencies are a list of skills and behaviors that are

specific and well defined and are used to lay out an organizations performance

expectations for a job or the organizations culture as a whole. There are many

resources out there for the HR professional to help them develop and customize a list of

competencies their organization can call their own the Importance of employee skills

and competencies can be used in a variety of ways. They can be integrated into

performance appraisals, hiring practices, succession planning, as well as on-boarding

orientations and other forms of employee communication. Competencies are a way to

address both the technical skills of a job and the more difficult-to-define behavioural

expectations of a job sometimes referred to as the soft skills. But, there is nothing

soft about these skills and a well-defined set of competencies can help an organization

better evaluate and measure employee performance. There are some ways of

competency development for building the skills needed for success 1. Tailor training

resources to the needs of your staff, 2. When it comes to training programs,

discriminate carefully, 3. Allow your employees to guide the process, 4. Set clear

24 | P a g e
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

expectations and document progress. (http://www.employee-performance.com/blog/the-

importance-of-employee-competency-development/)

Employee Skills and Capabilities Preferred by Employers

Todays employers highlight the workforce skills needed to thrive in this

technological advancement era. The skills possessed and mastered by employees may

affect their job performance level. The present research determined whether

employees employability skills correlate with task performance. It utilized a correlational

design using survey questionnaires administered to 220 respondents. Descriptive data

showed that fundamental, personal management and teamwork skills were highly

preferred by employers and sufficiently acquired by employees. Positive attitudes and

behaviors emerged as topmost preferred and acquired skill. Skill competence obtained

moderately competent rating. Employers assessed task performance as satisfactory but

employees rated task performance (job knowledge and skills, quality of work, quantity of

work and cooperation and judgment) as very satisfactory. Inferential analysis revealed

that skill acquisition and skill competence had significant positive relationship to task

performance. The acquisition and competence on employability skills valued by

employers require continuous enhancement to succeed in job performance.

(http://www.ijhssnet.com/journals/Vol_3_No_4_Special_Issue_February_2013/16.pdf)

25 | P a g e
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

RELATED STUDIES

In his research paper which delved on the employers preference and

assessment of the qualities of fresh business graduates in Divine Word College of

Laoag, Maynard Lucas (2010) addressed the questionnaire on the satisfaction of the

employers with the graduates qualities involved in the study were 46 managers, Human

Resource Department heads, Personnel Officers involved in the recruitment and

selection of the employees of the selected department of the City Government of Laoag,

Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte, private and Government banks, Government

Financial Institution, Private Business establishment and higher Educational Institution

currently operating in the city of Laoag.

In the light of the findings, it is concluded that the skills and capabilities,

intellectual ability, numeracy, planning and organization skills, communication skills,

analysis and decision-making skill, team-working skill, integrity, confidence, character

and personality are very much important to the employers. Nevertheless, the

satisfaction level, employees perceived along the skills and capabilities, through the

gaps analysis, provided that, their expectation are not met and do not conform to their

standard. Henceforth the Higher Education Institution, the school of business and the

faculty can approximately respond to the needs of the industry through the proposed

employability enhancement packages crafted in view of the findings.

26 | P a g e
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

In general, the study has proven that an assessment of the current state of the

employability of business graduates and the importance-satisfaction gaps of preferred

employee skills and capabilities to employers can provide for proposing an employability

enhancement framework by which the graduates of the business administration

programs of the Divine Word College of Laoag in particular and other higher educational

institutions in general can respond to questions on employability of the graduates of

business education especially in the preferred skills and capabilities. The assessment

revealed that the perceptions of the employers as to the importance-satisfaction gaps of

preferred employee competencies, is needed to be addressed through a set of

employability enhancement packages.

In their research Employability of Business Education Graduates, Imeokparia

P.O and Ediagbonya Kennedy (2012) investigated the concept of employability of

Business Education graduates. Human capital theory which was popularized by Schultz

formed the theoretical framework for this study. The main purpose of this work was to

ascertain the mean ratings of employability skills possessed by Business Education

graduates. Four research questions were raised to guide the study and three

hypotheses were formulated. The case study research design was adopted for this

study. The systematic random sampling technique was used in selecting 60

respondents from the population of 130. The questioner titled Employability of Business

education Graduates Questionnaire (EBEGQ) was used in eliciting information from the

students.

27 | P a g e
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

The Statistical Pickles for Social Science (SPSS), Mean, Standard Deviation, t-

test analysis and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used in analyzing the data. One

of the findings is that Business Education graduates employability skills is high. A major

recommendation made was that shorthand and typing teachers should be encouraged

to be more active in imparting these skills.

The study of Abdullah AL-Mutairi, Kamal Naser & Muna Saeid (2014) entitled

Employability Factors of Business Graduates in Kuwait: Evidence from An Emerging

Country is set out to explore factors considered by employers when recruiting business

graduates in Kuwait. Four categories of employability factors were used in the current

study covering graduates knowledge, soft skills, personal abilities and working with

groups. A questionnaire that contained these factors was distributed to Kuwait

employers and the participants were asked to express the level of importance they

assign to each of these categories. The results of the analysis revealed that participants

attach a highest level of importance to graduates knowledge, soft skills and ability to

work within groups. The participants attach low level of importance to the personal

abilities of the graduates. The study concludes that employability factors are affected by

employers' background characteristics, the firm's nature, size and ownership (whether

family, public or government). Needless to say, in a country like Kuwait, employability

factors are governed by cultural and social considerations.

28 | P a g e
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents and discusses the research design, sources of data, locale

of the study, population and the sampling, instrumentation and data collection

procedures, and tools for data analysis.

Research Design

This study is a descriptive research that dealt into the employability of the

business education program graduates of the Divine Word College of Laoag on the

Government of Laoag Employee Development Cooperative in the City of Laoag, Ilocos

Norte.

Descriptive research is a method used to describe the present behavior or

characteristics of a particular population. As defined by FluidSurveys Team (2014)

descriptive research is conclusive in nature, as opposed to exploratory. This means that

descriptive research gathers quantifiable information that can be used for statistical

inference on the employability of graduate students of the Divine Word College of Laoag

in the Government of Laoag Employee Development Cooperative in the City of Laoag,

Ilocos Norte through data analysis. As a consequence this type of research takes the

form of closed-ended questions, which limits its ability to provide unique insights.

However, used properly it can help an organization better define and measure the

29 | P a g e
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

significance of something about a group of respondents and the population they

represent.

SOURCES OF DATA

Locale of the study. The study will be conducted in Laoag City. The City

of Laoag is the capital of the province of Ilocos Norte in the Philippines. The city it is the

province's political, commercial, and industrial hub and the location of the Ilocos

Region's only commercial airport, the Laoag International Airport. The city has its own

popular delicacies like empanada, bagnet, pinakbet and longganisa.

The Government of Laoag Employee Development Cooperative is established in

2002 that has too many different business lines and formed to create funds in order to

grant loans for productive and providential purposes to all members (regular and

associate) and non-members who are employees of the City Government of Laoag.

Population and Sampling. All the Business Education graduate from Divine

Word College employed at the Government of Laoag Employee Development

Cooperative (GLEDCO) and their immediate supervisors will comprise the research

population. The Business Education graduates that will be covered in the study include

all those who have been employed with the cooperative for the last six (6) months.

30 | P a g e
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

Instrumentation and Data Collection

The questionnaire-rating scale that will serve as the main data-gathering tool for

the study is adapted from Hodges and Bruchelle (2003). Set-I will elicit the extent of

possession of the following competencies as perceived by the business education

graduates in the Government of Laoag Employee Development Cooperative; Set II will

elicit level of satisfaction of the industry partners on the competencies of the

employees.

Before the questionnaire will be given to the respondents, a letter requesting

permission to conduct the study was secured from the dean of the School of Business

Administration. Upon approval of the letter request the researchers will personally

explain and meet the respondents on how the tool is to be accomplished. The

questionnaires will be collected from the respondents by the researchers.

Tools for Data Analysis

The following statistical tool will be used in analyzing the data gathered.

Weighted mean. This will be used to determine the extent of possession of the

following competencies of business education program graduate as perceived by their

employers.

31 | P a g e
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

Analysis and interpretation of the obtained mean ratings relative to preferred

employee competencies along three clusters knowledge, skills and attitudes and

values together with the respective indicators were made using the following scale:

Range of mean Ratings Verbal Interpretation

6.51 - 7.00 Completely satisfied
5.51 - 6.50 Mostly satisfied
4.51 - 5.50 Somewhat satisfied
3.51 - 4.50 Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
2.51 - 3.50 Somewhat dissatisfied
1.51 - 2.50 Mostly dissatisfied
1.00 - 1.50 Completely dissatisfied
Source: Ozarks Technical Community College Employer Survey (2004)

Pearson of correlation (Pearsons R). This will be used to determine the

relationship between the business education graduates extent of possession and the

industry partners level of satisfaction on their competencies.

Correlation Value Verbal Interpretation

.00-.19 very weak
.20-.39 weak
.40-.59 moderate
.60-.79 strong
.80-1.0 very strong
Source: Correlation using the guide that Evans
(1996) suggests for the absolute value of r.

Figure 6. Pearsons R.

32 | P a g e
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Books

Abdullah AL-Mutairi, Kamal Naser & Muna Saeid, International Journal of Business and

Management; Vol. 9, No. 10; 2014 Employability Factors of Business Graduates in

Kuwait: Evidence from An Emerging Country

Imeokparia P.O and Ediagbonya Kennedy* Educational Research (ISSN: 2141-5161)

Vol. 3(8) pp. 6 45-651, August 2012 Employability of Business Education Graduates.

Electronics

Employability Skills

http://www.youthcentral.vic.gov.au/jobs-careers/planning-your-

career/employability-skill

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/employability-

skills.html#ixzz47eSh5NeB

Retrieved July 18, 2016

Government of Laoag Employee Development Cooperative

http://www.natcco.coop/index.php/home-2/267-gledco-turns-trash-to-

blocks-fertilizer

33 | P a g e
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

https://theilocostimes.blogspot.com/2014/07/gledco-is-most-outstanding-

coop-in.html

http://www.slideshare.net/coopjbb1/gledco-grsf

Retrieved July 22, 2016

Market Intelligence and Research

http://www.gmac.com/market-intelligence-and-research/research-

library/curriculum-insight/2015-global-mgt-ed-survey.aspx

http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_304_sum_en.pdf

Retrieved July 25, 2016

Heuristic Models

http://www.portfoliomanagement.in/heuristic-models.html

Retrieved July 25, 2016

Theory of Employability

https://www.ukessays.com/essays/employment/theory-of-

employability.php

Retrieved July 25, 2016

34 | P a g e
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

Attribution Theory of Motivation

http://study.com/academy/lesson/weiners-attribution-theory-of-motivation-

definition-examples-quiz.htm

https://avetra.org.au/ABSTRACTS2006/PA%200058.pdf

Retrieved July 25, 2106

Job Specialization

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/job-

specialization.html#ixzz4IgNo1rH1

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/eng/concepts/definitions/education02

www.esteri.it/mae/en/italiani_nel_mondo/serviziconsolari/statocivile

Retrieved July 29, 2016

Intellectual Ability

https://mymbaresearch.wordpress.com/2009/11/30/what-is-intellectual-ability-

and-how-is-it-relevant-to-ob/

Retrieved July 29, 2016

35 | P a g e
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

Literacy, Values, Integrity

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literacy

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/values.html#ixzz4IgpfYGBr

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/integrity.html#ixzz4Igqf1JKZ

https://Repository.liv.acuk/17213/1/JacksonVic_Jun_17213.pdf#page=23&zoom=

auto.69.656

Retrived August 8, 2016

Market Intelligence and Research

https://www.google.com.ph/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.wbiconpr

o.com/405-

Shirly.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwjyjLeoyOjOAhWKnJQKHa0XDvUQFggvMAM&usg=AF

QjCNEyzhn4KIPBsERpPce5L3qghR_-Qw

http://www.gmac.com/market-intelligence-and-research/research-

library/curriculum-insight/2015-global-mgt-ed-survey.aspx

http://www.wbiconpro.com/405-Shirly.pdf

Retrieved August 15, 2016

Unpublished Materials

36 | P a g e
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

Lucas, Maynard Opilac et al (2010). Proposed Employability Enhancement Packages

for Business Education Students of the Divine Word College of Laoag, Laoag City

APPENDIX A

QUESTIONNAIRE

PROFILE OF EMPLOYEES

Personal Profile

Sex: __ Male __ Female

Age:

___60 and above ___50-59 ___40-49 ___30-39 ___20-29 ___below 20

Civil Status:

___Single ___Married ___Legally Separated ___Widow/Widower

Highest Educational Attainment

___Elementary Level

___Elementary Graduate

37 | P a g e
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

___High School Level

___High School Graduate

___College Level

___College Graduate

___Masteral Level

___Masteral Graduate

___Doctoral Level

___Doctoral Graduate

Position: ________________ Specified

Length of Service:

___11 and above

___9-10

___7-8

___5-6

___3-4

38 | P a g e
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

___0-2

APPENDIX B

Employers Level of Satisfaction on the Skills and Capabilities (Competencies) of

the Business Education Graduates

Please furnish the required information (Part I) and put a (x) mark on the box
corresponding to your level of satisfaction (Part II) on the listed employee competencies
using the following scales:

7 Completely Satisfied

- The competencies are satisfied wholly; to a complete degree; to the full

or entire extent of the employees years of service.

6 Mostly Satisfied

- The competencies are mainly or chiefly satisfied; for the most part;
usually/generally on the whole; to the greatest extent of the employees years of
service.

5 Somewhat Satisfied

- Employee competencies are satisfactory to a limited extent or degree.

4 Neutral

- The employer has no preference as to the level of competency of the

employee.

39 | P a g e
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

3 Somewhat Dissatisfied

- There is lack of contentment on the employees competency as observed

within the years of employment.

2 Mostly Dissatisfied

- Generally, the competencies required are not satisfied within the length
of service of the employee.

1 Completely Dissatisfied

- The competencies are not entirely satisfied because it is not inclined

within the specialization of the employee.

EMPLOYEE COMPETENCIES SATISFACTION

A. KNOWLEDGE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
- Intellectual Ability
1. Demonstrates critical thinking skills
necessary in performing tasks
2. Perceives things in a rational way
3. Discriminates important information
or details relative to job
4. Easily grasps factors of a problem or
complex situation
- Literacy
1. Ably reads and understands work
related information
2. Identifies and explains meaning of
words/symbols
3. Writes clearly and concisely
4. Demonstrates knowledge of basic
writing concepts
- Numeracy
1. Demonstrates basic computational
skills
2. Identifies, recognizes, and able to
manipulate measures/numbers
3. Interprets chart, graphs, schedules,
tables, diagrams, blueprint
4. Applies math concepts to understand

40 | P a g e
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

and solve problems

B. SKILLS
- Planning/Organizational Skills
1. Understand ones role within the
organization
2. Uses communication structures in
organization
3. Identifies chain of command and
knows their functions
4. Analyzes and evaluates options and
priorities
- Communication Skills
1. Demonstrates knowledge of basic
concepts about effective speech
2. Uses appropriate conversational
techniques and behaviors
3. Uses questioning strategies
effectively to obtain or clarify
information
4. Selects and uses appropriate
language structures to convey
messages
5. Participates in discussion, asking and
answering questions
- Analysis and Decision making Skills
1. Recognizes situation when a decision
must be made
2. Accepts people of a variety of
backgrounds, regardless of position
3. Gathers factual information as well as
opinions from diverse sources
4. Analyzes and evaluates options
- Team working Skills
1. Understand the difference between
working individually and in a term
2. Participates as team member
3. Develops and maintains productive
group relations
4. Provides team leadership
5. Easily works and cooperates with
others to accomplish group tasks
C. ATTITUDE
- Integrity

41 | P a g e
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

1. Strict adherence to truth and justice

2. Shows fidelity even when faced with
difficult situations
3. Faithfulness in the discharge of ones
duties or tasks
4. Accepts and perform ones tasks
according to set rules
5. Manifests sound values
- Confidence
1. Meets job responsibilities without
apprehensions
2. Able to accept and deal with
criticisms
3. Manifests self-reliance,
resourcefulness and initiative
4. Shows trust in ones own capabilities
- Character/Personality
1. Identifies and works to remove
personal barriers to learning
2. Displays responsible personal and
work behaviors
3. Maintains appropriate grooming and
hygiene
4. Takes responsibility for completion
and quality work
5. Provides positive feedback and
constructive criticism

42 | P a g e
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

APPENDIX C

LETTER TO THE RESPONDENTS

May 24, 2016

Dear Respondents,

The undersigned is conducting a study entitled Employability of Divine Word College

of Laoag Graduates on the Governement of Laoag Employee Development
Cooperative.

As an employer/immediate supervisor, you can be a great help in answering the

enclosed questionnaire. We believe that your experience can adequately answer these
questions and will also be a help in determining the relevance of business education
and in upgrading the present business education programs of the Divine Word College
of Laoag, Laoag City.

Please answer the questions honestly and completely as possible. Rest assured that
your replies will be treated in strictest confidentiality.

43 | P a g e
 DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF LAOAG

School of Business and Accountancy

Thank you and more power.

Very respectfully yours,

Kezia Carmella M. Acosta Karen Joy S. Marquez

Gesza M. Quintos Ioni Navea C. Salvador

Alhen Trixie V. Ribac

The Researchers

Noted By:

Prof. Bibeth M. Corpuz, CPA Dr. Frelyn B.Ranay

Research Adviser Dean,School of Business and Accountancy

44 | P a g e