An Empirical Framework for Assessing Educator Competencies and Their Impact on Management Education Quality and Employability in India

Abstract

Management Education in India is currently experiencing growth as it pertains to the overall management education system. However, one major challenge to India's growing management education system has been graduate employability in recent years. Within this study, we constructed a framework for evaluation of management educator competences with respect to multiple dimensions which will ultimately effect the perceived quality of management education and the employability of those students who complete a management program. This was based on our five-factor competence model of Pedagogical Expertise, Professional Development Orientation, Interpersonal Effectiveness, Industry Engagement Competence, and Digital & Technology-Integrated Teaching Competence (DTITC). Our data collection took place at 13 management institutes in India (560 MBA students; 172 faculty members). We used EFA, CFA and SEM to test our hypothesized model. Ultimately, we found a 38 item scale to be reliable (α = 0.88–0.94) and have strong convergent validity (AVE = 0.57–0.73). Our structural results indicated that educator competencies positively predict quality of management education (β = 0.61, p < 0.001) and positive predictors of employability outcomes (β = 0.46, p < 0.001). Quality of management education positively predicted employability (β

= 0.35, p < 0.001) and partially mediated the competency–employability relationship (indirect β = 0.21, p = 0.002). The valid instrument and structural model provided actionable recommendations for faculty development and quality assurance in India's management institutes.