zoheir haji hosseini; Mohsen Shakeri; Seyed Alireza Hooshialsadat
Abstract
This qualitative study aimed to explore the perceptions of managers of knowledge-based and technology companies in Yazd City, Iran, regarding the causes of bachelor's graduates' unpreparedness for employment. A phenomenological approach was used to examine the experiences of 10 managers from knowledge-based ...
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This qualitative study aimed to explore the perceptions of managers of knowledge-based and technology companies in Yazd City, Iran, regarding the causes of bachelor's graduates' unpreparedness for employment. A phenomenological approach was used to examine the experiences of 10 managers from knowledge-based and technology companies located in the Yazd Science and Technology Park. The participants were selected using purposive sampling. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted, and the collected data were analyzed using Smith’s method. To ensure the validity of the findings, triangulation was employed, including (member checking, peer review, collaborative research, and researcher reflexivity). Coding was performed by the researcher in collaboration with another expert in qualitative research, and the results were compared. The analysis identified three main themes: (1) Weakness in acquiring soft, cognitive, and technical skills (with 11 sub-themes); (2) Poor quality of university education (with 5 sub-themes); and (3) Deficiencies in policymaking and planning (with 5 sub-themes). Based on the findings, educational policymakers and planners can address the factors hindering graduates' employability in knowledge-based and technology companies and take necessary actions to better prepare them for employment in these companies.
