A Gap Analysis of Business students; Skills in the 21st Century: A Case Study of Qatar

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to explore any existing gap between business students’ skills/competences provided by college of businesses and the needs of the current job market. The study examines twenty important employability skills needed for the 21st century workforce and global economy from the perspective of both employers and business educators. The participants responded to a survey that dealt with twenty important skills identified by experts and drawn from the literature. The results indicated that a gap does exist between business students’ skills/competences and the needed skills/competences in the job market. Moreover, employers and business educators differ on the relative importance of these skills. While employers emphasize the importance of the soft skills, business educators emphasize the importance of the hard skills. The results of this study are important for both business educators and employers in bridging the skills gap.