Socio-Emotional Disposition’s Mediation in Technical Skills and Graduate Employability in Tourism and Hospitality Industry—South-Western Uganda

Sylivia Byarugaba Tushabe; Fredrick Ssempala

doi:10.37284/ajthm.3.1.2342

Sylivia Byarugaba Tushabe Kabale University
Fredrick Ssempala Kabale University

##plugins.pubIds.doi.readerDisplayName##: https://doi.org/10.37284/ajthm.3.1.2342

##share.article##:

Résumé

Despite possessing technical skills, many hospitality graduates in Southwestern Uganda struggle to secure employment. This suggests a possible deficiency in their socio-emotional abilities. The study investigated the mediating effect of socio-emotional disposition in the relationship between technical skills and graduate employability. The research design employed in this study was the cross-sectional quantitative research method with a population of 640 graduates and a sample size of 400 was established for hospitality graduates based on Krejcie, & Morgan’s (1970) table and formula. The data was collected employing questionnaires and the data analysis was done by SPSS V. 23 and Smart PLS V 4. The results revealed that the technical skills and socio-emotional disposition of graduates have significant direct effects on the graduates’ employability, with path coefficients of (β = 0.348, p < 0.001) for technical skills and (β = 0.716, p< 0.001) for socio-emotional disposition. Sensitively, socio-emotional disposition was also reported to mediate the link between technical skill and employability (β = 0.438, p<0.001). Thus, socio-emotional disposition increases the level of readiness for employment. The study indicates technical competencies are mandatory prerequisites to getting a job in the hospitality industry; socio-emotional competencies enhance these results. The study recommended that carrying out tracer studies and skills audits, mentorship schemes, certification of future graduates, creating a strong linkage between higher educational institutions (HEIs) and the hospitality sector, and authorities should take into account the programs that encourage socio-emotional enhancement appropriate to the needs of the sector

##plugins.generic.usageStats.downloads##

##plugins.generic.usageStats.noStats##

Références

Al Asefer, M., & Abidin, N. S. Z. (2021). Soft skills and graduates’ employability in the 21st century from employers’ perspectives: A review of literature. International Journal of Infrastructure Research and Management, 9(2), 44–59.

Baum, T. (2019). Does the hospitality industry need or deserve talent? International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management.

Booyens, I. (2020). Education and skills in tourism: Implications for youth employment in South Africa. Development Southern Africa, 37(5), 825–839.

Carlisle, S., Ivanov, S., & Espeso-Molinero, P. (2023). Delivering the European Skills Agenda: the importance of social skills for a sustainable tourism and hospitality industry. Tourism & Management Studies, 19(3), 23–40.

Chhinzer, N., & Russo, A. M. (2017). An exploration of employer perceptions of graduate student employability. Education+ Training, 60(1), 104–120.

Clarke, M. (2018). Rethinking graduate employability: The role of capital, individual attributes and context. Studies in Higher Education, 43(11), 1923–1937.

Field, M., Munafò, M. R., & Franken, I. H. A. (2009). A meta-analytic investigation of the relationship between attentional bias and subjective craving in substance abuse. Psychological Bulletin, 135(4), 589.

Fraser, B. (2020). From hospitality classrooms to successful careers: A current appraisal of Australian international hotel requirements. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Education, 32(4), 234–254.

Garson, G. D. (2012). Testing statistical assumptions. Statistical associates publishing Asheboro, NC.

Ghani, B., Zada, M., Memon, K. R., Ullah, R., Khattak, A., Han, H., Ariza-Montes, A., & Araya-Castillo, L. (2022). Challenges and strategies for employee retention in the hospitality industry: A review. Sustainability, 14(5), 2885.

Grero, M. L. (2018). Mismatch between the Education System and the Job Market in Sri Lanka with Special Reference to Soft Skills. A Dissertation, Colombo.

Gruijters, R. J., Raabe, I. J., & Hübner, N. (2024). Socio-emotional Skills and the Socioeconomic Achievement Gap. Sociology of Education, 97(2), 120–147.

Heckman, J. J., & Kautz, T. (2012). Hard evidence on soft skills. Labour Economics, 19(4), 451–464.

Hoque, N., Uddin, M., Ahmad, A., Mamun, A., Uddin, M. N., Chowdhury, R. A., & Noman Alam, A. H. M. (2023). The desired employability skills and work readiness of graduates: Evidence from the perspective of established and well-known employers of an emerging economy. Industry and Higher Education, 09504222221149850.

Huang, A. Y., Fisher, T., Ding, H., & Guo, Z. (2021). A network analysis of cross-occupational skill transferability for the hospitality industry. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 33(12), 4215–4236.

Iliyasu, R., & Etikan, I. (2021). Comparison of quota sampling and stratified random sampling. Biom. Biostat. Int. J. Rev, 10, 24–27.

Jackson, D. (2014). Testing a model of undergraduate competence in employability skills and its implications for stakeholders. Journal of Education and Work, 27(2), 220–242.

Jackson, D. (2016). Re-conceptualising graduate employability: The importance of pre-professional identity. Higher Education Research & Development, 35(5), 925–939.

Jackson, D., & Bridgstock, R. (2021). What actually works to enhance graduate employability? The relative value of curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular learning and paid work. Higher Education, 81(4), 723–739.

Jahoda, A., Kemp, J., Riddell, S., & Banks, P. (2008). Feelings about work: A review of the socio‐emotional impact of supported employment on people with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 21(1), 1–18.

Kallio, H., Pietilä, A., Johnson, M., & Kangasniemi, M. (2016). Systematic methodological review: developing a framework for a qualitative semi‐structured interview guide. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 72(12), 2954–2965.

Kim, M., Koo, D.-W., & Han, H.-S. (2021). Innovative behavior motivations among frontline employees: The mediating role of knowledge management. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 99, 103062.

Krejcie, R. V, & Morgan, D. W. (1970). Determining sample size for research activities. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 30(3), 607–610.

Lara, A. (2023). Selling themselves short: a quantitative survey study aimed at avoiding underemployment in the hospitality industry. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.

Lechner, C. M., Anger, S., & Rammstedt, B. (2019). Socio-emotional skills in education and beyond: recent evidence and future research avenues. In Research handbook on the sociology of education (pp. 427–453). Edward Elgar Publishing.

Lent, R. W., Brown, S. D., & Hackett, G. (1994). Toward a unifying social cognitive theory of career and academic interest, choice, and performance. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 45(1), 79–122.

Magova, G. B., & Kessy, S. S. (2020). Effects of human resources management practices on supply chain flexibility: evidence from tourist hotels in Tanzania. Business Management Review, 23(1), 31–53.

Mgaiwa, S. J. (2021). Fostering graduate employability: Rethinking Tanzania’s university practices. SAGE Open, 11(2), 21582440211006708.

Rahman, M. M., Tabash, M. I., Salamzadeh, A., Abduli, S., & Rahaman, M. S. (2022). Sampling techniques (probability) for quantitative social science researchers: a conceptual guideline with examples. Seeu Review, 17(1), 42–51.

Rauner, F., & Ahrens, M. (2022). Measuring Professional Knowledge: What Knowledge is the Foundation of Professional Skills? Springer Nature.

Selem, K. M., Khalid, R., Raza, M., & Islam, M. S. (2023). We need digital inquiries before arrival! Key drivers of hotel customers’ willingness to pay premium. Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality & Tourism, 1–23.

Senbeto, D. L., Köseoglu, M. A., & King, B. (2023). Hospitality and tourism scholarship in Africa: A literature-based agenda for future research. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 47(4), 619–642.

Tarling, R. (2008). Statistical modelling for social researchers: Principles and practice. Routledge.

Tushabe, S. B., & SSempala, F., Ampumuza, C., & Mbowa S.H. (2024). Socio-emotional Skills and Graduate Employability in the Hospitality Sector of South Western Uganda, Kigezi Sub-Region. Journal of Research Innovation and Implications in Educationournal of Research Innovation and Implications in Education, 8(2), 483–492.

Tushabe, S. B., Turyasingura, B., & Rwotolonya, S. (2023). Adoption of ICT in Hotel Sector During COVID-19 Pandemic in Uganda: Case Study of Selected Hotels in Kigezi Sub Region. African Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Management, 2(1), 19–34.

Ushakov, R. N., Kryukova, E. M., Khetagurova, V. S., Mukhomorova, I. V., & Zelenov, V. V. (2020). Efficiency of hotel management. Training of specialists in hotel industry field. Journal of Environmental Management and Tourism, 11(2), 388–395.

Yorke, M., & Knight, P. T. (2006). Embedding employability into the curriculum (Vol. 3). Higher Education Academy York.

Zopiatis, A., & Theocharous, A. L. (2018). PRAXIS: The determining element of innovation behavior in the hospitality industry. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 35, 9–16.