Human Capital Competencies and Work Readiness Among Early Career Business Professionals

This study examined the relationship between human capital competencies and work readiness among MBA students, as well as their perceptions of how MBA education contributes to competency development and managerial preparedness. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was employed involving 70 MBA students with one to three years of work experience. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Spearman correlation, Kruskal-Wallis test, and regression analysis, while qualitative data were examined through thematic analysis.
Findings indicated that respondents demonstrated relatively high levels of human capital competencies and work readiness across all domains. Significant positive relationships were found between all competency domains and work readiness, with communication and interpersonal competencies emerging as the strongest predictor. Current job role also showed a statistically significant influence on career self-management and resilience. Qualitative results generated five themes: applied skills, confidence and adaptability, experiential learning, professional mindset, and strategic competence.
The study concludes that human capital competencies are significantly associated with work readiness among MBA students, while MBA education serves as a developmental platform for strengthening both technical and managerial capabilities. A Human Capital Work Readiness Development Framework is proposed to support competency enhancement in graduate business education.

human capital competencies, work readiness, MBA students, early-career professionals

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