Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning

Internship and employability prospects: assessing student’s work readiness

Ilias Kapareliotis, Katerina Voutsina, Athanasios Patsiotis,
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Internship and
Internship and employability employability
prospects: assessing student’s prospects

work readiness
Ilias Kapareliotis, Katerina Voutsina and Athanasios Patsiotis
Department of Marketing, American College of Greece, Athens, Greece
Received 31 August 2018
Revised 22 November 2018
Accepted 3 January 2019
Abstract
Purpose – Changes in the workplace have raised serious concerns about the future of work and the
effectiveness of undergraduate academic programs to sufficiently prepare students for business. The purpose
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of this paper is to address this concern by exploring how internship employment (placement) is implicated in
the young business graduates’ employability prospects.
Design/methodology/approach – This research explored the students’ perceptions regarding their degree
of “work readiness” after completing an internship program. The concept of “work readiness” is
conceptualized in terms of role clarity, ability and motivation. An institution of higher education in Greece
provided the sampling frame for this research. Online survey data have been used.
Findings – Students who attend internship programs assessed positively all aspects of the work readiness
construct. They knew what it was expected by employers from them to do at work. They were able to
effectively apply basic academic skills, high-order skills and professional skills required by employers on the
job and placed greater importance to the intrinsic rewards than the extrinsic ones.
Research limitations/implications – This is an exploratory study and is designed as a foundation for
future empirical studies. Further research could examine the dimensions of the work readiness concept in
other geographic contexts and validate the scale measurement with larger samples.
Originality/value – The integration of scattered pieces of literature on graduates’ employability through the
lenses of “work readiness” is a novel theoretical approach to explore the effectiveness of internship programs
on employability prospects in the Greek context.
Keywords Motivation, Employability, Skills, Internship, Role clarity, Work readiness
Paper type Research paper

Introduction
The rise of artificial intelligence in the workplace and acute competition among a globalized
workforce have raised serious concerns about the future of work and the effectiveness of
undergraduate academic programs to sufficiently prepare students for the new brave place
of work. The study addresses this concern by exploring how internship employment
(placement) is implicated in the formulation of employability prospects a young graduate
faces right after their graduation.
Rather than being accidental in the last few years, internships have become increasingly
popular among business schools, as they are considered as a critical component of higher
education (Beard and Wilson, 2013; Gault et al., 2000; Santiago, 2009). Although no standard
definition of internship exists, it could be argued that “in general terms, an internship is
viewed as a short term practical work experience in which students receive training and gain
experience in a specific field or career area of their interest” (Zopiatis, 2007, p. 65).
The universities’ decision to incorporate internships as a credit-based course in their academic
curricula is based on the rationale that learning should be grounded not only on
classroom-based pedagogies, but also on hands-on experience acquired in a real work setting.
Experiential learning theory postulates that learning is conceived as a process whereby the
generation and acquisition of knowledge take place through experience: it is “[…] the process
whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience. Knowledge results Higher Education, Skills and
Work-Based Learning
from the combination of grasping and transforming experience” (Kolb, 1984, p. 41). © Emerald Publishing Limited
2042-3896
The learner acquires new knowledge through lived experience and reflective practice. DOI 10.1108/HESWBL-08-2018-0086
 HESWBL One of the key objectives of an internship is to ensure a smooth transition from the student
life to the work place (Coco, 2000). Internship programs provide students the opportunity to
test their abilities, beliefs and attitudes pertaining to specific work tasks or career pathways
(Howery, 1983). They allow the students to close the gap between abstract classroom theory
and practical work reality (Zopiatis, 2007). Students are given the opportunity to apply what
they have been taught in traditional classroom settings to the real workplace and acquire a
pragmatic view of a work challenges. “Internships programs can reinforce technical
competencies, improve analytical skills and most important, foster an awareness of the
constant need for adaptability and creativity in a changing world” (Chen et al., 2011;
Coco, 2000, p. 41). Interestingly enough, the study of the contribution that internship programs
may have for new graduates’ career prospects and employability options has only recently
started to become the focus of scientific inquiry (Cannon and Arnold, 1998; Chhinzer and
Russo, 2018; Finch et al., 2013; Gault et al., 2000; Varghese et al., 2012).
The current study further enriches this stream of literature and contributes to the body
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of knowledge that assesses the value of the internship experience through the lenses of
“work readiness” concept, based on primary data collected in Greece by students who
undertook an internship either in Europe or in the USA. To this end, an online survey of
undergraduate students who participated in internships programs has been conducted.
The rest of the paper is structured as follows. A literature review examines relevant
empirical evidence and sets the conceptual framework for this study. In the next section, the
method of data collection, the measuring instrument and sampling issues are presented.
The results are then presented. Finally, there is a discussion of the findings, implications
and limitations of the study.

Literature review
Internship and the prospect of employability
In their review of the benefits of the business colleges’ internships, Knouse and Fontenot
(2008) identified various benefits enjoyed by students who choose to participate in
internships: students increase their chances to find jobs, may be given an offer for full-time
job position by the companies who have hired them as interns, acquire such experiences
which may motivate them to choose a specific career path which were not known to them
before the internship, and get a realistic view of work and its requirements and become clear
regarding what they wish to do in the career trajectory. In line with the above findings, a
recent review by Sanahuja Vélez and Ribes Giner (2015) identified three types of benefits for
graduates: “(a) those related to the enhancement of employment opportunities (b) those
related to the improvement of skills and competencies, and (c) those related to the effects on
career exploration” (p. 123). In the same token, several studies provide evidence that
students are increasingly seeing internships as a practical tool which will give them the
green light to employment (Cannon and Arnold, 1998). Young graduates who have
participated into internship programs are more likely to get proposed a continuation of their
employment in the internship-provider company (Zhao and Liden, 2011), receive on average
higher compensation and more job offers (Callanan and Benzing, 2004; Coco, 2000; Gault
et al., 2000), find their first job more quickly (Gault et al., 2000; Knouse et al., 1999), enhance
their future career prospects (Wan et al., 2013) and solidify or clarify their interest in a
specific work setting (Varghese et al., 2012). A serious concern that current businesses have
is the extent to which prospective employees have the necessary practical skills and
expertise to meet the challenges of an ever-evolving workplace (Chen et al., 2011). It is
common for young graduates not to be able to cope with the pressure of work-related
challenges (Wang, 2002). University graduates who have participated in internship
programs prior the interview seem more promising job candidates compared with students
who have not completed internships (Divine et al., 2007).
 This study contributes to the above body of knowledge that explores the extent to which Internship and
interns are better prepared to enter the job market (Gault et al., 2010; Hite and Bellizzi, 1986). It employability
enhances our understanding of the role of internships for business graduates’ employability prospects
prospects. Toward this end, the study applies as its analytical lens the “work readiness” concept.

Work readiness
The concept of “work readiness” is adapted by the conceptual framework of “consumer
readiness” used in the marketing literature (Bowen, 1986; Meuter et al., 2005), whose
theoretical foundations can be found in organizational theory (Vroom, 1964). Organizational
theorists (Vroom, 1964) suggest that employees’ behavior is contingent upon their
understanding about how they are expected to perform, their ability to perform as expected
as well as the existence of value rewards in place that will make them perform as expected.
In the marketing literature, customer’s behavior – whenever customer is seen as a
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contributor of service production and delivery – is found to be shaped by the same three
considerations: role clarity, motivation and ability (Bowen, 1986).
Role clarity refers to the consumers’ knowledge and understanding of the role that they
are expected to play, e.g. what an on-site service customer has to do (Bowen, 1986),
customer’s confusion vs clarity regarding the use of new self-service products/services
(Meuter et al., 2005). Motivation refers to the availability of intrinsic and extrinsic rewards
that trigger a desired behavior (Bowen, 1986; Meuter et al., 2005); and the provision or lack of
such rewards may influence customer’s decision to consider trying the new self-service
products/services. Ability refers to the customer’s skills and confidence required in order to
complete a certain task, e.g. customer’s self-efficacy: to what extent customers are able to
perform their roles in service production and delivery (Bowen, 1986; Meuter et al., 2005).
This study suggests that the above concept of “customer readiness” could be useful in
exploring the effectiveness of internship programs for graduate employability. In particular, it
would be useful in measuring interns’ or graduates’ readiness for employment after they have
completed an internship program. Toward this end, the study adapts the “customer readiness”
concept (Bowen, 1986; Meuter et al., 2005) into the internship context. It conceptualizes “work
readiness” as a condition or a state in which the graduate in prepared and likely to find
employment. “Work readiness” consists of three pillars: role clarity, motivation and ability.
It is worth noticing that the three pillars of “readiness” have been discussed in the
internship literature in a rather piecemeal and scattered fashion. To the best of our
knowledge, there has not been any attempt so far to present all the three dimensions in a
unified way. This study seeks to provide a unified view of factors that influence the
employability prospects of graduates as a result of internship programs. It chooses to do
that through the introduction of “work readiness” concept.
The internship allows students to develop their generic and specific skills, while gaining
work experience. Concerning work skills or employability skills, several categorizations can
be found in the literature. O’Neil (1997) classifies them in four categories: basic academic
skills (listening and speaking); high-order thinking skills (reasoning, problem solving and
creativity); interpersonal and teamwork skills; and personal characteristics and attitudes
(self-esteem, motivation and responsibility). Gault et al. (2000) reviewing the literature on the
most important skills among hiring criteria used to select new graduates: communication
skills (oral presentations, proposal writing and written communication), academic skills
(analytical skills, computer applications, creative thinking, information search and problem
solving), leadership skills (leadership/teamwork and relationship building) and job
acquisition skills (résumé writing, job interviewing and job networking) (p. 47). Recent
studies (Chhinzer and Russo, 2018, p. 104) on the sought-after skills by hiring companies
illustrate that “generic skills (time management, working in a team, attention to detail),
general mental ability, subject-specific knowledge, willingness to work, attitudes and
 HESWBL behaviors, and responsiveness to feedback” are key criteria considered by hiring companies
when evaluating candidates’ employability prospects, while other studies highlight the
importance of soft-skills even at the detriment of academic credentials, e.g. academic
reputation (Finch et al., 2013).
Through their participation in an internship program, the students acquire a new
understanding of their fit in the specific business sector or job profile. As a result, their
interest in working in a specific type of business or sector may be solidified or further
enhanced (Varghese et al., 2012, p. 357). Therefore, students’ genuine interest about a
business activity or domain may be considered as an intrinsic reward that fuels their
performance and improves their overall experience in the work setting. Extant literature
also suggests that positive feelings of satisfaction with coworkers, supervisors and the job
itself experienced by interns (Cho, 2006; Knouse and Fontenot, 2008) consist rewards that
strongly motivate them to make the most out of their time during the internship program.
The effectiveness of internships is expected to be enhanced when clear expectations of
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tasks, responsibilities and outcomes for interns are defined (Knouse and Fontenot, 2008;
Rothman, 2007), as well as clear expectations of employers’ implicit and explicit obligations
(Hurst et al., 2012) are met. The same scholars indicate that interns’ successful performance
is related to the guidance, support and feedback of their supervisors and mentors.

Research method
Data collection
The study employed an online survey for data collection. An institution of higher education in
Greece provided the sampling frame for this research. In that respect, the list of all students
who had completed an internship placement both in the home country and/or abroad during
the periods of 2016–2018 was supplied by the office of alumni and development and employed
in this study. This list included contact information and internship details of the
respective students. Concerning the internships, information included the student’s major
and the organization of the placement. Students were from all major programs (business and
non-business) that offer credit or non-credit internships by the college.
The organizations responsible for these internships were large corporations, SMEs and
non-profits. Consulting firms like Libra group, corporations in the sectors of food and drink,
cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, retailers, auto dealerships, technology, hotel and catering,
travel, shipping, advertising and communication, non-profit and one embassy offered these
internships among others.
The online survey was considered as the most viable method of data collection in this
study, considering the availability of e-mail accounts of all students in the list, and the
possible merits and limitations of this method (Malhotra et al., 2017). A questionnaire was
developed and included in a link created through the SurveyMonkey platform. An e-mail
including the link sent to all students and asked them to participate in the survey. The link
was available for one month, so it was possible to send subsequent reminders to increase the
response rate.

Measurement
The questionnaire examined work readiness aspects through seven-point Likert-type
questions (where 1: lowest value; 7: highest value). It also included some classification
questions on demographics and working experience. The questionnaire was tested for
wording, clarity and completeness by the researchers and pilot-tested by five graduates.
Considering the absence of well-developed measures of work readiness in the literature, the
items chosen for this study are based on the work of Meuter et al. (2005) who conceptualized
consumer readiness as including three aspects: role clarity, ability and motivation, following
the original source of Bowen (1986).
 The purpose of our research has been to provide fresh evidence on internship Internship and
effectiveness in terms of employment prospects and not to develop a measure of work employability
readiness. In that respect, the measure of work readiness used in this study served this aim, prospects
since it captures important elements required by prospective employees. In addition, content
validity was assured through the use of the literature to adopt the scale items and by the
careful re-wording and adaptation of these items (Churchill, 1979). The attention to theory
would determine the degree of content validity, and this is of high importance since a low
degree of content validity means a low degree of construct validity (Peter, 1981). So, the
measure items that represent each of these three aspects were adapted within the context of
work (employee) readiness.
Role clarity is defined as knowledge of what it is expected of graduates at the
workplace – knowledge and understanding of what they have to do (adapted from Meuter
et al., 2005). From the initial list of five items assumed to capture this construct, two negative
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items dropped because they exhibited low consistency with the rest.
Ability is defined as the knowledge and skills that are required to do the job fulfill the
respective responsibilities. Taking into account the classification of O’Neil (1997) and the
works of Andrews and Higson (2008), Jackson (2013), Robles (2012) and Wickramasinghe and
Perera (2010), three categories of skills were adapted as follows: basic academic/technical
skills (communication, teamwork and technical; 11 items); high-order thinking skills
(problem solving, creativity and decision making; 3 items); and professional skills (6 items).
It is assumed that respondents (student/graduate interns) would have more opportunities to
apply the basic academic/technical and professional skills and slightly less the high-order
thinking skills in their early employments. Thus, fewer items were chosen to represent the
latter category.
Questions related to personal characteristics and attitudes were not included as these
relate to the individual (i.e. person-specific and not related to skills that developed during
studying). Such variables may moderate the rating of one’s abilities. They were measured
explicitly (e.g. motivation) or even implicitly (e.g. role clarity) by the other aspects of work
readiness. The aspect of responsibility was assumed to be a professional skill. Thus,
following Vroom (1964) theory of motivation, that is being motivated to engage in desired
behaviors to receive the rewards, motivation was measured through eight items adapted
from Kuranchie-Mensah and Amponsah-Tawiah (2016).

Sample
From the initial list of 275 interns ( females: 65.5 percent and males: 34.5 percent; a ratio of
1.90), 254 were found with valid e-mails. From the latter potential respondents, only 74
completed the questionnaire, a response rate of 29 percent. Seven incomplete responses were
excluded from the analysis. Several factors could explain the low response by interns; for
instance, some of the respondents have already graduated and may not use their college e-
mail account anymore. A larger sample would allow to perform further multivariate
analyses. However, the sample size is adequate to perform basic statistical analyses for the
needs of this research study.
In addition, taking into consideration that the student population exhibits homogeneity
(Peterson, 2001), non-respondents are likely to be similar with respondents and if responded
results may be similar. Table I presents the profile of sample respondents. In terms of
gender, the sample is more balanced (ratio F/M ¼ 1.38) comparing with the list of all interns.
The age category of 18–25 received about 82 percent of responses, indicating that interns
mainly represent the traditional student population. As far as working experience is
concerned, respondents have mostly worked as trainees for one year or more and half of
them worked independently.
 HESWBL Classification variable Frequency Percentage

Gender
Female 43 58
Male 31 42
Age (in years)
18–25 61 82.4
26–35 12 16.2
Above 35 1 1.4
Trainee (in years)
None 29 39.2
1–3 42 56.8
4 or more 3 4.1
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Working independently (in years)

None 37 50.0
1–3 26 35.1
Table I. 4 or more 11 14.9
Sample description Note: n ¼ 74

Results
The sample size does not allow to test empirically construct validity (Churchill, 1979). An
indication of reliability of the measure was given by the α coefficient of internal consistency
for each of the three aspects of work readiness (Nunnally, 1978). The respective values that
are presented in Table II are greater than the value of 0.7, showing good reliability
(Nunnally, 1978). Taking into account that there is no consensus in the literature for sample
size requirements to examine reliability through the α coefficient (Bonett, 2002), the above
results could be considered as an indication of internal consistency and taken with caution.
Table II presents the results of interns’ perceptions on the work readiness aspects.
Regarding the frequencies of interns’ responses, most of them (at least 80 percent) are
positive (7: strongly agree; 6: agree; 5: somewhat agree). The only item with slightly lower
rating is “copying with uncertainty” with about 70 percent positive responses. Sample
respondents showed agreement on the positive side for all variables examined in the scale,
as this is revealed by the statistical significant result of one sample t-test for the value of 4
(neutral point) at 0.01 level for all variables.

Role clarity
As far as interns’ responses to the aspects of role clarity are concerned, the results show that
respondents on average agree (agree to somewhat agree) with moderate variation among
the responses. Respondents agree that they know what is expected by employers from them
to do at work. The fact that responses are on average between agreement and somewhat
agreement may be explained by some interns limited working experience (Table I).

Skills
The list of skills used to measure interns’ ability showed higher rating, as this is revealed by
the total average of 6.03. In particular, basic academic skills and high-order skills revealed the
same level of agreement, while professional skills received slightly lower ratings. Basic
academic skills of “presenting to an audience,” “using quantitative tools” and “analyzing data”
showed lower ratings (about one scale point) from the rest of the skills with high variation.
This may be explained by some interns’ concerns for their ability to analyze quantitative data,
 Work readiness measure items Mean SD
Internship and
employability
Role clarity (a ¼ 0.801) 5.59 prospects
I feel certain about how to effectively use my skills in the workplace 5.85 0.917
I know what is expected of me if I use my skills in the workplace 5.50 1.162
The steps in the process of using my skills are clear to me 5.43 1.035
Ability (a ¼ 0.893) 6.03
(i) Basic academic/technical skills 6.10
Communication in writing 6.26 0.861
Verbal communication 6.26 0.937
Communicating through technology 6.36 0.713
Presenting to an audience 5.31 1.442
Working as a team member 6.49 0.707
Collaboration to complete group tasks 6.32 0.813
Gets along with others 6.41 0.701
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Work with people from diverse origins 6.18 0.927

Using quantitative tools (arithmetic, graphs and statistics) 5.35 1.530
Analyzing data 5.76 1.269
Using technology 6.35 0.801
(ii) High-order thinking skills 6.10
Identify problems 6.24 1.031
Creative and innovative thinking 6.07 1.090
Make appropriate decisions 5.99 0.972
(iii) Professional skills 6.23
Timely decisions 6.23 0.732
Complete the task on time 6.30 0.754
Complete the task without supervision 5.57 1.315
Coping with uncertainty 5.16 1.434
Working under pressure 5.85 1.143
Accepting responsibility 6.32 0.796
Motivation (a ¼ 0.883) 6.16
(i) Intrinsic motivation 6.25
Recognition 6.15 1.119
Achievement 6.20 0.951
Responsibility 6.36 0.713
Opportunity for growth 6.30 1.069
(ii) Extrinsic motivation 6.08
Company policy 5.77 1.001
Good work environment 6.45 0.761
Good salary 6.07 1.348
Challenge in job 6.04 1.091 Table II.
Note: n ¼ 74 Results

as well as lower confidence for their presentation skills. The latter may also be explained by
the lack of presentation assessment opportunities in their respective curriculums. Regarding
professional skills, “complete the task without supervision” and “coping with uncertainty”
showed lower ratings comparing with the rest of professional skills, with high variation
among responses. An explanation may be limited or lack of experience on these two aspects.

Motivation
Moreover, sample respondents are on average motivated to work, placing greater
importance to the intrinsic factors than the extrinsic ones. The factors found to motivate
them mostly were “good work environment,” “responsibility” and “opportunity for growth.”
Interestingly, the aspect of “good salary” showed greater variation in responses, indicating
that for some interns this aspect may be not so important as the rest.
 HESWBL Working experience
In addition to the above analyses and results, it was tested whether there are significant
differences in relation to the classification variables. The t-test to compare the means of
females and males revealed no significant differences in relation to the variables in
Table II. This is a further confirmation of the sample homogeneity. Analysis of variance
between the means of “number of years as a trainee” and “working independently”
revealed that there are no differences concerning the latter, and concerning the former two
variables exhibited statistically significant results, namely “gets along with others” (F-test
p-value ¼ 0.005 o 0.01) and “collaboration on group tasks” (F-test p-value ¼ 0.009 o 0.01).
Thus, sample respondents that reported placement as trainees gave statistically
significantly higher ratings to the aspects of teamwork comparing with those having no
trainee experience so far.
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Discussion, implications and limitations

The present paper explores the value of the internship experience through the lenses of
“work readiness” concept. Drawing upon a survey of students who participated in
internships in Greece or abroad, it investigated their perceptions regarding the degree of
their readiness to enter the job market.
In line with the extant literature that analyzes the benefits of internship for students
(Callanan and Benzing, 2004; Coco, 2000; Gault et al., 2000; Sanahuja Vélez and Ribes Giner,
2015), the findings of this study suggest that internship programs increase the students’
employability prospects, as they sufficiently prepare them to adjust to the realities of the
work life. Students assessed positively the internship experience regarding the overall
understanding (what it takes to perform well at work), motivation (what it would motivate
them to engage in desired behaviors at work) and skills (key competences to perform certain
work tasks) that are required in order to get employed in the workplace The internship
experience allowed them to realize how they can excel in the workplace, identify what
matters to them in order to be fully engaged in the completion of a work activity and feel
more confident about how to effectively use their skills in the workplace.
First, role clarity was found to matter. Clear understanding of what it is expected
from interns makes them more effective and satisfied. They become aware of what
they should prioritize, become familiar with several accountability and reporting
issues and realize the necessity of feedback and adjustability. Indeed, such clarity in
the roles and responsibilities assumed by the interns increases the possibility for
internships to be effective for both for the intern and the employer (Hurst et al., 2012;
Knouse and Fontenot, 2008). Second, responsibility and opportunity for growth (intrinsic
rewards) and work atmosphere (extrinsic reward) were the rewards most highly
appreciated by the respondents. Both intrinsic and extrinsic rewards are important in
motivating the interns to engage in the desired behavior and feel satisfaction from
the overall internship experience (Cho, 2006; Knouse and Fontenot, 2008). Third, a wide
range of skills much wanted by future employing companies were found to be developed
in the course of the internships. Consistent with the findings of previous studies (Chhinzer
and Russo, 2018; Gault et al., 2000), verbal and written communication, effective
collaboration, working as a team member, using technology, problem solving, time
management, taking initiatives and assuming responsibility are some of the skill areas
that respondents reported that they have considerably practiced through their placement
in employing firms.
It is worth mentioning that the majority of the respondents had a working relationship
either in the past or during the time of the survey; this observation increases the robustness
of the answers provided, as the respondents had a clear picture of what the internship may
indeed offer to them, in terms of skills building, and personal development.
 The findings of the study have implications for all stakeholders involved: students, Internship and
universities and internship providers, e.g. companies that offer the placement. Students employability
who have a clear understanding of the reasons that they should invest into an internship, prospects
as well as what they have to do in order to benefit the most from it, may increase their
employability prospects. Academic institutions that incorporate internship within their
curricula may smoothen out the transition of their students from academia to the business
world, and thus increase their reputation. Curricula designers who decide to include the
internship component in the curriculum’s structure should consider the type of skills that
the internship will foster and how the latter are aligned to the skills that the students have
already built in the classroom environment. Furthermore, a process of screening
the students for internships that would allow a very good fit between the profile of the
internship candidate and the profile of the placement provider would enhance the
effectiveness of the internship experience for both parties. In other words, a brief
interview that would clarify the range of skills and growth opportunities that the
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candidate interns are looking to experience and a subsequent comparison between their
expectations and the company’s job description/profile would pave the way for a
constructive relationship between the two parties. Indeed, the “work readiness” lens as
presented here could be considered as a very good indicator of “internship consciousness”
which is the degree to which students can assess how much does the internship make
them ready to enter the job market. Finally, internship programs may support businesses
or employers to find the right candidates for the jobs at hand. Companies could work
closely with the universities or other academic institutions to improve or update the skills
set of their prospective human capital addressing the evolving needs of a globalized
workplace. Companies operating globally could possibly consider linking various
internship opportunities with specific skills. Intercultural communication skills, for
example, could be acquired through an internship opportunity in one subsidiary, and
technological skills in an internship position in another one.
This study is not without limitations. Its limitations are mainly based on its exploratory
nature and the chosen geographical context (Malhotra et al., 2017). There are indications
that the measurement scale used for “work readiness” works well in terms of internal
consistency. The student population in general exhibits homogeneity (Peterson, 2001). A
larger sample could be employed to confirm reliability and examine construct validity.
Results are limited to the educational institution examined and may not represent the
interns’ population in the country or even in the European region. However, considering that
the sample possibly includes parallel studies’ students from Greek universities, results may
exhibit external validity in relation to the country. Further research could examine the
comparison of different educational institutions in relation to work readiness aspects; for
instance, comparing the perspectives of US interns with those of European ones. Future
studies could also explore the effect of different majors of studies on the work readiness
aspects. Finally, from a theoretical point of view, future research could further explore how
the identified benefits of internships are brought about (Narayanan et al., 2010) and could be
further enhanced.

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 HESWBL About the authors
Dr Ilias Kapareliotis, PhD, is Head of the Marketing Department at Deree-The American College of
Greece. He also serves as ad hoc reviewer for academic journals and conferences, European Union
project validator Horizon 2020, member of different scientific and professional bodies. His current
research interests focus on luxury branding, brand management, brand valuation systems,
ethnographic methods in luxury branding, corporate branding for higher education and SME’s
branding. Dr Ilias Kapareliotis is the corresponding author and can be contacted at:
IKAPARELIOTIS@ACG.EDU
Katerina Voutsina, PhD, is Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship at Deree-The American College
of Greece and Research Fellow at the Athens University of Economics and Business. She also serves as
a mentor in the Athens Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Her research interests focus on the
cognitive, organizational and socio-economic aspects of technological innovation and
entrepreneurship. In particular, new forms of organizing, strategic entrepreneurship, nascent
entrepreneurship and socio-technical innovation lie at the gist of her research.
Athanasios Patsiotis, PhD, is Associate Faculty in Marketing at Deree-The American College of
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Greece. His current research interests focus on customer service, consumer resistance behavior and
digital marketing.

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