BUSINESS RESEARCH MODULE

------------------------------

RESEARCH PROJECT REPORT

Hanoi, June 14, 2022

 i

Table of content

List of Abbreviations......................................................................................................iii

List of tables and figures................................................................................................iv

Chapter 1.......................................................................................................................1

Introduction...................................................................................................................1

1.1. Abstract..........................................................................................................................1

1.2. Rationale.........................................................................................................................1

1.3. Research questions.........................................................................................................2

1.4. Research method............................................................................................................2

1.5. Research findings............................................................................................................3

1.6. Structure of the report....................................................................................................3

Chapter 2.......................................................................................................................4

Literature Review and hypothesis development.............................................................4

2.1. Literature Review............................................................................................................4

2.1.1. Background...................................................................................................................................4
2.1.2. Methodology................................................................................................................................8
2.1.3. Scope of the study........................................................................................................................8

2.2. Hypothesis......................................................................................................................9

Chapter 3.....................................................................................................................14

Research method.........................................................................................................14

3.1. Sampling method..........................................................................................................14

3.2. Sample and data collection............................................................................................14

3.3. Measurement................................................................................................................15

3.4. Data analysis procedure................................................................................................15

 ii

Chapter 4.....................................................................................................................17

Results.........................................................................................................................17

4.1. Descriptive statistics......................................................................................................17

Chapter 5.....................................................................................................................20

Discussion....................................................................................................................20

Chap 6..........................................................................................................................26

Conclusions..................................................................................................................26

References....................................................................................................................27
 iii

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

Abbreviation Explanation

CS Communication Skills

IL Intellectual Skills

LS Leadership Skills

JA Job Attitude

OE Occupational Expertise

AO Anticipation and Optimization

PL Personal Flexibility

CS_12 Corporate Sense

B Balance
 iv

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES

Table 3.1. Sample Characteristics Data Summary (n= 92) .....................................22

Table 4.1. Mean and Standard Deviation ................................................................24

Table 4.2. Correlation Analysis Results ….............................................................26

Table 5.1. Research Objectives and Findings Summary .........................................25

Table 5.2. Summary of Accepted Hypotheses …....................................................26

Figure 2.1. Research Domains and Related Theories .............................................14

Figure 2.2. Hypothesis ............................................................................................18

 1

CHAPTER 1
 2

INTRODUCTION

1.1. Abstract

Soft skills are one of the characteristics that domestic and international businesses consider
when hiring graduates since they play a key role in practical work and contribute to a
company's future success. As a result, we performed this study in order to illustrate the
impact of soft skills on students' employability. By reviewing and summarizing the
findings of prior research, as well as conducting relevant surveys, specifically a
questionnaire survey to gather data from around 100 students who have previously or now
participated in the labor market. And we observed that most respondents believe that soft
skills such as communication, problem solving, leadership, responsibility, and so on are
beneficial for both social interaction and job advancement. They do not believe, however,
that these talents contribute considerably to their academic achievement and are not truly
important. As a result of managers' complaints regarding graduates' lack of soft skills, this
research maps genuine market soft skills requirements.

1.2. Rationale
 3

Employers hire new workers depending on their technical and nontechnical (soft
skill) abilities. Prospective workers, on the other hand, lack the necessary
combination of soft skills pertinent to the specific work environment. The study's
purpose is to find out how soft skills affect graduate employment. According to the
human capital theory, educational attainment is an important component in
determining the value of human capital. However, the economic transformations
and challenges brought about by today's globalization necessitate both hard and soft
talents. As a result, all organizations are seeking for soft talents to boost their
competitiveness and growth. Graduates, although having a high degree of hard
abilities, lack some soft skills (i.e., technical knowledge and ability). The selection
of competent people resources is a critical component of a company's success.
Employing a highly competent staff is critical to being productive and competitive
in the global economy. As a result, businesses are increasingly seeking for highly
educated employees in vocations that need soft skills. Furthermore, a number of
variables, including personality features that indicate a lack of confidence during
interviews, a mismatch between a person's talents and the demands of the industry,
and poor communication skills, may contribute to a rise in the number of jobless
graduates. In order to determine which soft skills are required for employability,
this study first aggregates significant soft skills from the literature into crucial
dimensions. Following that, it evaluates survey data using regression to discover
which soft skills have a substantial influence on employability. Soft skills are
widely valued by employers since research demonstrates that they are a beneficial
addition to normal work abilities, or so-called hard skills. Soft skills are rapidly
becoming a need for employment. For students studying economics, soft skills are
the most practical and vital. Students with soft skills are more likely to be dynamic,
adaptable, and successful problem solvers in the future. Only 25% of successful
individuals have competence; the other 75% are characterized by their soft skill set.
Soft skills are frequently mentioned by students at the school as being important for
academic performance as well as success in their future lives and occupations.
 4

Because the school acknowledges the value of soft skills, it places a high priority on
teaching, developing, and practicing them with pupils. It is vital to do research and
create strategies to aid students in polishing and increasing their soft skills, not just
for recently graduated students but also for students in general. As a result of the
concerns, the research team determined that it was necessary to explore the topic of:
Analysis of the influence of soft skills on the employability of graduating students.

1.3. Research questions

 Are soft skills crucial factors that employers care about?

 Solutions to improve soft skills for graduated students?

1.4. Research method

We conduct qualitative research. This is a sort of research used to clarify survey subjects'
views and behaviors. We distributed a Microsoft Form link to approximately 100
employees in Vietnam for this survey. We utilize Microsoft Forms to collect survey
participants' information because we found it to be a quick, efficient, and accurate
approach to collecting information.

1.5. Research findings

According to the research findings, students must analyze and rethink the recruiters'
expectations. It demonstrates that those with higher hard and soft skills are more likely to
survive and flourish professionally. It demonstrates that academically strong pupils have an
attitude of "we know everything." This inhibits their ability to learn and grow. The
recruiters adhere to the tagline "recruit for attitude, train for skill." Students must
understand the basic expectations of corporations in order to present themselves
appropriately. Corporations demonstrate that those who excel at work have the correct
attitude, mentality, and behavior. It also reveals that there is a tremendous need to change
the current Vietnamese educational system by filling gaps and making it more practical
with an emphasis on employment.
 5

1.6. Structure of the report

The paper's contents are organized as follows. First, a fundamental understanding of the
theories underlying employability and soft skills is presented. The research method for this
study is then discussed. This section discusses demographic information, sample size,
questionnaire design, study design, conceptual framework, and data analysis
methodologies. The study's findings are then examined using descriptive statistics, validity
assessments, and descriptions and evaluations of soft skills. The research findings are then
summarized in the conclusion.
 6

CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW AND HYPOTHESIS DEVELOPMENT

2.1. Literature Review

2.1.1. Background

The goal of education, in the words of UNESCO, is to "learn to know, learn to do, learn to
live together, and learn to assert oneself." If we take the sentence as a definition and
contrast it with the Vietnamese educational system as it stands today, our learning
objective is just to get knowledge, which equates to merely attaining one of UNESCO's
four aims. So, are the graduates learning how to coexist peacefully, how to assert
themselves, or are they just learning how to carry around dry fish in books like other
students? Studies have shown that, in addition to traditional job skills, commonly referred
to as job skills, soft skills are an important evaluation element for employers. Today, soft
skills are one requirement for employment.

Employability skills, or character traits and beliefs that enable workers to succeed in any
workplace, are crucial abilities. The term "employability" has numerous definitions. The
definition taken from (Yorke 2006) is as follows: "a set of achievements - talents,
understandings and personal traits - that increase graduates' likelihood of finding
employment and succeeding in their chosen occupations, benefiting themselves, the
workforce, the community, and the economy."
 7

Soft skills are complementary to hard talents and can improve performance, career
development, and interactions. Personality qualities, friendliness, language proficiency,
and personal habits are examples of soft skills. The needs of a profession typically go hand
in hand with soft skills, especially if the profession works with people a lot ((Pachauri and
Yadav 2014)). Skills and personal characteristics have an impact on a person's
employability, claim (Fahimirad, Nair et al. 2019)). Some students are conscious of this,
and as a result, they work to develop their skill set while attending college. This also makes
it necessary to give these students more chances to pick up soft skills during their academic
careers. Tsaoussi (2020) asserts that soft skills can be used broadly in all occupations and
developed through time. Graduates may learn soft skills at their institutions, but they will
constantly run into fresh scenarios that will both use and hone their soft skills. Among the
commonly emerging skills are communication skills, creativity, thinking skills,
management and leadership abilities, problem-solving, social responsibility, lifelong
learning, and teamwork (Fahimi Rad et al., 2019).

The development of both personal and interpersonal soft skills will help a person be able to
deal with a variety of situations, particularly at work. Personal skills include the capacity to
digest information, the capacity for critical thought and judgment, the desire for lifelong
learning, as well as the ability to set and accomplish goals. Communication, listening,
negotiation, networking, problem-solving, and decision-making are all interpersonal
abilities that are used in relationships with other people (Tsaoussi, 2020;(Cimatti 2016).
Soft skills are primarily intended to support and improve work performance, which
explains why people who exhibit them are considerably more appealing to employers.
 8

Technical and soft skills that university students are required to acquire are referred to as
employability skill sets ((Bee and Hie 2015)“Technical skills, also known as hard skills,
are the technical expertise and knowledge required for a job" (Robles 2012)), whereas
“soft skills, which are related to an individual's competencies and personal qualities, can be
applied in any profession and at any stage of their career" (Chua CJE, Chuatoco IAG, Pea
AMCD, Jimenez DLF, & Co DA. (2017)) and can be transferred from one job le to
another. According to studies by Chua CJE, Chuatoco IAG, Pea AMCD, Jimenez DLF, &
Co DA. (2017) and Klaus P., technical skills and knowledge account for just 15 to 25
percent of long-term job performance, whereas soft skill competency accounts for most of
the main employment criterion (2010). It is now the responsibility of the entire university
to support its graduates in developing the employability skills necessary for successful
employment (Cole D. & Tibby M. (2013)

Tang (2018) stated that soft skills are personal traits that enhance interaction, job
performance and career growth. Rao (2015) mentioned that soft skills are essential for both
career growth and social competence. Someone who possesses soft skills has more social
skills for interaction and networking. Soft skills, in contrast to hard skills (technical skills),
are more closely tied to emotions and insights that are highly challenging to measure and
evaluate (Wesley et al., 2017). Soft skills are now important in both personal and
professional life. Soft talents enable one to establish psychological connections with
people. Thus, developing soft skills helps both individuals and organizations to act in ways
that are beneficial to both parties.

THEORIES RELATED TO EMPLOYABILITY AND SOFT SKILLS

 9

Human capital theory and the theory of human potential or development are related to the
theoretical discussion of soft skills and employability ((Jonck 2014)). “The human capital
theory regarded education as a crucial element in creating an economy and as a
requirement for competence in the progress of the global economy “((Becker 2009)). The
skills and knowledge of employed graduates are being examined by stressing a human
capital approach to graduates' employability skills (Jonck, 2014). From a resource-based
perspective, the human capacities or development hypothesis examines graduates'
employability. However, the human capital approach emphasizes that education is the
primary enabler of the economy and involvement in the global economy ((Bridgstock
2009)). Employers value skilled labor as a determinant in productivity and success. The
word "human capital" is used to describe the caliber of labor; hence it refers to knowledge
and abilities (Mohr & Seymore, 2018)
 10

The human capital theory and the consensus theory are compatible. It offers guidance on
how to use employability to change how institutions, organizations, and workplaces relate
to one another (P. Brown et al., 2003). It focuses on the social ideal that humans are
essentially benevolent toward one another ((Salleh, Subhi et al. 2016)). Consensus theory
holds that the development of general skills can help students find employment and
prepare them for job duties. This theory's main goal is to gather and disseminate
information that includes analysis. Additionally, it suggests that students should be able to
convey knowledge and present it according to industry standards. This involves conducting
team meetings, making presentations, and drafting emails. It also suggests developing
creative and problem-solving abilities, which are crucial in ambiguous circumstances. In
addition to these three requirements, students also need to have interaction skills, or the
ability to be more sociable; this could benefit a project or an industry by fostering
teamwork or leadership. Therefore, including these talents in the university curriculum is
crucial to creating graduates with soft skill capabilities. Every person must adopt these
talents in the face of such rapid industry developments. As a result, it is crucial that
colleges and institutions assess their current curricula and update them with the most recent
developments (Selvadurai et al., 2012). This demonstrates the value and significance of
soft skills for employment. Additionally, it shows how the way students can acquire the
necessary information fits with the demands of industry (Selvadurai et al., 2012). Conflict
theory was defined by P. Brown et al. (2003) as the conflict between three separate groups
—employment providers, graduates or employees, and trainees—each of which has
varying opportunities to improve employability. The role of employers in influencing the
necessary skills and employees' failure to acquire these abilities through the appropriate
training offered by employers were topics of discussion during the capital-labor dispute
(Selvadurai et al., 2012). The tension between employers and educators shows that
graduates aren't receiving the technical information, appropriate training, practical
knowledge, and soft skills they need to succeed in their careers. This dispute is directed at
the employer for not giving employees the chance to improve their work experiences and
institutional trainers for not updating the existing curriculum with the most recent
knowledge and the best way to impart or transfer that knowledge. Research on measuring
and evaluating soft talents that define analysis through control systems and feedback loops
is relevant to control theory ((Muraven and Baumeister 2000)). Its efficient operation
 11

requires self-regulation. The feedback loop is necessary for self-regulation. Feedback is the
detected difference in a system parameter's reference and actual values. To reduce the
discrepancy, more analysis is needed to report the performance, the gap, and the data.
According to this hypothesis, companies might provide candidates the questionnaire
evaluation feedback so they can see what talents they have and what skills they lack, which
resulted in them losing out on the employment opportunity. The system characteristics, or
the necessary soft skills, should be defined by the effective soft skill analysis and
measurement that are consistent with theory. However, articulating the soft skill in detail
and giving graduates detailed feedback might not be enough to motivate graduates to pick
up the lagging skills ((Gibb 2014)). Figure 1 provides a summary of the study ideas and
domains. To boost graduates' competency in the job market, the main domain discusses the
connection between employability and soft skills. The first domain is supported by human
capital and consensus theories. The second domain is up next, with a focus on soft skills
and employability testing for recent graduates and current employees. Conflict theory is
relevant to this field. The soft skills model and instrument development make up the third
domain. The suggested model and instrument would be created through this area to make it
easier to analyze how soft skills affect employability. Control theory is a related theory to
this field.
 12

Figure 2.1: Research Domains and Related Theories

2.1.2. Methodology

Data is collected by sharing google forms with everyone, on groups through social
networks. This method will collect a lot of information from many various sources but
cannot directly exploit the problem but only give general results.

2.1.3. Scope of the study

This Research is geared toward all youngsters, mostly graduated students. The expected
audience is about 100 graduated students. Their opinions would give us the answers to the
questions that research suggests.
 13

2.2. Hypothesis

Finding the soft skills discussed in the literature was the first stage, and this process
produced a total of 27 soft talents. Many variables (i.e., soft skills) will increase the
research complexity. Hence, this study focuses on 4 types of soft skills: (1) communication
skills, (2) intellectual skills, (3) leadership skills, (4) job attitude.

The claim of a mix of personal potential and principles, considerations, skillful

performances, and the capacity to reproduce well on practice is how employability is
proved, driving away from the fundamental notion of important talents. To become capable
graduates who, have self-confidence in their ability to take active and proper action,
describe what they are pursuing to attain, aware of and work effectively with others, and
carry on acquiring from their practices, both as individuals and in relationship with others,
in a varied and varying society, scholars will cultivate their employability in methods that
replicate their specific conditions. Employers would prefer to see graduates with more than
just academic credentials and work experience. This implies that the technical abilities
acquired by experts are less significant than the soft talents that, when connected to
multiple roles, may be used in a variety of vocations and industries of employment.
According to this argument, companies must recognize employees who possess the
abilities and attributes necessary to carry out their duties and contribute to corporate
success. There is a disconnect between how higher education institutions educate their
students to believe for their chosen careers and how employers perceive the graduates are
prepared, according to a poll by the Association of American Colleges and Universities.
Employers said that they need comprehension into soft skills and higher education
institutions must understand what employers want from their graduates (Kruger, 2015).

The four main "soft skills" components were developed into four employability-related
assumptions, which in turn created the conceptual framework. The conceptual framework
was founded on earlier research

To meet the research goals of identifying the most impactful soft skills on graduates'
employability, the analysis above suggests testing the following hypotheses.
 14

Everyone at work engages in communication daily. Effective communication is crucial at

every level since employees frequently interact with supervisors and clients. Employers
believe that communication is mostly needed to develop soft skills since employees often
need to be involved with jobs that require various levels of leadership and decision-making
activities (Majid et al., 2012; Patacsil & Tablatin, 2017). The following theory is
constructed to investigate the connection between communication abilities and
employability considering this topic.

• H1: Communication skills have a significant impact on Employability.

Intellectual talent is the capacity to address issues and come to wise conclusions. The
capacity to perceive, assess, extrapolate from, and come to conclusions from knowledge is
referred to as intellectual competence. In order to make decisions and solve problems, it is
necessary to gather trustworthy information, evaluate it for potential solutions, and select
the best option based on the criteria and circumstances. In most occupations, an individual
will be required to assess the situation and find solutions. As a result, they ought to be
reasoned and make a sensible choice. Even while the ability to solve issues and make wise
decisions is important, those who possess this talent can successfully plan and manage
their team and are more likely to finish the task correctly the first time. Employers benefit
from intellectual ability since it may help them save time and money. The recording of
information in a report that may be considered when planning future initiatives is also a
requirement of planning and organizing. Additionally, those with intellectual ability are
imaginative, original, and likely to create novel methods of doing things that improve the
working environment and create more effective systems and processes. They can provide
fresh perspectives on the job and the company.

• H2: Intellectual skills have a significant impact on Employability.

Leadership skills include the ability to motivate others to achieve organizational goals
(Schermerhorn, 2008). Responsibility, self-worth, and the moral virtues of integrity and
honesty are typical traits of good leadership.
 15

In the workplace, leadership abilities are what set the exceptional apart from the excellent.
A valued quality supported by a solid foundation of abilities is the capacity to boldly take
the initiative and inspire people toward a common objective. Employers of all sizes admire
a leader's ability to motivate others and communicate effectively. If you have these
abilities, you may be eligible for incentives and promotions, among other benefits.
Leadership abilities may benefit you both professionally and personally. Leadership
abilities may assist you in achieving your objectives, earning the respect of peers and
superiors, and winning the confidence of others.

Relationship building may benefit from having strong leadership qualities since they
frequently exhibit prominent levels of emotional intelligence, creativity, and problem-
solving capabilities. You may emphasize your leadership capabilities on your resume by
emphasizing the qualities and talents that are most likely to impress hiring managers who
are seeking established leaders or candidates with leadership potential.

Leadership skills are desired by both people and companies. If you are a good leader, you
may help build high-performing teams, boost organizational profitability (in some cases
more than twice as much), and get promoted or recognized as a result.

If you have won any honors or special recognition that highlights your leadership-specific
capabilities, you may mention them in the achievements section of your resume. They can
also be listed in the skills area of your resume, particularly if a potential employer is
seeking certain traits that your referees can attest to.

The covering letter offers an additional chance to highlight your leadership qualities in
addition to including them on your CV. Include a few successes that highlight your smart
leadership abilities to assist concentrate the hiring manager's thoughts and distinguish you
from other candidates right away.

• H3: Leadership skills have a significant impact on Employability.

 16

Job attitude is important in almost any work setting. It is defined as all about having the
correct attitude towards work and the organization. The individual who is exposed to
learning and embraces transformation will be more positive than the individual who fears
learning and is resilient to changes in the organization. Personal development is alarmed
with how individuals progress their working performs and attitudes to work. A positive
attitude benefits both employee and employer. It leads to greater happiness, fulfillment,
and productivity. Employers should promote and encourage positive outlooks in the
workforce, but it is employees who must bring positive attitudes to work with them. That
starts with an appreciation for what positivity can do, and the understanding that the only
person who can change your attitude is you.

An employee's attitude has the potential to impact on his interactions with others and his
individual work performance. Attitude affects an employee's reactions to others, including
colleagues, supervisors, and customers; attitude performance affects his perception of his
job and his value to the organization, according to Performance Magazine. If an
employee's work tasks involve collaboration with others, his attitude can affect the success
or failure of the group.

When working, it will take some hard skills to complete a job. To get hard skills, it is an
easy thing because you just need to learn and practice. But to change your attitude, this is
not an easy thing because you need to change your habits, let alone the attitude you want to
change is significant. Therefore, someone who has a good attitude will be pleasant to his
co-workers. What is more, people who behave well will easily adapt to any environment.

This will be the object of assessment from the recruiter when recruiting someone.
Recruiters will prefer someone with a good attitude over someone with good hard skills but
a bad attitude. People who have a humble attitude and good personality are a good thing
for the company and employees so that they are always ready to complete work for the
benefit of the company.

• H4: Job attitude has a significant impact on Employability.

 17

Commmunicati
on skills

Intellectual
skills
Employability

Leadership
skills

Job Attitude

Figure 2.2: Hypothesis

 18

CHAPTER 3

RESEARCH METHOD

3.1. Sampling method

The sample selected to test the influence of soft skills consists of one group of respondents:
graduated students themselves.

3.2. Sample and data collection

This paper investigates the impact of soft skills on graduates who enter the labor force. A
total of 100 people took part in this survey. These are people who have graduated from
Vietnam's universities and colleges and have been working. The sample contains 17 people
who are not working and 73 people who are working. A total of 27 soft skill qualities were
employed to check its impact on students who went on to work at the business, and these
attributes were grouped into four core skills competencies i.e. (1) communication skills, (2)
intellectual skills, (3) leadership skills, (4) job attitude.

A series of survey questions was distributed online to those who work in firms after
graduating from university or college. Item 1 of the survey is a filter question - in order to
appropriately identify the target survey audience and prevent waste respondents' time;
Section 2 refers to survey respondents' personal information; and Section 3 allows
respondents to evaluate their own soft skills.

3.3. Measurement

We adapted scales available in the literature for the study variables. All items were rated
on a Likert 5-points scale (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree) and a Categorical
scale.

Communication skill was measured by 4 items adapted.

Intellectual skills were measured by 5 items adapted

Leadership skills was measured by 3 items adapted

Job attitude was measured by 4 items adapted

 19

3.4. Data analysis procedure

JASP (Joint Analytical Support Package) software was used to evaluate 9 item responses.
JASP is a free and open-source statistical analysis program provided by the University of
Amsterdam. It’s meant to be straightforward to use, and familiar to users of SPSS. It
provides typical analytical techniques in both conventional and Bayesian versions. Prior to
the final data analysis, the obtained data was normalized using skewness and standard
error. The variance's homogeneity has been checked, and charts for data screening have
been created to enable further data analysis.

The demographic distributions of survey participants are shown in Table 1. As

demonstrated, the percentage of male employees is 2% lower than the percentage of
female employees. In particular, the number of males in the study is 46, while the
number of women is 48. Furthermore, 7.6 percent of the research sample members
had less than a year of experience, 54,35 percent had 1-3 years, 28,26 percent had 4-
6 years, 5,4 percent had 7-9 years, 3,3 percent had 10-12 years, and 1 percent had
more than 12 years.
 20

Number of
No. Answers Frequency answers

Female 51.06% 48
1 Gender
Male 48.94% 46

Less than a year 7.61% 7

1 to 3 54.35% 50

Year of working
2 4 to 6 28.26% 26
Experience

7 to 9 5.43% 5

10 to 12 3.26% 3

More than 12
years 1.09% 1

Table 3.1: Sample Characteristics Data Summary (n= 92)

 21

CHAPTER 4

RESULTS

4.1. Descriptive statistics

The standard deviation values of the variables provided in Table 2 demonstrate minor
differences in expert judgments. Furthermore, the arithmetic means range from 3 to 4, with
a preference for 4 (which corresponds to "Agree").

According to Table 2, the majority of respondents have excellent Communication Skills

(M = 3.622, SD =.785) and Leadership Skills (M = 3.681, SD =.743), but their Intellectual
Skills and Job Attitude are lower (M = 3.796, SD =.56); (M = 3.766, SD = 0.67),
respectively.

Mean SD

Gender 0.489 0.503

Work Experience 3.134 2.683

Communication Skills 3.622 0.785

Intellectual Skills 3.796 0.56

Leadership Skills 3.681 0.743

Job Attitude 3.766 0.67

 22

Table 4.1: Mean and Standard Deviation

 Correlation test

The correlation test assesses the degree of relationship between or among the variables
under consideration. Table 3 findings of the correlation between the study variables
demonstrate a positive link between the variables and the research dimensions at a
significance level of 0.05. This contributes to preliminary support for the study's
hypotheses. Furthermore, these findings demonstrate that the data is reliable for further
statistical analyses, notably for evaluating the study hypotheses.

According to table 3, OE was significantly associated to all four SK variables. The

estimated coefficient from CS was.578(p.001), the estimated coefficient from IL
was.589(p.001), and the estimated coefficient from LD was.646(p.001). Finally, OE was
shown to be significantly associated to JA (r=.699, p.001).

Table 3 shows that AO was significantly connected to all four SK variables. The estimated
coefficient from CS was.489(p.001), the estimated coefficient from IL was.543(p.001), and
the estimated coefficient from LD was.455(p.001). Finally, AO was shown to be
significantly associated to JA (r=.531, p.001).The table 3 indicates that PL was significant
related to all four factors of SK. To be specific, the estimated coefficient from CS
was .479(p < .001), the estimated coefficient from IL was .500(p < .001) and the estimated
coefficient from LD was .482(p < .001). Finally, PL was significant related to JA (r= .523,
p < .001).

Table 3 shows that CS 12 was significantly connected to all four SK variables. To be

specific, the estimated coefficient from CS was .495(p < .001), the estimated coefficient
from IL was .604(p < .001) and the estimated coefficient from LD was .571(p < .001).
Finally, CS 12 was shown to be significantly associated to JA (r=.629, p.001).
 23

Table 3 shows that B was significantly connected to all four SK variables. The estimated
coefficient from CS was.393 (p.001), the estimated coefficient from IL was.537 (p.001),
and the estimated coefficient from LD was.494 (p.001). Finally, B was shown to be
significantly associated to JA (r=.443, p.001).

Table 4.2: Correlation Analysis Results

 24

CHAPTER 5

DISCUSSION

5.1. Summary of findings

The aims of this research and the strategies utilized to attain them may be stated in Table.
The first goal was met, resulting in four key soft skills. The second goal was met, resulting
in four acceptable hypotheses, as shown in Table.

Objectives Results

To investigate the impact and importance The most influencing soft skills on
of soft skills on employability and define employability is
the most influencing soft skills
 25

Table 5.1. Research Objectives and Findings Summary

H Hypotheses Results

H1 There is a relationship Supported

between Communication
skills and Employability

H2 There is a relationship Supported

between Intellectual skills
and Employability

H3 There is a relationship Supported

between Leadership skills
and Employability

H4 There is a relationship Supported

between Job Attitude and
Employability
 26

Table 5.2. Summary of Accepted Hypotheses

Soft skills have become more important in a variety of settings, notably in terms of
professional success and employability. Employer demand indicates that graduates' hard
skills, or occupation-specific competencies, are insufficient to fulfill the needs of the
current labor market. Employers favor graduates with rapid learning skills, flexibility, and
adaptability to handle and succeed in changing markets.

Hard skills are another important component of employability since they guide the person
to job circumstances. However, because training institutes concentrate hard skills over soft
skills as graduation criteria, graduates and students often lack soft skills, making it difficult
to get employment. Finally, the following soft skills have a significant impact on
employability and work competency: communication skills, intellectual talents, leadership
skills, and attitude toward the job.

5.2. Limitations

The question of graduates' employability and soft skills has always sparked a
lot of interest in the educational realm. Understanding that issue, our team
performed this research to learn more about the factors of employability, as
well as to expose the graduate's employability issues from Vietnam, a
developing country. Certain constraints constrain the conclusions of this
study.

To begin, the technique used to gather data may have an impact on the
findings, as we learned after completing the results interpretation that the data
collecting approach we used precluded us from doing a full study of the
findings.
 27

Second, the challenges in finding the reason, because qualitative research

requires careful preparation to achieve trustworthy results, while quantitative
data cannot be quantitatively examined. This type of research depends on
judgment and opinion rather than data. Furthermore, because each qualitative
study is unique, it is difficult to replicate them.

Finally, due to time and scope limits, we were unable to have personal
experience and engagement with our target participants, which may have
resulted in our study not being specialized in the influence of soft skills on
graduate employment.

5.3. Future research

This study focuses on graduate students' soft skill acquisition and

employability. More research may be done to discover the relationship
between the use of soft skills and other managerial abilities, which were
tested in this study to examine the direct association connections between the
variables. However, utilizing mediation, the study might be further
broadened. Because only the students' perceptions are taken into account.
Future research might improve on the findings of this study by including
responses from graduates, businesses, and professionals to better understand
the value of soft skills in the workplace.
 28

Similarly, the outcomes of this study highlighted the need to enhance

awareness among key stakeholders-students/graduates, employers, and HEIs.
In this study, we deliberately included students and graduates to emphasize
the importance of strengthening students' soft skills and to better understand
what employers demand Businesses were asked to assess pupils. Employers
should plan ahead of time and establish their goals when hiring recent grads.
It arose from the judgment that HEIs do not adequately prepare students for
the labor market or properly communicate the need of developing soft skills
to them. These findings are consistent with Andrews and Higson's (2008)
research on graduates' and employers' perceptions of graduates' employability
in four European countries. The authors stress the need of HEIs doing more to
boost graduate employability and advise them to implement work-based
learning programs to provide students with their first job experience and
increase their career prospects.

The findings also reveal that the importance of soft skills vs technical/hard
talents differs greatly between firms and graduates/students. There were
obvious differences between the two populations when they were compared.
Companies place a premium on professionalism, ethics, flexibility to change,
creativity and invention, customer/user orientation, and teamwork, whereas
students place a premium on contact networks and dispute resolution.
 29

The two stakeholder groups often represent different generations and have
differing degrees of employment experience. Future research might go further
into these two topics to understand more about the factors that influence how
employers and graduates view certain soft talents. To overcome the
constraints caused by just employing respondents from a single business
school, future research might widen the sample by integrating more student
groups from diverse HEIs. The variety of the sample has been a fundamental
strength of this study, which might be expanded to include other European or
non-European nations.

5.4. Suggestions and recommendations

We also see the influence of soft skills on new graduates in the workplace. It has a direct
impact on work possibilities as well as professional progression. Students' attitudes about
gaining soft skills via:

(i) Provide soft skills classes for pupils beginning while they are still in school.

(ii) Create a network of alumni and groups that combine a variety of expertise to assist
students.

(iii) Creating student skill training centers

 Practical education

According to our findings, social norms have a good effect on students' work environment
skills. Every student at the institution should soon have a variety of abilities to serve on the
job following graduation. Universities should also include soft skills clubs and contests, as
well as courses on the value of soft skills. This can help pupils understand the value of soft
skills in addition to understanding specialist disciplines. They must also prioritize the
selection of qualified lecturers, visitors, and experienced speakers to transfer knowledge to
pupils. Because our research demonstrates that soft skills are vital for job growth.

 Improve business conditions

 30

Knowing that soft skills are necessary for employability, a few initiatives may be done to
correct soft skill inadequacies. To increase graduate employment rates, efforts should be
made by the institution, industry, government, and students. It is strongly recommended
that colleges and companies collaborate to address the problem of unemployment caused
by a lack of soft skills. In order to encourage increased collaboration, the government
should provide incentives to both industry and academics. It may take the form of a tax
credit for money spent on such partnerships and training, or it could take the shape of
assistance for universities to improve their facilities to accommodate industry-relevant
training and research.

 Raise awareness
 31

CHAP 6

CONCLUSIONS

According to the study results, the majority of college students evaluate their soft skill
competency as excellent. Employers and recent graduates alike think that possessing soft
skills is critical for finding work after graduation. Employers recruit college graduates
expecting some degree of knowledge in applied soft skills, but they frequently express
concern that graduates lack these skills or have exaggerated their level of competency.
Future study is needed to corroborate the criteria that students use to assess their abilities in
order to provide a remedy to the "soft skills gap."
 32

REFERENCES

Becker, G. S. (2009). Human capital: A theoretical and empirical analysis, with

special reference to education, University of Chicago press.

Bee, O. K. and T. S. Hie (2015). "Employers' emphasis on technical skills and soft
skills in job advertisements." The English Teacher 44(1): 1.

Bridgstock, R. (2009). "The graduate attributes we’ve overlooked: Enhancing

graduate employability through career management skills." Higher Education
Research & Development 28(1): 31-44.

Cimatti, B. (2016). "Definition, development, assessment of soft skills and their role
for the quality of organizations and enterprises." International Journal for quality
research 10(1): 97.

Fahimirad, M., et al. (2019). "Integration and Development of Employability Skills

into Malaysian Higher Education Context: Review of the Literature." International
Journal of Higher Education 8(6): 26-35.

Gibb, S. (2014). "Soft skills assessment: Theory development and the research
agenda." International journal of lifelong education 33(4): 455-471.

Jonck, P. (2014). "A human capital evaluation of graduates from the Faculty of
Management Sciences employability skills in South Africa." Academic Journal of
Interdisciplinary Studies 3(6): 265-265.

Muraven, M. and R. F. Baumeister (2000). "Self-regulation and depletion of limited

resources: Does self-control resemble a muscle?" Psychological bulletin 126(2):
247.

Pachauri, D. and A. Yadav (2014). "Importance of soft skills in teacher education

programme." International journal of educational research and technology 5(1): 22-
25.
 33

Robles, M. M. (2012). "Executive perceptions of the top 10 soft skills needed in

today’s workplace." Business communication quarterly 75(4): 453-465.

Salleh, K. M., et al. (2016). "Generic skills of technical undergraduates and

industrial employers perceptions in Malaysia." International Journal of Applied
Business and Economic Research 14(14): 907-919.

Yorke, M. (2006). Employability in higher education: what it is-what it is not,

Higher Education Academy York.

Tsaoussi, A. I. (2020). Using soft skills courses to inspire law teachers: a new
methodology for a more humanistic legal education. The Law Teacher, 54(1), 1-30
34