Measuring Employers' Satisfaction with Expectation Satisfaction Matrix

Abstract

This paper examines whether employers' expectations and perceptions influence their satisfaction with the skill competencies of fresh engineering graduates (FEGs) in India. Using the expectation satisfaction matrix, we have also explored whether such skill competencies adequately satisfy employers. Data on
employers' expectations and perceptions were collected through a survey of employers' representatives using a structured questionnaire. Expectations from various skillsets under consideration were categorized with exploratory factor analysis. We thus got three latent factors. The regression of these three factors was found to be significantly predicting employers' satisfaction. The indices of expectation and satisfaction of these skillsets were then plotted in the expectation satisfaction matrix to understand their relative positions. Most of the skills fell short of satisfying employers' expectations. Our results prompt us to infer that
industry-academia partnerships need to be an integral feature of any curriculum to bridge the gap between course curricula on one hand and employers' expectations and satisfaction on the other. This study would help higher education institutions and FEGs in enhancing employability of the latter.