Faculty Perceptions of Business Communication Skills and Needs of Management Students

Abstract

It is unanimously agreed that a business communication curriculum plays an important role in preparing students for the workforce in the corporate (Pittenger, Khushwant K. S.; Miller, Mary C. & Allison, Jesse, 2006; Zhao, Jensen J. & Alexander, Melody W., 2004). However, Student population in India undertaking a program in business management primarily comprises those for whom English is a second language. In this scenario, it becomes extremely important to analyze how the faculty teaching business management students perceive the course of business communication and students' possession of business communication skills (Plutsky, Susan & Wilson, Barbara A., 1996). In this connection, very little work has been done on the perceptions of faculty teaching business management students in India. What are the areas of business communication curriculum which faculty perceives as important? What are those areas of business communication in which faculty feel students are more competent? Should something be added to the curriculum to make it more effective? This study enters this discussion by presenting a small empirical study of a faculty's perception of the business communication needs of students. A sample of 93 faculty members, teaching with AICTE accredited management institutions in India have expressed their opinion on the said issue by way of questionnaires. The ultimate goal is to reorient the curriculum of business communication according to the findings of the present study.