Factors Motivating Undergraduates in the Management Field to Pursue Professional Qualifications: Study of the State Universities, Sri Lanka

Abstract

This research study assures the factors influencing the management undergraduate’s intention to pursue a professional qualification upon their graduation. The model of BPC: Belief, Preference, and Constraints factors under the behavioral decision theory (BDT) is used as a factor to influence the intention of undergraduates to pursue professional qualifications. The study was analyzed under the quantitative method by sampling 353 management undergraduates from the University of Kelaniya. The current study shows that the undergraduates’ preference to hold an extra professional qualification, as well as their job prospect belief, social belief, capability belief, and preference factors, are all positively and significantly associated with their intention to pursue a professional qualification. Moreover, indicate that the constraints factor has an impact but a weak impact on the intention of pursuing a professional qualification. This study thus contributes to the management side education literature in Sri Lanka by providing evidence with regards to the major determinants of the management undergraduates’ intentions to pursue a professional qualification. Hence providing insight into students’ career-decision-making process. Extant literature has predominantly focused on developed countries thus this study provides valuable areas from the perspective of developing countries like Sri Lanka. Further, this study utilizes the BDT and BPC which differs from most prior career decision-making studies.