Exploring the impact of literacy on business education and job-readiness: an examination of the reading comprehension skills of first year university students

Abstract

Despite a growing literature on the challenge for business schools to recruit students, the impact of accreditation and ranking on enrolment in business schools, and the connection between post-secondary education and participation and productivity in the labor market, little research has been conducted to examine the relationship between the drive for student numbers, student requisite skill levels, and jobreadiness. This paper examines the reading comprehension skills of first year students using data collected at an Atlantic Canadian liberal arts university. When comparing data by programs, the results suggest that business students possess slightly lower reading comprehension levels compared to students in other faculties. The implications of the findings relate to student success, faculty teaching, institutional integrity, and job-readiness.