Abstract
Employability skills are a significant concern for both graduates and practitioners. However, there is limited research on identifying and prioritizing factors affecting employability from experts’ perspectives, particularly in emerging economies. To prioritize the perceived employability skills of stakeholders’, a hybrid fuzzy AHP-TOPSIS approach was used from the perspective of subject experts rather than just relying on the student’s perspective. Criteria and sub-criteria are identified and finalized with the help of the literature and the expert’s opinions. 45 experts’ (industry, academician, and students) opinions are taken into consideration. Secondly, fuzzy AHP is implemented to get the weights of identified criteria and sub-criteria to rank them. Thirdly, these weights are used in the fuzzy TOPSIS approach to rank the five alternatives. ‘Soft Skills’ is the most important criteria and ‘Personal Qualities’ is the least important criteria having the normalized weight of 0.355 and 0.043 respectively. The most important sub-criteria among all sub-criteria are ‘Innovation Skills’ followed by ‘Methodological Skills’. The least important sub-criteria is ‘Self-Esteem’. This unique empirical study identifies factors impacting graduate employability, prioritizes criteria and sub-criteria, and recommends the optimal candidate using an integrated fuzzy AHP-TOPSIS approach.

Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.Data availability
Data is available to the reviewers on the request.
References
Alessandri, S., Yang, S., & Kinsey, D. (2006). An integrative approach to university visual identity and reputation. Corporate Reputation Review, 9(4), 258–270.
Álvarez-González, P., López-Miguens, M. J., & Caballero, G. (2017). Perceived employability in university students: Developing an integrated model. Career Development International, 22(3), 280–299.
Asghar, M. Z., Subhan, F., Ahmad, H., Khan, W. Z., Hakak, S., Gadekallu, T. R., & Alazab, M. (2021). Senti-eSystem: A sentiment-based eSystem-using hybridized fuzzy and deep neural network for measuring customer satisfaction. Software - Practice and Experience, 51(3), 571–594. https://doi.org/10.1002/spe.2853.
Balaji, K. V. A., & Somashekar, P. (2009). A comparative study of soft skills among engineers. The IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 3(3 and 4), 50–57.
Berntson, E., & Marklund, S. (2007). The relationship between perceived employability and subsequent health. Work & Stress, 21, 279–292.
Blom, A., & Saeki, H. (2011). Employability and skill set of newly graduated engineers in India.
Byrne, Z. S., Weston, J. W., & Cave, K. (2020). Development of a scale for measuring students’ attitudes towards learning professional (ie, soft) skills. Research in Science Education, 50, 1417–1433.
Callanan, G., & Benzing, C. (2004). Assessing the role of internships in the career-oriented employment of graduating college students. Education and Training, 86(2), 82–89.
Chang, D. Y. (1996). Applications of the extent analysis method on fuzzy AHP. European Journal of Operational Research, 95(3), 649–655. https://doi.org/10.1016/0377-2217(95)00300-2.
Clarke, M. (2018). Rethinking graduate employability: The role of capital, individual attributes and context. Studies in Higher Education, 43(11), 1923–1937.
Das, S. K. M., & Velmurugan, R. (2019). Skill for Employability among MBA Students, the gap between skill and employability: A study conducted among MBA students and employers. Journal of Adv Research in Dynamical & Control Systems, 11(7), 1–7.
de Cuyper, N., Baillien, E., & de Witte, H. (2009a). Job insecurity, perceived employability and targets’ and perpetrators’ experiences of workplace bullying. Work and Stress, 23(3), 206–224. https://doi.org/10.1080/02678370903257578.
De Cuyper, N., Notelaers, G., & De Witte, H. (2009b). Job insecurity and employability in fixed-term contractors, agency workers, and permanent workers: Associations with job satisfaction and affective organizational commitment. J Occupat Health Psychol, 14, 193–205.
De Vos, A., & Soens, N. (2008). Protean attitude and career success: The mediating role of self-management. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 73(3), 449–456.
De Vos, A., De Hauw, S., & Van der Heijden, B. I. (2011). Competency development and career success: The mediating role of employability. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 79(2), 438–447.
Fajaryati, N., & Akhyar, M. (2020). The employability skills needed to face the demands of work in the future: Systematic literature reviews. Open Engineering, 10(1), 595–603.
Finch, D. J., Hamilton, L. K., Baldwin, R., & Zehner, M. (2013). An exploratory study of factors affecting undergraduate employability. Education and Training, 55(7), 681–704. https://doi.org/10.1108/ET-07-2012-0077.
Gault, J., Leach, E., & Duey, M. (2010). Effects of business internships on job marketability: The employers’ perspective. Education and Training, 52(1), 76–88.
Harvey, L. (2001). Defining and measuring employability. Quality in Higher Education, 7(2), 97–109.
Hillage, J., & Pollard, E. (1998). Employability: developing a framework for policy analysis. In London: DfEE (Vol. 107). https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/RB85.pdf. Accessed 10 June 2022.
Huang, Y., & Lin, C. (2011). Management trainee core competencies in the hospitality industry: Differences between managers and scholars. Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality and Tourism, 10(1), 1–13.
Huang, C., & Yoon, K. (1981). Attribute multiple decision making. Springer.
Ismail, Z., Ahmad, A. S., & Ahmi, A. (2020). Perceived employability skills of accounting graduates: The insights from employers. Elementary Education Online, 19(4), 36–41.
Jackson, D., & Wilton, N. (2017). Perceived employability among undergraduates and the importance of career self-management, work experience and individual characteristics. Higher Education Research & Development, 36(4), 747–762.
Kelly, S. (2007). Employer engagement in the further education sector. Tertiary Education and Management, 8(4), 261–276.
Kenayathulla, H. B., & Idris, A. R. (2019). Gaps between competence and importance of employability skills: Evidence from Malaysia. Higher Education Evaluation and Development, 13(2), 97–112. https://doi.org/10.1108/HEED-08-2019-0039.
Kilgour, M., & Koslow, S. (2009). Why and how do creative thinking techniques work?: Trading off originality and appropriateness to make more creative advertising. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 37(3), 298–309.
Kukreja, V. (2022a). Fuzzy AHP-TOPSIS approaches to prioritize teaching solutions for intellect errors. Journal of Engineering Education Transformations, 35(4), 50–58.
Kukreja, V. (2022b). Hybrid fuzzy AHP–TOPSIS approach to prioritizing solutions for inverse reinforcement learning. Complex & Intelligent Systems. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40747-022-00807-5.
Kumar, R., & Khurana, K. (2017). ScienceDirect Employability Skills among Information Technology Professionals: A Literature Review. Information Technology and Quantitative Management, 2(122), 63–70.
Laker, D. R., & Powell, J. L. (2011). The differences between hard and soft skills and their relative impact on training transfer. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 22(1), 111–122.
Lievens, F., & Sackett, P. R. (2012). The validity of interpersonal skills assessment via situational judgment tests for predicting academic success and job performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 97(2), 460.
Malhotra, R., Massoudi, M., & Jindal, R. (2023). Shifting from traditional engineering education towards competency-based approach: The most recommended approach-review. Educ Inf Technol. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-022-11568-6.
McQuaid, R. W., & Lindsay, C. (2005). The concept of employability. Urban Studies, 42(2), 197–219.
Mittal, A., Mantri, A., Tandon, U., & Dwivedi, Y. K. (2022). A unified perspective on the adoption of online
Moyo, B., & Özgit, H. (2022). Tourism graduate students’ employability skills: Results and implications of a zimbabwean study. Journal of Psychology in Africa, 32(3), 268–274.
Nuijten, M. P., Poell, R. F., & Alfes, K. (2017). Extracurricular activities of dutch university students and their effect on employment opportunities as perceived by both students and Organizations. International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 25(4), 360–370.
Patil, S. K., & Kant, R. (2014). A fuzzy AHP-TOPSIS framework for ranking the solutions of Knowledge Management adoption in Supply Chain to overcome its barriers. Expert Systems With Applications, 41(2), 679–693. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2013.07.093.
Petruzziello, G., Mariani, M. G., Guglielmi, D., van der Heijden, B. I., de Jong, J. P., & Chiesa, R. (2023). The role of teaching staff in fostering perceived employability of university students. Studies in Higher Education, 48(1), 20–36.
Qenani, E., MacDougall, N., & Sexton, C. (2014). An empirical study of self-perceived employability: Improving the prospects for student employment success in an uncertain environment. Active Learning in Higher Education, 15(3), 199–213.
Rampasso, I. S., Siqueira, R. G., Anholon, R., Silva, D., Quelhas, O. L. G., Leal Filho, W., & Brandli, L. L. (2019). Some of the challenges in implementing education for Sustainable Development: Perspectives from brazilian engineering students. International Journal of Sustainable Development and World Ecology, 26(4), 367–376. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504509.2019.1570981.
Raut, R., Cheikhrouhou, N., & Kharat, M. (2017). Sustainability in the Banking Industry: A Strategic Multi-Criterion Analysis. Business Strategy and the Environment, 26(4), 550–568. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.1946.
Reid, J. R., & Anderson, P. R. (2012). Critical thinking in the business classroom. Journal of Education for Business, 87(1), 52–59.
Robinson, J. P. (2000). What are employability skills. The Workplace, 1(3), 1–3.
Römgens, I., Scoupe, R., & Beausaert, S. (2020). Unraveling the concept of employability, bringing together research on employability in higher education and the workplace. Studies in Higher Education, 45(12), 2588–2603.
Rothwell, A., & Arnold, J. (2007). Self-perceived employability: Development and validation of a scale. Personnel Review, 36(1), 23–41. https://doi.org/10.1108/00483480710716704.
Rothwell, A., Herbert, I., & Rothwell, F. (2008). Self-perceived employability: Construction and initial validation of a scale for university students. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 73(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2007.12.001.
Rothwell, A., Jewell, S., & Hardie, M. (2009). Self-perceived employability: Investigating the responses of post-graduate students. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 75(2), 152–161.
Sahin, N., Sahin, N. H., & Heppner, P. P. (1993). Psychometric properties of the problem solving inventory in a group of turkish university students. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 17(4), 379–396.
Silla, I., De Cuyper, N., Gracia, F., Peiró, J. M., & De Witte, H. (2009). Job insecurity and well – being: Moderation by employability. J Happ Stud, 10, 739–751.
Singh, P. K., & Sarkar, P. (2019). A framework based on fuzzy AHP-TOPSIS for prioritizing solutions to overcome the barriers in the implementation of ecodesign practices in SMEs. International Journal of Sustainable Development and World Ecology, 26(6), 506–521. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504509.2019.1605547.
Sinha, S., Ghosh, P., & Mishra, A. (2020). Employability of fresh engineering graduates in India A fresh look applying expectation. Education and Training, 62(1), 47–63. https://doi.org/10.1108/ET-12-2018-0265.
Sirisawat, P., & Kiatcharoenpol, T. (2018). Fuzzy AHP-TOPSIS approaches to prioritizing solutions for reverse logistics barriers. Computers and Industrial Engineering, 117(April 2017), 303–318. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cie.2018.01.015.
Sokhanvar, Z., Salehi, K., & Sokhanvar, F. (2021). Advantages of authentic assessment for improving the learning experience and employability skills of higher education students: A systematic literature review. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 70, 101030.
Succi, C. (2018). Are you ready to find a job? Ranking of a list of soft skills to enhance graduates’ employability. International Journal of Human Resources Development and Management, 19(3), 281–297.
Succi, C., & Canovi, M. (2020). Soft skills to enhance graduate employability: Comparing students and employers’ perceptions. Studies in Higher Education, 45(9), 1834–1847.
Tandon, U., Mittal, A., Bhandari, H., & Bansal, K. (2022). E-learning adoption by undergraduate architecture
Teng, W., Ma, C., Pahlevansharif, S., & Turner, J. J. (2019). Graduate readiness for the employability, employment market of the 4th industrial revolution: The development of soft skills. Education and Training, 61(5), 590–604.
Thang, & Minh Vo Phan. (2016). Higher education, skills and work-based learning article information : Higher education. Skills and Work-Based Learning, 62(2), 1–18.
Vanhercke, D., De Cuyper, N., Peeters, E., & De Witte, H. (2014). Defining perceived employability: A psychological approach. Personnel Review, 43(4), 592–605.
Viberg, O., Engström, L., Saqr, M., & Hrastinski, S. (2022). Exploring students’ expectations of learning analytics: A person-centered approach. Educ Inf Technol, 27, 8561–8581. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-022-10980-2.
Wang, X. (2015). A comprehensive decision making model for the evaluation of green operations initiatives. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 95, 191–207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2015.02.004.
Wang, X., Song, Y., Zhang, X., & Liu, H. (2019). Optimization of Subsidy Policy for New Energy Automobile Industry in China based on an Integrated Fuzzy-AHP-TOPSIS methodology. Mathematical Problems in Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/4304806.
Wittekind, A., Raeder, S., & Grote, G. (2010). A longitudinal study of determinants of perceived employability. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 31(4), 31.
Yeves, J., Bargsted, M., Cortes, L., Merino, C., & Cavada, G. (2019). Age and perceived employability as moderators of job insecurity and job satisfaction: A moderated moderation model. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 799.
Yorke, M. (2006). Emplyability in Higher Education: What It Is-What It Is Not.
Yusoff, Y. M., Omar, M. Z., Zaharim, A., Mohamed, A., & Muhamad, N. (2012). Formulation in evaluating the technical skills of engineering graduates. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 60, 493–499.
CMIE (2022). Unemployment Rate in India.
teaching in higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic.Information Discovery and Delivery, 50(2),117–132.
students: Facilitators and inhibitors.Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 29(10),4287–4312.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
No funding is available for doing this research work. The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. The authors declare that no potential conflicts of interest (financial or non-financial).
Competing interests
The authors have no competing interests to declare that are relevant to the content of this article.
Additional information
Publisher’s note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Bhattacherjee, A., Kukreja, V. & Aggarwal, A. Stakeholders’ perspective towards employability: a hybrid fuzzy AHP-TOPSIS Approach. Educ Inf Technol 29, 2157–2181 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-11858-7
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-11858-7