TY - BOOK

T1 - Social Media Literacy for Raising Employability in Today’s Competitive Labour Market

T2 - Meeting Stakeholders’ Expectations and Market Needs

AU - Al-Kharusi, Ibtisam

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - Higher education systems in different countries worldwide have undergoneimportant changes and transformations in response to the economic structuresof their respective societies, indicating that there is a need to prepare futuregraduates to meet the market’s demands and employers’ requirements. Thus,the importance attached to the concept of ‘employability’ has been widelyexplored in higher education contexts. This concern can be justified by the greatdemand for highly qualified workers who can contribute to the labour market byboosting innovation and productivity, particularly in the light of the profoundtechnological advances that have affected every facet of life. In this context, aconsiderable amount of interdisciplinary literature highlights the role played bydigital media in enhancing employability attributes. This thesis examines how social media (SM) may help business graduatesbecome more employable. It seeks to determine how social media literacy (SML)improves job searchers' competitiveness in the contemporary cut-throat digitaleconomy. The abilities and qualities the business sector seeks were investigatedby examining job advertisements for business roles found on the Internet. Inaddition, semi-structured interviews were conducted with employers andbusiness graduates to explore their views on the possible effects of SM onemployment. The findings confirmed that there is indeed a link between SM and employability.The study emphasised the value of SML in developing job searchers’employability skills (human capital) and providing them with job opportunities(social capital). Furthermore, it confirmed that social media platforms givelearners opportunities for self-directed learning and support the growth of theirself-efficacy and autonomy. Social media can, therefore, enhance aspects of thecurriculum and establish industry partnerships to improve higher educationinstitution (HEI) practices, bridging the gap between academic practices andindustry demands and ensuring that graduates are well-prepared for futureworkplaces.

AB - Higher education systems in different countries worldwide have undergoneimportant changes and transformations in response to the economic structuresof their respective societies, indicating that there is a need to prepare futuregraduates to meet the market’s demands and employers’ requirements. Thus,the importance attached to the concept of ‘employability’ has been widelyexplored in higher education contexts. This concern can be justified by the greatdemand for highly qualified workers who can contribute to the labour market byboosting innovation and productivity, particularly in the light of the profoundtechnological advances that have affected every facet of life. In this context, aconsiderable amount of interdisciplinary literature highlights the role played bydigital media in enhancing employability attributes. This thesis examines how social media (SM) may help business graduatesbecome more employable. It seeks to determine how social media literacy (SML)improves job searchers' competitiveness in the contemporary cut-throat digitaleconomy. The abilities and qualities the business sector seeks were investigatedby examining job advertisements for business roles found on the Internet. Inaddition, semi-structured interviews were conducted with employers andbusiness graduates to explore their views on the possible effects of SM onemployment. The findings confirmed that there is indeed a link between SM and employability.The study emphasised the value of SML in developing job searchers’employability skills (human capital) and providing them with job opportunities(social capital). Furthermore, it confirmed that social media platforms givelearners opportunities for self-directed learning and support the growth of theirself-efficacy and autonomy. Social media can, therefore, enhance aspects of thecurriculum and establish industry partnerships to improve higher educationinstitution (HEI) practices, bridging the gap between academic practices andindustry demands and ensuring that graduates are well-prepared for futureworkplaces.

U2 - 10.17635/lancaster/thesis/2475

DO - 10.17635/lancaster/thesis/2475

M3 - Doctoral Thesis

PB - Lancaster University

ER -