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Abstract
This study examined associations between personal interest, peer influence, family influence, job opportunities, compensation, and career choice decision among management graduates at Tribhuvan University-affiliated campuses in Rupandehi District, Nepal. A quantitative cross-sectional survey analysed 300 questionnaires using SmartPLS 4.0 and PLS-SEM. Findings: Personal interest (beta = 0.194, p = 0.020), family influence (beta = 0.251, p = 0.002), and compensation (beta = 0.183, p = 0.006) had positive statistically significant path estimates. Peer influence (p = 0.084) and job opportunities (p = 0.071) were not statistically significant. The model R-squared was 0.294 (adjusted R-squared = 0.282). Findings are associations within a nonprobability sample and should not be interpreted causally or generalized beyond this context. Please reconcile whether respondents were students, graduates, or both. The study adopted a quantitative research design. A total of 300 respondents were selected from different management programs using convenience sampling techniques. Moreover, a questionnaire was used to collect data from the respondents. The questionnaire was scored on a 7-point Likert scale. Additionally, the study applied the partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) approach using SmartPLS 4.0 software in analysing the data. The analysis revealed that personal interest, family influence, and compensation had a significant effect on the career choice decisions of management graduates. On the other hand, peer influence and job opportunities had no effect on the career choice decisions of the graduates. Hence, the study established that the graduates placed more value on their personal interests, family influence, and compensation than peer influence and job opportunities. The current study adds to the body of knowledge on career choice by providing evidence of the applicability of Social Cognitive Career Theory, Theory of Planned Behavior, and Human Capital Theory in the Nepalese higher-education context. Moreover, the findings have practical implications for universities, career counselors, employers, and policymakers in terms of designing career guidance programs, family career planning interventions, compensation strategies for sustaining desirable occupational choices, and policies that promote congruence between higher-education programs and labour market needs. Keywords: Career choice decision, Management graduates, Personal interest, Family influence, Compensation.
