Date of Graduation

2002

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

Committee Chair

Tesfa G. Gebremedhin

Abstract

This research analyzes effects of firm demographics and local labor market characteristics on a firm’s selection of college graduate recruitment techniques. A survey of West Virginia businesses expected to employ relatively more college graduates was administered to gauge differences in characteristics of businesses participating in formal college graduate recruitment programs versus those that do not. Descriptive statistics and a multinomial logistic regression model reveal that larger establishments and businesses with a higher percentage of employees with a college degree utilize formal college graduate techniques in the employee search process. As a matter of policy, the availability of college graduates from local higher education institutions is beneficial to firms, graduates, and the local region because it: 1) allows businesses to make more accurate assessments of their location/expansion potential due to a skilled and qualified workforce; 2) provides local employment possibilities for graduates; and 3) expands the local region’s tax base.

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