Developing Professional Readiness in Business Students: An Integrative Framework Linking Cognitive Load Management and Capability Formation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33423/se3cty90Keywords:
higher education, professional readiness, business education, cognitive load management, capability formation, knowledge integration, cognitive load theory, capabilities approach, employabilityAbstract
Professional readiness in business education is often treated as an outcome of course completion, grades, content exposure, or career preparation, yet these markers do not adequately account for how students develop the capacity to translate learning into responsible professional action. This theory-informed conceptual article integrates cognitive load theory, business education scholarship, employability and work-readiness research, and the capabilities approach. It develops the Business Student Professional Readiness Framework, which traces a developmental pathway from learning complexity through cognitive load management, knowledge integration, and capability formation to professional readiness. Four propositions articulate these relationships and, together, establish the framework’s developmental logic.
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