Toward Effective Management: Communication as a Key Managerial Skill in Business Administration Programs

Abstract

The development of managerial competencies has become a key factor in improving organizational performance, particularly due to its strong connection with soft skills rather than technical or mechanical abilities. This trend reflects a growing demand in management education programs, where the focus is increasingly placed on strengthening abilities such as effective communication. Several studies in leadership and management agree that enhancing these types of competencies—especially when promoted from the highest levels of organizational leadership—is essential to meet the challenges faced by contemporary organizations. In this context, the aim of this study is to describe the level of communication competencies among Business Administration students, based on the model proposed by Hellriegel, Jackson, and Slocum (2017). The research was conducted in two private universities in the department of Caldas, Colombia, where these aspects had not been systematically explored. A cross-sectional quantitative approach was adopted, using the instrument developed by the aforementioned authors and applied to a non-probabilistic convenience sample of students from both academic programs. The results reveal that communication competence is at an average level. The findings open the door to curriculum discussions and offer valuable insights for rethinking training processes in business education, aligned with the current demands of managerial practice.