Desenvolvimento de competências tecnológicas por estudantes de administração da UFPB Campus III

Abstract

The contemporary labor market is undergoing profound transformations driven by Digital Transformation, requiring business administration professionals to possess an integrated set of technical competencies (hard skills), behavioral competencies (soft skills), and, above all, digital competencies (digital skills). Given this scenario, the general objective of this study was to analyze the development of technological competencies by Business Administration students at Campus III of the Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB). The research adopts a qualitative approach with an exploratory-descriptive nature. For data collection, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight students enrolled between the 4th and 9th terms of the program, and the data were processed using Bardin's Content Analysis framework. The results indicate that, although students recognize the importance of technology for strategic decision-making and business management, an asymmetry in their competency profile prevails: students demonstrate high confidence in their soft skills (highlighting adaptability), but rate their own mastery of digital tools, advanced spreadsheets, and management software as basic or insufficient. Furthermore, a gap was revealed between the theory taught in undergraduate education and the practical demands of the market, aggravated by the predominant use of traditional teaching methodologies and severe technological infrastructure bottlenecks, such as unstable internet, obsolete equipment, and computer labs with restricted access. The study concludes that there is an urgent need to update the curriculum and strengthen campus infrastructure, integrating the practical use of technologies throughout the training process to ensure the adequate preparation of future business administrators for the digital era.