Leadership Development and Workplace Preparedness among MBA Students: A Qualitative Thematic Analysis

Abstract

Leadership development has emerged as a fundamental objective of modern MBA education as organizations increasingly seek professionals who can navigate complexity, innovation, and organizational change. This study explores MBA students' perceptions and experiences regarding leadership development and its contribution to workplace success. Using a qualitative research design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 40 MBA students affiliated with Mohammed V University in Rabat, Morocco (Faculty of Legal, Economic and Social Sciences-Souissi), from diverse educational and professional backgrounds. The collected data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis framework. The findings generated eight interconnected themes: motivations for MBA enrollment, perceptions of leadership, the significance of leadership development, experiential learning, challenges in leadership formation, leadership and employability, recommendations for program enhancement, and essential leadership competencies. The results reveal that students perceive leadership as transformational, collaborative, and ethically grounded rather than authoritarian. Experiential learning activities such as teamwork, presentations, simulations, and workshops were considered particularly effective in strengthening communication, critical thinking, adaptability, and decision-making abilities. Participants also emphasized the importance of mentorship, coaching, collaboration, and practical exposure in bridging the gap between academic learning and workplace realities. Despite encountering challenges such as communication barriers, cultural diversity issues, and balancing academic and professional responsibilities, students viewed these experiences as opportunities for resilience and personal growth. The study contributes to the growing scholarship on leadership education by highlighting the importance of integrating experiential, reflective, and interpersonal learning approaches into MBA curricula. The findings suggest that leadership development should extend beyond theoretical instruction to include authentic professional experiences that enhance workplace readiness and managerial effectiveness. By examining leadership development within the Moroccan higher education context, this study contributes to the body of qualitative research on MBA leadership education in non-Western contexts and provides context-specific insights that can enhance curriculum design, leadership training, and graduate employability initiatives.