DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF A RIASEC-BASED INSTRUMENT FOR MANAGEMENT CONCENTRATION PREFERENCES AT UNIVERSITAS PENDIDIKAN GANESHA

Abstract

This study explores the development of a RIASEC-based interest inventory aimed at assisting undergraduate management students in selecting an academic concentration aligned with their personality profiles. The increasing need for personalized academic guidance in business education makes this topic both timely and relevant. Despite the availability of academic advising, many students still struggle to make informed decisions about their management concentration—often relying on intuition rather than a structured assessment of vocational interests. Unlike existing RIASEC instruments that are generally used for broad career counseling, this study introduces a tailored psychometric tool specifically designed to differentiate among intra-disciplinary concentrations in management education, a gap that remains underexplored, especially in the Indonesian higher education context. The research employed a quantitative approach using a survey instrument based on the RIASEC model. The development process followed DeVellis’s instrument construction framework and included item generation, expert validation, pilot testing, and psychometric evaluation through Cronbach’s Alpha, and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). The resulting instrument demonstrated strong internal consistency (α = 0.819) and a coherent five-factor structure aligning with RIASEC dimensions. Each factor corresponded to distinct vocational orientations relevant to management specializations, reinforcing its validity for educational use. This study provides a valid and theoretically grounded instrument to support student decision-making in management education. However, the tool's current scope is limited to a small sample within Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha, and further refinement is needed for broader application. The findings offer practical implications for enhancing academic advising and student development strategies in business schools.