Navigating the Digital Landscape: A Study on Management Students’ Reading Behaviour

Abstract

The digital age is reshaping student reading habits, especially in management education, focusing on accessibility, affordability, technology, and mindset. This study examines how digital learning resources affect management students' reading habits, challenging the notion that students should only read textbooks. Despite the widespread availability of online reading materials, only some studies have explored how management students' reading habits are changing. This study used a mixed research design, starting with qualitative interviews with 20 management students to identify themes, which were then used to develop and validate a questionnaire with 20 experts. The questionnaire was then administered to 200 management students from public and private universities in Punjab, India. The findings identified four key factors influencing management students' changing textbook reading habits: convenience, price, technology, and attitude. Regression analysis indicated that attitude was the most significant predictor of changed reading habits, suggesting that promoting a positive attitude towards textbook reading could help counter the impact of digitalization. The study concludes with recommendations for publishers to update content regularly, offer online resources, and consider a hybrid publishing model combining free and premium content to adapt to the digital age and promote inclusive education, aligning with Sustainable Development Goal 4.