Amplifying Business Administration Students’ Voice: A Needs Analysis of ESP Requirements in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

This quantitative research study aimed to establish business administration students' perceptions of the English for Specific Purposes (ESP) requirements. A questionnaire comprising 20 Likert-scale items was administered to a purposively selected sample of 359 participants: 52 males and 307 females. Statistical tests, including means, standard deviations, rankings, and regression, were used to analyze the data. The findings indicate that the most crucial ESP requirements are good interpersonal communication skills, business terminology, and the ability to engage in group discussions. A personalized ESP program is required, as distinctive learning experiences significantly impact cultural learning preferences. A regression analysis shows a positive correlation between ESP perceptions and other learning strategies, indicating that ESP plays a significant role in global academic and professional success. This outlines the need to include students’ views to ensure that business administration is more student-friendly and enhances language acquisition. It also assists the instructors and curriculum designers to design tailor-made English-as-a-second-language classes to different students. This study underscores the importance of tailoring ESP curricula to students' unique learning experiences and preferences, emphasizing ESP's role in enhancing global academic and professional success. By focusing on student-centered approaches, it provides educators and curriculum developers with valuable insights for designing effective ESP programs for business administration students.