Abstract:

The Postgraduate Vocational Training (PVT) allows to obtain knowledge and skills for professional development in companies. There is evidence that there is a mismatch worldwide between the supply of university graduates and the demand for knowledge and skills in the labour market.

To overcome this mismatch, it is necessary to design jointly, Universities and firms, Continuing Vocational Training Degree Programs (VTDP). This type of cooperation is still rare but very necessary and can generate great value.

The Theory of Dynamic Capabilities Theory explains how by combining resources properly, organizations can deploy capabilities of different nature, such as the ability to detect market needs, absorptive capacity, assimilation of these needs, integration of resources and innovation. The relational coordination model explains better results for those organizations that take special care to share objectives with other agents that benefit from their initiatives, where there is mutual respect for needs and opportunities, as well as effective communication.

In this work, through the application of these two organizational approaches, the factors that make the Master in Logistic Processes Management SAP (MPLSAP) a successful initiative in University-Enterprise cooperation are described. This research helps to better understand the factors that allow the implementation and consolidation of University Degrees that respond to the need to attract professional talent by companies and offer careers with great opportunities for employment of quality to students.

Through the description of the academic processes of the program, the organizational and coordination mechanisms that allow to reach the four outstanding dynamic capabilities, and increase the levels of relational coordination, the main critical success factors of MPLSAP are identified and analysed.

MPLSAP aims to incorporate graduates of university degrees in the management consulting labour market, enhancing their professional development with the acquisition of specific knowledge in Project Management, Process Design, and Implementation of SAP-based Information Systems to understand, implement and optimize the SAP system in business logistics processes, as well as develop project management skills. Through this degree, 10 promotions in face-to-face teaching and 3 promotions in online teaching have already been incorporated into the labour market, which means about 450 students. Collaborations between the university and more than 30 companies, all leaders in SAP consulting and internationally recognized universities take place.

MPLSAP has received and maintained the prestigious SAP Education Gold Mention since 2016 for its quality education program, teacher excellence and graduate employability levels.

In this work it is shown how the Master in Logistics Project Management SAP constitutes a very innovative model of collaboration between University and Business.

Among most relevant practical implications, the discussion stands out as to the type of organizational routines that universities should work to increase the quality employment levels of their university graduates. The results of this work can make universities think about the importance of combining resources appropriately to achieve performance-oriented capabilities.

In this sense, an innovative degree is presented, unique in how it contributes to the leadership of professional vocational training in Higher Education.

Keywords:

Typology, Dynamic Capabilities, Relational coordination, Higher Education, Vocational training, Logistic Processes, MPLSAP.