Winning the MBA Talent War: The Role of Employer Branding and Organizational Reputation in Shaping Intention to Apply

Author(s)	Ms. Manjula Narasimha Kamath, Dr. Poonam Naresh Kakkad
Country	India
Abstract	Purpose: To investigate how organizational reputation affects final-year MBA students' intention to apply by using employer branding as a mediating factor. Method: A structured electronic questionnaire was used to gather data from 462 final-year MBA students from various Mumbai colleges. Convenience sampling, a non-probability sampling method, was used to choose respondents for the study's cross-sectional survey design. SPSS software was used to analyze the data. The reliability was tested using Cronbach alpha. Finding: Without the need for mediation, an organization's reputation serves as a powerful, independent signal that directly affects applicants' intention to apply. Practical implication: Organizations can improve their employer branding by communicating a compelling employee value proposition and upholding a positive organizational reputation through ethical behavior, transparent communication, and employee advocacy. When combined, these strategies increase an organization's attractiveness, promote trust, and increase the possibility that top-notch MBA graduates will submit job applications.
Keywords	Employer branding, Organizational reputation, Intention to Apply, MBA students
Field	Sociology > Administration / Law / Management
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 4, July-August 2026
Published On	2026-08-03
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i04.85092

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