DETERMINANTS OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATION PERFORMANCE: EXAMINING THE ROLE OF DEMOGRAPHICS, ACADEMIC BACKGROUND, AND SECTORAL SPECIALIZATION IN MANAGERIAL EDUCATION

Effective business communication skills are essential for managerial success, yet the factors influencing students' proficiency in this domain remain underexplored. This study examines the impact of demographic attributes (gender, stay type), academic background (10th and 12th board affiliations, prior academic performance), and sectoral specialization (Financial Services vs. Retail Management) on Business Communication Performance among 80 managerial students. Using a mixed-methods approach, quantitative data was analyzed through Mann-Whitney U Tests, Kruskal-Wallis Tests, and Multiple Linear Regression to determine the significance of these factors. The results indicate that gender and academic background do not significantly affect Business Communication Performance, but stay type (hosteller vs. day scholar) shows a statistically significant influence (p = 0.0077), with hostellers outperforming day scholars. Additionally, English proficiency exhibits a moderate positive correlation (0.42) with Business Communication scores, suggesting that stronger language skills contribute to improved writing proficiency. However, past academic performance (10th, 12th, and undergraduate marks) and sectoral specialization show no significant impact, highlighting that business writing skills are developed through practice rather than prior academic achievements. These findings underscore the need for targeted business communication training,particularly for day scholars and students with lower English proficiency. Future research should explore longitudinal studies, cross-institutional comparisons, and the integration of digital learning tools to enhance professional writing education. The study contributes to business education by reinforcing the universal relevance of business communication training across managerial disciplines. Keywords: Business Communication Performance, Managerial Education, Academic Background and Writing Proficiency, Stay Type and Learning Outcomes, English Proficiency in Business Communication