Anecdotes of Action Learning

Author(s):  
Saravan Krishnamurthy ◽  
Vishal Pradhan

The objective of this chapter is to narrate the realizations while developing sustainability lessons by Action Learning (AL) for inclusion within an MBA-IT Business Management curriculum. This process is elucidated in a narrative style. The premise was set by ALs of earlier cohorts' trials, errors, improvisations, and reflections. In the year 2015, the Institutional Social Responsibility (ISR) team attempted scaling up ‘Learning by Doing.' In 2016, a ‘Consolidate and Optimize' approach was adopted. Each activity used a reflexive approach during AL evaluations. Together, AL practitioner and learners developed incrementally maturing sustainability lessons for the subsequent cohort. The chapter aims to share experiential learning with all stakeholders in higher education. An overall shift from apathy to empathy by virtue of AL to implement sustainability lessons is the highlight of this chapter.

Author(s):  
Isabel Menezes ◽  
Márcia Coelho ◽  
Fernanda Rodrigues ◽  
Peter Evans ◽  
Brian Martin

The emphasis on the social responsibility of higher education institutions emerged more systematically in the Post-Bologna European context. This paper presents an overview of a case study on a certificate in university social responsibility auditing, based on three European universities: Edimburgh, Kaunas and Porto. The goal is to develop an auditor training for students based on experiential learning, that is coherent and replicable in diverse contexts and that involves the various stakeholders. The project is based on a set of benchmarks of university social responsibility developed in the context of a European project, namely:  Research, Teaching, Support for Learning and Public Engagement; Governance; Environmental and Societal Sustainability; and Fair Practices. We will report on the initial data generated by the ESSA Project, in respect of student recruitment, baseline attitudes and the impact of participation in the training and the first audit.


Author(s):  
Saravan Krishnamurthy ◽  
Vishal Pradhan

The objective of this chapter is to narrate the initiations of sustainability lessons for inclusion within an MBA-IT Business Management Curriculum. This process is elucidated in a narrative style. Initiation of AL began in the year 2013 and improvised in 2014. ‘Trial and Error' experimentation in the year 2013, with ‘out of the box' lessons, achieved initial success with highly positive student feedback. AL was improvised in 2014 with industry visits, reflecting on corporate social responsibility and collaborations with civil society organizations. For easy comprehension of the thought process of AL iterations, it is recommended to understand Figure 1. Each AL activity is marked with year-wise sub-headings and AL reflections. For the stakeholders interested in modifying in higher education with AL, this institutional choice of sustainability and emphasis on sustainability AL is useful. Unlearning of previous social responsibility action patterns, usage of multiple intelligence, and experiential learning of social issues by IT Business students are the highlights of this chapter.


2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 378-379
Author(s):  
Katie Burk

Experiential learning is a process through which students develop knowledge, skills, and values from direct experiences outside of a traditional academic setting. Experiential learning is also referred to as learning through action, learning by doing, learning through experience, and learning through discovery and exploration.


Author(s):  
Virimai Mugobo

This article critiques the retail business management curriculum as currently offered in the Higher Education (HE) sector. The study used an exploratory qualitative approach, which involved conducting telephone interviews with a purposively selected sample of 25 participants conversant with the phenomenon studied, retail management practitioners, students and curriculum review experts. This was augmented by secondary literature. The study found out that by and large the retail business management (RBM) curriculum that is currently rolled out in the HE sector is largely based on Western epistemologies. The knowledge economy that is consumed by the recipients of the RBM curriculum in the HE sector is mainly from American and European academics and that is at the expense of the local or indigenous knowledge. It was found out, that the majority of the curriculum recipients do not identify with the current curriculum because it is divorced from their lived experiences that include their culture in particular their languages, beliefs and values. The study avers that indigenous knowledge systems were left out in the process of the RBM curriculum development and that partly explains its alienation from the lived realities of the local students and academic staff. The study therefore recommends that the current RBM curriculum needs to be effectively decolonised and the starting point for this decolonisation process is the involvement of all stakeholders in the curriculum development process. Secondly, the use of diverse educators to reflect the country’s racial mix is recommended. The study also recommends the convening of all stakeholder curriculum review engagements, the use of a local knowledge economy and local languages in teaching and learning of the RBM curriculum.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 501-516
Author(s):  
María Ángela Jiménez Montañés ◽  
◽  
Susana Villaluenga de Gracia

The implementation of curricula of degree, within the framework of the European space of higher education (EEES) has been a substantial change in University learning. The student spent acquire knowledge, competencies, being considered as “an identifiable and measurable set of knowledge, attitudes, values and skills related that allow satisfactory performance in real-life situations of work, according to the standards used in the occupational area” (Van-der Hofstadt & Gómez, 2013, p. 30). More specifically, we talk about generic skills, which are the cognitive, social, emotional and ethical (initiative, effort with the quality, liability, etc.) of transferable character that constitute “knowledge be” in vocational training of the University; and specific competencies in the various degrees and disciplines, allowing to specify functions and professional profiles to form. The degree of management and business administration, general objective is to train professionals and experts in the knowledge and use of processes, procedures, and practices employed in organizations. This overall objective implies to consider the interrelationships between the different parts of the Organization and its relationship with the environment. Studies administration and business management are aimed at learning theories, models and tools applicable to the processes of decision and management organizations. According to the book white of the title of the degree in economics and business, published by the national agency of evaluation and quality, distinguish between specific objectives in the field of knowledge and specific objectives in the field of competences and skills. Focusing on the latter, and in accordance with the Subject Benchmark Statements of General Business and Management, published by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education in the United Kingdom, the specific objectives in the field of skills and abilities that we focus the work would empower the student to it raise the ethical exercise of the profession, assuming social responsibility in decision-making. In this environment, it is necessary to consider the implementation of the 2014/95/EU Directive on disclosure of non-financial information and information on diversity of certain large companies and certain groups resulted in the publication of the Royal Decree 18/2017, of 24 November, whereby amending the commercial code, the consolidated text of the Capital Companies Act approved by Royal Legislative Decree 1/2010 of 2 July and the law 22/2015, 20 July audit of accounts , in the field of non-financial information and diversity. This new disclosure requirement for companies leads us to consider the need to introduce a transversal subject in the curricula of students in economics and management and business administration studies, in order to acquire the skills necessary in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), to produce the new business reports.


2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 45
Author(s):  
Henry Mamfredo Zambrana Flores

La responsabilidad social empresarial (RSE) es un concepto con el cual las empresas deciden voluntariamente incluirse en el logro de una sociedad mejor y un medio ambiente más saludable. Requiere de una continua adaptación a los cambios que se producen en su entorno, con su mirada puesta en la sostenibilidad empresarial que beneficie a la empresa y a las partes interesadas. El presente trabajo aborda, en primer lugar, los inicios y evolución del concepto de RSE, mostrando la estrecha relación con los cambios económicos y sociales. La responsabilidad social empresarial se inició con acciones filantrópicas, seguidas de acciones de inversión social. Sin embargo, en la actualidad, se plantea la realización de prácticas responsables integradas a la gestión empresarial, lo que propone nuevos modelos de gestión empresarial. Para comprender la noción de RSE en los negocios, se ha considerado necesario la realización de un diagnóstico en profundidad. Para ello, se muestran las diversas teorías y modelos de RSE corporativa; los grupos de interés y la RSE para la gestión; su interrelación con las normas legales actuales; y las herramientas de aplicación. Si se quiere ser competitivo, es necesario entender la empresa como un ciudadano corporativo con deberes y derechos, así como desafíos y aspectos críticos en su gestión. Finalmente, se hace mención a una serie de casos de RSE en los ámbitos internacional, nacional y regional para comprender el accionar y la respuesta de diversas empresas frente a los desafíos de su entorno y las necesidades de sus grupos de interés. ABSTRACTCorporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a concept whereby companies decide voluntarily to include themselves the achievement of a better society and a healthier environment. It requires constantly adapting to the changing environment, with their sights set on corporate sustainability that benefits the company and stakeholders. Firstly, this paper addresses the beginnings and evolution about CSR concept, showing the close relationship between the economic and social changes. CSR began with philanthropy actions, followed by social investment actions. However, today, a realization of responsible practices integrated to business management is set out, which proposes new models of business management. To understand CSR in business is necessary to consider performing an in-depth diagnostic; for that, it shows the various theories and models of Corporate CSR, the stakeholders and CSR management; the relationship with the current laws and implementation tools. If competitiveness is required, it is necessary to understand the company as a corporate citizen with rights and duties, as well as challenges and critical issues in management. Finally, many of regional, national and internationals CSR cases are mentions to understand the actions and responses of various companies facing the challenges of their environment and the needs of its stakeholders. .


2021 ◽  
pp. 097215092110153
Author(s):  
Sudhir Rana ◽  
Amit Kumar Singh ◽  
Shubham Singhania ◽  
Shubhangi Verma ◽  
Moon Moon Haque

The present study revisits the Factors Influencing Teaching Choice (FIT-Choice) framework and explores what motivates business management academicians in teaching virtually. The revisit is based on a quantitative cross-sectional research design using 256 responses collected from in-service business management academicians teaching post-graduate business courses in India, through a structured questionnaire. The exercise of revisiting the FIT-Choice framework in the context of virtual teaching in business management courses led us to find four new variables, that is, task demand and expert career, teaching efficacy, knowledge assimilation and institutional utility value, as well as suggest revising teaching and learning experience, task returns and values. The results reveal that some additional factors motivating business academicians are teaching efficacy, content expertise, learning of new technology, futuristic growth and opportunities, alternative career opportunities and personal branding. The study provides suggestions to the apex bodies, regulators of higher education and institutions to take a call on motivational and influential factors while drafting the job requirements in business schools. Finally, the study emphasizes the importance of infrastructural and technological development required to be achieved by higher education institutions.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 483
Author(s):  
Libena Tetrevova ◽  
Jan Vavra ◽  
Simona Munzarova

Higher education institutions play a fundamental role in the scientific, economic, social, and cultural development of each and every society. In view of new challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of their social responsibility and ability to effectively communicate the socially–responsible activities which are performed is growing. The aim of this article is to analyze and evaluate the scope and structure of socially-responsible activities communicated on the websites of public higher education institutions operating in a small post-communist country where education plays a traditional role—the Czech Republic, and to formulate recommendations for improvement of the level of communication of social responsibility by higher education institutions. Primary data was obtained using latent analysis of the content of the websites of all public higher education institutions operating in the Czech Republic. The CE3SPA method was applied. The survey which was performed shows that the level of communication of social responsibility by higher education institutions in the Czech Republic is low. Activities in the field of economic and social responsibility are communicated in the greatest scope. On the contrary, activities in the field of environmental responsibility are communicated the least. Public higher education institutions in the Czech Republic should therefore apply the measures proposed in the article, these also being transferrable to practice in other countries.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document