Using Self-Selected Projects from Students’ Workplaces in a Graduate Operations Management Course
Alan Jin, Lifang Wu, Marge Cunningham, and Mina Lee
Xavier University, USA
Volume 9: 2015, pp. 109-128; ABSTRACT
This article describes the use of self-selected projects from students’ workplaces as an experiential learning technique in a graduate operations management course. The students identified, analyzed, and provided viable solutions to operations issues in their own workplaces. We also investigate how the students selected their project topics and the major challenges they encountered in their projects. Face-to-face interviews with each of the 37 students revealed that this pedagogical tool provided challenges, satisfaction, and significant learning outcomes. It has a variety of advantages over case studies, client-sponsored consulting projects, and non-local public company studies. We conclude with the limitations of this study and its implications for instructors.
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