Welcome

The Third Stakeholder: Towards a Pedagogy and Hierarchy of Corporate Learning in Management

Programmes

Bill Sutherland

Dr Bill Sutherlandw.sutherland@rgu.ac.uk

Prof Ken Russellk.russell@rgu.ac.uk

Aberdeen Business SchoolRobert Gordon University

How Graduate Attributes are best developed

• The Developing and Supporting the Curriculum enhancement theme set out the following questions:– How is the curriculum, in its broadest sense,

shaped and delivered?– Who is it for – how is the student body changing?– What support is required for staff?

The DSC Agenda

Questions posed in the paper1. What dynamics are evident with respect to the expectations of

corporate clients in commissioning learning engagements in the field of Management?

2. What criteria may be used to inform and direct the curricula for corporate clients?

3. Are ‘graduate attributes’ of learners on corporate programmes distinctive?

4. What attributes are required from HEI faculty, administration and support services in order to design and deliver effective corporate learning?

Staff

Student

Developing and

Supporting the

Curriculum

Curriculum

Source: Adapted from the Scottish Higher Education Enhancement Committee Briefing Paper:‘Enhancement Theme 2011-2014: Developing and Supporting the Curriculum’

Staff

Student

Developing and Supporting the Curriculum

Curriculum

Corporate Client

Staff

Student

Developing and Supporting the Curriculum

Curriculum

Corporate Client

Various Stakeholders of the Corporate Client

Corporate Client Programme Characteristics

• Motivations• Time frame• Validity tests• Complexity• Multiple interactions• Learning and knowledge exchange• Partnership approach

Dynamics in Corporate Education

Then NowUnique events Lifelong learning

Standard off-the-shelf Customised to specific needs

Reactive – fill gaps for today Proactive – train for tomorrow’s needs

Acquiring knowledge Action orientation

Listen and learn Ask, interact and learn

Individual focus Team focus

Functional silo approach Interfunctional emphasis

Domestic focus Global emphasis

Classroom Blend with field delivery

*Reproduce current beliefs and practices *Transcend current beliefs and practices

**Hierarchical **Cascading

Sources: Narayandas et al (2004, page 58), *Harrison et al (2007) and **Plompen (2005)

Towards a Typology of Corporate Learning

• ‘Disciplinary’ approach• ‘Staff Development’ approach• ‘Critical approach’

– After Legge et al 2007

Directions for corporate business growth

CreditBearing AwardsFor Corporate

Clients

Life-long learningwith Credit

Accumulation

Bite-sizedJust-in-timeJust Now/Updating

Facilitated Learning Executive

Education

CorporateAcademySupport

Conclusions

• A growing literature on corporate client engagement– Captures insight into a variety of TLA

opportunities– Dynamic

• No single pedagogy– ‘Disciplinary’, ‘Staff Development’ ,‘Critical’

Conclusions• Assessment opportunities– ‘Authentic assessment’ as the major ingredient of

curriculum design and programme success?• Graduate Attributes– May be distinctive

• Staff attributes– Development opportunities and requirements– Recombination capabilities

Conclusions• Corporate Programmes Curricula and

‘constituents of collaboration’– Co-commissioned– Co-designed– Co-produced– Co-delivered– Co-assessed– Co-evaluated

Sources• Harrison, R T, Leitch, C M and Chia, R (2007) Developing paradigmatic awareness in

university business schools: the challenge for executive education. Academy of Management Learning and Education, vol 6, no 3, pp 332-343

• Legge, K, Sullivan-Taylor, B and Wilson, D (2007) Management learning and the corporate MBA: situated or individual? Management Learning, vol 38, no 4, pp 440-457

• Plompen, M (2005) Innovative Corporate Learning: Excellent Management Development Practice in Europe. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan

• Narayandas, N, Rangan, V K, and Zaltman, G (2004) The pedagogy of executive education in business markets” in J.D. Lichtenthal (Ed.) Fundamentals of Business Marketing Education, Binghamton, NY: The Haworth Press, pp 51-74

• SHEEC (2011) Briefing Paper ‘Enhancement Theme 2011-2014: Developing and Supporting the Curriculum’ Scottish Higher Education Enhancement Committee