Risky Business: Understanding Student Intellectual Risk Taking in Management Education

Abstract

The demands of today's ever-changing work environment often require that employees engage in intellectual risk taking (IRT) by being resourceful, trying new things, and asking questions even at the risk of making a mistake or feeling inadequate. This research seeks to identify variables that increase student IRT. Controlling for individual differences in motivation known to affect IRT (i.e., self-efficacy and learning goal orientation), we find that perceptions of work methods autonomy and high instructor expectations increase student IRT. Using a sample of 241 students, this study finds that the more autonomy students perceive they are given and the higher they perceive instructor expectations, the more metacognitive behaviors they will engage in, and ultimately, the more intellectual risks they will take. These results have important implications for management educators who seek to prepare students to succeed in their careers.

Teacher's perceptions of creativity and teaching creative thinking in the secondary school classroom: possibilities and tensions

“…Negotiating the space between feeling "safe and secure" and taking risks is precarious bearing in mind, as we have seen in the opening quotation, they have their "imaginary audience" (Polyakov, 2016) and, such academic rigour might not be the bite-sized tasks Dachner et al, (2017) refer to that make them feel psychologically safe. To appreciate this tension-laden space for these students, it is pertinent to regard the school counsellor's speculations about risk-taking.…”

“…What the Australian Curriculum only alluded to when suggesting students should have a "readiness" to go outside of their comfort zones to demonstrate such complex thinking, appears to prove more unsettling when looked at carefully. Whilst intellectual risk-taking as a favoured disposition is mentioned in an abundance of articles (Dachner, Miguel, & Patena, 2017;Dewett, 2007;Sternberg & Lubart, 1992) it is not fully explored within a school setting. Setting this research inside the secondary classroom raises further concerns.…”

“…Several suggestions are made in response to these issues, The new-found autonomy of high school students can often be undermined in a classroom which does not recognise the students' transition from single truths to more complex viewpoints (Dachner et al, 2017). Part of the solution requires teachers to allow students space to complete tasks (Ryan & Deci, 2000) using scaffolding rather than micro-management, thereby allowing students to become self-directed learners.…”

“…Part of the solution requires teachers to allow students space to complete tasks (Ryan & Deci, 2000) using scaffolding rather than micro-management, thereby allowing students to become self-directed learners. Dachner et al (2017) also emphasised teachers should hold high expectations of their students believing such expectations will allow students to be engaged and reflect on their work. Expectations should be conveyed to students alongside positive reinforcement when they reach targeted goals (Dean & Fornaciari, 2014).…”

“…There is evidence to suggest that engagement in the traditional creative arts can be transforming (Macdonald, Baguley, Barton, & Kerby, 2020). Dachner et al (2017) also felt tasks should be bite-sized and the use of formative pieces of work will be more in students' comfort zones -rather than high-stake tasks. Collaboration with others is seen as conducive to intellectual risk as students will have the safety net of joint decisions as well as joint accountability (Locke & Latham, 2002).…”