Students’ Research Experiences During Consulting Projects: Three Themes Emerging from Case Studies

Abstract

Student consulting projects, an advanced form of problem-based learning, allow students to apply the skills developed in their classes on behalf of client organizations. A review of selected case studies in business education and other management education literature shows that research is an integral part of this consulting process.More than that, the process of conducting research on behalf of a client exposes students to concepts of self-management, relationship management, and data management. With expert skills in conducting research and in developing information literacy instruction plans, librarians can lend structure to the unstructured research process in order to support the students as they evolve into self-managed, lifelong learners.

The Business School Undergraduate: An Explorative Study of Exposure to Writing and Secondary Research Terminology

“…The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) acknowledges the importance of workers possessing information literacy skills to function in the workplace (Gilbert, 2017). Phillips (2010) points out that research skills are necessary for students working on consulting projects as part of their business education. Not only does quality student research benefit the clients associated with the project, it also contributes to to the knowledgebase of the students conducting the research (Phillips, 2010).…”

“…Phillips (2010) points out that research skills are necessary for students working on consulting projects as part of their business education. Not only does quality student research benefit the clients associated with the project, it also contributes to to the knowledgebase of the students conducting the research (Phillips, 2010).…”

Client-based experiential learning and the librarian: Information literacy for the real world

“…Similarly, the fact that deceptively simple questions like "what is the market size for widgets?" may require labyrinthine research-and may not even have an answer-can provide opportunities to introduce deeper principles of information literacy (Hesseldenz, 2012;Phillips, 2010).…”

“…The relevance of such skills translates directly to students' careers, where they will inhabit similarly "messy" information environments (Phillips, 2010). Experiential learners are motivated because they are working for real clients on actual projects which are similar to the work they expect to do after graduation.…”