Linking Theory with Practice: Undergraduate Project Management with School-Age Children

Abstract

This article describes an undergraduate course, Management Skills, that builds tacit knowledge and develops reflective learning skills. In this course, management students teach basic business concepts to elementary school children and manage a business project with the children for 3 months. The business project requires management students to apply their conceptual knowledge in marketing, human resources, and operations management to the production and sale of a product. Tacit knowledge develops as management students coordinate the efforts of the elementary school children, manage the decision-making process, and respond to marketing, production, and human resource problems. Reflective learning occurs through storytelling of critical incidents, interim and final project reports, and coaching sessions with a professor.