Teaching Methods and Course Content to Counteract the Tendency to Postpone Unprogrammed Problems

Abstract

Business graduates have frequently been criticized on the grounds that so much of their training has focused on solving programmed problems that they are often averse to and poorly prepared for the unprogrammed problems they face in the work place environment. This study examined two research questions: Does students' aversion to unprogrammed problems increase as they move through the business curriculum? and Can their preference for programmed problems be reduced by providing appropriately designed training for dealing with unprogrammed problems in the core organizational behavior and business strategy courses? Based on data from the 354 undergraduate students in six experimental and two control groups in the current study, the answer to both questions appears to be yes. Implications for management education are also discussed.

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