KUSOM MBA SPRING 2013

Action Research Project

Group Project 2







Submitted To:
Ms. Jyoti Regmi Adhikary


Submitted By:
Anuja Pokharel (13324)
Erika Koirala (13317)
Netra Bahadur Dahal (13309)
Nissal Karki (13314)
Shreya Sijapati (13335)

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Background
Educational tours are one of the most important and enjoyable element of education that help
in significantly enhancing the context of a course by providing a type of information hard to
convey in the classroom. They are the non-experimental research merely including
observation and gaining hands on experience for educational purpose. Such field trips are
considered to be essential part of curriculum to broaden the knowledge horizon and
imagination of students and are being adopted by most of the national and international
colleges and Universities. Unfortunately, this teaching pedagogy is lacking in KUSOM. So,
our group has planned to bring change in this particular aspect of KUSOM.
Purpose
The purpose of the study is to identify a substantial problem prevailing in KUSOM and using
an Action Research Model, a participative approach to organizational change management,
to help find a remedy for the same. This study aims to bring a planned change of instilling a
trend of having education tours or field trips for students in KUSOM so that they get exposed
to real organizational context as well as gain hands on experience.
Limitation
The survey represents the views of only 32 students in KUSOM from undergraduate and
graduate level, which may not represent the views of all KUSOMites.
Introduction to Action Research
Action research is a process of systematically collecting research data about an ongoing
system relative to some objective, goal, or need of that system, feeding these data back into
the system; taking action by altering selected variables within the system based both on the
data and on hypothesis; and evaluating the results of action by collecting more data (French
and Bell, 1995). As such, action research serves as a model for most organizational
development interventions using its series of iterative steps from problem identification to
documentation in a joint consultation with OD practitioners and the clients.
The detailed steps of Action Research applied in identification of problem and procedures
required to implement and institutionalize the desired change are presented below.
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Step One: Problem Identification
KUSOMs continuous aspiration to establish itself among top 20 Universities in the South
Asian Regions by 2020 has helped it get awarded as the best business school in Nepal.
Moreover, its recent MBA restructuring projects and Social Enterprise Projects have aided it
in standing out of crowd with its best teaching pedagogy. However, the practical education
that KUSOM delivers is only through case discussion and minor simulation project which is
limited to classroom environment. There is lack of one of the prominent element of teaching
pedagogy i.e. excursion or educational tours. Below discussed factors ignite the necessity of
bringing this change soon.
Practical exposure
KUSOM has excellent faculty members so there is no doubt that the students get clear
concept about the theoretical knowledge about any topic but until and unless that theoretical
knowledge is backed by practical knowledge, it is very difficult to apply that knowledge in
real life. After all ones competence will be judge on how one can deliver his/her
theoretical knowledge practically in his/her professional life.
Competition
Though KUSOM has been awarded as top business school of Nepal, it may not be able to
sustain its position for longer if its students are not as capable as students of other university.
Not only international Universities, but even Universities in Nepal like Pokhara University
and Tribhuvan University have felt the necessity of educational tours and thus organize
outside educational tours like industrial visits and field trips for their students which has
provided their students with the first hand knowledge. However KUSOM is far behind in it.
So adding this this particular element might help KUSOM better compete with other
Universities.
Step Two: Consultation with Behavioral Scientist
Our study being based on the problem of lack of industrial tours or excursions in KUSOM to
enhance teaching pedagogy, the coordinator of co-curricular programs, Mrs Prabina Vaidya
Raj Bhandari was chosen to facilitate our study, by probing into the problem and exploring it
further as a behavioral science expert and Organization Development practitioner.
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To understand the problem in detail and design corrective actions, we discussed the problem
with our OD practitioner. The discussion revealed the differences in perspective that, students
thought it was the responsibility of faculty and college to initiate such tours but KUSOM
being open towards its students did never feel the need, as it was never asked for. Further,
certain implementation issues in the sense, the guidelines students required to be followed,
parents unwillingness to send, etc. had till date created a hindrance to its practice. She also
agreed that this was indeed a problem and that steps were required to be taken to overcome
this situation.
While in consultation with her, the problem was looked into seriously and new dimensions
were added. The discussion suggested bringing the newness from the perspective of proving
practical education to student, KUSOM has been enthusiastically trying its best to provide
practical education to students though simulation projects and cases; the new project
introduced would help students in following ways:
Provide an opportunity to students to watch others do and learn better from the
observations and in a sense provide hands on to the students.
Support the learning of the student by providing a real view, which would eventually
help in their professional development as it helps them analyze better the difference in
real world and theoretical knowledge imparted through books in classroom.
Step Three: Team Formation
The change team was formed comprising of consultants, i.e. five members of this project,
namely Anuja Pokharel, Erika Koirala, Netra Dahal, Nissal Karki and Shreya Sijapati, MBA
and BBA coordinators and class representatives (CR) from each class of BBA and MBA to
discuss, work together and solve the problem.
Step Four: Data gathering and preliminary diagnosis
Research Question: Are educational tours for KUSOM students conducted on a frequent
basis to give students hands on experience and if not what can be done to improve this
identified problem?
Research Objective
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To identify whether KUSOM students feel that this problem is significant.
To analyze the prospect of introducing the trend of educational visits.
To design and implement action programs that would encourage educational tours and
would improve the quality of education.
For the purpose of gathering information a small research was conducted. Questionnaire was
created that was circulated among both the graduate and undergraduate students of KUSOM.
(Appendix 1) Few fellow students were also interviewed informally to understand how they
feel about the issue and what they feel should be done about it. The survey was conducted to
analyze the importance of field visits in undergraduate and graduate level of studies. The
survey was divided in three sections that analyzed its impact on effective learning, promoting
the required qualities among students and finally its benefits for society and individuals.
The opinions of the behavioral science expert, inputs from team were also taken into
consideration. The data thus obtained was analyzed in order to come up with actions that
could be implemented to solve the problem.
Step Five: Feedback to client/Sharing information
The results from the survey and informal interviews show that the students support the need
of educational tours. KUSOM students want more real life experience and learning through
those experiences rather than just theoretical knowledge. Though, college has been adopting
the simulation based projects students believe that wouldnt be enough in todays competitive
market. Students want to have more practical knowledge and for which they feel the need for
educational trips.
Out of 32 respondents majority of the responses show that there is lot of importance of field
trips at higher level. It is not only helpful in effective learning but promote the qualities of
leadership, discipline and self-confidence among the students. Maximum respondents cleared
that these fieldtrips are beneficial for society and individuals. Few numbers of responses
shows that after trips students become able to write a short report, which enhances their
observation and writing capabilities as well. (See Appendix 2 for results)
Students further believe that no amount of theoretical knowledge is going to make them ready
for the ups and down of the real life scenario as far complicated to the theories that we learn
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so they claimed that KUSOM should conduct educational tours to make them adapt to real
world.
Step Six: Joint diagnosis
In this step, some of the issues need to be communicated and solved while dealing with the
OD practitioners. These issues are stated as follows:
Who will be our potential industrialists to make our educational tour/visit promising?
How can we make this program cost-effective, less time consuming, and result
oriented without hampering the ongoing studies?
Does it deliver the practical experience to the students if the program is administered?
How KUSOM could constantly upgrade its exposure by adding unique program like
students industrial visit?
Step Seven: Joint Action Planning
After diagnosing the various issues, we had a round of discussion with the teachers and
students of KUSOM and have come up with joint action plan to administer the change at
KUSOM. The idea of the industrial tour and visit is to understand the process, to become
aware of the role of different people in an organization, to become aware of career
opportunities, to recognize the need for health and safety in the workplace, to focus students
on specific aspects of their studies that helps the students as well as the faculties to gain the
real life experiences and for that KUSOM need to take initiation. This change initiation
requires the following changing steps to be implemented at KUSOM:
There are so many universities like University of Sydney, Stanford, and University, etc.in the
world which provides educational tour and industrial visit facility to the students to improve
their academic performance. So, KUSOM need to monitor the new changes in the
international universities and should adopt the change as per the requirement to be
competitive and differentiate itself from others in the industry. Students also need to join
hands and show their enthusiasm so that change can be adopted.
Educational tour and industrial visit involves costs (transportation, food, etc.) and time and
that needs to be estimated by the management of KUSOM.
Another change program could be the selection of appropriate industry which helps the
students to gain the real life experiences by applying their theoretical knowledge.
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Industrial visit enhances the positive result to both management and students but it cannot be
implemented frequently. So, the frequency of the visit/tours needs to be decided as per the
requirement.
At last proposal needs to be submitted to the deans office and approved by the dean of
KUSOM.
Step Eight: Action
Following action plan is suggested for the change program:
Asking respective teachers to identify the industry/factory/areas related to their field
where the students need educational tours. Like for Operational Management Course
students can be taken to factory visit and Finance students can be taken to NEPSE and
so on.
Building relationships and signing agreements with the selected organization for field
visits.
Preparing a strict industrial visits calendar for every MBA and BBA batch.
Conclusion
Hands On is a need of time; practical education is the most effective way of imparting
knowledge hence the need for industrial tours an excursions seems growing, even the survey
of students shows so, and the benefit derived from it can never be covered by cases,
simulation or class room based knowledge. In this condition, the proposed action plan with
the proper discussion and consultation among all the related stakeholders have indeed made it
a realistic option to think and opt for.







Appendix 1
(This survey is designed to analyze the importance of field visits in undergraduate and
graduate level of studies. The survey is divided into 3 parts. The first part analyzes its impact
on effective learning. The second section analyzes how much field trip promotes the required
qualities among students. The third section analyzes the beneficial for society and
individuals.)
Basic Information
1. Current Level
o Bachelors
o Masters
2. Do you believe that the style of education is appropriate and needs no changes?
o Yes
o No
3. Do you believe that there is need for more practical (real life) approach of teaching?
o Yes
o No
4. Do you frequently go on educational trips as part of your curriculum?
o Yes
o No
5. Do you feel that educational trips are necessary?
o Yes
o No
Part I: Helpfulness in effective learning
1. Field visits give a practical approach for the curriculum?
o Yes
o No
2. It provides self experience & observation to increase knowledge?
o Yes
o No



3. It guides you to face future challenges and hindrances?
o Yes
o No
4. Does field visit promote interaction between students and teachers?
o Yes
o No
5. Field visits develop more interest in learning among students?
o Yes
o No
6. Field visits helps to make you aware of professional skills?
o Yes
o No

Part II: Promotion of qualities among students
7. Are field visits helpful for the development of balanced personality?
o Yes
o No

8. Does field visits helps to develop leadership qualities?
o Yes
o No
9. Are field visits helpful for increment in ones level of self confidence?
o Yes
o No
10. Do you believe that field visit promote cooperation and team work among students?
o Yes
o No
11. Do you believe that field visit helps you in enhancing your social skills?
o Yes
o No


Part III: Beneficial for society & individuals
12. Do you believe that field visits are helpful for individual to show better performance in
studies?
o Yes
o No
13. Do you think that field visits help to achieve better results at higher level?
o Yes
o No
14. Do you believe that field visits assists you in selecting specific field of studies?
o Yes
o No
15. Do you think that field visits are helpful to meet the need of higher education?
o Yes
o No














Appendix II: Results

S.N Part I: Helpful in effective learning Yes No S.D
1 Give practical approach for the curriculum 30 2 14
2 Provide self experience & observation to increase
knowledge
29 3 13
3 Guide to face future challenges and hindrances 30 2 14
4 Promote interaction b/w students and teachers 25 7 9
5 Develop more interest in learning among students 20 12 4
6 Help to be aware of professional skills 18 14 2


S.N Part III: Beneficial for society & individuals Yes No S.D
12 Helpful for individual to show better performance in
studies
23 9 7
13 Help to achieve better results at higher level 17 15 1
14 Assist in selecting specific field of studies for students 12 20 4
15 Helpful to meet the need of higher education 18 14 2




S.N Part II: Promotion of qualities among students Yes No S.D
7 Helpful for the development of balanced personality 25 7 9
8 Promote cooperation and unity among student 15 17 1
9 Develop leadership qualities 16 16 0
10 Increase self confidence 20 12 4
11 Enhance your social skills 19 13 3