An Approach to Meeting the AACSB Guidelines for Introducing Skills and Personal Characteristics (SAPCs) Using an Interclass Simulation and Role-Play Pedagogy

Abstract

The AACSB has suggested that Skills and Personal Characteristics (formerly referred to as non-cognitive skills) are an important component of business education. This article suggests an innovative way of teaching some of these Skills and Personal Characteristics to business students. The method involved-the use of two different courses, Course A (MSc 280), Small Business Management, and Course B (MSc 397), a course using a business simulation as the major opus operandi, were the courses chosen for the experiment. Students in Course A assumed the role of a Board of Directors for students in Course B. The students in B class played a typical business simulation (DECIDE), but had the added dimension or responsibility of being accountable to the Board of Directors, viz., the students in A class. Both classes were given introductory lectures on their respective topics, as well as additional information on how to conduct themselves in their various roles. Students in both classes had to prepare resumes, be interviewed for various managerial positions, prepare weekly, as well as ad hoc reports, explain their operating decisions to the Board of Directors, etc. The major Skills and Personal Characteristics emphasized were role-playing, making decisions under stress, self-assessment, public speaking (both informal, and extemporaneous, as well as formal). The process was monitored and evaluated using video taping and opinion surveys, as well as a small sample of post experiential interviews. The authors believe that this pedagogy can readily be adopted by many business schools without the addition of new faculty, new courses, retraining of faculty or by radically changing the content of existing courses.