Dalrymple, Angela (2024) An Exploration of Collaboration Between Employers, Professional Bodies and Academics in Business Curricula in UK Higher Education Institutions: A Phenomenological Study. Doctoral thesis, University of Wales Trinity Saint David.
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Dalrymple, Angela (2024) DPP An Exploration of Collaboration Between Employers thesis.pdf - Accepted Version Available under License CC-BY-NC-ND Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives. Download (5MB) | Preview |
Abstract
The aim of this study was to provide a phenomenological exploration of the practice and experience of collaboration between employers, professional bodies, and academics in business curricula in UK higher education. This research is topical and significant, as it explores the professional practice of collaboration between academics, employers and professional bodies in UK university business curriculum design and delivery at a time when industry, government and education policy changes are increasingly driving industry-informed business curriculum development to improve graduate outcomes, employability, and knowledge transfer. The insights gained from this research can therefore benefit UK higher education institutions, employers, and professional bodies in designing models for collaboration in business curricular design and delivery in an increasingly complex UK higher education environment. Literature sources were reviewed relating to curricular collaboration, co-creation, co-production, and best practice in successful collaborative relationships. Primary research data was gathered from in-depth qualitative interviews with 8 employers, 4 professional bodies and 20 UK university academics in UK business school curriculum and graduate employability development roles. The study findings identified that effective business curriculum collaboration can have significantly positive impacts on graduate outcomes, student employability skills, future-proofed curriculum design, commercial and civic relationships between universities, employers, and professional bodies. The thematic interpretivist analysis of the interviews revealed a willingness to participate in innovative business curricular collaboration, tempered by a lack of structural and operational resources and frameworks to implement this effectively in a connected manner. Key findings overall are that while there are pockets of highly successful business curriculum collaboration, real-world professional praxis concerning this phenomenon evidences several areas requiring improvement such as lack of resources, reward, systems, and processes to support collaboration effectively. This research provides evidence to deepen understanding of the phenomenon of UK HEI business curricular collaboration between academics, employers, and professional bodies, and puts forward a conceptual framework for more effective collaborative curriculum relationships. The research should therefore contribute to future knowledge, through more holistic and connective conceptualisations of curriculum collaboration between employers, academics and professional bodies in business and management subject areas to transform curriculum design, delivery, knowledge transfer, and successful graduate outcomes.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB2300 Higher Education |
| Divisions: | Theses and Dissertations > Doctoral Theses |
| Depositing User: | Victoria Hankinson |
| Date Deposited: | 07 May 2024 15:53 |
| Last Modified: | 13 Aug 2024 09:17 |
| URI: | https://repository.uwtsd.ac.uk/id/eprint/2946 |
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