Revans, the unsung hero of Action Learning, who showed me that the best learning happens in real life with real problems and real people, and not in classrooms with know-all teachersCharles Handy The Age of Unreason, p45
Abstract
Organisations face an increasingly competitive and uncertain global environment, after recent experience of unparalleled technological advances and political shifts. Increased dependence on Information Technology (IT) will require appropriate human resource strategies, to develop individuals who will be capable of operating successfully within new organisational structures, with reduced management layers and a requirement for teamworking.
This paper presents a university-industry based partnership, revolving around a final year Group Consultancy project, in which undergraduate students work with an external client on a live problem. The project involves the use ofaction research methodology, where academic ideas are applied in the ‘real’ world of business. This is described in the context of group projects, which examine thelegacy system problems faced by three multi-national organisations.
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Skok, W., Wardley, R.E. Development of Consultancy skills for future IT professionals via group working. AI & Soc 11, 231–246 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02812450
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02812450