Title: Using undergraduate student research as a pedagogical tool in a predominately undergraduate institution in Mexico

Authors: José Luis Neri Torres; Victor R. Prybutok

Addresses: Facultad de Contabilidad y Administración Colima, Universidad de Colima, Av. Universidad 333 Col. Las Víboras, C.P. 28040 Colima, Col., México ' Department of Information Technology and Decision Sciences, College of Business, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle, 305249, Denton, Texas, 76203-5017, USA

Abstract: This paper describes a two-semester course that constitutes a case study of how to develop an undergraduate course on research methods within the context of a business administration program in a medium sized city in Mexico. Students were organised into 19 teams of up to three students, and were asked to develop an industry analysis of an economic sector of the city, as a precursor to expanding an existing business or creating a new one. This was a prototype experience, and because of its success, this research project approach was proposed as a standard activity within a competency-based entrepreneurship curriculum.

Keywords: undergraduate research; learning by doing; industry analysis; competency; Mexico; entrepreneurship curriculum; pedagogical tools; higher education; entrepreneurship education; case study; research methods; business administration.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIOME.2014.067554

International Journal of Information and Operations Management Education, 2014 Vol.5 No.4, pp.311 - 323

Received: 12 Aug 2013
Accepted: 02 Jan 2014

Published online: 28 Feb 2015 *

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