University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

Implementing problem-based learning to develop student supply chain skills

(USC Thesis Other)

Implementing problem-based learning to develop student supply chain skills

PDF

Download a page range

Download transcript

Copy asset link

Request this asset

Transcript (if available)

Content Copyright 2020 Derek Westfall

IMPLEMENTING PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING TO DEVELOP
STUDENT SUPPLY CHAIN SKILLS

By

Derek Westfall

A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION

December 2020

ii

Dedication
I dedicate this study to my wife, Carol, of 31 years. This doctoral journey would not have
been possible without her unwavering support. I know many things took a back seat to this
project, but Carol always took care of everything and let me focus on my work. I am forever
grateful for having the best wife in the world.

iii

Acknowledgments
The journey to attain this degree has been one of the most challenging and rewarding
times of my life. The successful completion of this endeavor has been supported by so many
incredible people whom I can never thank enough for their help and support. First, I want to
thank Dr. Helena Seli for being the chairperson for my committee. Dr. Seli, thank you for always
promptly answering my questions, turning edits and revisions around so quickly. Thank you for
your incredible patience. Your guidance and calming reassurance helped me get through the
process. I want to thank my first professor in the program and committee member, Dr. Monique
Datta. Dr. Datta, you believed in me when I did not believe in myself. We had so many great
chats after that first class, and you kept telling me I would make it and be successful. It took a
while, but you convinced me I could do it. Dr. Datta, you inspired me to be better than I ever
expected and kept pushing me for excellence. I will always consider you my mentor. Dr. Nick
Vyas, thank you so much for agreeing to part of my committee. I am so fortunate and honored to
have a world-renowned SCM researcher and practitioner on this committee. Your input and
wisdom to make this study stronger, relevant, and credible and is one of the highlights of my
SCM career.
I want to thank Dr. Theresa Haskins for being my editor and helping me make my papers
stronger, and I also want to thank you for your patience, candor, support, and advice. Dr.
Haskins, you were my coach and provided guidance and advice that made the journey more
pleasant. Thank you to Dr. Eric Canny, who had to talk me off the ledge after the first year in the
program, I was within minutes of quitting, but Dr. Canny told me to calm down, take a breath
and listen. Dr. Canny went on to explain this was all part of it, and once you get through it,

iv

everything will work out, “just trust the process.” Thanks, Dr. Canny, for talking me out of
quitting!
Thank you to all my friends and co-workers that supported me with words of
encouragement and time to listen to me discuss my journey even if they were not interested.
Thank you to the Supply Chain Management Director at WSU for helping me recruit the
participants for this study. Thank you to the participants of this study, thanks again for your time;
the information you provided was invaluable. Thank you to my family, Carol, Adam, Olivia,
Troy, Alina, and Diana Reding, for all sacrificing your time to support this endeavor. Thank you
to The Boeing Company for paying for this degree; without the generous employee benefit of
paying for college, this journey would have never been started. Boeing is the greatest aerospace
company in the world, and I am looking forward to the day we are back on top.
Last but not least, I want to thank my amazing classmates from Cohort 11. What an
absolute honor and privilege it has been to take this journey with you. I have made lifelong
connections, friends, and colleagues. Every single one of you has enriched my life, and I am
forever grateful to be part of this group. Fight On!

v

Table of Contents
Dedication ....................................................................................................................................... ii
Acknowledgments ......................................................................................................................... iii
List of Tables ................................................................................................................................ vii
List of Figures .............................................................................................................................. viii
Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... ix
Chapter One: Introduction to the Problem of Practice ................................................................... 1
Organizational Context and Mission .................................................................................. 2
Organizational Goal ............................................................................................................ 2
Importance of the Evaluation .............................................................................................. 3
Description of Stakeholder Groups ..................................................................................... 3
Stakeholder Group for the Study ........................................................................................ 4
Stakeholder Performance Goals .......................................................................................... 5
Purpose of the Project and Questions ................................................................................. 6
Clark and Estes’ (2008) Knowledge, Motivation and Organizational Influences
Framework .......................................................................................................................... 7
Definitions........................................................................................................................... 8
Organization of the Project ................................................................................................. 9
Chapter Two: Review of the Literature ........................................................................................ 10
Skills and Competencies for Supply Chain Management................................................. 10
Supply Chain Management Curriculum ........................................................................... 17
Problem-Based Learning .................................................................................................. 23
Consequences of Deficient Supply Chain Performance ................................................... 26
Adjunct Faculty Knowledge, Motivation and Organizational Influences ........................ 29
Conceptual Framework ..................................................................................................... 41
Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 46
Chapter Three: Methods ............................................................................................................... 48
Participating Stakeholders ................................................................................................ 48
Data Collection and Instrumentation ................................................................................ 50
Data Analysis .................................................................................................................... 53
Credibility and Trustworthiness ........................................................................................ 54
Ethics................................................................................................................................. 55
Limitations and Delimitations ........................................................................................... 56
Chapter Four: Findings ................................................................................................................. 58
Participating Stakeholders ................................................................................................ 58
Knowledge, Motivation and Organizational Findings ...................................................... 60
Synthesis of Knowledge, Motivation and Organizational Findings ................................. 82
Chapter Five: Recommendations .................................................................................................. 85

vi

Recommendations for Practice to Address KMO Influences ........................................... 85
Integrated Implementation and Evaluation Plan ............................................................... 94
Summary ......................................................................................................................... 108
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Research Approach ................................................... 109
Limitations and Delimitations ......................................................................................... 110
Future Research .............................................................................................................. 110
Implications for Practice ................................................................................................. 111
Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 112
References ................................................................................................................................... 114
Appendix A: Interview Protocol ................................................................................................. 124
Appendix B: Document Analysis Protocol ................................................................................. 127
Appendix C: Evaluation Immediately Following Each Training Session .................................. 129
Appendix D: Evaluation Delayed Use (end of first class after PBL training) ............................ 131

vii

List of Tables
Table 1. Organizational Mission, Global Goal and Stakeholder Performance Goals ................... 6
Table 2. ASCM Competency Model ........................................................................................... 13
Table 3. Knowledge Influences ................................................................................................... 33
Table 4. Motivation Influences and Assessments for Motivation Gap Analysis ......................... 38
Table 5. Cultural Settings Influences and Assessments for Organizational Gap Analysis ......... 41
Table 6. Participants Years of Industry Experience and Teaching in Higher Education ............ 60
Table 7. Most Important Soft skills of the SCM Domain ............................................................ 66
Table 8. Number of Time Active Learning used by Study Participants ...................................... 70
Table 9. Responses to Types of Incentives .................................................................................. 82
Table 10. KMO Influence Gap ..................................................................................................... 84
Table 11. Summary of Knowledge Influences and Recommendations ........................................ 87
Table 12. Summary of Motivation Influences and Recommendations ......................................... 90
Table 13. Summary of Organization Influences and Recommendations ..................................... 92
Table 14. Outcomes, Metrics, and Methods for External and Internal Outcomes ........................ 96
Table 15. Critical Behaviors, Metrics, Methods, and Timing for Evaluation .............................. 97
Table 16. Required Drivers to Support Critical Behaviors ........................................................... 98
Table 17. Evaluation of the Components of Learning for the Program ...................................... 103
Table 18. Components to Measure Reactions to the Program .................................................... 104

viii

List of Figures
Figure 1. Interaction of stakeholder knowledge and motivation within organizational settings .. 44
Figure 2. Sample dashboard of number of SCM adjunct faculty that have completed PBL
training in relation to attaining the organizational goal .................................................. 107
Figure 3. Sample dashboard of SCM adjunct faculty that have implemented PBL ................... 108

ix

Abstract
College graduates in the field of Supply Chain Management (SCM) are not graduating with the
key soft skills required by employers in the domain. The primary cause for the lack of soft skills
in the field is that not enough curriculum is dedicated to building these essential proficiencies by
the colleges and universities. In this study, the Clark and Estes (2008) gap analytic framework
was used to understand the adjunct faculty’s knowledge, motivation, and organizational
influences regarding the implementation of a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) curriculum to
improve SCM students’ soft skills. Interviews were conducted with nine SCM adjunct faculty
members at a large public university to determine the use of PBL in the classroom. Additionally,
document analysis was conducted to review course syllabi to explore implementation of PBL in
practice. Data demonstrated that the adjunct faculty study participants already used PBL methods
in their classrooms during group projects and simulation exercises. However, the degree to
which the participants used and understood PBL methodologies varied. No significant gaps were
found in the knowledge or motivation of the faculty. However, a substantial gap existed in the
organization's cultural setting of training; there was no training for adjunct faculty regarding PBL
methodologies at the university. Recommendations to address the PBL training gap were
developed using the New World Kirkpatrick Model (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). By
following the recommendations outlined, universities can provide faculty the tools needed to
enhance student outcomes and help develop the soft skills required for the field of SCM; in turn,
employers will be able to recruit workers that have the soft skills they covet.

1

Chapter One: Introduction to the Problem of Practice
This study addresses the issue of real-world skills missing in college curriculums for
Supply Chain Management (SCM). According to the Association of Supply Chain Management
(ASCM) Dictionary 15
th
edition (2016), SCM is the design, planning, execution, control, and
monitoring of the following supply chain processes: plan, source, make, deliver, enable, and
return. The supply chain encompasses the global network used to provide products and services
through a designed flow of information, physical distribution of products, and cash (ASCM
dictionary 15
th
edition, 2016). The objective of SCM is to create net value while building a
competitive infrastructure and matching supply with demand (Osborne & Eyre, 2018). Graduates
entering the profession need to understand SCM theory, which is provided by the programs they
are enrolled in; however, theory is only part of the required SCM education. Universities do not
include the necessary skills to solve everyday problems of the domain of SCM in their
curriculum (Fawcett & Waller, 2011).
The evidence highlights that curriculums are too steeped in theory and do not develop
the skills employers need from their workers, such as problem-solving, collaboration, and
communication (Sodhi et al., 2008). There is also evidence in the literature to suggest that recent
college graduates with SCM degrees are not prepared with the proper skills and competencies to
handle routine problems that come up day to day in all supply chains (Schoenherr & Speier-Pero,
2015: Sinha et al., 2016). The literature regarding the current state of the SCM curriculum
highlights that there is a lack of SCM-related skills taught to students in colleges and universities
(Amrik, 2013; Fawcett & Waller, 2011). One example of the gap showed that 50% of employers
felt students lacked the training to solve problems using data analytics (Schoenherr & Speier-
Pero, 2015). This problem of unprepared graduates is important to address because, in the ever-

2

changing field of SCM, colleges are not doing an adequate job of producing graduates ready for
the challenges in the SCM profession (Andrews & Higson, 2008). Evidence from the literature
review demonstrates that the lack of preparedness and wrong or uninformed decisions have a
direct impact on an organization’s supply chain, which in turn influences an organization’s
operating performance (Andrews & Higson, 2008).
Organizational Context and Mission
Western State University (WSU, pseudonym) served as the site of study. WSU is a public
university located in a large western United States city. According to its website, in 2020, the
university had a total enrollment of approximately 27,000 students. There were 2400 students
enrolled in the WSU business school, and 160 of these students made up the SCM program. The
business school offered seven undergraduate degrees, and 7% of all business school graduates
majored in the domain of SCM. The student-teacher ratio was 18:1. The business school was
accredited through The Association to Advance College Schools of Business and was ranked in
the top 5% of all business schools internationally. The university’s mission included statements
that focused on educating a diverse community of lifelong learners. According to its website,
WSU was dedicated to collaborative learning, innovative research, and community engagement.
In addition, the business school’s mission includes making a positive impact through inclusive,
transformative, and meaningful research.
Organizational Goal
Among the several organizational goals of the Business school at WSU was to prepare
future supply chain professionals to exhibit competencies aligned to the SCM competency
models of the domain. It was the business school’s goal that by June 2025, 100% of the SCM
graduates will exhibit competencies aligned to the SCM competency models of the domain. This

3

goal operationalizes the mission statement value of real-world engagement. This goal was
important because local employers expressed their frustration to the Director of the SCM
program at WSU that recent graduates were not entering the workforce with the skills required
for jobs in the SCM field. The potential risk of not meeting this goal was that employers would
not view WSU graduates of the SCM program as viable candidates for open positions.
Importance of the Evaluation
It is important to solve the problem of SCM graduates lacking the required skills of the
field and prepare the curriculum to be aligned to the SCM competency models of the domain for
several reasons. Employers require graduates to have a well-rounded knowledge of SCM
principles and to have the skills needed to be successful in the field (Sinha et al., 2016). As
expected, schools that incorporate soft and technical skills combined with a strong core SCM
program provide employing firms with the most preferred graduates for the field (Amrik, 2013).
According to Andrews and Higson (2008), overall, the majority of business schools are not doing
a suitable job of getting students ready for careers in SCM. The consequences of not solving this
problem will leave employers without enough qualified candidates for future openings (Sinha et
al., 2016). The studies demonstrated that the lack of SCM competencies could cost companies
lost revenue, increased operating costs, and poor customer service (Ellinger et al., 2011;
Flöthmann et al., 2018).
Description of Stakeholder Groups
There are three key stakeholder groups at WSU in the context of this study. The first
group is the business school administration, who managed the SCM program by marketing the
program to local employers as one of the leading SCM programs in the region. The second group
of stakeholders are the students of the program. There are about 160 current SCM majors. This

4

group will benefit from graduating with enhanced skills in the field of SCM. The final
stakeholder group is the SCM adjunct faculty within WSU. There were 20 members of the
adjunct SCM program at the time of the study. All members of this group held a master’s degree,
and all had at least five years of experience in the field of SCM. This group conducted the
majority of the teaching in the SCM program at the university.
Stakeholder Group for the Study
Although a complete analysis would have involved all stakeholders, the group of focus
for this study was the adjunct faculty for the SCM program at WSU. The adjunct faculty group
was chosen because, at the time of the study, they out-numbered the tenured faculty in the SCM
by a 4-1 ratio. Also, the adjunct faculty was chosen as it is representative of the adjunct to
tenured faculty ratio at universities in the United States. According to Brennan and Magness
(2018), almost 40% of instructors at universities in the United States are adjunct faculty. The
research for this study was a needs assessment for the adjunct faculty. Specifically, the study
explored the faculty knowledge and motivational influences to improve instructional practices to
support getting students more prepared for the field of SCM. The study also explored the
organizational influences at WSU and examines how the university will need to provide help to
the adjunct instructors, learn, develop, and implement these enhanced instructional practices.
This study focused more on the preferred soft skills of the field rather than the required hard
skills. Colleges and universities provide the required necessary hard skills of SCM, such as
transportation and logistics, operations management, strategic sourcing, and inventory
management (Rahman & Qing, 2014). All of the adjunct faculty members of the program had at
least five years of experience in the field, and most of them were still currently working in the
field, according to the SCM program director. This group of educators have the most practical

5

experience in the field and understand the real-world competencies of the domain. This group of
faculty members usually teach courses that fall within their specialization of SCM. For instance,
if an adjunct faculty member works as a buyer for an organization, they will most likely teach
classes in strategic sourcing or purchasing. The members of this stakeholder group held positions
in the field, such as Director of Operations, Director of Supply Chain, Senior Director of
Logistics, and Senior Manager of Purchasing. The members of this group worked for the
university on a part-time basis and all stakeholders held full-time positions outside the university,
or were retired from industry. Table 1 illustrates the WSU organization’s mission statement,
performance goals, and three key stakeholder goals described
Stakeholder Performance Goals
Table 1 presents the organizational mission and goals for the key stakeholders of this
study. The business school administration developed the organizational mission statement at
WSU. The first organizational performance goal relates to the desired outcome for future
students graduating from the SCM program at the university. The second performance goal
impacts the stakeholders of focus and is the desired outcome of this study. Table 1 illustrates
WSU’s business school’s organizational mission statement, the organization's performance goal,
and the stakeholder goal.

6

Table 1
Organizational Mission, Global Goal and Stakeholder Performance Goals
Organizational Mission
To create positive social, ecological, and economic impact through inclusive, transformative
learning and meaningful research.
Organizational Performance Goal
By 2025, 100% of WSU supply chain graduates exhibit competencies aligned to the SCM
competency models of the domain.
SCM Adjunct Faculty
By the fall term of 2022, 100% of SCM adjunct faculty will implement an SCM soft skill aligned
PBL curriculum.

Purpose of the Project and Questions
The purpose of this project was to conduct a needs analysis to explore the degree to which
the SCM program at WSU can meet its goal of preparing future supply chain professionals to
exhibit competencies aligned to the SCM competency models of the domain. While a complete
performance evaluation would have focused on all stakeholders, for practical purposes, the
stakeholder focused on in this analysis was the adjunct faculty at WSU. The analysis focused on
knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences related to their capacity to develop and
implement SCM soft skills aligned curriculum via Problem-Based Learning (PBL). As such, the
questions that guided this study are the following.
1. What are the adjunct faculty knowledge and motivation related to implementing an SCM
soft skills aligned Problem-based learning curriculum?
2. How does WSU’s culture and context either support or hinder adjunct faculty knowledge
and motivation to implement an SCM soft skill aligned PBL curriculum?

7

3. What are the recommendations for organizational practice in the areas of knowledge,
motivation, and organizational resources?
Clark and Estes’ (2008) Knowledge, Motivation and Organizational Influences Framework
Clark and Estes (2008) offered a methodical, analytic framework that clarifies
organizational and stakeholder performance goals and pinpoints the gaps between the
performance level and the performance goal. Once the gap is established, the framework
examines the stakeholder knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences creating the
performance gaps (Clark & Estes, 2008). Krathwohl (2002) posits knowledge and skills consist
of four types: (a) factual, (b) conceptual, (c) procedural, and (d) metacognitive. These knowledge
and skill types are components that are needed in order to achieve the performance goal.
Motivation influences include the behaviors of active choice, persistence, and mental effort
(Clark & Estes, 2008; Rueda, 2011). Self-efficacy, attributions, values, and goals are the
motivational influences that underlie whether a stakeholder engages in choice, persistence, and
mental effort (Rueda, 2011). Lastly, organizational influences such as work processes, resources,
and workplace culture and their impact on stakeholder performance need to be reviewed (Clark
& Estes, 2008).
All three elements of the Clark and Estes’ (2008) gap analysis will be discussed below in
terms of the adjunct faculty’s knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences that impact
the adjunct faculty’s ability to integrate PBL into the SCM curriculum at WSU. The first section
will be a review of assumed influences on the stakeholder performance goal in the context of
knowledge and skills. Next, the assumed influences of motivation and the achievement of the
stakeholder goal will be analyzed. Finally, assumed organizational influences on the
achievement of the stakeholder goal will be studied. Each of the assumed stakeholder

8

knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences on performance will then be examined
through the methodology discussed in Chapter Three.
Definitions
Active Learning: Activities used by students to participate in the learning process, and not
passively acquiring the knowledge.
ASCM: Association for Supply Chain Management is the largest non-profit association for
supply chain management, an unbiased partner, connecting companies around the world
to the newest insights on all aspects of supply chain management. ASCM enables
companies to optimize their supply chains, secure their competitive advantage, and
positively impact their bottom lines.
Core Competencies: Skills needed in order to be successful at a job or other activity.
IHL: Institutes of Higher Learning, this can include universities, colleges, community colleges,
or any combination of the three entities. IHL are where the SCM curriculum is taught.
PBL: Problem-based learning is a student-centered pedagogy in which students learn about a
subject through the experience of solving open-ended problems. The PBL process does
not focus on problem-solving with a defined solution, but it allows for the development
of other desirable skills and attributes.
SCM: Supply Chain Management is the management of the processes of a plan, source, make,
deliver, enable, and return. Supply chain management encompasses the global network
used to deliver products and services through a designed flow of information, physical
distribution of products, and cash. There are three major fields within SCM that are all
linked that include Operations, Sourcing, and Logistics.

9

Organization of the Project
Five chapters are used to organize this study. This chapter provided the reader with an
introduction to the problem of practice and key terminology commonly found in discussion
regarding SCM. The chapter also presented the organization’s mission, goals, stakeholders, and
the framework for the project were introduced. Chapter Two provides a review of the current
literature surrounding the scope of the study. The lack of core competencies in the domain, the
current state of the curriculum being taught SCM programs at the university level, and the impact
on organizations due to the lack of skills and knowledge will be reviewed. The chapter also
examines the knowledge, motivation, and organizational elements as they relate to the
stakeholder. Chapter Three details the methodology regarding the choice of participants, data
collection, and analysis. Chapter Four presents the findings of the study in regards to the
questions regarding the knowledge, motivational, and organization influences that guided this
study. The study concludes with Chapter Five, where recommendations to close the gaps
identified in this study are provided.

10

Chapter Two: Review of the Literature
This literature review examines the inability of recent SCM graduates globally to address
common and routine problems of the domain. The review begins with an overview of the skills
and core competencies required to be proficient in the SCM field. Then the lack of these skills
and competencies being addressed in the SCM curriculum in the universities is highlighted.
Next, the supply chain problems that impact organizational performance caused by a lack of
skills and SCM competencies by employees that work in the field will be examined. This section
includes research on required SCM aptitudes and organizational implications of poor supply
chain execution. Following the general research literature, the review examines the Clark and
Estes (2008) Gap Analytic Conceptual Framework, specifically, the knowledge, motivation, and
organizational influences on adjunct faculty at WSU to implement these skills and core
competencies into the SCM curriculum at the university.
Skills and Competencies for Supply Chain Management
All business domains have required proficiencies and skills to perform the basic
requirements of the profession. This review will look at the required knowledge and skills of the
domain of SCM and the importance of these skills in the workplace. For professionals in the
field of SCM, there are required competencies regardless of the type and size of the supply chain
being managed. There are three primary fields within the domain of SCM: operations, sourcing,
and logistics, and there are unique skillsets for each field with the domain. An example would be
a sourcing professional may know that product they are buying will need to come from China via
ocean cargo but do not know how to complete import and export documentation or how to book
cargo space on an ocean vessel. On the other hand, a logistics professional may be able to
complete the required documentation but are unsure how the product is used or how the product

11

was negotiated for purchase. The literature will show that employers want their employees to
have a holistic view and knowledge of the entire domain of SCM and not siloed and functional
knowledge.
Required Competencies for SCM Professionals
The field of SCM is a required business function, and, if appropriately managed, can be
used as a competitive advantage (Vokurka, 2011). The domain of SCM is an extension of
logistics, which is a functional area of responsibility dating from the late 17
th
century (Webster,
2009). The term SCM has evolved and now has a much broader definition that includes the
processes of plan, source, make, deliver, return, and enable (ASCM dictionary 15
th
edition). As
the discipline of SCM has progressed, there is a need to develop competency models for the
types of aptitudes and skills that are needed now and into the future (Vokurka, 2011). Prior
aptitude needs were more functional in nature, such as inventory management, warehousing,
procurement, and logistics. However, today, SCM employees need to be more general and can
integrate the various specialties of the domain. Overall, the SCM college graduates are
graduating without the overall strategic view of SCM but a functional view of the discipline
(Vokurka, 2011). In 2009, the Association of Supply Chain Management (ASCM) responded to
the need of industry to develop a competency model need by supply chain managers. This model
allows organizations to define the supply chain manager requirements better and help
universities to meet the needs of the industry (Vokurka, 2011).
A competency model is a group of competencies that define successful performance in a
specific work setting or domain. Competency models are important for Human Resource
functions such as recruitment, hiring, training, and performance management and are the basis on
which curriculum developers and educators use to ensure workers have the right skills.

12

Competency models have broad applications and many stakeholders that include individual
workers, organizations, IHL, training providers, governmental agencies, and the general public.
The US Department of Labor provides a competency model format that offers a framework for
business and industry to express their workforce needs (Personnel Decisions Research Institutes,
Inc., 2005). As outlined in Table 2, the ASCM competency model is made up of building blocks
of tiers of competencies of foundational, industry-related, and occupation-related skills.

13

Table 2
ASCM Competency Model
Competency Type Description
Foundational

Tier 1: Personal effectiveness This tier represents motives, traits as well as
interpersonal and self-management skills, including
awareness of the needs of others, integrity, effective
communication, and creativity.
Tier 2: Academic These are primarily learned in an academic setting and
include math, statistics, supply chain fundamentals,
business management foundations, and operations and
enterprise economics.
Tier 3: Workplace and
leadership
These are skills that allow individuals to function in an
organizational setting and include problem-solving and
decision making, teamwork and collaboration,
accountability, internal and external customer focus,
planning, organizing, and conflict management.
Profession-Related
Tier 4: Operations management
knowledge areas and
technical
This area represents the knowledge, skills, and abilities
needed by all occupations within SCM. Knowledge
areas include operations strategy, manufacturing
process environments, process improvement,
execution, planning, and scheduling control.
Tier 5: Supply chain manager
knowledge areas and
technical
These represent the knowledge, skills, and abilities
needed by SCM managers; master planning,
production planning, sales and operations planning,
demand management, forecasting, capacity
management, risk management, supply chain
synchronization, strategic sourcing, customer
relationship management, and distribution and
logistics.
Occupational-Related
Tier 6: Supply chain manager
specific requirements
These requirements include professional certifications,
specialized postsecondary degrees, and trade
association membership.

14

Supply Chain Competency Models
The Supply Chain Manager competency model was developed by The Association of
Supply Chain Management (ASCM) to provide the skill set and competencies required by SCM
managers in this relatively new business school discipline. This model has gained the attention of
industry groups and academic institutions to help better align SCM education programs and the
needs of industry (Vokurka, 2011). The review of competencies will be reviewed further as the
study looks at another model that has many similarities to the ASCM model. This model will
demonstrate that competence in the field of SCM is seen as a combination of knowledge, skills,
abilities, and capabilities and is a significant factor in an organizations’ success (Derwik &
Hellstrӧm, 2017). Strong SCM competence will lead to business improvements both
operationally and financially (Bowersox et al., 2000).
In their research, Derwik and Hellstrӧm (2017) use a similar competency model to
explain the required competencies for the field of SCM. In their study, the authors look at the
competencies from individual and organization levels as opposed to the ASCM model, which
only reviews competencies at the individual level. The authors also have four elements of
competence: behavioral, managerial, relational, and functional. Behavioral competence at the
individual level is considered the most important for the domain. Similar to the ASCM model,
this competency includes elements of self-management, leadership, creativity, and self-
motivation. The managerial and relational skills are similar to the academic and workplace
competencies of the ASCM model. They include such elements as communication, teamwork,
foundational business knowledge, and cross-functional awareness. Derwik and Hellstrӧm (2017)
demonstrate that functional competence in their model is similar to the ASCM model profession
and occupational-related Tier 4 and includes specific knowledge about a specific element of

15

SCM or multiple elements of SCM such as logistics, sourcing, or operations management. It is
well known within the industry that an organization's SCM capabilities have an impact on its
performance, as SCM has a direct effect on costs and revenue (Ellinger et al., 2011; Flöthmann
et al., 2018). It is the individual competencies that are made up of knowledge, skills, and abilities
that are related to job performance. Competencies have a direct impact on profitability,
effectiveness, productivity, and operating revenue (Aguinis & Kraiger, 2009).
The literature review has provided two different examples of SCM competency models
that share similar competencies that are required for the field of SCM. Both models incorporate
personal traits, academic and business required competencies, and the industry or functional
specific knowledge. The section briefly reviewed how SCM impacts business from a financial
and performance standpoint. Competencies for the profession can be broken down into hard and
soft skills. The next section with review both skill types, their differences, and applications for
the SCM profession.
Hard Skills versus Soft Skills of the Profession
In the domain of SCM, employers are looking for a balance of hard or technical skills as
well as soft or interpersonal skills from recent college graduates. The literature reviewed
differentiated between the hard and soft skills that are required in the field of SCM and what
constitutes hard and soft skills. As Fan et al. (2017) discussed, there was an awareness within
organizations that both hard skills and soft skills are required for all business professions. This
section of the review will look at defining both soft and hard skills and explain their importance
to the field of SCM. Soft skills are described as people or interpersonal skills and include
persuasion, negotiation, communication, teamwork, and collaboration (Fan et al., 2017). One
definition of hard skills was described as technical skills such as math, coding, computer skills,
data mining, and data analyzing (Fan et al., 2017). According to Luke and Heyns (2019),

16

Technical skills were easier to attain than interpersonal skills as they are more valued by
students.
There is a widening gap between the skills and capabilities of recent college graduates
with business degrees and requirements in the workplace due to the increased mobile and
globalized society (Andrews & Higson, 2008). Some of the key soft skills and competencies
required for business professions include traits such as reliability, ability to cope with
uncertainty, and being able to work under pressure. Other sought-after soft skills include the
ability to plan and think strategically, have excellent communication and presentation skills, self
and time management skills, and creativity (Andrews & Higson, 2008). Some of the most
sought-after hard or technical skills from business majors are strong overall business acumen,
knowledge of how business processes are connected and work together, and the ability to
analyze data, use statistics, and information technology skills (Andrews & Higson, 2008).
In Rahman and Qing’s (2014) study, they reviewed the most important and relevant soft
and hard skills for the SCM domain. The findings for their study are intended to help educational
institutions start to define the skills that should be included in the SCM curriculum. Some of the
key technical or hard skills SCM included demand forecasting, distribution requirement
planning, inventory management, sourcing, spreadsheet abilities, warehouse, and transportation
management. The necessary soft skills from the study included the ability to make decisions, the
ability to prioritize, ethics, people skills, and problem-solving knowledge (Rahman & Qing,
2014).
The research discussed the differences between hard and soft skills in the domain of SCM
and what attributes of each are needed to be successful individually and to help improve
organizational performance. While it is clear certain metacognitive and technical competencies

17

are required in the field of SCM, professionals in the field need to have a blend of both hard and
soft skills in order to be successful and add value for their organizations. The next section will
look at ways one attains these skills to be successful in the field. The study has reviewed SCM
competencies coveted by organizations and the difference between hard and soft skills. The
current state of the SCM curriculum is that IHL are not producing the caliber of candidates
required by employers; understanding the gaps in the SCM curriculum that need to be closed is
necessary to meet the needs of the job market.
Supply Chain Management Curriculum
The field of SCM is a relatively new field to business schools and universities that
provide studies of the discipline and, in most cases, have yet to define a standard core curriculum
(Storey et al., 2006). Many IHL offer some type of supply chain curriculum in a single branch of
the field, such as logistics, purchasing, or operations management, but they fail to encompass all
disciplines of the domain (Bernon & Mena, 2013; Wong et al., 2013). This portion of the
literature review will examine the current state of SCM in business schools and demonstrate
evidence that overall, the curriculum is either outdated or not sufficient to meet the requirements
of today’s employers in the field of SCM. However, there are encouraging signs that some IHL
are further along in the SCM curriculum development and are providing students with the skills
and competencies they will need to be successful.
Current State of Supply Chain Management Curriculum

The field of SCM requires cross-functional integration of systems, disciplines, processes,
and competencies; many IHL are struggling to design their SCM curriculum to reflect this
complexity (Wong et al., 2013). In today's business schools, SCM courses tend to promote
individual elements of SCM, such as logistics or purchasing, but still fail to address employers'

18

needs for competencies within the domain of communication and analytic skills (Wong et al.,
2013). Business schools that offer SCM curriculum need to balance the curriculum of SCM
disciplines and the competencies sought by employers. There is a need for IHL to understand the
needs of the employers and look at the individual as a whole with knowledge, competencies, and
personal qualities (Wong et al., 2013). If the field of SCM is to mature, there needs to be further
development in clarifying the core competencies, theories, and theoretical map (Storey et al.,
2006). The overwhelming majority of SCM theory taught in the IHL is based on ideal
conditions, optimal transportation routes and modes, accurate inventory for demand fulfillment,
and that the distribution network is sufficient to meet the demand of the customers, which in the
real world is simply not the case (Storey et al., 2006).
The field of SCM has evolved swiftly over the past generation, this rapid change is taxing
IHL, professional associations, and publications to remain relevant to their stakeholders (Fawcett
& Rutner, 2014). The SCM decision-making environment is currently changing at a rapid rate;
because of this, IHL will need to re-evaluate their SCM curriculum to ensure the current and
emerging deficiencies are defined and addressed to better meet the needs of today's employers
(Fawcett & Rutner, 2014). Professors who do not fully understand the needs of SCM employers
are unlikely to be able to develop educational offerings that meet the market needs. If this gap is
not closed, professors will be unable to design coursework and supporting materials to advance
the SCM profession (Fawcett & Rutner, 2014). In their study, Fawcett and Rutner (2014) cited
an example from industry as asking universities to provide students that can “think in an
integrated and global way” (p. 189).
One aspect of SCM education is the relevance of industry-specific professional
associations. These associations offer educational offerings to the evolving SCM marketplace.

19

Associations, such as Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM), Council for Supply
Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP), and The Institute for Supply Management (ISM),
all offer SCM courses. These organizations have retained relevance by moving from functionary
orientations to a more holistic view of SCM (Fawcett & Rutner, 2014). For instance, ASCM used
to focus exclusively on the manufacturing operations aspects of the supply chain, which included
such topics as Material Requirements Planning (MRP), Master Planning, Master Scheduling,
forecasting, and inventory planning, now offers coursework and a professional certification that
encompasses all functions and aspects of the SCM domain (ASCM website 2019). In their study,
Fawcett and Rutner (2014) also showed that SCM industry professional certifications are
increasing in value to employers as these certifications demonstrate SCM hard skills and
competencies.
The question of relevancy and importance is a significant challenge of SCM education to
industry. Typically, the industry has urgent requirements and view IHL as institutions that are to
slow to respond to their needs. One way for IHL to remain relevant is to develop multi-
disciplinary partnerships with industry to stay up to date with the changing needs within the field
of SCM (van Hoek et al., 2011). While developing partnerships between IHL and business seems
straightforward and logical, for professors, building these relationships is time-consuming, labor-
intensive, and creates additional workload (Bak & Boulocher-Passet, 2013). Classes for SCM
need a more integrative skill development approach and increased partnerships between
education and industry that would be beneficial to all stakeholders (Lutz & Birou, 2013).
Currently, SCM education in IHL is aimed at developing professionals who can use their
skills and knowledge in organizations; this should be the starting point for developing any SCM
curriculum (Bernon & Mena, 2013). The main focus of the curriculum is on the technical and

20

functional areas of the domain, such as sourcing and logistics. There is less attention to the softer
skills of leadership, collaboration, and communication than hard-technical skills. The current
curriculum tends to look at the technical aspects of SCM and overlooks social or soft skills. Both
students and industry are asking IHL to provide more strategic and soft skills to the SCM
curriculum (Bernon & Mena, 2013).
In their study, Lutz and Birou (2013) looked at a sample of 118 different logistic only
focused classes to gain an understanding of the curriculum. Their survey used syllabi from
universities across North America and Europe. In most cases, the classes used a research-based
approach to logistics education. There was a difference in the depth of material at a graduate
level. The undergraduate classes for SCM tended to spend a more significant percentage of time
on transportation and inventory management. In the graduate classes that looked at logistics, the
actual SCM activities that are associated with logistics, such as transportation, warehousing, and
distribution, were 67%. These graduate courses also utilized teams for class projects that
developed the people skills the employers are looking for (Lutz & Birou, 2013). The evidence
suggests some changes need to be made to the current SCM curriculum to address the demands
of industry in the ever-changing world of SCM. Most university SCM programs are not doing an
adequate job of preparing students for the challenges of the field. They need to attend to the
missing components required to close the gap between academia and industry.
Missing Components of Supply Chain Management Education

There are gaps in the current SCM curriculum at the universities that business leaders are
looking for in graduates. Business leaders are looking to IHL to develop skills for the SCM
domain. The review outlines the gaps in SCM education for developing the necessary skills and
look at ways the curriculum can be improved to meet the industry requirements. Problem-based

21

learning (PBL), a possible educational methodology that may help close the gap, will also be
reviewed.
The field of SCM has evolved swiftly over the past decade due to globalization and
technology. This expansion has created a challenge for industry, academia, and SCM
professional associations. The job growth outlook is one of the strongest in all business functions
(Sinha et al., 2016). The field of SCM has grown dramatically over the past two decades and
continues to evolve. Institutions of Higher Learning recognize this fact and continue to redesign
their curriculum to try and meet the needs of industry. However, industry is moving at a faster
pace than academia, and there is disagreement between business and IHL on what a core SCM
curriculum should entail (Sinha et al., 2016). As stated earlier, a majority of IHL include specific
SCM knowledge area courses such as purchasing, logistics, operations, and inventory
management. However, industry considers purchasing, logistics, and operations as core classes
and expects graduates to understand how they operate together instead of independently (Sinha
et al., 2016).
There are three emerging areas of SCM within industry in which very little to no
curriculum information was found in the literature. These areas include SCM data analytics,
social and environmental sustainability, and information technology specific to SCM (Sinha et
al., 2016). Two key findings are provided by Sinha et al. (2016) that show business schools are
far behind industry in providing IT knowledge and tools. The lack of Enterprise Resource
Planning (ERP) system exposure in coursework is one of the biggest gaps between industry and
academia. The other significant gap is the overall gap in the execution in manufacturing
environments.

22

In their study, Sodhi et al. (2008) provided evidence through a review of SCM course
syllabi that most SCM courses are knowledge or hard skill-based. These courses teach the theory
of the SCM subject, such as inventory management, warehouse management, or logistics.
However, they do not blend the soft skills which are also required by industry into the
curriculum. Overall, IHL are not providing the right balance between knowledge and skills. In
SCM courses, there is a higher emphasis placed on knowledge or theory, while there should be a
blend of both knowledge (hard skills) and development of people or soft skills (Wong et al.,
2013). Some universities are farther ahead in the development of the preferred SCM curriculum
and have incorporated the soft skills of communication, and collaboration, and the technical
skills into their programs.
Some institutions are collaborating with other schools and businesses to incorporate soft
and technical skills into the SCM curriculum. There is evidence to suggest some IHL are further
along in the development of SCM soft skills than others (Long et al., 2012). One instance of
schools working together is the SCM faculty at a United States-based university, collaborating
with a university in France, which developed group projects between the two schools that
required students to work with other students from a different country (Long et al., 2012). The
group projects require students to learn the soft skills of understanding political differences,
cultural diversities, and time management issues due to the six-hour time difference.
Another example of IHL working together was in the development of an SCM
curriculum that includes using sophisticated scientific tools to increase students’ technical skills
(Davis et al., 2014). The Army Logistics University in Fort Lee, VA, and Virginia
Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA, teamed up to create a master’s degree program
that introduces both business and military students to advanced SCM concepts. The program

23

incorporates the use of real-time decision-making analysis tools, which enhances their technical
skills. Program graduates are taught the tools to develop creative solutions to solve day-to-day
issues that occur in the field of SCM (Davis et al., 2014). Many academics consider the field
SCM as an emerging field of study (Storey et al., 2006), but businesses are becoming frustrated
with the lack of preparedness of graduates. The research showed that most IHL business schools
offer courses in SCM; however, the curriculum is usually knowledge-centric and lecture-based
and does incorporate practicing the required soft skills employers seek in this domain. As
mentioned earlier, some universities are further along in developing curriculum to meet the
requirements of the field that contain both the knowledge of the domain and the required soft
skills employers need. The research showed that the majority of the SCM course material deals
with theory and assumes all of the processes are working correctly. As Fawcett and Rutner
(2014) pointed out, most graduates do not come out of the IHL with the skills necessary to deal
with the problems that impact supply chains. The evidence has shown that employers are seeking
graduates equipped with soft skills; the SCM curriculum needs to have more soft skills
embedded in the curriculum (Sinha et al., 2016). Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is one solution
to this problem and provides students more practice and hands-on learning to understand the
impact of their decisions in a safe environment (Allen et al., 2011; Hung, 2011).
Problem-Based Learning
PBL is a student-centered teaching method in which students learn about a subject by
having the practice of solving open-ended problems (Wood, 2003). The PBL process provides
students the opportunity to develop soft skills such as collaboration, communication, and
research skills (Wood, 2003). PBL is also defined as a circular learner-centered approach that
allows students to perform research, use theory and practice, and apply their subject knowledge

24

and skills to a practical solution to a specific problem (Rata & Samfira, 2015). The PBL
methodology helps students identify what they already know, what they need to know, and how
to locate new information to help resolve the problem (Wood, 2003). The PBL methodology has
its origins in medical schools from the 1960s (Jones, 2006). According to Hoffman et al. (2006),
80% of medical schools incorporate some type of PBL into their courses. The central concept of
PBL is that learning for the student commences as a problem the student looks to resolve (Jones,
2006). PBL is not merely an opportunity to problem solve but makes solving the problem the
reason for learning. Students need to specifically identify and pursue the knowledge they need to
solve the problem. Data suggests one of the reasons why PBL is so effective is that the student is
forced to solve a specific problem while acquiring the knowledge of how to solve similar
problems when they arise in the future (Jones, 2006).
Silva et al. (2018) described the key steps required for instructors to implement PBL that
included describing the problem, forming small teams, researching the problem, proposing a
hypothesis, creating goals for solving the problem, and sharing knowledge to facilitate the
development of the learning process and getting the problem solved. There are many advantages
and disadvantages to the PBL methodology for students and faculty alike that include: making
the curriculum content relevant by building learning around problems of the field, focusing
learning on core information relevant to hypothetical scenarios which can reduce cognitive
overload, creating the development of the soft skills employers covet, forcing students to
understand and gather information on multiple levels which provides a greater depth of
understanding of the domain (Jones, 2006; Rata & Samfira, 2015).
There are also disadvantages to the PBL methodology for instructors as they will take on
the role of facilitator rather than a teacher Taking on the role of facilitator may be demotivating

25

to some instructors as this method limits their ability to impart their knowledge directly (Jones,
2006; Rata & Samfira, 2015). At times knowledge gained through PBL seems less organized
than traditional lecture-based learning. There is a large percentage of the teaching faculty that
lack the facilitation skills to deliver PBL effectively. However, the biggest problem may be in
the resource of time for instructors to be trained in PBL methodology, and develop a new
curriculum is problematic.
In their research, Sinha et al. (2016) demonstrated that there is a disconnection between
the skills employers’ desire from SCM graduates and the curriculum provided by the IHL. The
disconnection between employers and IHL is problematic as the demand for graduates that have
both the technical knowledge and the soft skills employers desire far outpaces the supply at this
time. It is important to address this problem because organizations need employees with both
hard and soft skills to manage their supply chains. Organizations that have poor functioning
supply chains are likely to suffer consequences both operationally and financially.
There are current examples of PBL being used in the SCM curriculum in IHL. Harnowo
et al. (2016) cited an example that includes a hands-on simulation to increase the understanding
of the complexities in the design of SCM networks of supply and distribution. Miller et al.
(2016) have developed a simulation developed by, which simulates the use of six sigma
methodology in an SCM setting to increase the quality of a product. The simulation emphasizes
teamwork and problem-solving. There is also a simulation game that uses software to provide
instantaneous feedback to student decisions in regards to cash flow, inventory levels, and
forecast accuracy that improved overall SC knowledge and the soft skills of problem-solving and
collaboration (Kanet & Stӧßlein, 2008). So far, the study has reviewed the need for both hard

26

and soft skills required in the field of SCM; the study now turns its attention to why these skills
are critical to an organization's success.
Consequences of Deficient Supply Chain Performance
All supply chains regularly encounter issues, such as missed shipments, late deliveries
from suppliers, or inaccurate inventory. How well SCM professionals resolve or prevent these
problems will determine if an organization’s supply chain can be used as a competitive
advantage. The research demonstrates that if these situations are not resolved and corrected, the
impacts on the organization will result in poor customer service and increased operational
expenses (Heaslip et al., 2019). The research also demonstrates that hard and soft skills of the
domain are required to solve and, more importantly, prevent these issues from occurring in the
first place (Mellat-Parast & Spillan, 2014).
Inadequate Skills and Lack of Integration Lead to Poor Performance

Lacking the skills to make correct decisions regarding supply chain problems has a direct
impact on an organization's finances, customer service, and reputation. One example of the lack
of knowledge regarding logistical tactics and processes was during the 2004 tsunami in
Indonesia that killed over 200,000 people. The costs of procurement, transportation, and
distribution are estimated as 80% of the income to various aid agencies; however, 30% of the aid
was wasted due to supplies being delivered too late to help the victims (Heaslip et al., 2019).
Inefficiencies of the effort included procurement of the incorrect supplies or expired medicines,
wrong or ineffective modes of receiving and delivering needed supplies, warehousing and
storage at locations that were not at good locations for efficient distribution, the lack of ability to
track and trace materials as they were received and distributed (Heaslip et al., 2019). In their
study on the role of SCM in aid of humanitarian relief efforts, Heaslip et al. (2019) suggested the

27

improvement of logistical skills will help mitigate these deficiencies and meet the needs of the
victims in disaster situations better and more efficiently.
Having an efficient and well-managed supply chain is one way an organization can gain a
competitive advantage over its competitors (Mellat-Parast & Spillan, 2014). It is important that
all SCM functions be integrated. Benefits to firms that have integrated SCM functions include
higher return on investment, improved customer service, and lower cost of products (Mellat-
Parast & Spillan, 2014). To get an organization's SCM processes to become fully integrated, the
organization needs employees to be the ones integrating the processes. It is the people, not
Information Systems (IT), that integrate SCM processes. IT facilitates the integration that
employers need, and their SCM professionals need to be able to have a holistic view of the firm's
supply chain (Mellat-Parast & Spillan, 2014).
Deficient Supply Chain Management Practices Expensive for Organizations
When supply chains are efficient, they can be used as a competitive advantage; however,
when they are inefficient, the consequences can be costly to organizations. Some common errors
continuously happen in all supply chains, and the literature will show most of the errors are
simple human errors that could be avoided by having employees who possess the correct SCM
hard and soft skill competencies. One of the most common inefficiencies in all of SCM is the
accurate account of inventory (DeHoratius & Raman, 2008). In the United States, retailers spend
1% of their annual sales on automated decision support tools. Inventory errors equaled about $30
billion in 1999; however, inaccurate inventory records compromise the value and use of these
tools (DeHoratius & Raman, 2008).
There are numerous ways in which inventory records can become inaccurate. In retail,
inventory inaccuracies can occur at the checkout, or during receiving or stocking the product,

28

when orders from the distribution center are received with the assumption they are accurate, or if
they are inaccurate leaving the distribution center, they will be inaccurate when received at the
retail location (DeHoratius & Raman, 2008). Database errors and poor data synchronization are
also a major cause of inventory inaccuracies. For instance, a case pack size of a product in the
database equals 12, but the case size is actually 24, then this will cause the unit inventory to be
off as well. It needs to be mentioned that theft is also a large contributor to inventory
inaccuracies and is the reason for anti-theft tags on some retail products (DeHoratius & Raman,
2008).
The costs of inaccurate inventory have many consequences for organizations. In their
study, Kӧk and Shang (2007) illustrated the impact on retailers and a manufacturer of heavy
equipment and the impact inaccurate inventory records have on these two organizations. The
large equipment manufacturer in the study had an average of $3 billion in inventory. It was
determined the manufacture had an inventory accuracy of 98.4%, which in most industries is
considered excellent. However, in this case, a 1.6% error of $3 billion equals $48 million.
Another example included a publicly-traded retailer reported 65% inaccurate inventory records
for their retail locations. The consequences for such inaccuracies are heavy; it may send stockout
signals to the distribution center (DC) to replenish more stock than needed, which will tie up
more of the organization's cash. If the inventory report shows more product than on hand, it will
impact customer service as parts would show in stock when they are not (Kӧk & Shang, 2007).
This literature review demonstrated that SCM involves several processes such as plan,
source, make, and deliver for effective SCM practices to occur within an organization; these
processes need to be integrated. For instance, “plan,” “source,” and “make” should be integrated
to include information that is shared with suppliers in a collaborative process. If suppliers are

29

informed about strategic plans and volume of production, then they, in turn, can try to ensure
they have the capacity to meet the customer demand (Inderfurth et al., 2013). For key suppliers,
there should be a partnership between supplier and customer with a sharing of information to
help suppliers better forecast raw material and meet the demands of the customer. This requires
professionals that can have a holistic view of the organization's entire supply chain. If there is no
sharing of information and the supplier-customer relationship is merely transactional, then trust
is not established, and it will be hard, if not impossible, for firms to reduce costs throughout the
entire supply chain (Inderfurth et al. 2013).
The literature review discussed the core competencies for the field of SCM and examined
the difference between soft skills and hard skills required in the domain of SCM. The current
state of the SCM curriculum was reviewed and showed that the IHL are not doing an adequate
job of supplying SCM graduates for today's employers. The literature review illustrated why
SCM competencies are important, as the health of an organization’s supply chain can determine
if a firm can remain competitive in the marketplace.
Adjunct Faculty Knowledge, Motivation and Organizational Influences
The review of current literature focused on two aspects of what the SCM adjunct faculty
at WSU will need to achieve their stakeholder performance goal. The performance goal is that by
the fall term of 2022, 100% of the SCM adjunct faculty will implement an SCM soft skill aligned
PBL curriculum. These competencies were examined in detail in the literature review section of
this study. The competencies included both hard and soft skills.
Knowledge and Skills
The knowledge and skill influences are the first aspect relevant for the SCM adjunct
faculty in achieving their stakeholder goal. This section of the study will examine the two

30

knowledge types of declarative and procedural. There are two types of declarative knowledge:
factual and conceptual (Krathwohl, 2002). Factual knowledge refers to the basic knowledge of
the specific domain (Rueda, 2011). Conceptual knowledge is understanding the basic elements
within a larger domain that enable systems and processes to operate together. Conceptual
knowledge elements include the understanding of classifications, principles, generalizations,
theories, and models (Krathwohl, 2002). Procedural knowledge skills include domain-specific
techniques, methods, and prescribed criteria for making decisions, such as when and how to do
something (Rueda, 2011). The next sections of the study will discuss the different types of
knowledge that the adjunct faculty need in order to implement new PBL curriculum into the
SCM program at WSU.
Faculty Understanding of Supply Chain Soft Skills Competencies
One of the goals of this study was to confirm that the adjunct faculty is knowledgeable
about the soft skill competencies of the SCM domain. Some of the key soft skills were presented
in the literature review, such as critical thinking and problem-solving. The adjunct faculty at the
university will need to balance supply chain theory with real-world problem-solving skills in the
domain of supply chain management. Declarative knowledge involves understanding the
domain-specific vernacular, specific details, and elements of how systems work together (Rueda,
2011). The declarative elements of all supply chains revolve around the activities of “plan,”
“source,” “make,” “deliver,” “enable,” and “return” (ASCM, 2016). Declarative knowledge
develops after years of experience in the field (Knowton, 2014). In the case at WSU, the adjunct
faculty typically have years of experience in the industry and have an effective grasp on the
declarative knowledge of SCM theory and terminology. However, incorporating problem-
solving and other soft skills such as communication and interpersonal skills into the curriculum

31

will require the staff to develop their procedural knowledge to create material to incorporate into
the program. The primary conceptual principle of cause and effect and the process of developing
models are the knowledge types that will be used to develop the new curriculum (Rueda, 2011).
Faculty Understanding of Strategies that Facilitate Active Versus Passive Learning.
The adjunct faculty at WSU may not have heard specifically about Problem-Based
learning but may beware of some of the other active learning methods such as evaluating case
studies, project-based learning, simulation, and role-playing. According to Krathwohl (2010),
procedural knowledge is knowledge of how to do something, such as the ability to implement
specific techniques and methods. It will be critical for the adjunct faculty to succeed in teaching
the required soft skills via active learning strategies rather than relying on lectures to explain soft
skills. The adjunct faculty will need to provide opportunities for students to develop, practice,
and get feedback on their procedural skills using active learning methods such as PBL. Well-
designed lectures provide students with the factual and conceptual knowledge of the SCM
domain but do not necessarily help the students develop SCM-related soft skills.
Skills Related to Problem-Based Learning Curriculum in the SCM Program.
To implement PBL into the SCM curriculum, the adjunct faculty will need to have the
skills to develop elements of this methodology, such as creating common SCM problem
scenarios and designing collaborative work. As discussed in the literature review, some of the
common problems that occur in the field include inaccurate inventory or poor product forecasts.
Scenarios could be created by the faculty describing the situation and having the students
develop their skills diagnosing the problem, and making their recommendations to best remedy
the situation. The instructor could then provide feedback on their solution. The adjunct faculty
will need to know how to balance SCM theory with real-world problem-solving in the domain of

32

SCM; this can be accomplished by reducing the reliance on theory and lecture and instead
focusing on developing a PBL-based curriculum. Conceptual and procedural knowledge types
are the knowledge types that will be used. Active learning, such as PBL, provides the
opportunity to provide students with scenarios that they will be able to use throughout their
career. When creating PBL scenarios, they should be based on real issues in order to ensure
students appreciate that they may encounter the same or similar issues in the field. When
choosing scenarios on a particular topic, instructors should consider the frequency of the
problem, the potential severity, magnitude, and effectiveness of solving the problem (Jones,
2006).
PBL training for instructors recognizes there are three skill domains that instructors need
to be effective (Mühlfelder et al., 2016). The three skills are the ability to be metacognitively
aware, the ability to facilitate learning, and the ability to act as a tutor. Instructors need
metacognitive skills, such as being able to reflect on their impact on student learning and be able
to develop and apply one or more active learning strategies. Instructors will need to develop
facilitator skills to create a safe and positive learning environment and learn to lead through
questioning and probing. Lastly, PBL instruction for teachers includes developing tutoring skills
in order to scaffold and stimulate the learning process (Mühlfelder et al., 2016). The assessment
techniques used for this knowledge influence will be interviews with the clinical faculty to
reflect on their effectiveness (Clark & Estes, 2008). Table 3 presents the knowledge influences.

33

Table 3
Knowledge Influences
Knowledge Influence Knowledge Type
Adjunct faculty need to have an understanding of SCM
soft skill competencies.
Declarative (conceptual)
Adjunct faculty need to have an understanding of active
versus passive learning practices such as PBL.
Declarative (conceptual)
Adjunct faculty need to be able to design PBL based on
SCM soft skill competencies.
Procedural and Declarative
(conceptual)

Motivation Influences
The previous section of the review focused on the knowledge the adjunct faculty will
need to achieve their goal; this section will look at motivation theories and their impact on
performance. Rueda (2011) discusses that the majority of people perceive motivation to be a
characteristic that is innate and stable. However, the ability to perform a task does not mean a
person is driven to complete the task. Most individuals’ performance is impacted by motivational
issues (Rueda, 2011). People are driven by motivation, and it impacts how much effort and
energy they spend working on tasks (Clark & Estes, 2008).
Three processes make up the motivation construct: active choice, persistence, and mental
effort (Clark & Estes, 2008). Active choice occurs when people choose to pursue a task or goal.
Persistence is overcoming distractions, overcoming setbacks, and failures to complete a task or
goal (Clark & Estes, 2008). Persistence creates greater competence, increases confidence, and
makes tasks more enjoyable (Schraw & Lehman, 2009). When pursuing a goal, unexpected
challenges may require one to use a large amount of mental effort (Clark & Estes, 2008). Self-
confidence often plays a large role in how much mental effort one puts forth to completing a task
or achieving a goal. When a person lacks self-confidence, they typically do not expend a large

34

amount of mental effort (Clark & Estes, 2008). The link between knowledge and motivation will
play a large part in determining if the adjunct faculty will be able to achieve their goal of
developing and implementing a new SCM curriculum. This section of the chapter will look at the
two motivational theories that are most important in determining if the university’s SCM adjunct
faculty is able to implement the PBL curriculum, which aligns with the SCM competency
models. The two theories that be reviewed are the utility value component of the Expectancy
Value Motivational Theory (EVT) and the theory of self-efficacy.
Expectancy Value Motivational Theory
The expectancy value motivational theory describes expectancy as the likelihood that a
certain behavior will have a successful outcome (Eccles, 2006). The value component of the
model is the value of the expected outcome. The expectancy-value motivational theory (EVT) at
its most basic level asks the questions: “Can I do the task”? and “Do I want to do the task?”
(Eccles, 2006, pp. 1-2). An affirmative answer to the first question is a strong predictor of
persistence and mental effort, and there is a higher likelihood of better performance and a higher
degree of motivation (Wigfield et al., 2006). A negative response to the same question shows to
a high degree the individual is not likely to fully engage in learning the task and, therefore, a
high probability they will not complete the task (Cambria & Wigfield, 2010). If a person answers
“no” to the question of “Do I want to do the task?” it is unlikely that the individual will be
engaged in performing or completing the task. How individuals answer the second question is a
reliable predictor of active choice (Eccles, 2006). The study will examine the utility element of
EVT and how it influences adjunct faculty motivation to implement PBL into the SCM
curriculum at WSU.

35

The construct of utility value fulfills the psychological needs of individuals. Utility
value determines how the task fits into plans for the future and how it contributes to the future
success of the organization (Cambria & Wigfield, 2010). Having low utility value will impede
motivation to complete the task (Eccles, 2006). The adjunct faculty at WSU needs to see the
value of implementing PBL as a way to advance the SCM competencies by increasing the
students’ ability to develop their soft skills related to the field. Valuing PBL implementation
would predict faculty’s higher likelihood to revise the current curriculum, persist at the process
through challenges and investment of adequate mental effort to design and implement an SCM
soft skills PBL driven curriculum.
Self-efficacy Theory
Self-efficacy is a personal belief regarding one’s own capability to impact a specific
outcome (Bandura, 2005). Self-efficacy is different from self-esteem, which is how one feels
about themselves (Bandura, 2005). Self-efficacy is predictive of future performance and impacts
the motivational influences of active choice, persistence, and mental effort (Pintrich, 2003).
People are products of their environment but can also be producers of their environment by
creating and transforming the environmental circumstances (Bandura, 2000). This change
capability allows people with high self-efficacy to influence events and take more control of their
lives. Bandura (2000) explains that self-efficacy is vital to an individual’s performance because it
not only impacts behavior, but also other motivational factors such as goals, aspirations, and
opportunities in the social environment. Self-efficacy influences how people think. It can cause
them to be optimistic or pessimistic regarding situations (Bandura, 2000).
One of the most common ways people gain positive or negative self-efficacy is through
watching and observing other people (Bandura, 2005). An example would be if an individual

36

witnessed an expert in their domain struggle with a particular task, the individual may develop
low self-efficacy because they may believe if the expert struggles, they undoubtedly will as well.
Based on this example, it would increase the self-efficacy of the individual adjunct faculty
members to witness PBL being used successfully in an IHL environment. How one feels
physiologically also has an impact on self-efficacy. If a person is excited, relaxed, and confident
in performing a challenging task, chances are they will succeed in performing the task if they
have the ability to do so. On the other hand, if one is nervous, anxious, or simply not feeling
well, there is a high probability the overall performance on the task may be low, or the individual
may avoid the task all together (Bandura, 2005). The first part of this review on self-efficacy has
focused mostly around individual self-efficacy, but there is also collective self-efficacy regarding
groups and organizations (Bandura, 2005).
Just like individuals, groups have self-efficacy (Bandura, 2000). There are two ways to
measure a group’s efficacy. The first method is to summarize the individual team members’
evaluation of their capabilities related to the function they perform for the team. The second
method aggregates the team’s appraisal of their group's capabilities as a whole (Bandura, 2000).
Individuals and teams with high self-efficacy will typically choose difficult tasks, expend greater
effort, show more persistence, use advanced strategies, and have less fear and anxiety than those
with lower levels of self-efficacy (Bandura, 2000).
The level of self-efficacy will play an important role in the adjunct faculty’s motivation
in regards to their desire to teach and implement SCM soft skill competencies using PBL driven
curriculum. Individuals with high self-efficacy believe in their ability to be able to perform
specific activities and experience an increased effect on self-regulation, engagement, and
persistence. One’s self-efficacy, whether high or low, is a strong predictor of success or failure

37

(Bandura, 2005). It is important that faculty perceived themselves as efficacious in designing and
implementing a PBL curriculum that focuses on SCM soft skills competencies as this will predict
their ability to develop the new material and teaching methods. The adjunct faculty at the
university must view PBL as a way to enhance the SCM competencies by increasing the
students’ ability to expand their soft skills related to the field. Having high self-efficacy and
seeing the importance of implementing PBL predicts that the faculty will have a higher
probability of creating and implementing a new curriculum and persevere through the process
and challenges.
Table 4 identifies two motivation influences that focus on utility value and self-efficacy.
These influences will be used to more fully understand the effect of motivation on SCM adjunct
faculty engagement in the development and integration of new curriculum into the SCM
program.

38

Table 4
Motivation Influences and Assessments for Motivation Gap Analysis
Assumed Motivation Influences Motivation Construct
Adjunct Faculty need to see the value of implementing PBL as a
way to advance ASCM Competencies.
Utility Value
Supply chain adjunct faculty need to feel confident in their
ability to teach ASCM competencies via PBL.
Self-Efficacy

Organizational Influences
The two previous sections of the study looked at the knowledge and motivation
influences assumed to impact WSU adjunct faculty’s capacity to implement. This section of the
dissertation will review assumed organizational influences and how these influences could
impact the adjunct faculty’s ability to meet their stakeholder performance goal by the fall of
2022, that 50% of the SCM adjunct faculty will implement an SCM soft skill aligned PBL
curriculum. Organizational influences include cultural settings and cultural models. This section
will begin with a review of cultural settings.
Cultural Settings
Organizational cultural settings are considered artifacts; these are structures and
processes that are visible (Schein, 2010). Artifacts include visible products of the organization,
such as the physical environment, technology, and products. Other artifacts can include
published lists of values, mission statements, polices, and procedures. Cultural settings can also
include observable rituals and behaviors (Schein, 2010). An organizational cultural setting is
where people come together to perform activities to accomplish something of value. (Gallimore
& Goldenberg, 2001). Cultural models are invisible and go unnoticed by those that hold them.
For individuals, they define the way things are and how things should be and are taken-for-

39

granted assumptions. These assumptions go unnoticed until visiting a culture with obviously
different cultural models (Gallimore & Goldenberg, 2001). Since 100% of the adjunct faculty are
part-time employees of the university, they do not play a significant role in contributing to or
changing the organizational culture. Therefore, this dissertation focused on exploring cultural
settings but not cultural models.
Two organizational cultural setting influences will impact the ability of the adjunct faculty at
WSU to achieve the stakeholder goal of implementing SCM soft skills via a PBL driven
curriculum.
Impact of Incentives on PBL Implementation. At the time of the study, WSU provided
no incentives for SCM adjunct faculty to implement PBL into the curriculum. According to
Schneider et al. (1996), employee psychology needs to change before any real organizational
cultural settings change. Without adding or creating incentives to develop the new curriculum, it
could be difficult to motivate people to do anything different than what they have done in the
past (Hansen et al., 2002). WSU will need to provide the adjunct faculty appropriate incentives
to develop and implement the SCM soft skills via PBL curriculum. The incentive of rewards
might be useful in supporting the adjunct faculty and their willingness to implement PBL into the
SCM curriculum. In their research, Hansen et al. (2002) defined reward as compensation for
services; an example is a person may promise a reward for the return of something that was lost.
Any reward provided by WSU will need to be valued by the target population. Communication
about the reward program must be clear about what the reward is and what a person has to do in
order to receive the reward (Hansen et al. 2002). This study is a needs assessment and will
explore what type of rewards will be effective for the adjunct faculty to revise their curriculum to
PBL methodology.

40

Effective Training Required to Implement New Initiatives. According to Schein
(2010), training materials are considered artifacts, which is a component of an organizations’
cultural settings influence. At the time of this study, WSU did not have a training program for
PBL or other active learning methods. The university will need to provide effective training for
the adjunct faculty to develop and implement the new initiatives. According to Mühlfelder et al.
(2016), it is recommended that at least 60 hours of seminars and workshops are provided in the
training to trainers when learning how to use and implement PBL. It will be important for these
training workshops to use active learning as well in their material. Active learning occurs when
the learners do the majority of the work. For people to learn something new well, they need to
see it, hear it, question it, discuss it, do it, and do it really well, they must teach it (Silberman et
al., 2015).
In their work, Grossman and Salas (2011) describe training as a systematic method to
acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that, when combined, will lead to increased
performance in a specific environment. Training includes what employees need to know, what
they need to do, and what they need to feel in order to be successful in performing their jobs.
Training needs to be focused on producing permanent cognitive and behavioral changes that
develop critical competencies for job performance (Grossman & Salas, 2011). The benefits of
effective training include an improvement in work quality and an increase in motivation and
commitment. In their research, Grossman and Salas (2011) and Aguinis and Kraiger (2009)
discuss the concept of transfer of training, which is being able to place the training into practice.
At WSU, the adjunct faculty will need to be able to learn, design, and implement the new
material into the SCM program. Training should simulate the actual environment in which
trained competencies will be applied as closely as possible (Grossman & Salas, 2011). This study

41

will explore the adjunct faculty’s previous experience with training and identify what they find to
be effective methods and structures of training. Table 5 provides the organizational mission,
organizational goal, and information specific to organizational cultural settings influences.
Table 5
Cultural Settings Influences and Assessments for Organizational Gap Analysis
Organizational Influence Type Assumed Organizational Setting Influences
Cultural Setting Influence 1

WSU needs to provide the adjunct faculty
appropriate incentives to develop and implement
the PBL
Cultural Setting Influence 2 WSU needs to provide effective training for new
initiatives.

Conceptual Framework
A conceptual framework is a visual or written product that explains the main components
of the study (Maxwell, 2013). The framework is the explanation of the interaction between the
key factors, concepts, or variables and the presumed relationships among them (Maxwell, 2013).
The rationale of the conceptual framework is to merge the concepts discussed in theoretical and
empirical literature combined with personal experience and thought experiments to construct an
understanding and exploratory theory about the interactions about what is happening and why
(Maxell, 2013). This exploratory theory is placed in the context of prior research to understand
how the study can be used to build on or improve the work that has already been completed
(Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The framework justifies the study and helps to identify the best
methods for exploring the research questions (Maxwell, 2013). This conceptual framework
reflects the prior body of research on the missing elements in the SCM curriculum in IHL and
influences that create gaps in the curriculum. The framework puts prior research in context with

42

the pending evaluation to provide a possible solution that supports the stakeholder goal of
integrating new PBL into the supply chain management curriculum at WSU. Since prior research
is considered in context, it helps the researcher to identify the methods that are best for the
organizational needs at WSU. It is this constructed framework and merging of the following
worldviews that will further inform this study.
The two worldviews that converge in this study are a constructivist worldview and a
pragmatic worldview. Constructivism is a perspective usually seen in qualitative research
(Creswell, 2018). Social constructionists feel that people seek to make sense of the world in
which they live and work (Creswell, 2018). People acquire personal meanings of their
experiences; these meanings are directed toward objects or things. For constructionists, the goal
of the research is to use the participants' views on a situation as much as possible, and the
research questions are general to allow participants to build meaning of the situation (Creswell,
2018); this is usually done in interviews or discussions with participants of the study. Open-
ended questions are best, as this allows the researcher to carefully listen to what individuals say
or do in their daily life settings (Creswell, 2018). Pragmatism is the second worldview that
constructs this study. Pragmatism is a philosophy that develops out of actions, situations, and
consequences and focuses on what works and finding the best solution to a problem (Creswell,
2018). Researchers highlight the research problem and use all approaches that are at their
disposal to understand the problem better. Pragmatism allows scholars the freedom of choice in
choosing their methods and techniques of research that meet the study’s needs (Creswell, 2018).
In this situation in which there is a lack of real-world SCM competencies in the
curriculum at WSU, both the constructionist and pragmatic viewpoints were used. The goal of
the constructionist is to look at how the process relates to individuals (Creswell, 2018). First,

43

from a constructionist viewpoint, the stakeholders are the adjunct faculty and have experience in
the domain of SCM. The adjunct faculty were able to describe in rich detail from open-ended
questions asked by the researcher what the curriculum is missing in regards to SCM
competencies. The use of pragmatism for this study was done by allowing the researcher to use
the methods and techniques such as interviews and candid discussions with the university’s
adjunct faculty. Pragmatism will allow for a range of methods and techniques that will allow the
researcher to understand the problem from multiple perspectives, and also will create new
knowledge of the problem (Creswell, 2018).
The assumed knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences are discussed in
detail as individual elements impacting missing competencies in the SCM curriculum at WSU.
These three components are linked and do not work independently. All three elements must be
addressed together to make the stakeholder goal achievable (Clark & Estes, 2008). The
conceptual framework presented below illustrates how knowledge and motivation work together
within the WSU organizational environment to achieve the stakeholder goal of implementing
PBL into the SCM curriculum. Figure 1 illustrates this conceptual framework.

44

Figure 1
Interaction of stakeholder knowledge and motivation within organizational settings

45

The conceptual framework in Figure 1 shows the interactions between the knowledge,
motivation, and organizational influences that need to be addressed in order for the PBL
curriculum to be implemented into the SCM program. The large circle represents WSU as the
organization for this study and settings that make up the SCM program within the university.
Cultural settings are visible artifacts such as documents, processes, and rituals (Schein, 2010).
Two main organizational cultural settings will need to be addressed to help the adjunct faculty
implement the new SCM soft skill aligned PBL curriculum. Prior to conducting the research
used in this study it was assumed that the university would need to provide the adjunct faculty
with appropriate incentives to develop and implement the PBL curriculum and provide effective
training for the new initiatives.
Inside the organization, there are some factors that could influence the outcome of the
goal of having PBL implemented at WSU. The organizational influences were discussed above;
now, the review will look at how the knowledge and motivation influences are connected to each
other and the organization. The knowledge influences are declarative and procedural. Based on
their experience in the field, the adjunct faculty members were assumed to have a solid
understanding of the technical knowledge of SCM principles. However, in order to implement
PBL and create a well-rounded curriculum, the adjunct faculty need to have a solid
understanding of the SCM soft skill competencies. The adjunct faculty also need to have a solid
understanding of active versus passive learning practices such as PBL. After training, the adjunct
faculty will utilize their procedural knowledge to be able to design PBL based on the SCM soft
skill competency models.
One of the motivation influences is utility value. The adjunct faculty need to see the
value of implementing PBL as a way to advance SCM soft skill competencies. The second

46

motivation influence is self-efficacy. The SCM adjunct faculty need to feel confident in their
ability to teach SCM competencies via PBL. All of these knowledge and motivation influences
must interact with each other for the organizational goal to be met (Clark & Estes, 2008).
This study looked to understand how the adjunct faculty’s knowledge, motivation, and
organizational influences relate to each other in supporting the implementation of PBL into the
SCM curriculum at WSU. As discussed in chapter one of the dissertation, SCM curriculum lacks
real-world skills (Fawcett & Waller, 2011). Graduates in the domain of SCM do not possess the
soft skills required for the field upon graduation (Sodhi et al., 2008). Figure 1 illustrates that all
three elements of knowledge, motivation, and organizational framework are related. The
organization must address the organizational influences and utilize the adjunct faculty’s
knowledge and motivational influences. If this is done concurrently, it is more likely that
stakeholder achievement will occur. Stakeholder achievement is represented by the arrow as the
output to the rectangle box. The goal is by the fall term of 2022, is that 100% of the SCM adjunct
faculty will implement an SCM soft skill aligned PBL curriculum.
Conclusion
This evaluation study seeks to explore the current capacity and identify the needs of the
adjunct faculty to implement PBL into the SCM curriculum aligned to the ASCM competencies
at WSU. To inform this study, this chapter reviewed the literature related to the lack of real-
world skills in the IHL curriculum for the domain of SCM. This review explored the required
competencies for the discipline of SCM, how to attain these required skills and knowledge, the
use of PBL in the curriculum, and the consequences for organizations not having skilled
employees in the field of SCM. This literature review process led to the assumed knowledge,
motivation, and organizational influences specifically related to the achievement of the

47

stakeholder goal and the implementation of PBL to align to SCM soft skill competencies for the
domain of SCM at WSU. The knowledge influences for the adjunct faculty at WSU include
declarative and procedural related to learning and implementing the new PBL teaching methods
into the SCM curriculum. The motivation influences for the adjunct faculty include utility value
to see the value of implementing PBL as a way to advance SCM soft skill competencies. The
second motivation influence is self-efficacy for the SCM adjunct faculty is to feel confident
about their ability to adapt to the new method of instruction. Lastly, the cultural settings of WSU
will need to provide the SCM adjunct faculty the appropriate incentives to develop and
implement the PBL curriculum. The second cultural setting influence is that WSU needs to
provide effective training for the new initiative. Chapter Three describes the validation process
for these influences.

48

Chapter Three: Methods
This study focused on the knowledge and motivation of the adjunct faculty members of
the SCM program at WSU and the organizational resources related to implementing PBL into the
SCM curriculum at the university. As such, the following research questions guided this study:
1. What are the adjunct faculty knowledge and motivation related to implementing an SCM
soft skills-aligned Problem-based learning curriculum?
2. How does WSU’s culture and context either support or hinder adjunct faculty knowledge
and motivation to implement an SCM soft skill aligned PBL curriculum?
3. What are the recommendations for organizational practice in the areas of knowledge,
motivation, and organizational resources?
Participating Stakeholders
The participating stakeholders of focus for this study were members and former members
of the WSU adjunct faculty within the SCM program. This group was chosen because they are
most likely to teach future SCM courses at the university. The university seeks adjunct faculty
members that have experience at the university, provided they have received favorable reviews
from the SCM director and students. The university prefers to use adjunct faculty with prior
WSU experience to reduce the costs of recruiting and administrative costs, such as background
checks. The only criterion was that the SCM adjunct faculty, at the time of the study, must be or
have been an adjunct faculty member in the university’s SCM program within the last three years
and must have taught at least one SCM course either on campus or online between fall of 2016
and fall of 2019.

49

Interview Sampling Criteria and Rationale
Criterion 1. All stakeholders chosen to participate in the study were required to be a
current adjunct faculty member within the WSU SCM program or have instructed at least one
class online or on-campus within the last three school years. This criterion was selected as these
stakeholders had experience teaching within the organization and will be qualified to discuss the
current curriculum and organizational influences related to the type of incentives and training the
university needs to provide to effectively engage the adjunct faculty to develop and implement
the PBL curriculum.
Interview Recruitment Strategy and Rationale
The methodology for this study was qualitative. The most appropriate method for
qualitative research is non-probabilistic, which does not seek generalizations that are statistical in
nature, but seeks a richer and deeper understanding of the issues (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The
most common method of non-probabilistic sampling is purposeful sampling, which is based on
the belief that the researcher wants to learn, comprehend, and gain insight into the issue
(Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Purposeful sampling is full of rich information, and the researcher
can learn a great deal about the important issues to the purpose of inquiry (Merriam & Tisdell,
2016). This study used the qualitative approach of interviewing eight to ten participants. There
were 20 current and former adjunct faculty members who met the two criteria list above. Out of
the 20 eligible candidates, nine agreed to the interviews. The Director of the SCM program
supplied the researcher with the contact information of all eligible stakeholders and sent a letter
via WSU email to all eligible stakeholders asking for their participation. There was also an
element of convenience sampling, as all researchers face constraints such as time and location of
participants (Johnson & Christensen, 2014). In this case, the participants were convenient to

50

interview for the researcher as all adjunct faculty were located geographically near the university
and easy to access via the university email system, and by using the Zoom® application
software.
The sample size allowed for an adequate representation of the knowledge, motivation,
and organizational influences that need to be addressed before PBL can be implemented in the
SCM courses at WSU and allowed the researcher to reach the saturation point in the data
collection. The saturation point is when no new information is forthcoming, and the answers
from the participants become redundant (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).
Explanation for Choices
Interviews and document analysis were the methods used for this study. The sampling
strategy for the interviews in this study was purposeful. Purposeful sampling is the most
desirable nonrandom sampling method when conducting qualitative research (Merriam &
Tisdell, 2016). Purposeful sampling sets specific criteria about the stakeholder and provides the
researcher data and information from those closest to the situation who will be able to provide in
deep detail how they view the situation (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The document analysis
consisted of reviewing course syllabi and supplemented the data from the interviews to provide
the researcher an insight as to whether or not active learning methodologies are implemented in
the SCM curriculum at WSU.
Data Collection and Instrumentation
Data collection was obtained through interviews and document analysis. Interviews are
the most common data collection method for qualitative research and allow the researcher to gain
information from study members in an individual manner (Merriam & Tisdell. 2016). The value
of one’s perspective on a particular topic is one of the key strengths of the interview process

51

(Patton, 2002). The interviews helped the researcher understand the knowledge, motivation, and
organizational influences regarding the ability of the adjunct faculty to implement PBL into the
SCM curriculum at WSU. The document analysis reviewed all SCM course syllabi for the past
three school years 2016-2019. This data provided information about types of instruction in the
SCM courses at WSU and examined if any active learning methodologies such as PBL are being
used in the curriculum. The data from the interviews and document analysis were used to
develop recommendations in the organizational practice regarding the KMO influences at WSU.
The following sections provide details and rationale for the instruments selected for data
collection.
Interviews
Interview Protocol
The interview approach for this study was semi-structured. Interviews were held with
nine current and former adjunct SCM faculty members. The protocol (Appendix A) included a
fixed set of open-ended interview questions and additional probe questions to allow the
researcher to obtain further insight into the participants' responses. The interview process used
within a qualitative data approach follows a less formalized process than the structured interview
and allows for more flexibility, and the ability to answer follow-up questions (Merriam &
Tisdell, 2016). Since SCM adjunct faculty had varying degrees of experience in the field and in
the classroom, follow-up questions will provide important flexibility in obtaining rich data.
Patton (2002) described six types of questions: experience and behavior questions,
opinion and values questions, feeling questions, knowledge questions, sensory questions, and
background and demographic questions. For this study, the researcher sought to explore current
capacity and establish needs to understand the SCM adjunct faculty’s knowledge and motivation

52

in regards to implementing PBL into the SCM curriculum at WSU. The types of questions that
were used for the interviews were experience and behavior questions, opinion and values
questions, knowledge questions, and feeling questions. The experience questions established a
foundation of the actions and behaviors of the individual, while the values questions explored the
person’s belief on the topic. Feeling questions take into account the emotions of the participants;
knowledge questions examine factual knowledge one possesses regarding the subject (Patton,
2002). These four question types worked together to provide the researcher with a valuable
resource of information to answer the research questions of this study. Prior to the interview, the
researcher made sure each respondent understands the interview will be recorded. Each interview
lasted around one hour. Before starting the interview, the researcher asked for permission one
last time to record the session; once approved, the researcher began the interview and recorded
the session.
Documents
Merriam and Tisdell (2016) discussed the differences between documents and artifacts.
Documents refer to written, visual, digital, and physical material relevant to the study. Artifacts,
on the other hand, consist of three-dimensional physical objects in the environment that represent
some form of communication that has special meaning for the participants. Some examples
include trophies, awards, art pieces, and organization or school symbols. Two advantages to
using documents and artifacts is the stability and objectivity of data obtained (Merriam &
Tisdell, 2016).
For this study’s document analysis portion, SCM course syllabi were reviewed. The
researcher examined SCM course syllabi from undergraduate and graduate courses at WSU for
the past three school years, 2016-2019. The document analysis protocol (Appendix B) was used

53

by the researcher to look for any indication within the course syllabi for verification of any active
learning using the soft skills of the domain that are incorporated into the curriculum. The course
syllabi review supplemented the interview research by being able to establish how much, if any,
active learning was already incorporated into the SCM course curriculum. These documents
were provided to the researcher by the participants of the study. The findings from the document
analysis provided the researcher data that was used to help determine a starting point for any
recommendations to help address the problem of practice, which is the lack of soft skills in the
curriculum for SCM.
Data Analysis
Data analysis is a dynamic process that provides meaning to the data is collected for this
study (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). For this study, the researcher used qualitative data analysis
from interviews and documents. All of the qualitative interviews took place with Zoom®, which
is a web-based application that allows recording of the interviews. This method of data collection
was mandated by the University of Southern California as the method of collecting human
participant data due to the COVID-19 crisis. One of the benefits of using this type of application
is it allowed the researcher to pick up on the body language by the adjunct faculty members
being interviewed. Another benefit of using this type of application is there was not a need to
transcribe interviews manually. By utilizing the conceptual framework and focusing on the
knowledge and motivation of the adjunct faculty members and the organizational culture, the
interviews were coded, and the researcher identified themes and patterns. The themes and
patterns from the interviews were utilized to help identify the gaps in this study. Documents
collected from the course syllabi from previous SCM courses at the university were used for
document analysis. The analysis searched for evidence of active learning to help illustrate the

54

gap that exists between the current SCM curriculum and a proposed curriculum that would
include PBL.
Credibility and Trustworthiness
The credibility of the researcher and rigorous research methods are key components to
ensuring the credibility of any qualitative research (Patton, 2002). The trustworthiness of the data
used for the study is directly tied to the trustworthiness of the researcher, who collected and
analyzed the data. It is the training, experience, and rigor of the researcher that ultimately
determines the credibility of a qualitative study. In research, people must trust the study was
conducted with integrity (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).
Member checking is one method that was used by the researcher to increase the
credibility of the research used in the study. Member checking is a method used to systematically
solicit feedback from about the data and inferences from the stakeholders you are studying
(Maxwell, 2013). This method is the best way to eliminate the possibility of misinterpreting the
meaning of the respondent’s answers to the interview questions. This method also helps identify
the researcher’s personal biases and misunderstandings of what was said during the interview.
Contributors’ feedback to member checking is not more valid than the interview responses but
should be used evidence of the validity of the researcher's account (Maxwell, 2013). For this
study, the researcher used member checking during the coding process of the participant
interviews to ensure the accuracy of interview statements and to make sure these statements were
interpreted correctly. This was done by following up with participants via email to confirm
correctness and intent of what was stated during the interviews was understood accurately.
One important threat to the credibility of any qualitative study is the individual bias of the
researcher. When conducting interviews, the researcher must be aware of reflexivity and the fact

55

they are part of the world they study (Maxwell, 2013). It is not possible to eliminate the
researcher’s beliefs, theories, or one’s perception of a given topic. However, qualitative research
is mostly concerned with trying to understand how a researcher’s values and beliefs may have
influenced the conduct and conclusions of the study and avoiding the negative outcome of these
personal influences. For the researcher, explaining their biases and how they will deal with them
is a major component of the research proposal (Maxwell, 2013). Rather than focusing on
eliminating these biases, the researcher needs to identify, monitor, and make clear how these
biases can shape the collection and interpretation of the data (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). In this
case, the researcher already had a bias to the causes of the problem of practice for this study
without conducting the research. The researcher needed to monitor their tone of speech and body
language to avoid injecting bias into the questions (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).
The researcher for this study is an adjunct faculty member who already has some
preconceived notions about the problem of practice, which is the lack of SCM related soft skills
being taught in the SCM curriculum at WSU. The self-awareness of this bias led to the
development of interview questions that are non-leading and intended to gain natural responses
for the stakeholders. Throughout their work (Maxwell, 2013; Merriam & Tisdell, 2016) mention
that researchers have an ethical duty to collect and report the data as it conveyed. Analyzing the
data from the interviews and document analysis using the KMO framework helped answer the
research questions posed in this study and will test the researchers’ assumptions regarding the
lack of soft skills in the SCM curriculum at WSU.
Ethics
According to Merriam and Tisdell (2016), as a qualitative researcher, the author of the
study took a constructivist view of the study, which is described by focusing on the meaning and

56

understanding of the research questions. To employ a constructionist view, the researcher needs
to make ethical choices when conducting this study because the vast majority of data collection
involved detailed interviews with adjunct faculty members at WSU. The largest portion of these
detailed conversations revolved around the knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences
of implementing PBL into the SCM curriculum at WSU. One of the key ethical principles is
respect for persons (Glesne, 2011; Rubin & Rubin, 2012). This principle provides participants of
the study the right to informed consent, and the knowledge and understanding of their
participation are voluntary. Respect for persons also provides participants confidentiality and the
right to withdraw at any time during the study without penalty (Glesne, 2011; Rubin & Rubin,
2012). Prior to conducting the interviews, the researcher sent an information sheet regarding the
purpose of the study, expectations of participant involvement, and that participation in the study
is confidential.
In some types of research, reciprocity is assumed for the research subject's time (Glesne,
2011). However, participants for this study were informed there were no incentives for
participating, as not to appear to be coercing the group members for the study. The lack of
incentives can minimize the possibility that participants to feel coerced in participating (Glesne,
2011). After the study was completed, the researcher sent the group “thank you” notes with a
monetary gift card of $35 for their time. Since the “thank you” notes were not expected, they did
not act as coercion and rather served as a way to thank the participants for their time and sharing
their valuable insights and experiences.
Limitations and Delimitations
As with any research study, there are limitations and delimitations. Limitations are the
elements within a study that are not in control of the researcher. Limitations are included within

57

the method, design, and approach of the study (Nenty & Netnty, 2009). In this study, a limitation
is the limited number of SCM adjunct faculty members. The organization has 20 adjunct faculty
members who have taught within the last three years; therefore, the stakeholder group was
limited in size. An additional limitation of the study was the issue of timing for the interviews.
The interviews were coordinated between regular work schedules for the adjunct faculty
members, their class schedules, and the researcher's work, teaching, and school schedules. The
interviews took place in the early evening after a full day of work or weekends; this may have
influenced the participants’ ability to focus on the research questions and interview process.
Delimitations are the elements within a research study over which the researcher has
control, and references how a researcher focuses on a study (Nenty & Nenty, 2009). For this
research study, limiting the scope of stakeholder participants to the SCM adjunct faculty
was a choice made by the researcher. This decision was made based upon the recommendation of
the SCM Director at WSU. The director provided this guidance because they felt the tenured
staff will not participate in the interviews and would even feel threatened by the study.

58

Chapter Four: Findings
This study focused on an exploration of the knowledge and motivation of the adjunct
faculty members of the SCM program at WSU and the organizational resources related to
implementing PBL into the SCM curriculum at the university. As such, the following research
questions guided this study:
1. What are the adjunct faculty knowledge and motivation related to implementing an SCM
soft skills-aligned Problem-based learning curriculum?
2. How does WSU's culture and context either support or hinder adjunct faculty knowledge
and motivation to implement an SCM soft skill aligned PBL curriculum?
3. What are the recommendations for organizational practice in the areas of knowledge,
motivation, and organizational resources?
Participating Stakeholders
The research participants for this study consisted of adjunct faculty members who taught
during the 2019-2020 academic year or taught within the last three years for the SCM program at
WSU. Qualitative methods were used for data collection. The Director of SCM at WSU
university sent a group email to all adjunct faculty that met the criteria of currently teaching or
having taught in the program within the last three years. Nine faculty responded and participated
in interviews. Interviews were conducted using the Zoom® application that captured audio and
video of the discussion and also provided a transcription of the interview. The adjunct faculty
responses reported in this chapter have no identifiers. Interview recordings and transcriptions are
password protected on the researcher’s Zoom® account to which only the researcher has access;
the researcher will not share the interview links with any external parties. The interview
recordings and transcripts will be deleted once the dissertation process is complete. Participants'

59

responses were analyzed for the qualitative findings of the study. Document analysis was
conducted to aid in the validation of findings and to provide triangulation of data of interview
findings. All nine respondents provided syllabi for courses they are currently teaching or have
taught within the last three years. Two instructors provided more than one syllabus as they have
taught more than one course over the past three years.
Summary of Participants
There were a total of nine interviews conducted with all utilizing the Zoom® web
application. The interviews took place during two weeks in March 2020. Out of the nine
interview participants, only one was female. Table 6 shows the number of years working as a
professional in the domain of SCM and the number of years teaching in higher education. The
table does not include the specific SCM discipline such as logistics, operations, and purchasing
of each participant as that would make the participants identifiable. The participants' dominant
domain specializations include forecasting, process improvement, manufacturing planning and
control, SCM strategy, procurement, marketing, quality and regulation, data analytics, logistics,
and transportation. The nine participants submitted a total of 14 syllabi for the document analysis
portion of the review of data for this study. The average number of years in the field for the
participants was 25 years, and the average number of years instructing was nine years; however,
two instructors skewed the average with a combined experience of 63 years of teaching. The
median teaching years for the participants was three years. The participants were provided a
number, as shown in Table 6. The numbers on this table will be used when referring to
participants' quotes throughout this chapter of the study.

60

Table 6
Participants’ Years of Industry Experience and Teaching in Higher Education
Participant Years of Industry Experience Years in Higher Education
Participant #1 6 4
Participant #2 45 36
Participant #3 22 3
Participant #4 52 27
Participant #5 5 1
Participant #6 36 7
Participant #7 29 2
Participant #8 12 2
Participant #9 22 1

Knowledge, Motivation and Organizational Findings
The analysis of interview responses and document analysis of course syllabi established
three themes associated with the adjunct faculty's knowledge, motivation, and organizational
influences related to incorporating PBL into the SCM curriculum at WSU. The first theme that
emerged was that all the participants had a clear understanding of SCM competencies, especially
within their specialization in the field of supply chain management, such as logistics, purchasing,
and operations. Additionally, all participants had a clear understanding of active versus passive
teaching practices. All participants mentioned the use of active learning at some point during
their classes. The use of active learning tools varied amongst the participants, but all of the
adjunct faculty in this study have used some form of active learning methods in their SCM
curriculum. The different active learning tools used by the adjunct faculty varied from
implementing group projects, conducting simulations, and engaging students in scenario

61

planning. All of the participants included some form of a group project, and four (44%) of the
participants already include problem scenarios and simulation in their curriculum. While
understanding active versus passive learning is evident, there was no conceptual or procedural
knowledge of the actual PBL methodology of active learning. None of the instructors were
familiar with the terms of active learning or PBL.
The second theme that emerged focused on the motivational influences of the adjunct
faculty to demonstrate the supply chain soft skill competencies using PBL. The Motivation
findings explored the motivational influences of utility value and self-efficacy. Based on the
interview data, the SCM adjunct faculty had high utility value for active learning methodologies
but were not familiar with PBL specifically. The adjunct faculty reported a high utility value and
viewed active learning as a way to advance the required soft skills of SCM. The data gathered
during the interviews and document analysis of course syllabi demonstrated that all of the
participants were already using active learning methods, indicating that their utility value is high.
When PBL was described in the interviews, all respondents reported a high degree of self-
efficacy about learning and implementing this methodology into their curriculum. In essence, all
respondents felt confident in their ability to learn, design, and implement PBL.
The third theme to emerge focused on how the organizational culture at WSU supports or
hinders the adjunct faculty's knowledge and motivation to implement a curriculum that aligns
with the required soft skills of the domain using PBL. At the time of the research for this study,
there was no mandatory training required other than new university employees needing to watch
a video regarding sexual harassment. There was no training for the adjunct faculty regarding how
to manage students or instructional strategies such as PBL. A single Training video was available
regarding the university's Learning Management System (LMS) for adjunct instructors.

62

However, it is the responsibility of the individual instructors to choose to view the training video.
Concerning incentives, almost half (44%) of the interviewed faculty stated that if PBL or other
active learning method was required, they would be willing to participate in the training and
would not require incentives to implement PBL in their courses. However, the majority (56%) of
the adjunct faculty stated that some type of incentive would be needed to take and complete the
training. The sections that follow provide an in-depth analysis of the knowledge, motivation, and
organizational findings of the study.
Knowledge Findings
The knowledge findings’ section yielded four findings related to the research questions of
the study. The adjunct faculty showed firm competency in the declarative knowledge of the skills
required for the domain; however, there were differing opinions about which soft skills were
most important for the domain. While the adjunct faculty had a clear understanding of the
differences between active and passive teaching methodologies, the participants will benefit from
developing their procedural skills to be able to design and implement PBL into the courses at the
university.
Finding 1: Faculty Comprehensive Knowledge of Required Competencies for the Domain of
SCM
During the interviews, all participant responses demonstrated alignment with the findings
of Fan et al. (2017) that there is a need for graduates in the field of SCM to have a balance
between the hard or technical skills and the soft skills. None of the interview participants were
familiar with the ASCM competencies as outlined by Vokurka (2011); however, all respondents
demonstrated concrete knowledge of the domain of SCM. This knowledge was demonstrated by
Participant 4, who stated, "I have developed various supply chains over the years, led the

63

organization's supply chain certification program, and been a supply chain manager for a good
part of my career." Another example of participants’ vast knowledge was provided by Participant
7, who, when asked about their supply chain knowledge stated, "I have done everything from
logistics, sourcing, operations, to quality."
When the interview participants were asked what soft skills are used or what soft skills
are the most important in the field, all participants' answers were aligned to Tier 1 of the ASCM
competency model, including the soft skills of personal effectiveness. Examples of personal
effectiveness include effective communication and listening. The participants also mentioned
that the soft skills of teamwork, collaboration, and problem-solving were important, aligning to
Tier 3 of the ASCM competency model of workplace and leadership attributes. Participant 5
offered their perspective on the soft skill of problem-solving and felt it was the most important
soft skill, “In supply chain, many times, things do not happen according to plan, and it is
important to able to solve day to day problems that happen in the field.” When Participant 5 was
asked to elaborate on this point, they stated, “For instance, let’s take something that happens
every day, if there an inventory error, you need to know what the impact will be to all
stakeholders, both internal and external, to the organization.” While one third (33%) of the
participants felt the soft skill of problem-solving was the most important, two (22%) of the nine
participants felt that communication was the most important soft skill.
Communication as an Important Soft Skill for the Domain. More than half (55%) of
the respondents felt that communication was an important soft skill, which also aligns with the
SCM competency model outlined by Vokurka (2011). Participant 5 offered this assessment of
communication during the interview, "I think the number one soft skill in the industry is
communication. I think it comes down to verbal and written communication." In addition to the

64

interview findings, document analysis also provided evidence that the adjunct faculty have a
concrete understanding of the required soft skill competencies for the domain of SCM. All of the
syllabi furnished to the researcher had some mention of either teamwork, collaboration, problem-
solving, or other SCM related soft skills. The inclusion of these terms in course syllabi supports
the finding that faculty feel soft skills are important and already embed them into their
curriculum. One syllabus states the following in the course objective section, "Learning Goals:
Problem Solving & Decision Making." This example aligns with the SCM competency model
outlined by Vokurka (2011). Another example of a clear understanding of the SCM soft skill
competencies and alignment to Vokurka's (2011) model came from the course objective section
of a syllabus that said, "At the end of this course, students will be able to understand how to
communicate analytic initiatives throughout a company and contribute as an effective member of
an analytics team."
Participants’ Strong Technical Knowledge in Their Branch of SCM. As mentioned in
the literature review, there are many branches of SCM, such as transportation, logistics, sourcing,
operations, and Quality Assurance. During the interviews, when asked, "Describe your career in
supply chain management," all participants attained at least the Tier 5 level of the ASCM
competency model, which is having the technical knowledge to be a competent and
knowledgeable manager in the field of SCM. Seven of nine participants were SCM managers or
directors currently or in the past. Two of the nine participants were at the Tier 6 level of
knowledge, expertise, and experience, the highest level of the ASCM competency model. Tier
six demonstrates the SCM possesses external professional certifications and specialized Master's
degrees in SCM. One of the non-managers had a Ph.D. in Engineering with a focus on logistics,
and the other non-manager had a Master's degree in SCM. An example of the experience and

65

knowledge was provided by Participant 2, who stated, "I spent the first part of my career in
transportation and covered all modes of transportation, rail, air, steamship intermodal, and
trucking everything but pipeline." The expertise possessed by the participants of the study was
validated by the response of Participant 9 when they described their role in their organization, "I
am an expert on the compliance piece of international logistics, I have to know and understand
the customs clearance process for all of my company's products in all of the countries around the
world." The participant added, "I need to know all and understand all of the tariff and
harmonized codes for all of the products to ensure my company does not pay unnecessary
tariffs."
Further evidence that emphasized the finding that the SCM adjunct faculty possess the
declarative knowledge of the supply chain domain was the job titles the faculty had included:
Sourcing Manager, Director of Quality, Director of Supply Chain, Chief Procurement Officer,
Director of Logistics, and Operations Manager. All these titles represent at least a Tier 5 level of
knowledge and expertise on the ASCM competency model presented by Vokurka (2011).
Finding 2: Varied Faculty Opinions Regarding the Soft skills Required for the Domain
When asked during the interviews about the importance of soft skills for the domain, all
of the participants said soft skills were essential for success and all of the participants had
embedded exercises or assignments in their courses that included building the students' soft
skills. However, when asked to define or describe what they felt were the most important, there
was a wide range of answers. All respondents stated that critical soft skills include teamwork and
collaboration, but these two attributes were not listed as the most important in any of the
interviews. Table 7 presents what adjunct faculty participants felt the most important soft skills
are for the domain, the number of times the soft skill was mentioned during the interviews, and

66

how many adjunct professors felt it was the most important soft skill. The data in Table 7 shows
that problem solving was considered the most important soft skill by one-third of the
participants. Concerning the importance of problem-solving, Participant 3 stated, "I think taking
a supply chain issue and being able to look at it and being able to make a recommendation on
how to solve the problem is a very desired skill in the workplace."
Table 7
Most Important Soft skills of the SCM Domain
Soft skill of the SCM Domain Overall Times Mentioned
Number of Times Referred to
as Most Important
Problem Solving 4 3
Communication 5 2
Emotional Intelligence 4 2
Listening 1 1
Negotiation 1 1
Teamwork 9 0
Collaboration 9 0
Critical Thinking 2 0
Having a Growth Mindset 1 0
Adaptability 1 0

Table 7 demonstrates that while all adjunct faculty mentioned teamwork and
collaboration as important soft skills, none of the participants stated they were the most
important. Two participants felt that communication was the most important soft skill. When
asked to elaborate on why communication was the most important skill, Participant 5 said, "the
number one thing in this industry is communication." Later in the interview, the same participant

67

stated, "communication that has a purpose and something that actually shows and defines what
you are doing is a requirement for this field."
Two participants mentioned emotional intelligence as the most important soft skill.
According to Paul (2017), emotional intelligence consists of four attributes: self-awareness, self-
management, social awareness, and relationship management. When asked to clarify what they
meant by emotional intelligence, Participant 3 responded, "How to make the specific solution to
a problem someone else's idea." They added that "understanding how you can empower people
to help you solve problems." While two of the participants specifically mentioned emotional
intelligence as the most important soft skill of the domain, almost half (44%) mentioned this soft
skill as being important. One course syllabus even mentions that “time management and getting
along with teammates for your group project will be critical for success in this class.”
Listening and negotiation were each mentioned once as the most important soft skill.
When questioned why they felt listening was the most important soft skill of the domain,
Participant 2 stated that "It starts with listening and listening for understanding versus listening
to respond. Most of our business has been oriented on taking and solving problems from a
directional standpoint as opposed to listening to understand which is the most important."
Participant 6 felt that the soft skill of negotiation was most important, but "it was not stressed at
all in the curriculum." The adjunct faculty member added, "if you really think about it, if you
work in supplier management negotiation is everything, whether it is total cost or helping your
organization and the supplier find a win-win solution to build long term relationships." To
emphasize how important a soft skill negotiation is, Participant 6 stated, "We are talking about
supply chain, negotiation has to be one of, if not the most important soft skills, and there is very
little of this skill taught or practiced in the curriculum."

68

Finding 3: All Participants Already Using Active Learning Strategies
The adjunct faculty demonstrated in-depth knowledge when it came to their
understanding of active versus passive learning. However, none of the participants used the term
active learning in the interviews until it was mentioned how active learning was different from
passive learning in the classroom environment. To illustrate these findings, all of the participants
included their latest syllabi for review, and during the analysis of the course syllabi, all
participants mentioned some type of active learning activity or exercise in the syllabus.
However, none of the syllabi contained specific language regarding the practice of active
learning. Once the researcher explained the difference between active and passive learning, all of
the respondents understood the differences.
All respondents felt that active learning was more effective than passive learning.
According to Participant 4, "Knowledge transfer is much easier with active learning." This belief
was echoed by Participant 5's statement when asked the same question, "My understanding of
active learning is leveraging techniques to actually reinforce not only the concept but the
application of it." Based on the interviews, some adjunct faculty relied on active learning
strategies more than others. Participant 4, a staunch supporter of active learning, stated, "The
idea of using active learning techniques allows the students to put into practice the skills in a way
that I think better emulates real-world situations." The review of the 14-course syllabi found all
of the syllabi mention group projects as a significant portion of student grades. While none of the
syllabi mentioned simulation exercises or scenario-based problems are included in the
curriculum, two adjunct faculty members did mention using both simulations and scenario
planning in their classes. Based on the interview and course syllabi data, all participants

69

possessed a high degree of understanding of the differences between active versus passive
learning, and all participants already implemented active learning in the curriculum.
While all interview participants used some form of active learning methodology such as
simulations, the use of Harvard Business Case studies, group projects, or creating problem
scenarios, none of the participants were familiar with the formal term of PBL. Responses among
participants regarding their lack of specific knowledge of PBL were consistent, but all of the
participants had a general understanding and appreciation for PBL teaching methodology.
Participant 4's statement is reflective of the other participants' responses:
I am not familiar with Problem-Based Learning, but from what you are describing
as Problem-Based Learning, it sounds like I am doing in my class are very
similar. I use role-playing, simulations, and do small group simulations in class.
We will discuss a topic then break into small groups where I will present
problems and give them some time to work on the issue within the group and
discuss the responses in class. I provide feedback based on my knowledge to help
them understand if that is a good solution or not to the problem. I will also
provide feedback on whether the solution they came up with is realistic, possible,
or sustainable.
While the excerpt from the interview transcript does not describe the exact definition of
PBL, as mentioned by Jones (2006), it does highlight that adjunct faculty incorporates active
learning into the SCM curriculum at WSU. Another example of the use of active learning tools is
demonstrated by the comment from Participant 7, who said this during their interview regarding
the use of active learning methodologies, “I lecture to discuss common problems in supply chain

70

like late deliveries of supplies for example, then make up in my mind some type of problem and
discuss as a class how they would solve the problem.”
These are two examples of the adjunct faculty creating simulations or scenarios; another
tool is using Harvard Business Review case studies. Participant 5 stated, “I love using Harvard
Business Reviews; it really allows the students to show how they understand the readings and
lectures.” When asked to describe how they can tell if the business reviews are helping with the
students learning, Participant 5 said this, “I can tell by their responses if I did a good job of
teaching the subject matter I presented in the lecture and areas where I need to improve.” While
all of the adjunct faculty have incorporated active learning methodologies into their curriculum,
developing PBL as the standard practice will still require the university to set expectations that
some form of active learning be standard in all SCM courses at the university. Table 8 shows the
different active learning methods that the participants of the study used in their classes.
Table 8
Number of Time Active Learning used by Study Participants
Active Learning Strategy Used Number of Times Strategy Used
Group Projects 9
Harvard Business Review Case Studies 5
Scenario/Simulation/Role Playing 4
Small-Group Exercises During Class 3

Knowledge Findings' Conclusion
Four key knowledge findings emerged from the interviews with the SCM adjunct faculty
at WSU. The first two knowledge findings demonstrated that the adjunct faculty have a clear
understanding of the ASCM competencies gained through their years of experience in the field

71

of SCM. The faculty also communicated a strong comprehension of the soft skills required for
success in the domain. These knowledge findings are based on the adjunct faculty's knowledge
of the ASCM competencies outlined by Vokurka (2011) in Chapter Two of this study. The
adjunct faculty also demonstrated a clear understanding of active versus passive learning
methods, but they were not familiar with PBL specifically. A review of the findings for
motivational influences of utility value and self-efficacy will examine whether the adjunct
faculty believe in their capacity to deliver PBL and if they value the use of PBL.
Motivation Findings
The motivational influences of utility value and self-efficacy were explored in the study.
The findings for the study reveal that the adjunct faculty interviewed had high utility value for
PBL and other active learning methodologies as a method to advance SCM soft skills. The
findings demonstrate that all of the participants already use some form of active learning
methodology in their curriculum. The other influence to be reviewed is self-efficacy. The
findings reveal that the participants exhibited a high degree of self-efficacy in their ability to
learn and incorporate PBL into the SCM curriculum at WSU.
Finding 4: Faculty High Utility Value for Active Learning in SCM Curriculum
According to Cambria and Wigfield (2010), utility value determines how a task fits into
the plans for the future and how it contributes to the future success of the organization. If the
adjunct faculty at WSU have high utility value, they would see the value of implementing an
active learning methodology such as PBL to advance the SCM competencies to help students
develop soft skills related to the field. Having a high utility value for PBL or other active
learning methodologies predicts faculty's higher likelihood to revise the current curriculum and
invest adequate mental effort to design and implement an SCM soft skills driven curriculum.

72

When asked specifically if the instructors see the value of implementing PBL or other active
learning methodologies as a way to develop soft skills to advance SCM competencies, all
participants strongly agreed that active learning is critical to help students cultivate the soft skills
to be successful in the field.
As an example, when asked to clarify their beliefs on the importance of active learning,
Participant 7 stated, "The knowledge of hard skills provides what is required, but it is the soft
skills that allow the students to apply that knowledge in the field." The value of building soft
skills was further emphasized by Participant 3, who stated, “I am not sure I would be a good or
effective instructor if I did not include activities that made students use or develop soft skills.”
These quotes confirm that adjunct faculty felt that active learning makes a difference in
developing soft skills. Participant 5 provided more evidence of the adjunct faculty showing high
utility value in their ability to include active learning into the SCM curriculum, "I am a firm
believer that through simulation it allows students to tie things together, and use the soft skills of
teamwork, problem-solving, and communication."
To further illustrate the point of the adjunct faculty having high utility value for
implementing PBL into the SCM curriculum, Participant 6 stated, “As faculty members, we
should be preparing our students to be contributing members of whatever organization they work
with right after the day they graduate. I already have scenario planning and simulations as part of
my curriculum.” As previously mentioned, all of the interviewed adjunct faculty communicated
high utility value and see the benefits of having and incorporating active learning as a way to
develop student competencies for the domain of SCM. None of the participants exhibited low
utility value, which according to Eccles (2006), would impede their motivation to engage in the
task, in the case of this study, implementing PBL, if asked or required.

73

Prior Results Show Active Learning Promotes Enhanced Student Outcomes. The
adjunct faculty’s high utility value comes from the fact that they have seen evidence that active
learning strategies show that students are more engaged and understand concepts better. One
example is from Participant 2, who stated, “Some supply chain concepts are hard for students to
grasp with just lecture, such as forecasting unless I create some type of exercise to understand
how to develop a forecast, students do not understand just from a lecture.” When asked how the
simulation exercise helped the students, this respondent answered, “It took a few classes to figure
out students were not understanding what I was trying to teach, so I changed the way I did
things, now students understand that everything in supply chain starts with the forecast.” This
example shows that one of the faculty was not connecting with their students by just lecturing
and realized they needed to change their method of instruction, and incorporating active learning
exercises made a difference. Another example of the student results creating high utility value
for the adjunct faculty is this comment from Participant 3, “To me, it is much easier to learn by
doing, rather than listening to lectures, that providing scenarios or situations and discussing how
to resolve these issues is more stimulating than me standing in front of the class lecturing.”
These examples show that the adjunct faculty had high utility value in regards to PBL is based
on the past experiences in the classes they have taught.
Finding 5: Faculty High Self-Efficacy to Learn and Use Active Learning
In exploring motivation, not only did the adjunct faculty communicate a high utility value
for PBL, but they also exhibited high self-efficacy. According to Bandura (2005), self-efficacy is
a personal belief regarding one’s capability to impact a particular outcome. Self-efficacy
influences how individuals think; it can create optimism or pessimism regarding tasks to be
undertaken (Bandura, 2000). Self-efficacy asks the question, “Am I able to perform the task?”

74

Prior experience of being successful is one of the leading sources of positive self-efficacy
(Bandura, 1986). In addition to all nine faculty members stating they already use active learning
strategies; they also expressed a high level of confidence in their ability to learn and incorporate
PBL methodologies into their curriculum. They did not perceive issues with learning or adopting
a formal approach such as PBL. An example of high self-efficacy was demonstrated by
Participant 5 as they said, “I am sure I could learn this method of instructing, based on what you
described, I am already doing it." This participant demonstrated a high level of self-efficacy by
relating their previous experience of already incorporating active learning strategies into their
curriculum.
Jones (2006) and Rata and Samfira (2015), mentioned in their literature reviews, that one
of the disadvantages of PBL is that it requires instructors to become more of a facilitator than a
lecturer. Some instructors find this deters their ability to share knowledge directly with students.
None of the instructors interviewed felt this was a problem. Participant 4 stated, "I already see
myself as more of a facilitator than lecturer." When asked to clarify, Participant 4 said:
I will explain things in class about a particular problem or issue and then make up a
scenario and ask the teams to help solve the problem. They will break into teams, then I
will go around the classroom and work with the groups to see what they are thinking and
either encourage them to continue down that path or to look at it a different way.
Concerning adjunct faculty’s ability to incorporate PBL into their curriculum, Participant
5 said, "I see no reason why I cannot learn this methodology; I already act as a facilitator for the
most part, and I already use simulations and scenario-based exercises in my class." While all of
the participants reported having high self-efficacy in regards to their ability to learn PBL and
incorporate into their curriculum, three of the nine participants (33%) still did not fully

75

understand PBL even after receiving an explanation from the researcher. Participant 8 said, "I
think I understand what you are describing. I just did not realize it has a formal name." When the
same participant was asked, "Do you see any issue with your ability to learn adapt to the new
methodology?" their comment was, "I see no issues learning this methodology as it sounds
similar to what I am already doing in my class." Other responses implied a high degree of self-
efficacy even though the instructor admitted they do not understand the methodology
completely. Participant 9 mentioned, "I do not see any reason why I cannot learn and apply this
methodology to my classes, but I do not fully understand what specifically PBL is." This
response indicates that although they do not have clarity about PBL, they were willing to learn
about the approach and apply it in their curriculum based on the explanations provided by the
researcher. Participant 9 continued, "I am not familiar with PBL, but I am sure I could learn the
methodology, but it would be helpful to see it being used successfully in a classroom
environment." All of the participants for this study exhibited a high degree of self-efficacy in
their ability to learn and implement PBL to enhance their students’ soft skills in the domain of
SCM. Although none of the respondents were familiar with PBL, all participants were confident
in their ability to learn and incorporate this type of methodology into their curriculum.
Motivation Findings’ Conclusion
The findings for the motivational influences demonstrate that the adjunct faculty had high
utility value and saw PBL as a way to advance SCM soft skills. The research findings indicate
that all of the faculty members interviewed already included some type of active learning
methodology in the curriculum now. The study findings also show the SCM adjunct faculty that
were interviewed have high self-efficacy when it comes to their ability to learn, design, and
incorporate PBL or other active learning methodologies into their curriculum. While this study

76

interviewed nine out of 20 (45%) of the SCM adjunct faculty, based on discussions with the
SCM Director, all of the faculty already used active learning strategies. The Director said, “I
cannot think of any adjunct professor that does use group projects or Harvard Business Review
case studies, that is why I like to have adjuncts teach my classes because they bring that real-
world experience to the classroom.” When the Director was asked whether there is consistency
and instructional best practices used in the active learning methodologies, the Director declared,
“No, there definitely is no standards or consistency, some of the faculty are much better than
others.” Based on these motivational findings and that all SCM adjuncts already were using
active learning strategies, there are no motivational gaps with SCM adjunct faculty. The faculty
demonstrated high utility value for active learning and high self-efficacy in regards to learning
and implementing PBL, due to the fact they have already incorporated some type of active
learning methodologies into their curriculum.
Organizational Influences’ Findings
While no gaps appeared in the adjunct faculty’s knowledge and motivation influences,
the evidence about organization-related influences demonstrates that the cultural settings of
training and incentives emerged as gaps. Although all of the interviewed adjunct faculty with the
university’s SCM program incorporate active learning methodologies, there is a gap with the
consistency and level of standards between adjunct faculty members. According to Schraw and
McCrudden (2006), one of the best ways to ensure consistency and high level of instructional
standards can be met is through purposeful training and potential compensation. The
organizational findings indicate there is no training or meaningful instruction provided by the
university to any adjunct instructors prior to teaching at the university. This aligns to the
statement from the SCM Director who said “prior teaching experience is preferred but not

77

required of adjuncts.” Several of the interview participants echoed the Directors statement
regarding training during the interviews. These findings concur with the researcher's own
experience in regards to training at the university. The interview data demonstrated that the only
training provided and required was a mandatory 15-minute video on sexual harassment and a
short instructional video on the how to use the university’s Learning Management System
(LMS), which showed at a very high level of how to add assignments, post grades, and messages
to the LMS. During the interviews, none of the participants indicated that the university provided
training regarding instructional practices or managing students. The interview findings also
suggest that training for PBL is not available at the university for the adjunct SCM faculty. The
researcher confirmed this finding by conducting a search on the university’s website regarding
“PBL training,” and no mentions of training courses appeared in the search. Even if training was
available in the future, the university’s current practice indicates that incentives are not provided
and that some form of incentive would be required for the majority of stakeholders to participate
in any training provided by the university.
Finding 6: No Training on Instructional Practices or Problem-Based Learning
When asked to describe the training received from WSU, the participants indicated there
was no training on how to deal with students or best instructional practices. Lack of training can
be considered an issue with the organizational context at WSU because there were no
prerequisites to be an adjunct professor for SCM other than a Master's degree. Five of the nine
adjunct instructors (56%) interviewed had no teaching experience prior to their appointment at
WSU. According to Brownell and Tanner (2012), the lack of training is one of the most common
barriers for faculty implementing pedagogical changes.

78

When asked about their training experience from WSU, one of the experienced
instructors, Participant 4, stated, "I asked the Director if there was any training or anything I
needed to know. The Director handed me the syllabus and said this is the time and classroom,
and said there is no formal training." Later in the interview, Participant 4 added, "I have been
doing this so long, I could teach the teachers, but I never had any formal training at WSU on
teaching or managing the class. I do not think such training exists." The other three adjunct
faculty members who had prior teaching experience before coming to WSU also provided
answers with Participant 6 stating, “The lack of training was a gap, but since I already had
experience, the lack of training at WSU had no impact on my ability to manage my classes.”
Participant 1, one of the faculty members who had taught prior to coming to WSU, stated,
"I never really thought about training because I feel I know how to manage the classroom and
class." However, this participant elaborated further and said, "I think it would be good to have
some type of standardization on how we teach classes, especially for the adjuncts." Lastly,
Participant 2, who was also one of the more experienced participants, replied, "That is an
interesting question, I assumed there was training, but since I am experienced, I was not required
to take it. Huh, interesting." When probed a little further about why they thought training was
required, their response was "I assumed there was training for new teachers, but since I had
experience, I also assumed I was not required to take any training." While no formal training at
the time of the study existed for adjunct faculty for either classroom management or instructional
strategies such as PBL, the participants of the study who had prior experience teaching in a
college setting found that the lack of training was not necessarily an issue for them, but did find
it surprising that there is no formal training are prerequisites for teaching at the university.

79

Of the adjuncts without prior teaching experience, only one, Participant 8, said this about
the training for adjunct faculty at WSU, "I don't know that I have done any explicit training,
outside of the various check the box things like sexual harassment." Participant 8 also said that
“the amount and quality of training they had prior to starting classes for the first time at WSU
was non-existent and was not focused on anything in regards to teaching methods.” Participant 8
added that “The office of academic innovation was extremely supportive, but more about how to
use the LMS platform, not really anything about teaching or managing a classroom." Although
Participant 9 also did not receive training on instructional methods, they agreed to the need, "I
would welcome the training, as I did not really receive any formal training when I agreed to
teach." The responses indicate that instructors did not receive any training on classroom
management or PBL when they were hired regardless of experience, but they would be willing to
complete such training if made available.
As shown in Table 6, four of the nine adjunct faculty members who were interviewed are
in their first or second year of teaching in higher education. Three of the four individuals stated
they could have used some type of training prior to teaching at WSU. Participant 9 stated, "he
[Director] just kind of let you figure things out." When asked to elaborate a little more, if more
training would have helped, the same respondent said, "I would have loved it if they would put
us through a program to train us a little bit, I think maybe even observing us in the classroom and
providing feedback would have been helpful." Participant 5, one of the other inexperienced
instructors, said, "I have had very, very little training." When asked to elaborate, Participant 5
expressed, "I took the mandatory sexual harassment training, but I do not really consider that
training It would have been good to have some training when dealing with students in certain
situations." This same participant, when asked what made their training effective or ineffective,

80

said, "the ineffective is the lack of it, the effective would be the discussions I have had with
colleagues and co-workers, but the latter is not really training from my viewpoint." Based on the
evidence from the nine interviews, it was apparent there is no training program or onboarding
process for new adjunct faculty members regarding classroom management or PBL methodology
within the SCM program at the university. It is not known if the lack of training is a resource
issue related to lack of time and money, or merely the expectation of university that adjuncts
have the experience required to teach. While PBL aligned strategies were already implemented
by all of the SCM adjunct faculty, this occurs by individual instructors in a spontaneous and
inconsistent manner rather than a purposeful and consistent manner across all courses in the
program. It will be important to implement training during the onboarding process to help close
the gap of inconsistent standards and help elevate the level of PBL designed curriculum for the
SCM program. Implementing PBL training during the onboarding process for adjunct faculty
will be examined in Chapter Five of this study.
Finding 7: Faculty Requirement for Compensation to Take Training
When the nine interview participants were asked about what type of incentives would be
needed to help embrace learning and incorporating the PBL methodology, their answers were
diverse and only a few answers overlapped. Four participants (44%) mentioned that if the
university made training mandatory to implement PBL, they would not need incentives to
participate. The responses of the four of the participants who said they would not require
incentives were similar to the response of Participant 1, "If that is what the director wants us to
do, then I do not need any extra incentives."
All participants (nine out of nine) said they were willing to participate in additional
training if that was a requirement of the program, however, four participants (44%) expressed

81

concern over the amount of time and what the training would accomplish. Participant 4 said, "I
have been around a long time. I teach to give back, but my time is also valuable, so I would need
some type of monetary compensation to make worth my time." The resource of time was a
significant factor in other participants' need for incentives. Participant 7’s comments echoed
Participant 4 response, "I am not a big pay for money guy, but when I look at the inequity
between what I earn as a consultant and what I earn at WSU, I would need some compensation
for my time.” These two examples demonstrate that some adjunct faculty would need to be
compensated monetarily for their time to participate in training offered by the university
regarding PBL.
Another example of the resource of time being valued and considered are comments by
Participant 6 who said, "I could handle a couple of weekends, but no more than that." When
probed further about compensation for their time, they stated, "Money would be nice, and I
would not turn it down, but if the training is required, I would only be able to commit to a couple
of weekends at the most." Participant 2 declared, "I do not teach for the money, if the university
wants to require this type of training that is fine, but if it requires a bunch of time, that is
something I do not have time for." When the same participant was probed further about the
maximum amount of time they would commit to training, they expressed, "10 hours max, and
money is not really the issue; it is more about time as I already have elements of active learning
in my classes." Participant 8 offered this unique idea as a form of compensation, "as long as they
paid for my parking and provided lunch, that would be good enough for me." Table 9 shows the
incentives that would entice the SCM adjunct faculty members to take training to be able to
implement PBL and use it as a teaching method to add more SCM-aligned soft skills to their
curriculum.

82

Table 9
Responses to Types of Incentives
Incentives Number of Responses
If training is required, I do not need incentives 4
Money for time 2
Nothing, if only a couple of weekends 1
If more than 10 hours, not interested 1
Parking and lunch 1

Synthesis of Knowledge, Motivation and Organizational Findings
This study reviewed the data from nine interviews with SCM adjunct faculty at WSU and
14 course syllabi provided by the adjunct faculty. The interviews and course syllabi were
analyzed by open coding the data into thematic categories based on the knowledge, motivation,
and organizational influence-related conceptual framework of the study. Themes were explored
to determine whether gaps exist that may impact the organization's ability to achieve their
stakeholder goal by the fall term of 2022, that 100% of the adjunct faculty will implement a soft
skill-aligned to PBL into their curriculum. There were four key findings in the knowledge
section. These findings revealed that there was no gap in the adjunct faculty's declarative
knowledge of supply chain competencies and their understanding of active versus passive
learning. The findings of the study also reveal no gap appears in the procedural knowledge of the
adjunct faculty as all of the participants were already incorporating active learning strategies
such as group projects, the use of Harvard Business Review case studies, simulations and
scenario problem solving exercises in their curriculum. While the findings demonstrated there

83

was an overall lack of awareness of the PBL methodology, since the faculty was already using
PBL methods this it was determined no gap was present in the knowledge findings.
No gap was found regarding the motivational influences of the study. The faculty
demonstrated high utility value for active learning methodologies as being a way to advance and
grow the competencies of the domain. The faculty also demonstrated high self-efficacy when
describing their ability to learn the PBL methodology and implement it into their curriculum.
Analysis of the organizational influences identified gaps in the cultural settings of training and
incentives. The first gap was that no training exists regarding instructional practices or how to
manage students for adjunct instructors; including no training related to PBL or other active
instructional approaches. The findings of the study suggest that the only training provided by the
university was a mandatory short 15 minutes video regarding sexual harassment. There was also
a short tutorial on how to use the university’s LMS, but even this training was an online video
and done at a high level and covered topics like how to upload assignments, post grades, and
messages, there is no evidence of any training regarding instruction practices or managing
students. The findings of the study demonstrate there is a lack of training and no current
standards for new and existing adjunct faculty members. Because there is no training for adjunct
faculty at the university there is no gap with incentives at the time of the study. However, if
training is implemented WSU will need to provide the adjunct faculty to engage in PBL training
actively. Based on the interview data, the majority of the participants would require some type of
incentives to participate in PBL training for their time. Closing the gaps in regards to the lack of
training and incentives will be examined in Chapter 5 of the study. Table 10 provides a summary
of the knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences studied and associated gaps, that
need to be addressed.

84

Table 10
KMO Influence Gap
KMO Influence Asset Gap

Declarative knowledge: Understanding of ASCM
competencies and understanding of active versus passive
learning
X
Procedural knowledge: Able to design PBL curriculum
based on SCM competencies
X
Utility Value: See the value of implementing PBL was a
way to advance SCM competencies
X
Self-efficacy: Confidence in their ability to learn, teach and
implement PBL into the SCM curriculum
X
Cultural setting: Training X
Cultural setting: Incentives X

As shown by Table 10, a gap exists in the organizational setting of training. At the time
of the study there was no training, therefore no gap exists regarding incentives. However, if the
training gap is closed then incentives will need to be addressed to compensate the adjunct faculty
to attend the training. Recommendations to address these gaps will be provided in Chapter Five,
with a focus to close the gaps and ensure that WSU meets their stakeholder goal of 100% of the
adjunct faculty implementing PBL by Fall 2022.

85

Chapter Five: Recommendations
This study examined the knowledge, motivation, and organization influences that affect
the SCM adjunct faculty's ability to implement PBL methodologies into the SCM curriculum at
WSU. Chapter Four summarized the knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences and
substantiated the findings as needs or assets through the use of the qualitative research methods
of interviews and document analysis. Chapter Five presents recommendations for practice to
address the organizational influence gaps and maintain the knowledge and motivational assets.
This chapter uses evidence-based recommendations to address the knowledge, motivation, and
organization influences of the study as they relate to SCM adjunct faculty's ability to implement
PBL into the SCM curriculum. The study uses the New World Kirkpatrick Model (2016), a
recommended training program that looks to close the gaps and maintain the assets by using the
four levels of training and evaluation including reaction, learning, critical behaviors, and results
(Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). Using the Clark and Estes (2008) gap analysis framework
which identified the assets and needs of the SCM adjunct faculty's ability to implement PBL into
the SCM curriculum along with the Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick model (2016) increases the
probability that the stakeholder and organizational goals will be met.
Recommendations for Practice to Address KMO Influences
The tables and descriptions in this section review the assets and gaps that were
discovered in Chapter Four regarding the adjunct faculty’s KMO influences, and present a
recommended training program to strengthen the assets and reduce the gaps with each KMO
influence. The tables organize and summarize each influence and use supporting principles from
literature to support the recommended course of action. The four levels of the Kirkpatrick and
Kirkpatrick (2016) New World Model are discussed for each influence.

86

Knowledge Recommendations
The knowledge influences the adjunct faculty need to implement PBL include declarative
and procedural knowledge. While no gaps were found with the adjunct faculty's knowledge
influences, there is room for improvement to develop and implement a standard curriculum using
PBL tools and methods across all SCM classes in the program. The findings of the study
demonstrated that the adjunct faculty have the declarative knowledge of SCM and the ASCM
competencies for the field of SCM. The adjunct faculty also understand active versus passive
learning, although there are varying degrees of applying PBL methods across the faculty
members. With regard to procedural knowledge, all participants of the study use group projects
as one of the tools of PBL, however only (55%) are using other PBL methodologies such as
simulations, case studies, or developing scenarios as active learning tools for their students.
Table 11 shows the recommendations for these knowledge influences based on theoretical
principles.

87

Table 11
Summary of Knowledge Influences and Recommendations
Assumed Knowledge Influence Context-Specific Recommendation
The supply chain management
(SCM) adjunct faculty at WSU
need to understand ASCM
competencies (D)

The organization should maintain a list of ASCM
competencies, and help the adjunct faculty
connect prior knowledge of these competencies
with new competencies that emerge in the field.

The SCM adjunct faculty at WSU
need to understand active versus
passive learning practices such as
PBL (D)

On-campus workshops or instructional videos to
help the instructors incorporate more active
learning.
The SCM adjunct faculty at WSU
needs to be able to design PBL
based on SCM soft-skill
competencies (P)

Provide training for the faculty to design and use
PBL or other active learning methodologies in
their curriculum. The training should also include
feedback and modeling.

Strengthening Knowledge about Active versus Passive Learning Methodologies
The findings from this study indicated the adjunct faculty declarative knowledge
influences of understanding the (ASCM) competencies and their awareness of active versus
passive learning methodologies is an asset. In order to maintain the asset, a recommendation
grounded in the information processing theory has been selected to help ensure this gap remains
non-existent for future adjunct faculty members. Schraw and McCrudden (2006) suggested that
information that is learned and connected with one's previous knowledge is remembered with
more accuracy because it is elaborated with prior learning. To ensure no gap occurs in the future,
the SCM department within WSU should keep a list of the ASCM competencies updated and
available to all faculty members for future use. According to Clark and Estes (2008), information
and job aids can be used to provide people with instructions so that they learn tasks on their own.
By using the job aids of instructional videos or onsite workshops regarding PBL will allow any

88

faculty member, including tenured staff and adjuncts, to take PBL training. These job aids will
facilitate the creation of standard PBL instruction in all SCM courses at WSU.
According to Rueda (2011), declarative knowledge is the basic knowledge of the specific
domain and the understanding of categories, principles, theories, and models. Luo and Kalman
(2018) provide evidence that connecting new learning with prior declarative knowledge and real-
world work experience helped improve students' meaningful learning. Since all participants of
the study already include some form of active methodologies in their coursework at the time of
this study, any new and targeted training regarding the use of PBL methods and tools will
enhance the instructors' usage of PBL.
Standardized PBL Training to Enhance Procedural Knowledge
The findings of this study demonstrated there is no gap in the procedural knowledge
influence of the adjunct faculty being able to design and implement their own PBL methods into
their curriculum. It is important to understand that at the time of the study, there was no standard
for implementing PBL tools or methods into the SCM curriculum. Scott and Palinscar (2006)
submit that by providing training that includes scaffolding and assisted performance in a person's
zone of proximal development (ZPD) will promote developmentally appropriate instruction. This
finding suggests that providing the adjunct faculty targeted training in the design and use of PBL
tools is going to be needed to help create standardized PBL for all adjunct faculty members. This
training should provide hands-on training and allow the participants to practice designing and
using active learning methodologies. The training needs to include feedback and modeling.
According to Abtahi et al. (2017), ZPD is a dynamic systems theory principle produced
by influential psychologist Lev Vygotsky, that states people learn by being taught by others that
are more skilled and knowledgeable. Malik (2017) discussed that providing scaffolded training

89

and assisted performance in a person's ZPD will promote developmentally appropriate
instruction by steadily removing the scaffolds as learning advances and performance becomes
enhanced. The scaffolding Malik (2017) examined includes three notions. The first notion is
contingency, which is developing teaching strategy to the students' learning capacity. By
applying this strategy, the instructor will obtain feedback from the student regarding
comprehension; the feedback could be either visual, verbal, or assessment. The second notion is
fading, which is the temporal nature of support. Fading occurs as the student gains confidence in
their ability to do the task; support is gradually withdrawn to allow the student to evolve
independently. The third notion is responsibility; this occurs when the instructor assumes less
responsibility with the task, and the student becomes more in control of the learning process.
Procedural knowledge is the knowledge of how to do something, which includes the ability to
implement particular practices and procedures (Krathwohl, 2002). The final skill is to develop
tutoring skills to scaffold and stimulate the learning process for SCM students. Segmenting these
tasks will ensure the retention of the procedural knowledge necessary to the organizational goals
(van der Meij & van der Meij, 2016).
Motivation Recommendations
No gaps were found in the motivation findings for the study. The study demonstrated that
the participants already have high utility for active learning and high self-efficacy in their ability
to learn and adopt PBL methods. According to Clark and Estes (2008), motivation is what drives
and provides energy to individuals. All adjunct faculty in the future must maintain the high
utility value and see the benefits that active learning enhances student learning and outcomes.
Table 12 looks at two motivational influences of utility value and self-efficacy and highlights the
specific recommendations to maintain both influences.

90

Table 12
Summary of Motivation Influences and Recommendations
Assumed Motivation Influence Context-Specific Recommendation
The adjunct SCM faculty must see
the value of implementing PBL
to advance ASCM
Competencies. (UV)

The discourse of the training will focus on the
importance of utility of content and activities. The
training needs to provide examples of its
effectiveness for student learning and outcomes.
The adjunct SCM faculty at WSU
need Confidence in their ability
to teach ASCM competencies
via PBL. (SE)

Provide opportunities for the adjunct faculty to
practice designing their curriculum to include PBL.
The training will also include constructive feedback
from peers and trainers regarding their progress in
the mastery of the PBL methodology.

Maintaining High Utility Value for SCM Adjunct Faculty
The adjunct SCM faculty must see the value of implementing Problem-based learning
PBL to advance the Association of Supply Chain Management (ASCM) Competencies. Rueda
(2011) stated that utility value refers to the worth of the task towards meeting the larger goal. In
order to maintain high utility value, rationales that include a dialog and examples of the
significance and utility value of the task can help learners develop positive values (Eccles, 2006;
Pintrich, 2003). This finding suggests that in order to maintain high utility value, any training
needs to include examples of the effectiveness of PBL on enhanced student outcomes. During
training, the discourse should focus on the importance and utility of content and activities for
new adjunct faculty members and that they are provided examples of how PBL enhances student
outcomes. One method could be the use of video testimonials from students to describe positive
outcomes from the use of active learning methodologies.
According to Rueda (2011), utility value focuses on the benefits of task completion and
how it helps to achieve future goals. In their research regarding implementing PBL in medical
school curriculum, Dolmans et al. (2016) demonstrated that students learn by discussing domain-

91

relevant problems, enhancing application, and by incorporating knowledge. Utility value
increased when people were asked to make connections between course material and their field
of study (Rosenzweig et al., 2019). Students working with problems that are related to the
domain-specific field of study will want to engage towards an in-depth learning approach in
which learners are naturally interested to understand what is being studied (Dolmans et al.,
2016). This finding suggests that utility value will be enhanced for adjunct faculty if training
includes discourse that includes material that applies to the effectiveness of student outcomes.
Organizational Recommendations
Cultural settings influence the behaviors found in an organization. Cultural settings
examine aspects of how an organization operates, which includes policies, procedures, and
systems (Rueda, 2011). The cultural setting of training had the most significant impact on the
SCM adjunct faculty's ability to design and implement PBL methodology into the SCM
curriculum. The findings demonstrated that incentives would be required for the adjunct faculty
to engage in PBL training programs; if no incentives are provided, this will cause a gap based on
the participant responses. The recommendation for the lack of incentives is addressed but
assumes the university has approved a training program. The organizational influences in Table
13 represent the assumed influences that impact the organizational and stakeholder goals, as well
as recommendations for action.

92

Table 13
Summary of Organization Influences and Recommendations
Assumed Organization Influence Context-Specific Recommendation
Cultural Setting: WSU needs to
provide the SCM adjunct faculty
with effective training for the new
initiatives.
The training needs to re-enforce the rationale for PBL
instruction, which is that it increases student
learning and helps maintain high utility value for
the adjunct faculty.

Cultural Setting: WSU needs to
provide the SCM adjunct faculty
appropriate incentives to adopt and
incorporate active learning
methodology
The university will need to develop an incentive
strategy that will reward the stakeholders and align
with the university's goals and values of
collaborative learning and community engagement.
Both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation rewards need
to be considered.

Providing Effective Training for PBL to Enhance Student Outcomes
The findings from the study indicate that WSU needs to provide the SCM adjunct faculty
with effective training for the new initiatives. Clark and Estes (2008) discussed that for change to
be effective, motivation influences need to be addressed first; this helps the group understand
why change needs to take place. Organizational barriers are the next area to be addressed, then
knowledge and skills. Successful organizational change efforts use evidence-based solutions and
adapt them where necessary to the organization's culture (Clark & Estes, 2008). Any training
provided by the university needs to re-enforce the rationale for PBL instruction, which is that
PBL increases student learning. This training will help maintain high utility value for the adjunct
faculty. The training needs to promote high self-efficacy so the adjunct faculty will believe in
their ability to implement PBL into their curriculum. The training also needs to provide the
adjunct faculty adequate and evidence-based training that will enhance their ability to implement
PBL into their curriculum.

93

According to Appelbaum et al. (2018), employee motivation needs to be one of the top
considerations for any organizational change or transformation to occur. In their work,
Appelbaum et al. (2018) cited two different examples of organizational change. In both cases,
the successful implementation of organizational change occurred due to the careful management
of employee motivational influences first. Once the motivational influences of the employees
were addressed, the organizations then turned to internally assessing the barriers to change,
which includes resources such as the budget for the change and employee time to train for and
implement the change. Lastly, the organizations define what skills and knowledge are needed
and must be maintained to ensure lasting change.
Incentives Required to Engage in PBL Training
Based on the study’s interview findings, WSU needs to provide the SCM adjunct faculty
appropriate incentives to engage in PBL training. Clark and Estes (2008) posited that successful
organizations ensure that organizational messages, rewards, policies, and procedures that
administrate the work of the organization are in alignment and supportive of the organization's
goals and values. The university will need to develop an incentive strategy that will reward the
stakeholders and align with the university's goals and values of collaborative learning and
community engagement. Both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation rewards need to be considered.
According to Deci et al. (2016), tangible rewards are often given to people as an
incentive to participate in an activity they would not engage in usually. Based on the findings of
this study, 55% of the current SCM adjunct faculty will require some type of incentive to
participate in any additional training required by the university. In their research Liang et al.
(2018), discuss that extrinsic incentives increase the impact of engagement on tasks that require
effort. The findings from this study indicate that the majority (56%) of the adjunct faculty feel

94

they need to be compensated for their time to participate in any PBL training. These incentives
could be in the form of compensation for time spent attending the training, along with other
rewards such as meals and transportation.
Integrated Implementation and Evaluation Plan
The New World Kirkpatrick Model (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016) was used for the
implementation and evaluation plan for this research study. The New World model is based on
the original Kirkpatrick Four Level Model of Evaluation (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2006). The
original Kirkpatrick model recognizes four levels of training. The first level is reaction, followed
by learning, moving to behavior, with the final level being focused on the results. The New
World Model offers a revised version of the original model and starts with level four and works
backward to create an effective and applicable evaluation framework (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick,
2016).
Organizational Purpose, Need, and Expectations
The mission of WSU focuses on educating a diverse community of lifelong learners and
making a positive impact through inclusive, transformative, and meaningful research. The
organizational goal established is that by the fall of 2022, 100% of the SCM adjunct faculty at
WSU will implement an SCM soft skill aligned Problem Based Learned into their
curriculum. The first desired outcome of the successful implementation of PBL into the SCM
curriculum will be to maintain stakeholder high utility value and help them see the benefit of the
PBL methodology. The PBL methodology increases student learning and outcomes and prepares
students to be job-ready day one upon graduation. The second desired outcome is that other
universities can use the training model developed for WSU with high ratios of adjunct to tenured
faculty.

95

Level 4: Results and Leading Indicators
Table 14 provides the Level 4 internal and external expected outcomes. Metrics and
methods for WSU. Both internal and external outcomes are centered around the established
organizational and stakeholder goals, focused on implementing PBL into the SCM curriculum at
WSU. It is likely that if the outcomes are met, the stakeholder group of the SCM adjunct faculty
will meet the established stakeholder goal.

96

Table 14
Outcomes, Metrics, and Methods for External and Internal Outcomes
Outcome Metric(s) Method(s)
External Outcomes
Improved employer
satisfaction with SCM
graduates from WSU
%Employer satisfaction
measurement with SCM
graduates from WSU.
Starting with the graduating
class of 2024.

Survey to develop a
baseline, then an
annual survey
Other universities with a
high adjunct to tenured
professor ratio will
implement this type of
training
Number of universities
adopting PBL
Survey to develop a
baseline, then an
annual survey

Internal Outcomes

Enhanced student
learning regarding
common supply
chain problems
100% of students will graduate with
the ability to solve routine supply
chain problems or issues by
spring term 2024

Simulations, class
projects, case
studies.
Demonstrated
knowledge
Adjunct SCM
faculty implement
PBL methodology
into their curriculum

100% of SCM classes taught by
adjunct faculty have some form
of PBL implemented into the
curriculum by the fall of 2022.

Verified by syllabus
descriptions of
course work.
All adjunct faculty to
the SCM program
complete PBL
training
100% of all new adjunct faculty
members will take PBL training
by the fall of 2022. Existing
faculty will also be required to
take training by the fall of 2022.

A requirement to
teach at the
university
Adjunct SCM faculty
implement PBL
methodology into
their curriculum
100% of all SCM adjunct faculty
implement PBL methodology
into their curriculum
Survey of SCM
Adjunct faculty
to see how many
have incorporated
PBL into their
curriculum

97

Level 3: Critical Behaviors
There are three critical behaviors the SCM adjunct faculty will need to demonstrate to
meet the organizational goals. The first critical behavior the adjunct faculty will need to
demonstrate is their ability to design and implement PBL methodology into their curriculum. The
second critical behavior is that the instructors will need to embrace the role of facilitator rather
than a lecturer. The final critical behavior is that the adjunct faculty needs to continue to enhance
the PBL curriculum using continuous improvement methods. The critical behaviors will lead to
the achievement of the organizational goal, which is that 100% of the SCM adjunct faculty will
implement PBL into their curriculum. Table 15 lists the specific metrics, methods, and timing of
each of these outcome behaviors.
Table 15
Critical Behaviors, Metrics, Methods, and Timing for Evaluation
Critical Behavior Metric(s) Method(s) Timing
Adjunct faculty need
to demonstrate
ability design and
implement PBL
Curriculum

100% of adjunct faculty that
take training and be able to
demonstrate ability be able
to design and implement
PBL curriculum into
courses

Adjunct faculty
demonstrate during
training, ability to design
PBL tools and
methodologies
By fall
2022
Adjunct faculty will
need to perform the
role of facilitator
rather than a
lecturer.

100% of SCM faculty that
take PBL training perform
the facilitator rather than a
lecturer
Observe during training
and live classroom
sessions by SCM
Director
By fall
2022
Enhance outcomes
due to training
100% of the adjunct faculty
need to self-evaluate how
they can improve their
course curriculum and use
suggestions based on the
end of class survey.
Use continuous
improvement methods
such as the PDSA cycle
to improve courses and
curriculum over time
By fall
2022

98

Required Drivers
The SCM adjunct faculty will require the support of the SCM leadership at the university
to demonstrate aptitude in PBL methodology and be able to design and implement PBL into their
curriculum. The SCM leadership team at the university has an important role in supporting
critical behaviors. There are four types of critical behaviors: reinforcing, encouraging, rewarding,
and monitoring. Table 16 shows the required drivers to support the critical behaviors in the SCM
adjunct faculty.
Table 16
Required Drivers to Support Critical Behaviors
Method(s) Timing
Critical Behaviors
Supported
Reinforcing (knowledge)

PBL required training for all SCM
adjunct instructors

Annually onsite, and links to
training available year-round
1, 2, 3
Training materials and information
regarding PBL distributed

Ongoing 1, 2, 3
Staff meetings to discuss PBL
issues, findings, success, failures
End of Term 1, 2, 3
Encouraging

Coaching from peers and leaders

Ongoing 1, 2, 3
Examples of success from PBL Ongoing 3
Rewarding (Motivation)

Incentives for attending training

Ongoing 1
Recognition for completing training Ongoing 1
Monitoring (org)

End of course evaluations from
SCM Director
Quarterly 1, 2, 3
One-on-One review of the semester
with Director of SCM
Quarterly 1, 2, 3

99

Organizational Support
The SCM leadership at WSU will support the adjunct faculty by providing onsite training
in the PBL methodology on the second to last Saturday of August before the start of the new
school year. The onsite training will be held at the university. The timing of the training will
provide the adjunct faculty time to develop and incorporate the PBL material into the courses,
which start in late September. Video sessions of PBL will also be available with links provided
to the training as a suitable alternative to onsite classes. The SCM adjunct faculty will be
responsible for adopting the critical behaviors by engaging in the training provided to them
regarding PBL methodology and demonstrating the commitment to develop and integrate PBL
into their curriculum. Under the Director of the SCM program, the adjunct faculty will create the
model for PBL to be embedded in all future SCM classes that are taught by adjunct instructors at
WSU.
Level 2: Learning Goals
Level 2 in the New World Kirkpatrick Model examines how effectively the SCM adjunct
faculty attained the intended knowledge, skills, attitude, confidence, and commitment as a result
of the PBL training. After the recommended training, the SCM adjunct faculty should be able to:
1. Design a PBL curriculum that is based on SCM soft skill competencies (Procedural
knowledge)
2. Demonstrate their new role as a facilitator rather than lecturer (Procedural knowledge)
3. Reflect on their ability to integrate PBL into their curriculum and consider the challenges
and issues that are impeding their implementation (Metacognitive knowledge)
4. See the value of implementing PBL to advance ASCM competencies (Utility Value)

100

5. Articulate how PBL impacts and enhances student learning and helps develop soft skills
of the SCM domain. (Utility Value)
6. Have the belief that they are capable of implementing PBL into their curriculum (Self-
efficacy)
Program
One of the primary concerns regarding PBL training for the participants of this study was
the amount of time it would take to undergo PBL training. Mühlfelder et al. (2016) posited that
60 hours of training is required to develop PBL skills; this is simply not possible at WSU. The
overwhelming majority (88%) of the study's participants already have full-time jobs, on top of
their teaching duties at WSU. Since all the study participants already use PBL tools, the training
for the adjunct faculty will be condensed to one full day on campus. If adjunct faculty cannot
attend the onsite training, a recording will be provided. Instructors will be compensated $200
USD for their time to attend the on-campus training or for completion of the virtual training
videos. The recommended learning program includes initial training of all SCM adjunct faculty
contracted to teach starting in the fall of 2022. Training will be mandatory for all SCM adjunct
faculty. Any tenured faculty member of the SCM program will be welcomed and encouraged to
attend as well. The SCM director should also hire a local expert on the PBL methodology,
possibly from the School of Education at the university, for the initial training session. The
expectations would also be that one or more of the adjunct faculty can take on the role of PBL
training once they have demonstrated mastery.
The training schedule will be from 8 am to 4 pm with an hour lunch break and two 15-
minute breaks. The first half of day one will be a lecture-based session supported by video
examples focused on implementing PBL in the classroom. The videos and lectures will enhance

101

the stakeholder's knowledge regarding PBL. These methods will also help maintain the
instructors' high utility value for active learning by seeing the benefits first hand of PBL
instruction in use by other faculty, and by providing student testimonials on the benefits of
learning with PBL instruction. The second half of the daylong session will be hands-on training
where the adjunct faculty start to design PBL tools such as simulation exercises, group projects,
and scenario development. At the conclusion of the training, the instructors will receive
constructive feedback from peers, the SCM Director, and the PBL facilitator.
The expected outcome of the training is that some of the SCM adjunct faculty members
will develop mastery on the subject of PBL. After an instructor has been identified as having
mastery of the methodology, they will teach the course to new SCM adjunct faculty members at
the university. The training will occur annually and use the same or updated materials used in the
introductory training. Problem-Based Learning training will be mandatory for all SCM adjunct
faculty members starting in the fall of 2022. The videos can be used by other IHL to implement
the PBL curriculum into their SCM programs to address the needs of students coming out of
college without the required soft skills of the domain.
Evaluation of the Components of Learning
Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) make it clear that it is necessary to evaluate the
knowledge, skills, attitudes, confidence levels, and the commitments of the individuals to
determine if the desired learning has taken place. The knowledge construct emphasizes the
adjunct instructor's ability to relate declarative and procedural knowledge about PBL. The skill
attribute focuses on the instructor's ability to develop and implement PBL into the SCM
curriculum. Attitude addresses the instructors' belief that there is importance with PBL
methodology. Confidence expresses the instructor's belief that they will be able to design and

102

implement PBL into their curriculum successfully. Lastly, commitment refers to the instructor's
readiness to implement PBL and the level of effort they put into engaging PBL
methodology. The learning components are included in Table 17, which consists of the
evaluation methods and time frame.

103

Table 17
Evaluation of the Components of Learning for the Program
Method and Activities Timing
Declarative Knowledge "I know it."

Knowledge checks through discussions during the training
workshop

Ongoing
Knowledge check with peers, SCM Director, and Facilitator during
the training workshop

Ongoing
Knowledge check end of term evaluations Ongoing
Procedural Skills "I can do it right now."

Time to practice and develop the skill to create PBL material during
the training workshop

Ongoing
Feedback from PBL facilitator, peers, and SCM director about the
ability to create PBL material

Ongoing
An approved implementation plan for PBL at the end training by
facilitator and SCM director

At the end of the
training session
Feedback from SCM Director at the end of the term one-on-one
meetings
Ongoing
Attitude "I believe this is worthwhile."

Observations of the adjunct faculty during training to gauge their
engagement with PBL

Ongoing
Survey after training sessions conclude to gauge the benefits of
PBL
At the end of the
training session
Confidence "I think I can do it on the job."

Discussions with instructors during the training sessions

Ongoing
Opportunity to demonstrate successful development of PBL
material

Ongoing
Sharing successful PBL stories during the training sessions Ongoing
Commitment "I will do it on the job."

End of term discussion with the SCM Director

End of each term
Training course survey to gauge commitment End of training and
end of each term

104

Level 1: Reaction
Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016), state-level one of the New World Model centers on
the reaction of the training program participant. For the SCM adjunct faculty, it will be essential
to gauge their reactions to the PBL training. Table 18 lists the methods and tools that will be
used to determine how the adjunct faculty react to the training.
Table 18
Components to Measure Reactions to the Program
Method(s) or Tool(s) Timing
Engagement

Conduct quick "check-ins" throughout the training
sessions

Ongoing
Observations of participants "body language" during
training

Ongoing

Training session evaluations After the training session or module is
completed
Perform "check-in's" during staff meetings Quarterly

Relevance

Perform "check-in's" during staff meetings

Quarterly
Training session evaluations After each training session or module is
completed
Customer Satisfaction

Training session evaluations After each training session or module is
completed
Body language observations During Training sessions

Training Program Evaluation Tools
According to Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016), almost 90% of training resources are
consumed on designing, developing, and delivery of the training program. It is important that
participants not only learn what they must know, but also respond in a positive manner to the
training program and are able to apply what they learned. Therefore, it will be important to

105

measure the effectiveness of the training program during and after the program is complete. The
next section discusses the methods and tools that will be used to measure the Level 1 and Level 2
during and immediately after the training, and a delayed period of four months following the
training.
Immediately Following the Program Implementation
The training program will be assessed and evaluated throughout the training session and
after the completion of the onsite training session. Level 1 reaction will be assessed during the
training session by the SCM Director and PBL Facilitator conducting check-ins, by asking the
adjunct faculty if they value the benefits of the training. The Director and facilitator will also
watch the level of engagement of the adjunct faculty through the questions they ask as well as
monitor their body language.
Immediately following the training session, Level 1 and Level 2 will be evaluated. The
SCM Director will provide each adjunct faculty member an assessment to be filled out. This
assessment will help determine the level of reaction regarding the training session (Level 1). The
assessment will also evaluate if the training met the learning goals of the adjunct faculty (Level
2). The assessment form contains eight Likert-scale questions, as well as seven open-ended
questions (Appendix C).
Delayed for a Period After the Program Implementation
A more extensive evaluation will occur four months after the completion of the PBL
training program. This evaluation will coincide with the end of the first term of classes using
PBL in the SCM curriculum. The delayed evaluation will be used to determine if the adjunct
faculty are engaged and implementing the PBL methodology into the curriculum and their

106

overall feelings and concerns with PBL. The evaluation instrument that will be used will be a
Likert-scale that will contain eight questions, as well as 11 open-ended questions (Appendix D).
Data Analysis and Reporting
The Level 4 goals of WSU depend on the SCM adjunct faculty to demonstrate Level 3
behaviors focused on validating the adjunct faculty's ability to develop and implement PBL into
the SCM curriculum at WSU. During the training session and immediately following the training
session, the SCM adjunct faculty will be assessed using a Likert-scale survey with seven open-
ended questions (Appendix C) to provide a baseline with the adjunct faculty's engagement with
PBL training. Four months after the completion of PBL training, which coincides with the end of
the first semester, the SCM Director will administer a follow-up survey. This Likert-scale survey
has 11 open-ended questions (Appendix D) to understand the adjunct faculty's overall feelings and
concerns with implementing PBL into the SCM curriculum at the university. The results from
these assessments taken during, immediately following, and four months after training will be
provided to leadership as a dashboard (Figure 2, Figure 3) as a way to understand how the adjunct
faculty and the organization are accountable to the stakeholder and organizational goals.

107

Figure 2
Sample dashboard of number of SCM adjunct faculty that have completed PBL training in
relation to attaining the organizational goal

0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Taken PBL Training Not Taken PBL Training
Number of Adjunct Faculty that have Taken
PBL Training
Taken PBL Training

108

Figure 3
Sample dashboard of SCM adjunct faculty that have implemented PBL

Summary
The New World Kirkpatrick Model (2016) was the model used to develop, implement,
and evaluate the training program for the SCM adjunct faculty at WSU. The stakeholder and
organizational goals for this study were to integrate the PBL methodology into the SCM
curriculum to increase students learning of soft skills. The New World Kirkpatrick Model (2016)
uses four levels of training and evaluation; these levels are reaction (Level 1), learning (Level 2),
critical behaviors (Level 3), and results (Level 4). As guided by Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick
(2016), the training program results were created, concentrating on outcomes and leading
indicators of the training program this included both internal and external outcomes. After the
creation of Level 4 results and indicators, the critical behaviors needed by the SCM adjunct
faculty (Level 3) were established, followed by the explicit learning goals for the adjunct faculty
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Pre-Training Post Training
% of Adjunct Faculty using PBL
PBL Implemented

109

(Level 2). The final component (Level 1) was established to understand how the SCM adjunct
faculty reacted to the PBL training and found the information useful in achieving their goals. The
recommended evaluation tools were provided to be utilized by August 2022 in conjunction with
the roll-out of the PBL training program. Analyzing the assessments will be an integral part of
the SCM leadership to be able to understand how effective the training program was to help meet
the organization and stakeholder goals. The data from the assessments will also provide a
baseline of training data and be used to find ways to improve training using the Plan, Do, Study,
Act cycle of continuous improvement. The SCM Leadership is looking to the adjunct faculty to
implement PBL into the SCM curriculum to improve students' development of soft skills used in
the domain of SCM.
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Research Approach
Two keys strengths emerge by combining the Clark and Estes (2008) gap analysis
framework and the New World Kirkpatrick (2016) model. Clark and Estes (2008) highlight the
Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2006) model in their work as one of the preferred training models
to help implement recommendations to close the knowledge, motivation, and organization
(KMO) gaps. According to Clark and Estes (2008), the structure of the New World Model
compliments their KMO gap analysis framework model. The Clark and Estes KMO conceptual
framework provides a starting point when examining an organization and how best to support
and help the organization attain its primary goals. The KMO framework helps to identify
influences that are either potential assets or gaps for the stakeholder group, and the Kirkpatrick
New World Model provides a seamless training model to help close any KMO gaps that are
identified. The key weakness of the study was not interviewing more SCM adjunct faculty
members or the tenured SCM faculty, as there are gaps in being able to evaluate the entire SCM

110

curriculum at WSU fully. A study that focused on all stakeholders would have surpassed the time
frame of this study.
Limitations and Delimitations
As discussed in Chapter Three, all studies have limitations. According to Nenty and
Nenty (2009), limitations are the elements inside the study that are not within the researchers'
control. Some of the limitations that were beyond the control of the researcher included some
technical issues with the Zoom® application during two of the interviews where words did not
get transcribed correctly, and the video recording was undecipherable for a brief period of time
on two separate occasions. Another limitation was the amount of time provided for the research,
as a study that would have been more comprehensive and included more stakeholders would
have taken more time than was allotted.
In their research Nenty and Nenty (2009), state delimitations are the factors of the
research study in which the researcher can control and determines how the researcher directs the
study. Because the researcher decided to limit his research just to the SCM adjunct faculty at
WSU, this eliminated the possibility of interviewing SCM faculty at other institutions to
understand how prevalent PBL methodologies are being used outside of WSU. Another
delimitation was by using just the adjunct faculty as participants, tenured faculty, which may
have provided more insight into the entire SCM curriculum at WSU, were excluded.
Future Research
Recommendations for future research include using all adjunct and tenured faculty
members as participants. Including both adjunct and tenured faculty would provide a clearer
picture of the entire curriculum and may be able to identify gaps that are contributing to the
problem of practice, the need for graduates in the field of SCM not graduating with the required

111

soft skills of the domain. Another area for future research is to explore the gaps in the SCM
curriculum to determine the soft skills taught in the IHL's in comparison to the requirements in
the field. Research with employers who hire SCM college graduates would also provide
researchers and SCM administrators with relevant information about the required skills and the
gaps of the graduates; this would help the IHL's develop PBL methodologies to address the gaps
mentioned by employers. Lastly, research conducted with faculty SCM faculty members who use
PBL methodologies should be explored further. The focus should be on faculty who currently
implement PBL to increase students’ soft skills in the domain of SCM to provide insight on how
the methods are used in the classroom to promote soft skill development.
Implications for Practice
The research for this study was conducted in March 2020, just as the COVID-19 crisis
was starting to grip the world. The study was concluded six months after the pandemic started
with the global emergency still in progress. During that time, the field of SCM became a major
topic about which there were headlines on news outlets worldwide. The pandemic strained
supply chains globally due to increased demand for products, especially food and toiletries due
to panic buying and hoarding. Supply chain issues regarding product supply were impacted by
labor shortages due to quarantine restrictions, social distancing, disruptions to transportation
networks, and closed borders by countries (Hobbs, 2020). During the pandemic, the domain of
SCM became more recognized as a vital part of the world economy. At the time of this study, the
need became apparent that more than ever, organizations will need supply chain professionals
who can understand cause and effect of rapid increase and decrease of supply and demand issues
within the field of SCM. This urgent need for qualified supply chain professionals who are well
rounded and able to view SCM holistically and have the required soft skills of the domain, will

112

put pressure on colleges and universities to adapt their SCM curriculum quickly and incorporate
more active learning strategies such as PBL.
Conclusion
The purpose of this study was to conduct a needs assessment in the context of the
knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences related to the SCM adjunct faculty at WSU
and their ability to design and implement PBL material into their courses to enhance students’
soft skills in the domain of SCM. Employers are frustrated by the lack of soft skills from college
graduates as they enter the SCM workforce. Now more than ever, due to the COVID- 19
pandemic, the importance of the role of supply chain management and its impact of all functions
of society has been brought to the forefront. The urgent need for college graduates who can view
the domain of supply chain management from a holistic point of view and demonstrate the
required soft skills of the profession is greater than at any time in history. The literature review
presented evidence that colleges and universities are not providing students with the skills
employers covet in the workplace in the field of SCM. Problem-based learning can enhance
students’ soft skills by using instructional methods such as case studies, group projects, and
simulations. By utilizing the Clark and Estes (2008) gap analytic framework, the study
established that the SCM adjunct faculty at WSU already contain assets for the declarative and
procedural knowledge influences. The study also determined that there are no gaps with the
motivational influences of utility value and high self-efficacy for the SCM adjunct faculty, as the
adjunct faculty have high utility value and understand the benefits of PBL for students and
demonstrate high self-efficacy in their ability to design and implement a PBL curriculum.
However, the study did uncover a significant gap in the organizational setting of training

113

provided by WSU. Although no training exists, once a training plan is implemented, an incentive
strategy will be needed for the majority of the adjunct faculty to complete the training program.
The New World Kirkpatrick Model (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016) provided a
methodology to help close the gaps and maintain the assets of the influences outlined by (Clark
& Estes, 2008). This model includes the steps to create a training program to achieve both the
stakeholder and organizational goals. Implementing the recommended PBL training program
will create a structure for enabling all SCM faculty to design and implement a PBL based
curriculum into the SCM courses at the university. This framework and methodology can also be
used at other universities to help address the problem of practice of this study and help increase
students’ soft skills in the domain of SCM, which employers of SCM graduates require.

114

References
Abtahi, Y., Graven, M., & Lerman, S. (2017). Conceptualising the more knowledgeable other
within a multi-directional ZPD. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 96(3), 275–287.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10649-017-9768-1
Aguinis, H., & Kraiger, K. (2009). Benefits of training and development for individuals and
teams, organizations, and society. Annual Review of Psychology, 60, 451–474.
https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.60.110707.163505
Allen, D., Donham, R., & Bernhardt, S. (2011). Problem‐based learning. New Directions for
Teaching and Learning, 2011(128), 21–29. https://doi.org/10.1002/tl.465
Andrews, J., & Higson, H. (2008). Graduate employability, 'soft skills' versus 'hard' business
knowledge: A European study. Higher Education in Europe, 33(4), 411-422.
https://doi.org/10.1080/03797720802522627
Amrik, S. (2013). Developing competencies of supply chain professionals in Australia:
Collaboration between businesses, universities and industry associations. Supply Chain
Management: An International Journal, 18(4), 429-439. https://doi.org/10.1108/SCM-
07-2012-0228
Applebaum, S., Profka, E., Depta, A., & Petrynski, B. (2018). How employee motivation counts
for everything when effecting huge change: The acute organizational challenge of
changing business models. Strategic Direction (Bradford, England), 34(6), 22–24.
https://doi.org/10.1108/SD-02-2018-0020
Association for Supply Chain Management ASCM dictionary 15
th
edition, (2016). Chicago, IL.

115

Bak, O., & Boulocher-Passet, V. (2013). Connecting industry and supply chain management
education: Exploring challenges faced in a SCM consultancy module. Supply Chain
Management, 18(4), 468–479. https://doi.org/10.1108/SCM-11-2012
Bandura, A. (2000). Exercise of human agency through collective efficacy. Current Directions in
Psychological Science, 9, 75–78. doi:10.1111/1467-8721.00064
Bandura, A. (2005). The evolution of social cognitive theory. In K. G. Smith & M. A. Hitt
(Eds.), Great Minds in Management (pp. 9–35). Oxford: Oxford University.
Bernon, M., & Mena, C. (2013). The evolution of customised executive education in supply
chain management. Supply Chain Management, 18(4), 440–453.
https://doi.org/10.1108/SCM-07-2012-0262
Bowersox, D., Closs, D., Stank, T., & Keller, S. (2000). How supply chain competency leads to
business success. Supply Chain Management Review, 4(4), 70-78.
Brennan, J., & Magness, P. (2018). Are adjunct faculty exploited: Some grounds for skepticism.
Journal of Business Ethics, 152(1), 53–71. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-016-3322-4
Brownell, S., & Tanner, K. (2012). Barriers to faculty pedagogical change: Lack of training,
time, incentives, and…tensions with professional identity? CBE Life Sciences Education,
11(4), 339–346. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.12-09-0163
Cambria, J., & Wigfield, A. (2010). Students’ achievement values, goal orientations, and
interest: Definitions, development, and relations to achievement outcomes.
Developmental Review, 30, 1–35. doi:10.1016/j.dr.2009.12.001
Clark, R. E. & Estes, F. (2008). Turning research into results: A guide to selecting the right
performance solutions. Information Age Publishing, Inc.

116

Creswell, J. W. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods
approaches. Sage Publications
Davis, B., McQuaid, J., Minor, E., & Zsidlsin, G. (2014). Developing future supply chain
professionals. Army Sustainment, 46(4), 46.
Deci, E., Koestner, R., & Ryan, R. (2016). Extrinsic rewards and intrinsic motivation in
education: Reconsidered once again. Review of Educational Research, 71(1), 1–27.
https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543071001001
DeHoratius, N., & Raman, A. (2008). Inventory record inaccuracy: An empirical analysis.
Management Science, 54(4), 627–641. https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.1070.0789
Derwik, P., & Hellström, D. (2017). Competence in supply chain management: a systematic
review. Supply Chain Management, 22(2), 200–218. https://doi.org/10.1108/SCM-09-
2016-0324
Dolmans, D., Loyens, S., Marcq, H., & Gijbels, D. (2016). Deep and surface learning in
problem-based learning: a review of the literature. Advances in Health Sciences
Education : Theory and Practice, 21(5), 1087–1112. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10459-015-
9645-6
Eccles, J. (2006). Expectancy value motivational theory. http://www.
education.com/reference/article/expectancy-value-motivational-theory/
Ellinger, A., Natarajarathinam, M., Adams, F., Gray, J., Hofman, D., & O’Marah, K. (2011),
Supply chain management competency and firm financial success. Journal of Business
and Logistics, 32(3), 214-226.
Fan, C., Wei, X., & Zhang, J. (2017). Soft skills, hard skills, and the black/white wage gap.
Economic Inquiry, 55(2), 1032–1053. https://doi.org/10.1111/ecin.12406

117

Fawcett, S. E., & Rutner, S. M. (2014). A longitudinal view of supply chain education.
International Journal of Logistics Management, 25(1), 180-201.
https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLM-07-2012-0061
Fawcett, S.E., & Waller, M.A. (2011). Making sense out of chaos: Why theory is relevant to
supply chain research. Journal of Business Logistics, 32(1), 1-5.
Flöthmann, C., Hoberg, K., & Gammelgaard, B. (2018). Disentangling supply chain
management competencies and their impact on performance. International Journal of
Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, 48(6), 630–655.
https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPDLM-02-2017-0120
Gallimore, R. & Goldenberg, C. (2001). Analyzing cultural models and settings to connect
minority achievement and school improvement research. Educational Psychologist,
31(1), 45-‐56.
Glesne, C. (2011). Chapter 6: But is it ethical? Considering what is “right.” In Becoming
qualitative researchers: An introduction (4th ed.) (pp. 162-183). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Grossman, R., & Salas, E. (2011). The transfer of training: What really matters. International
Journal of Training and Development, 15, 103–120.
Hansen, F., Smith, M., & Hansen, R. (2002). Rewards and recognition in employee motivation.
Compensation & Benefits Review, 34, 64-‐72
Harnowo, A., Calhoun, M., & Monteiro, H. (2016). Sink or swim: Learning by doing in a supply
chain integration activity. Decision Sciences Journal of Innovative Education, 14(1), 7–
23. https://doi.org/10.1111/dsji.12087

118

Heaslip, G., Vaillancourt, A., Tatham, P., Kovács, G., Blackman, D., & Henry, M. (2019).
Supply chain and logistics competencies in humanitarian aid. Disasters, 43(3), 686–708.
https://doi.org/10.1111/disa.12361
Hobbs, J. (2020). Food supply chains during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Canadian Journal of
Agricultural Economics, 68(2), 171–176. https://doi.org/10.1111/cjag.12237
Hoffman, K., Hosokawa, M., Blake, R., Headrick, L., & Johnson, G. (2006). Problem-based
learning outcomes: Ten years of experience at the University of Missouri - Columbia
School of Medicine. Academic Medicine, 81(7), 617–625.
https://doi.org/10.1097/01.ACM.0000232411.97399.c6
Hung, W. (2011). Theory to reality: A few issues in implementing problem-based learning.
Educational Technology Research and Development, 59(4), 529–552.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-011-9198-1
Inderfurth, K., Sadrieh, A., & Voigt, G. (2013). The impact of information sharing on supply
chain performance under asymmetric information. Production and Operations
Management, 22(2), 410–425. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1937-5956.2012.01372.x
Johnson, R. B., & Christensen, L. B. (2015). Educational research: Quantitative, qualitative,
and mixed approaches. (5th ed.). SAGE.
Jones, R. (2006). Problem-based learning: description, advantages, disadvantages, scenarios, and
facilitation. (Education and Training). Anesthesia and Intensive Care, 34(4), 485–488.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0310057X0603400417
Kanet, J., & Stößlein, M. (2008). Using a supply chain game to effect problem‐based learning in
an undergraduate operations management program. Decision Sciences Journal of
Innovative Education, 6(2), 287–295. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4609.2008.00174.x

119

Kirkpatrick, D., & Kirkpatrick, J. (2006.). Evaluating training programs: The four levels (3rd
ed.). Berrett-Koehler.
Kirkpatrick, J.D. & Kirkpatrick, W.K. (2016). Kirkpatrick’s four levels of training evaluation.
ATD Press.
Knowton, D.V., (2014) Technological, pedagogical, context knowledge (TPACK): An
exploratory study of adjunct faculty technology proficiency. (Doctoral Dissertation).
Retrieved from ProQuest (3680719)
Kӧk, G., & Shang, K. (2007). Inspection and replenishment policies for systems with inventory
record inaccuracy. Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, 9(2), 185–205.
https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.1060.0136
Krathwohl, D. R. (2002). A revision of Bloom’s Taxonomy: An overview. Theory into Practice,
41, 212–218. doi:10.1207/s15430421tip4104_2
Liang, H., Wang, M., Wang, J., & Xue, Y. (2018). How intrinsic motivation and extrinsic
incentives affect task effort in crowdsourcing contests: A mediated moderation model.
Computers in Human Behavior, 81, 168–176. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2017.11.040
Long, S. l., Moos, J. C., & Radic, A. B. (2012). The role of multi-institutional partnerships in
supply chain management course design and improvement. Journal of Education for
Business, 87(3), 129-135. doi:10.1080/08832323.2011.582190
Luke, R., & Heyns, G. (2019). Skills requirements in South African supply chains: A higher
education perspective. South African Journal of Higher Education, 33(4).
https://doi.org/10.20853/33-4-2799

120

Luo, S., & Kalman, M. (2018). Using summary videos in online classes for nursing students: A
mixed methods study. Nurse Education Today, 71, 211–219.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2018.09.032
Lutz, H., & Birou, L. (2013). Logistics education: A look at the current state of the art and
science. Supply Chain Management, 18(4), 455–467. https://doi.org/10.1108/SCM-08-
2012-0269
Malik, S. (2017). Revisiting and re-representing scaffolding: The two gradient model. Cogent
Education, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2017.1331533
Maxwell, J. A. (2013). Qualitative research design: An interactive approach (3rd ed.). SAGE.
Mellat-Parast, M., & Spillan, J. (2014). Logistics and supply chain process integration as a
source of competitive advantage. International Journal of Logistics Management, 25(2),
289–314. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLM-07-2012-0066
Merriam, S. B., & Tisdell, E. J. (2016). Qualitative research: A guide to design and
implementation (4th ed.). Jossey-Bass.
Miller, K., Hill, C., & Miller, A. (2016). Bringing lean six sigma to the supply chain classroom:
A problem‐based learning case. Decision Sciences Journal of Innovative Education,
14(4), 382–411. https://doi.org/10.1111/dsji.12107
Mühlfelder, M., Konermann, T., & Borchard, L. (2015). Design, implementation, and evaluation
of a tutor training for problem based learning in undergraduate psychology courses.
Journal of Problem Based Learning in Higher Education, 3(2), 37–61.
https://doi.org/10.5278/ojs.jpblhe.v0i0.1195
Nenty, H., & Nenty, H. (2009). Writing a quantitative research thesis. International Journal of
Educational Sciences, 1(1), 19–32. https://doi.org/10.1080/09751122.2009.11889972

121

Osborne, D., & Eyre, D. (2018). Creating value in the coal delivery chain to a captive power
plant. Journal of Energy Resources Technology, 140(12).
https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4040379
Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research & evaluation methods (3rd ed.). Sage Publications.
Paul, M., D.V.M. (2017). EQ: The soft skill that will harm your team if ignored.
Dvm360, 48(11),29
Personnel Decisions Research Institutes, Inc. (2005). Technical assistance guide for developing
and using competency models - One solution for a demand-driven workforce system.
Washington, DC: Personnel Decisions Research Institutes, Inc.
Pintrich, P. R. (2003). A motivational science perspective on the role of student motivation in
learning and teaching contexts. Journal of Educational Psychology, 95, 667–686. https://doi.org/
10.1037/0022-0663.95.4.667
Rahman, S., & Qing, N. (2014). Graduate students’ perceptions of supply chain skills for supply
chain managers. Benchmarking: An International Journal., 21(2), 276–299.
https://doi.org/10.1108/BIJ-01-2012-0002
Rata, G., & Samfira, E. (2015). Problem-based learning in veterinary medicine: Advantages and
disadvantages. Scientific Papers Animal Science and Biotechnologies, 48(2), 218–222.
Rosenzweig, E. Q., Harackiewicz, J. M., Priniski, S. J., Hecht, C. A., Canning, E. A., Tibbetts,
Y., & Hyde, J. S. (2019). Choose your own intervention: Using choice to enhance the
effectiveness of a utility-value intervention. Motivation Science, 5(3), 269–276.
https://doi.org/10.1037/mot0000113
Rubin, H. J., & Rubin, I. S. (2012). Chapter 6: Conversational partnerships. In Qualitative
interviewing: The art of hearing data (3rd ed.) (pp. 85-92). SAGE Publications.

122

Rueda, R. (2011). The 3 dimensions of improving student performance. Teachers College Press.
Schoenherr, T., & Speier-Pero, C. (2015). Data science, predictive analytics, and big data in
supply chain management: current state and future potential. Journal of Business
Logistics, 36(1), 120-132. doi:10.1111/jbl.12082
Schein, E.H. (2010). Organizational culture and leadership, 4
th
Edition. Jossey-‐Bass.
Schneider, B., Brief, A., & Guzzo, R. (1996). Creating a culture and climate for sustainable
organizational change. Organizational Dynamics, 24(4), 7-‐19
Schraw, G., & McCrudden, M. (2006). Information processing theory. http://
www.education.com/reference/article/information-processing-theory/
Scott, S. & Palinscar, A. (2006). Sociocultural theory. http://www.education. com/
reference/article/sociocultural-theory/
Silberman, M., Biech, E., & Auerbach, C. (2015). Active training (4th ed.). Wiley.
Silva, A., Bispo, A., Rodriguez, D., & Vasquez, F. (2018). Problem-based learning. Revista de
Gestão, 25(2), 160–177. https://doi.org/10.1108/REGE-03-2018-030
Sinha, A., Millhiser, W., & He, Y. (2016). Matching supply with demand in supply chain
management education. International Journal of Logistics Management, 27(3), 837–861.
https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLM-03-2015-0058
Sodhi, M., Son, B., & Tang, C. (2008). ASP, the art and science of practice: what employers
demand from applicants for MBA-level supply chain jobs and the coverage of supply
chain topics in MBA courses. Interfaces, 38(6), 469-484.
https://doi.org/10.1287/inte.1080.0377

123

Storey, J., Emberson, C., Godsell, J., & Harrison, A. (2006). Supply chain management: Theory,
practice, and future challenges. International Journal of Operations & Production
Management, 26(7), 754. https://doi.org/10.1108/01443570610672220
van der Meij, & van der Meij. (2016). Demonstration-based training (DBT) in the design of a
video tutorial for software training. Instructional Science, 44(6), 527–542.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-016-9394-9
van Hoek, R., Godsell, J., & Harrison, A. (2011). "Embedding “insights from industry” in supply
chain programmes: The role of guest lecturers", Supply Chain Management, Vol. 16 No.
2, pp. 142-147. https://doi.org/10.1108/13598541111115383
Vokurka, R. (2011). Supply chain manager competencies. SAM Advanced Management Journal,
76(2), 23-28.
Webster, S. (2009). Principles of Supply Chain Management. Dynamic Ideas, LLC.
Wigfield, A., Eccles, J., Schiefele, U., Roeser, R., & Davis-Kean, P. (2006). Development of
achievement motivation. In W. Damon & R. Lerner (Series Eds.) & Eisenberg, N. (Vol.
Ed.), Handbook of child psychology: Vol.3. Social, emotional, and personality
development (6th ed., pp. 933-1002). Wiley.
Wong, C., Grant, D., Allan, B., & Jasiuvian, I. (2013). Logistics and supply chain education and
jobs: A study of UK markets. The International Journal of Logistics Management, 25(3),
537-552. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLM-01-2013-0003
Wood, D., F. (2003). ABC of learning and teaching in medicine. Problem based learning. BMJ,
326 (7384), 328-330.https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.326.7384.328.

124

Appendix A: Interview Protocol
Interviewees were current or former adjunct professors between 2016-2019 for the SCM
program and WSU.
• Researcher introduction (name, background professional and academic, a doctoral
student studying organizational change and leadership)
• Thank the participant for their time and agreeing to participate in the interview
• Explain the purpose of the study, which is exploring what is currently being taught about
soft skills and how they are being taught.
• Explain to participants this is voluntary, they can decline to answer any questions, and
they may stop the interview at any time. Provide each participant with an Information
Sheet that is customized for this study.
• Ensure participants understand all responses are anonymous. Their names or any
identifiable characteristics will not be used in any way for this study. The interviews are
confidential, and the information will only be used to provide insight into the questions
being researched as part of this study.
• Ask for permission to record
• Start interview
Questions
Transition: These first four questions discuss the knowledge and skills of the domain of
supply chain management and being an adjunct professor.
1. Can you talk a little bit about the work you do now and your career in SCM?
Possible Probes:
i. What courses do you teach at WSU, and what is a typical class like for you?

125

2. What do you consider to be the hard skills you use in your work in the field of SCM?
3. What do you consider to be the soft skills you use in your work in the field of SCM?
i. Probe: Some would suggest that as instructors, we should focus more on teaching
the SCM hard skills, such as inventory management, sourcing, and logistics, and
that any soft skills needed in the field are developed by experience. What are your
thoughts on this?
Transition: Problem-based learning is a form of active learning which incorporates scenario
planning, simulations, case studies.
4. Tell me about your understanding of active versus passive learning methodologies.
i. Probe: To what degree, if at all, do you incorporate active learning into the SCM
courses at the university?
5. To what degree do you feel that active learning strategies will help, if at all, to advance
the development of student soft skills required in the domain of SCM?
6. If WSU was to implement problem-based learning or other types of active learning in the
SCM curriculum, please describe how you feel about your ability to design and
implement a curriculum that teachers SCM soft skills via active learning.
7. How confident do you feel in your ability to learn a method of teaching where your role
changes from lecturing to coaching and facilitating instructions?
8. As an adjunct instructor, what have been your experiences with training at WSU or with
other organizations?
9. What has made your training experiences effective or ineffective?
10. What type of training would you need in order to feel prepared to revise your training to
incorporate PBL methodology?

126

11. How would you feel if WSU made incorporating active learning into the SCM
curriculum mandatory?
i. Probe—Why do you feel this way?
12. What type of incentives from WSU would provide the enticement to learn and incorporate
active learning into the curriculum?
Possible probes:
i. Why do you feel these incentives would work?
ii. Are there incentives that would not work?

127

Appendix B: Document Analysis Protocol
This study included document analysis of SCM course syllabi for school years 2016-
2019. The focus was two-fold: 1) to identify the degree to which, if at all, instructors
implemented active learning strategies in the SCM curriculum and 2) to identify whether there
was a specific focus on teaching SCM soft skills.
Syllabi Analysis Prompts
1. Review course description in all syllabi looking for requirements that the students use
SCM soft skills such as collaboration, teamwork, critical thinking, problem-solving.
2. In the course description, are there activities or exercises stressing the use and the
importance of soft skills in SCM?
3. Review course objectives in all syllabi, looking for requirements that the students use
SCM soft skills such as collaboration, teamwork, critical thinking, problem-solving.
4. In the course objectives, are there activities or exercises stressing the use and the
importance of soft skills in SCM?
5. Are students graded on their ability to use and acquire the soft skills required in the
domain?
6. Review course description in all syllabi looking for indications from the instructor for the
use of any active learning methodologies such as, but not limited to, simulations,
gamification, role-playing, or problem-based learning.
7. Review course objectives in all syllabi looking for indications from the instructor for the
use of any active learning methodologies such as, but not limited to, simulations,
gamification, role-playing, or the actual use of problem-based learning.

128

8. In the course syllabi, look for any indication or mention from the instructor that they will
be acting more as a facilitator than an instructor.

129

Appendix C: Evaluation Immediately Following Each Training Session
Likert-Type Survey Items
Please circle the rating for each question based on the below criteria:
1 = Strongly Disagree 2 3 4 5= Strongly Agree
Level 1: Engagement
1. I was well engaged during the training session.
1 2 3 4 5
2. I was given enough time to practice the skills I was asked to learn.
1 2 3 4 5
3. I felt comfortable getting actively involved during the training session.
1 2 3 4 5
Level 1: Relevance
4. The content covered during the session met my expectations.
1 2 3 4 5
5. The information provided in the training session helped my understanding of PBL.
1 2 3 4 5
6. The training material provided in the session aided my understanding of PBL
1 2 3 4 5
7. I will be able to immediately apply PBL to my curriculum.
1 2 3 4 5
Level 1: Customer Satisfaction
8. I would recommend this training to all WSU faculty
1 2 3 4 5

130

Open-ended Questions
1. How would you describe the PBL methodology? (L2: Declarative)
2. Describe at least two ways in which PBL is going to change your method of instruction.
(L2: Procedural)
3. What are the major concepts that you learned during the training (L2: Metacognitive)
4. I believe it will be worthwhile for me to apply what I learned. (Utility Value: Attitude)
5. Describe the barriers that may prevent you from using PBL in your curriculum. (L2:
Utility Value: Confidence)
6. How confident do you feel about incorporating PBL into your curriculum? (Self-
Efficacy-Confidence)
7. How do you plan to apply what you have learned when you develop your curriculum?
(Self-efficacy: Commitment)

131

Appendix D: Evaluation Delayed Use (end of first class after PBL training)
Likert-Type Survey Items
Please circle the rating for each question based on the below criteria:
1 = Strongly Disagree 2 3 4 5= Strongly Agree
Delayed Level 1: Reaction
1. I have applied information provided during the PBL training (Relevance)
1 2 3 4 5
2. Looking back, taking the PBL training was a good use of my time (C/S)
1 2 3 4 5
Level 3: Behavior
3. I have successfully applied PBL to my curriculum
1 2 3 4 5
Level 3: Required Drivers
4. The Director of SCM and I set expectations for this training before the class
1 2 3 4 5
5. I have received support in order to apply what I learned successfully
1 2 3 4 5
Level 4: Leading Indicators
6. I am already seeing positive results from training
1 2 3 4 5
Level 4: Desired Results
7. PBL has enhanced student learning in the field of SCM
1 2 3 4 5
8. My efforts have contributed to the mission of the University
1 2 3 4 5

132

Open-Ended Questions
Delayed Level 1: Reaction
1. What information should be added to the PBL training to make it more relevant?
(Relevance)
2. Was there information in the PBL training that was NOT relevant to your role as an
adjunct professor? If so, what? (Relevance)
3. Looking back at the PBL training, what could be improved? (Customer Satisfaction)
4. Looking back, what would you change about the PBL training? (Customer Satisfaction)
Level 3: Behavior
5. How have you used what you learned from the PBL training in your SCM curriculum?
6. Describe the challenges you are experiencing in applying PBL to your curriculum, and
possible solutions to overcome them.
Level 3: Required Drivers
7. What has helped you implement PBL into your curriculum?
8. What other tools or support do you need to successfully implement PBL into your
curriculum?
Level 4: Leading Indicators
9. What are the early signs of success you have noticed by implementing PBL?
10. Please provide a rewarding outcome you have seen since attending the PBL training.
Level 4: Desired Results
11. What impact is PBL having on the SCM curriculum?
12. How has using PBL benefited the SCM organization, the Business school, and WSU?

Abstract (if available)

Linked assets

University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

Conceptually similar

PDF

Inclusion of adjunct faculty in the community college culture

PDF

Supporting faculty in preparing entrepreneurship: an exploration in the context of active learning

PDF

An evaluation of project based learning implementation in STEM

PDF

Line staff and their influence on youth in expanded learning programs: an evaluation model

PDF

Developing physician trainees leadership skills: an innovation study

PDF

Job placement outcomes for graduates of a southwestern university school of business: an evaluation study

PDF

Dual-enrollment program implementation to address the problem of college affordability as a barrier to student access and a contributing factor toward student debt

PDF

Your soft skills are showing: organizational efforts to develop soft skills

PDF

Evaluating the implementation of 21st century skills and learning

PDF

Using mastery learning to address gender inequities in the self-efficacy of high school students in math-intensive STEM subjects: an evaluation study

PDF

Implementing standards-based grading in the era of common standards: an evaluation study

PDF

Analyzing the implementation of a learning management system into a post-merger & acquisition organization and its effects on sales performance (improvement model)

PDF

A methodology for transforming the student experience in higher education: a promising practice study

PDF

The rich auntie effect: increasing socioeconomic advancement for opportunity youth of color

PDF

STEM industries apprenticeships: organization influences, skill gaps, and challenges facing the 21st-century workforce: an evaluation study

PDF

Influence of globalization, school leadership, and students’ participation in science competitions on 21st-century skill development, instructional practices, and female students’ interest in sci...

PDF

Initial and continuing physical and behavioral health and wellness education in the fire service: an innovation study on heart attack, suicide, and cancer prevention for Howard County Fire and Rescue

PDF

Manager leadership skills in the context of a new business strategy initiative: an evaluative study

PDF

The transference of continuous intergroup dialogue skills to the classroom by participating faculty: an evaluation study

PDF

Completion in online learning: graduate students' perspectives

Asset Metadata

Creator Westfall, Derek (author)

Core Title Implementing problem-based learning to develop student supply chain skills

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Organizational Change and Leadership (On Line)

Publication Date 10/28/2020

Defense Date 10/05/2020

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag OAI-PMH Harvest,problem based learning,soft skills,supply chain

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Seli, Helena (committee chair), Datta, Monique (committee member), Vyas, Nick (committee member)

Creator Email derekwestfall@msn.com,dwestfal@usc.edu

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c89-386406

Unique identifier UC11666536

Identifier etd-WestfallDe-9077.pdf (filename),usctheses-c89-386406 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-WestfallDe-9077.pdf

Dmrecord 386406

Document Type Dissertation

Rights Westfall, Derek

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA