Failing to Learn: The Effects of Experiential Learning on Knowledge Transfer in Management Education (2010)

Undergraduate: Christopher Myers

Faculty Advisor: Francesca Gino
Department: Business Administration

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Learning from failure is a widely accepted idea anecdotally, but is far less often utilized in practice. This presentation posits a theory of incorporating failure-based experiential exercises into management education, in both classroom and corporate training environments. Drawing from a field study and two laboratory experiments, the author demonstrates that individuals learn management skills better through experiential activities (as compared to traditional methods), and that within these activities, experiencing failure leads to the greatest knowledge transfer to future tasks. Specifically, the findings demonstrate the importance of the individual’s perception of their performance (as successful or failed) in the learning process. The author also addresses the negative emotional effects of experiencing failure, and demonstrates ways of moderating these negative effects, including self-affirmation and error-management instructions. Finally, the presentation concludes with suggestions for incorporating these findings into current management education practices, developing methods for utilizing failure proactively as a pedagogical tool.