Assessing the Receptiveness of Industrial Design Students to Business Programs: A Framework for Reinforcement and Implementation

Abstract

Business subjects build strong foundation for those who aspire to venture into entrepreneurship having in- depth knowledge in management, finance and marketing. Business programs can provide strong foundation with contemporary and practical contexts that are relevant to everyday decision-making. The Industrial Design Program of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde envisions graduates of the program who are not just design- inclined but also competent individuals who are equipped with technical business skills utilizing their strong design foundation in building business empires that promote economic progress to communities they belong to. In this light, the proponent sees an opportunity to further affirm this contention by establishing how students of the program assess business subjects as influenced by how they perceive their professors’ qualifications and competencies and how these translate to a better appreciation on the relevance of these subjects to their profession as industrial designers. The results of the study affirm a high level of technical qualifications among the professors of the program having displayed above par competencies and employed methodologies that deliver an effective learning experience to students. On the other hand, the receptiveness of students was at a certain level influenced by how professors exude their expertise in business concepts and its relevance to the design practice. Preferences in improving students appreciation of the business programs were also given emphasis specifically a proposal on business organization exposure local or abroad, alignment of professors credentials to business and relaying experiential knowledge in business. The paper intends to integrate a student- centered approach in enhancing the current curriculum of the Industrial Design program and improving the competencies of business professors to promote a deeper appreciation on the relevance of business programs to the practice of the design profession. With these results, students and school administrators would have a better gauge and understanding on factors that affect perceptions and how these can be influenced to further enrich learning among students of the program.