ROLE OF INDUSTRIAL VISITS IN ENHANCING

LEARNING QUALITY OF COMMERCE AND BUSINESS STUDENTS

Abstract
Quality education is fundamental right of every student especially in higher education when a
paradigm shift is going to take place in a student’s life as he is preparing himself to become
capable enough to earn a descent livelihood for himself and his family. Traditional teaching
pedagogy has its own role in imparting basic knowledge but practical exposure and real-life
industry experience play a vital role in preparing the students to understand the demands and
challenges of real work environment. This fact has already been established in case of students
pursuing science and engineering courses that industrial visits and talks are very crucial for them
to grasp the job requirements. Though, role and importance of industrial visits is still needed to
be established in case of students of commerce and business.

Therefore, the present paper attempts to ascertain the significance of industrial visits for
commerce and business students with the help of a survey carried out to determine the value of
industrial visits as compared to theoretical knowledge imparted in the classrooms. To serve the
purpose, views of students pursuing B Com (H) and BBA from Delhi School of Professional
Studies and Research, IP University have been examined in terms of significance of industrial
visits.
Results indicate that students acknowledge the role and importance of industrial visits in
facilitating better knowledge and learning as regards to practical exposure and real-life industry
experience in comparison of theoretical knowledge imparted in the classrooms. Moreover, they
also acknowledge the fact that learning obtained via industrial visits has far-reaching impact and
is long-lasting. Thus, the present study remains successful in establishing the role and
importance of industrial visits in case of commerce and business students as well.

Key Words: Quality Learning, Industrial Visits, Higher Education, Commerce and Business
Students, Practical Exposure and Real Life Industry Experience
Introduction
Today is the age of competition. Securing a good job with handsome salary and minimum
required perquisites has become very challenging only on the basis of some qualified
degrees/diplomas in hands without practical exposure and understanding of job requirements.
Therefore, it has become essential for institutions to impart quality learning to students
comprising of theoretical knowledge and practical exposure both. Moreover, qquality education
is fundamental right of every student especially in higher education when a paradigm shift is
going to take place in a student’s life as he is preparing himself to become capable enough to
earn a descent livelihood for himself and his family. Traditional teaching pedagogy has its own
role in imparting basic knowledge but practical exposure and real-life industry experience play a
vital role in preparing the students to understand the demands and challenges of real work
environment.

This fact has already been established in case of students pursuing science and engineering
courses that industrial visits and talks are very crucial for them to grasp the job requirements.
However, role and importance of industrial visits is still needed to be established in case of
students belonging to other streams like arts, commerce and business etc. The present paper has
made an attempt to ascertain the significance of industrial visits for commerce and business
students with the help of a survey carried out to determine the value of industrial visits as
compared to theoretical knowledge imparted in the classrooms. To serve the purpose, views of
students pursuing B Com (H) and BBA from Delhi School of Professional Studies and Research,
IP University have been examined in terms of significance of industrial visits.

The study has remained successful in acknowledging the role and importance of industrial visits
in facilitating better knowledge and learning as regards to practical exposure and real-life
industry experience in comparison of theoretical knowledge imparted in the classrooms. In
addition, it is also revealed the fact that learning obtained via industrial visits has far-reaching
impact and is long-lasting. Hence, the role and importance of industrial visits in case of
commerce and business students has also been recognized with the help of the study.
After this introductory Section, rest of the paper is divided into eight Sections. Section II reveals
literature review. Objectives of the study and hypothesis have been presented in Section III and
Section IV respectively. Research methodology comprising of profile of respondents and
research design is given in Section Empirical analysis of the responses is made in Section VI.
Conclusion, recommendations and scope for further research have been finally mentioned with
the help of Section VII, Section VIII and Section IX respectively.

Literature Review

Some studies have been identified highlighting importance of industrial visits and talks in case of
science and engineering students produced as below:

Hitchings, M.G. (2016) examines college efforts to connect design students with industry, and
highlights the challenges faced by students of public colleges of New York City within college
and after graduation while establishing careers. For this purpose, representatives from five
colleges were contacted and were asked six questions relating to what their schools do to connect
students with industry. It is revealed that other than fulfilling their teaching responsibilities, the
faculties of five design institutions in New York City face difficulties in providing ties to
industry that improves the learning process for their students. However, role of industry exposure
for design students is duly acknowledged by the author.

Markum, M.G., Abdulla, R.S., and Mohamad, A.B. (2011) highlight the strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities for improvement and preliminary findings on the indirect assessment of industrial
visits and talks being organized by the Department of Chemical and Process Engineering
(JKKP). This paper suggests that a good coordination and proper assessment methods, selection
of industrial sites for visit as well as speakers or topics for talks are important for enhancing
students’ practical learning.

Shamel, M., Chung, E., Pillai, T.N., Mahdi, A.S., (2006) presents an attempt to make the
industrial visits an essential part of the course by identifying learning outcomes and a suitable
industrial site, that was a thermal plant visited by chemical, electrical, electronic and mechanical
engineering students in first year.

Aforesaid studies emphasise the need of industrial visits in case of science and engineering
students. Present study attempts to ensure the role and significance of practical exposure and
real-life industry experience in case of commerce and business students as well.

Objectives of the Study

The main objective of the study is to ascertain the role and importance of industrial visits in
ensuring quality learning for commerce and business students. Specific objectives have been
mentioned as under:
1. To ascertain that industrial visits enhance clarity to management concepts;
2. To examine that industrial visits help identifying prospective area of work life;
3. To prove that industrial visits provide platform to enhance interpersonal skills;
4. To check that industrial visits develop understanding of the real-life work experience;
5. To determine that learning via industrial visits is long-lasting; and
6. To prove that industrial visit facilitates better learningas compared to a lecture.

Hypotheses
On the basis of aforesaid objectives; following hypotheses have been drawn:
H01: Industrial visits do not enhance clarity to management concepts;
H02: Industrial visits do not help identifying prospective area of work life;
H03: Industrial visits do not provide platform to enhance interpersonal skills;
H04: Industrial visits do not develop understanding of real-life workexperience;
H05: Learning via industrial visits is not long lasting; and
H06: Industrial visits do not facilitate better learning as compared to lectures.

Research Methodology
This study aims at identifying the role and importance of industrial visits in case of commerce
and business students carried out with the help of structured questionnaire containing open and
close ended questions. Questionnaire was sent to hundred students of B Com (Hons.) and BBA
of Delhi School of Professional Studies and Research, Indraprastha University of India. Out of
hundred questionnaires, eighty-sixquestionnaires are duly filled and submitted. Hence, analysis
has been made on the basis of views of eighty-sixparticipant students that constitute 86 %
response.

 Profile of Respondents

The study considers responses of students pursuing both B. Com (Hons.) and BBA courses. Out
of total 86 students, 48 are males and 38 are females that are approximately, 56 % and 44 per
cent respectively. On the other hand, out of 86 students participated in the study, 28 belong to
BBA and 58 belong to B. Com (Hons.) indicating nearly, 33 per cent are doing BBA and 67 %
are doing B. Com (Hons.). They belong to same age groups and studying in the same institution.

 Research Design

The present paper is purely based on primary information collected with the help of structure
questionnaire. Hence, no secondary data has been used. Furthermore, data has been collected
through random as well as convenience sampling. Information has been collectedthrough internet
via google form. Analysis of the responses has been made on the basis of simple aggregative and
percentages with the help of Microsoft excel worksheet. Therefore, no statistical tool has been
applied. Still, it fairly serves the purpose of the study.

Empirical Analysis
 Empirical Analysis of Close-Ended Questions
Students have been asked ten questions out of which nine questions are close ended that is,
participants are required to give their response on 5-point scale. Empirical results as regards to
close-ended questions in absolute figures and percentage terms have been produced with the help
of Table 1.1 and Table1.2 respectively shown as under1:
Table 1.1: Responses on Learning via Industrial Visits (In Figures)
Responses on Learning SD D N A SA Total
1 Clarity 4 8 24 21 29 86

1
In Table 1.1 and Table 1.2, SD stands for Strongly Disagree, A for Agree, N for Neutral, D for Disagree and SD
for Strongly Disagree.
Responses on Learning SD D N A SA Total
2 Practical Learning 6 5 24 22 29 86
3 Asking Questions 4 8 24 28 22 86
4 Prospective Area 3 8 27 23 25 86
5 Interpersonal Skills 4 9 22 27 24 86
6 Best Practises 4 10 21 26 25 86
7 Adding Knowledge 5 5 24 29 23 86
8 Still Remember 4 7 27 26 22 86
9 Always Remember 5 11 20 26 24 86

Table 1.2: Responses on Learning via Industrial Visits (in %)

Responses on Learning SD D N A SA Total
1 Clarity 4.65 9.30 27.91 24.42 33.72 100
2 Practical Learning 6.98 5.81 27.91 25.58 33.72 100
3 Asking Questions 4.65 9.30 27.91 32.56 25.58 100
4 Prospective Area 3.49 9.30 31.40 26.74 29.07 100
5 Interpersonal Skills 4.65 10.47 25.58 31.40 27.91 100
6 Best Practises 4.65 11.63 24.42 30.23 29.07 100
7 Adding Knowledge 5.81 5.81 27.91 33.72 26.74 100
8 Still Remember 4.65 8.14 31.40 30.23 25.58 100
9 Always Remember 5.81 12.79 23.26 30.23 27.91 100

Empirical Results shown by Table 1.1 and Table 1.2 have been interpreted as follows:
1. Clarity:When respondents were asked if industrial visits bring clarity to managerial
concepts then nearly three-fifths (58.14 %) of the students were either agree or strongly
agree to it. However, nearly, one-eighth (13.95 %) of the student participants had not
confirmed the statement and rest of them were neutral to it. Thus, majority of students
believe that industrial visits bring clarity to managerial concepts.

2. Practical Learning:Approximately, three-fifths (59.30 %) of the student participants

stated that industrial visits help in bridging the gap between classroom study and practical
 learning in a real-life experience including more than one-third students who strongly
approved it. Although, not more than one-seventh (12.79 %) of the participants did not
give their consent to it and rest of the students were neither agree and nor disagree to the
statement. Thus, majority of the respondents acknowledge role of industrial visits in
providing practical knowledge or learning.

3. Asking Questions:Almost three-fifths (58.14 %) of the students accept that industrial

visits provide opportunity to ask questions related to their subject while not more than
one-seventh (13.95 %) of the students are against it.

4. Prospective Area:Nearly three-fifths (55.81 %) of the respondents are of the view that
industrial visits help in identifying prospective area of work life such as, finance,
marketing, logistics etc. Almost one-third (31.40 %) of the students remain indifferent to
it. However, more than one-eighth (12.71 %) either disagreed or strongly disagreed to it.

5. Interpersonal Skills:When students were asked to express their views on whether

industrial visits provide platform to enhance interpersonal skills; around three-fifths
(59.30 %) of the students acknowledged it. Whereas, about one-fourth (25.58 %) of the
participants shown indifference and not more than one-sixth (15.12 %) of respondents did
not acknowledge the statement. Still, majority of them claim that interpersonal skills are
improved via industrial visits.

6. Best Practices: Though, nearly one-fourth (24.42 %) of the students remained neutral but
approximately, three-fifths (59.30 %) of the students asserted that they get to see best
practices adopted by different companies for similar work with the help of industrial
visits. On the other hand, about one-sixth (16.28 %) of the participants either disagreed or
strongly disagreed to it.

7. Adding Knowledge: Majority of students, that is, more than three-fifths (60.47 %)
submitted that industrial visits add to their knowledge as regards to the companies visited.
 Hardly, one-tenth (11.63) of the respondents rejected or strongly rejected it. And more
than one-fourth (27.91 %) were undecided.

8. Still Remember:Nearly, three-fifths of the participants claim that they still able to
remember what they learnt via industrial visits but approximately, one-eighth (12.79 %)
of the students not supported it and about (31.40 %) remained neutral.

9. Always Remember: When students were asked if the learning via industrial visits always
remain on their mind; about one-fourth (23.26 %) of the student participants were not
able to answer while around one-fifth (18.90 %) of them did not approve this. However,
nearly, three-fifths (58.14 %) of the students were of the view that learning obtained
through industrial visits will always remain on their mind.

The points discussed above specify that majority of students (nearly three-fifths or even more
than three-fifths) acknowledge that industrial visits not only bring clarity to managerial concepts
but also help bridging the gap between classroom study and practical learning in a real-life
experience. Thus, the hypothesis that industrial visits do not bring clarity to managerial concepts
is rejected. Almost, the similar number of students also admits that industrial visits give
opportunity to ask questions related to subject and provide a platform to enhance interpersonal
skills as well. Therefore, the hypothesis that industrial visits do not provide platform to enhance
interpersonal skills is also refuted. Majority of students also claim that industrial visits help to
identify prospective area of work life like marketing, finance and logistics and so on. Thereby,
the hypothesis contrary to this statement is also not vindicated.

Similarly, most of the students also confirm that they are able to see the best practises opted by
different companies for doing similar work via industrial visits and their knowledge as regards to
companies visited is enhanced significantly. Hence, the hypothesis that industrial visits do not
develop understanding of real-life work experience is also rejected. The above analysis also
reveals that most of the student participants were able to still able to remember what they learnt
through industrial visits rather the learning attained by them will always remain on their mind. It
proves that learning obtained through industrial visits is long-lasting and thus, the hypothesis that
learning via industrial visits is not long-lasting is not accepted.

 Empirical Analysis of Open-Ended Responses

Difference Between Lecture and Industrial Visit:When students were asked how different
itwould be if they had only attended lecturesinsteadof visiting the companiesopenly then 55
out of 86 students response in favour of industrial visits and 17 out of 86 students in favour
of theoretical lecture and 14 students neither prefer industrial visits nor theoretical or
industrial talk. Responses are shown with the help of Table 2 as under.

Table 2: Better Learning via Industrial Visit or Theoretical Lecture

Responses Number of Respondents %

1. Industrial Visit 55 63.95

2. Can’t Say 14 16.28

3. Lecture 17 19.77

Total 86 100.00

Thus, Table 2 shows that more than three-fifths (63.95 %) students spoke in favour of industrial
visits and about one-fifth (19.77 %) of the student participants spoke in favour of theoretical
lecture or spoke against industrial visits whereas approximately, one-sixth (16.28%) of the
students were confused and could not say anything.

Some of the arguments rendered by students in favour and against of industrial visits and lectures
are given as follows:
1. Arguments in Favour of Industrial Visits and Against Lectures:

i. Lectures are less useful and less knowledgeable whereas industrial visits are better.
ii. I would not be able to experience theory without practical experience.
iii. Skill development will not happen in lecture and industrial visits are different because
they help in more skill development.
iv. Lectures are not much effective.
v. By attending lecture, we are only able to apply our skills and knowledge theoretically but
by visiting company, we apply such things practically.
vi. There is difference between theory and practical knowledge.
vii. We will not able to get information about company clearly.
viii. Industrial visit brings value addition to knowledge of students.
ix. It would have been difficult to learn the concepts since theoretical knowledge is not
enough.
x. Industrial visits give us knowledge related to working of company and more clarity to
students.
xi. We will not able to learn everything through theory. So, it is important to visit the
company to gain practical and real-life knowledge.
xii. These industrial visits are very helpful as they provide us exposure as students and also
help us to understand the topic better.
xiii. Very difficult to understand lecture and both (industrial visit and lecture) are very
different.
xiv. Industrial visits are very nice for our future point of view.
xv. I would not have gained any practical knowledge as lecture will not help me in practical
aspect.
xvi. I think that lecture does not clear the practical concept of management about running the
business.
xvii. Only knowing the theory like how does a company works is not enough. If we see and
learn, it is muchbetter.
xviii. Industrial visit is totally different from lecture because it is the opportunity to understand
the dynamics of the company or organisation.
xix. Talk about connecting people and self-development.
xx. Lectures can give us more knowledge about the company but the real task and eye
catching and identification of concepts are different and being management students; we all are
market researchers, not like a book worn to cram the concepts. Thanks, DSPSR for the Quarterly
Industrial Visits.
xxi. Lecture will become a theory only. Practical knowledge will help in corporate sector.
xxii. Learn new things but practical knowledge is must.
xxiii. Lecture cannot be remembered for a long time.
xxiv. Lectures are very boring and Industrial visits are very interesting.
xxv. I wouldn't be able to identify the things told in the industrial lecture.
xxvi. We won't be able to contact to the actual world of knowledge without industrial visit.
xxvii. We cannot get the experience in lecture; only theoretical knowledge will be there.
xxviii. Practically seeing and understanding things would itself Be different rather than the
lectures.
xxix. Not get too much experience of practical management.
xxx. There should not be a gap between the reality and what we are learning
xxxi. It would be totally different as some things can’t be done orally or theoretically.Theyare
needed to be done practically for better learning.
xxxii. Concepts are clearer in industrial visits.
xxxiii. The results would be more different in actual learning phenomenon.

2. Arguments in Favour of Lectures and Against Industrial Visits

i. Lectures are much effective.
ii. In industrial visit, voice of speaker who explain us is not clear because of sound in
industry.
iii. Lecture will give detailed knowledge.
iv. Industrial visit is not a good idea.
v. Lectures can give more knowledge and help us learn new things but lack experiencing the
visit.

Thus, arguments in favour of industrial visits are many as against lectures and vice versa. On the
one hand, industrial visits are praised for their usefulness, better concept clarity, enabling skill
development, providing practical real life experience, clear information about the company,
value addition, better understanding and exposure, eye catching, interesting, help identifying
management concepts, self-development, future oriented, long lasting memory andensuring
quality learning; on the other hand, lectures are just admired for their effectiveness, providing
detailed and new learning or knowledge. Industry visit is only criticised for novice because of
which voice of the speaker is not audible or clear while lectures are considered to be more
theoretical, boring, less useful and missing all the merits of industrial visits especially practical
knowledge and exposure. Therefore, aforesaid discussion proves that industrial visits facilitate
better learning as compared to theoretical or industrial lecture. This enables us to reject
hypothesis that industrial visits do not facilitate better or quality learning along with other
hypotheses already rejected in previous discussion.

Conclusion
This paper was aimed to establish role and importance of industrial visits in case of commerce
and business students with the help of primary survey conducted on 86 students pursuing B Com
(Hons.) and BBA from DSPSR affiliated by Guru Gobind Singh IndraPrastha University. Results
show that approximately three-fifths of the students participated in the survey believe that
industrial visits brings clarity to managerial concepts, bridges gap between classroom study and
practical learning in a real life learning experience, provide opportunity to ask questions related
to subject, help to identify prospective area of work life like marketing, finance, logistics and so
on, give a platform to enhance interpersonal skills, get to see best practises opted by different
companies for similar work, add to knowledge as regards to companies, help to retain learning
for long and actually different from classroom study either inform of theoretical or industrial
lecture.

Moreover, value of industrial visits is acknowledged for their usefulness, better concept clarity,
enabling skill development, providing practical real life experience, clear information about the
company, value addition, better understanding and exposure, eye catching, interesting, help
identifying management concepts, self-development, future oriented, long lasting memory and
ensuring quality learning;, while lectures are merely acknowledged for their effectiveness,
providing detailed and new learning or knowledge. However, industrial visit is also accused for
noise because of which voice of the speaker is not audible or clear. On the contrary, lectures are
perceived to be more theoretical, boring, less useful and missing all the merits of industrial visits
particularly practical knowledge and exposure.

To conclude, role of basic education via classroom study can never be denied but periodical
industrial visits can facilitate better learning by ensuring practical exposure and real-life industry
experience.

Recommendations

An attempt has been made in this Section to give some operational suggestions to enhance
significance of industrial visits as under:
 Provision of periodical industrial visits should be made mandatory in course curriculum
of commerce and business students.
 Substantial funds should also be allocated to the institutions by the affiliating universities
in this regard.
 Industries should also be instructed to allow educational trips or visits for students.
 Students should also be encouraged to participate in industrial trips or visits whole
heartedly to achieve maximum results.
 Students should be asked to fill feedback forms after visiting any company.
 Faculty of the institutions should also be motivated to come forward and render their
services actively to serve the purpose of industrial visits.
 Last but not least, management or higher authorities should also be encouraged to adapt
the culture of industrial visits in their institutions.

Scope for Further Research

The present study has made an attempt to ascertain the significant role of industrial visits in case
of commerce and business students. Similar attempt could be made in terms of students pursuing
other stream of courses such as arts, psychology, history and so on. Further research can also be
carried out with large number of students belonging to different institutions applying
sophisticated statistical tools. Other stakeholders like teaching faculty, industrialists,
managements of the institutions, policymakers and government authorities could also be
involved to further delve into the issue and find out pros and cons on their part.

References
 M. Genevieve Hitchings2016,Career Opportunities: Connecting Design Students with
Industry, 2nd International Conference on Higher Education Advances, HEAd16, 21-23
June Valencia, Spain
 , MasturahMarkom, Rozaimah Sheikh Abdullah, Abu BakarMohamad (2011) Industrial
Talk and Visit for Students, SciencedirectProcedia, Social and Behavioral Sciences, 674-
682Available online at www.sciencedirect.com.
 Marwan Shamel, Edwin Chung, TirunelveliNarayanaPillaiPadmesh, Abdulkareem Sh.
Mahdi The Use Of Industrial Visits to Enhance Learning at Engineering Courses.