Abstract
The supply chain industry faces talent shortages, rising complexity, and increasing expectations for strategic decision‑making, making traditional lecture‑based instruction insufficient for preparing learners to operate in dynamic and uncertain environments. This longitudinal qualitative study examined how learners acquire, apply, and retain supply chain knowledge through team‑based, multi‑round (TBMR) online simulations, an instructional approach that enables realistic decision‑making practice. Guided by experiential learning theory (ELT), the theory of gamified learning, and team‑based learning theory, the study explored (1) perceived knowledge gain and retention immediately and at least six weeks post‑simulation, (2) how learners manage the simulation while progressing through stages of team maturity, and (3) how instructor support shapes learning.
Data were collected from 21 learners and 7 instructors using interviews, journals, written assessments, and focus groups, generating a triangulated dataset across multiple simulation rounds. Findings revealed that learning developed gradually through repeated cycles of decision‑making, reflection, collaboration, and adaptation. Learners strengthened systems thinking, collaborative decision‑making, strategic reasoning, and professional confidence while becoming more aware of supply chain complexity. Team collaboration emerged as the central mechanism for learning, and instructional support, structured onboarding, and reflective opportunities enhanced learners’ ability to interpret complex information and improve decisions.
A key contribution of this study is the iterative collaborative experiential learning (ICEL) model, which explains how authentic experience, reflection, collaboration, strategic adaptation, instructional support, and increasing autonomy interact to deepen learning across multi‑round environments. ICEL extends ELT by integrating gamified engagement, team maturation, and systems‑level reasoning, offering a developmental explanation of how higher‑order learning unfolds in complex, collaborative contexts.
Date of publication
Summer 8-15-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Language
english
Persistent identifier
http://hdl.handle.net/10950/5146
Committee members
Dr. Paul Roberts, Dr. Judy Sun, Dr. Gary Miller
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy - Human Resource Development
Recommended Citation
Velarde Varela, Jose Manuel, "DEVELOPING PROFESSIONAL CAPABILITIES THROUGH TEAM-BASED, MULTI-ROUND SIMULATIONS IN SUPPLY CHAIN EDUCATION: A LONGITUDINAL QUALITATIVE STUDY" (2026). Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations. Paper 88.
http://hdl.handle.net/10950/5146
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