Fenomenologinė bendrųjų kompetencijų ugdymo perspektyva profesiniame rengime (verslo vadybos studijų atvejis)
Phenomenological perspective of generic competences development in profesional education

Summary/Abstract: By using a phenomenological viewpoint, this paper puts forward the need in replacing a standards- based soft skills training practices in management education by experiential education grounded on a phenomenological approach in work and learning. This is an original contribution in Lithuania in the area of soft skills development and phenomenological investigations of it; and how that can be modeled and applied in higher education. The sources for a phenomenological soft skills development model have been the following: 1) the overview of articles concentrating on phenomenological perspective in management, published in the databases Jstor, EBSO ERIC ir Business Source Complete in 2007–2009; 2) the survey on the demands of the business world and academic community for soft skills development in higher education; 3) the experiential training methodology based on Walsh and Golins (1976) model, elaborated with the insights on experiential education from Luckner and Nadler (1997), Beard and Wilson (2006), Freire (2000) and others. The phenomenological soft skills development model has been piloted with a group of management students. The learners’ experiences have been analysed in a phenomenological research based on Giorgi (1997, 2006, 2008) phenomenological analysis methodology. The analysis of learners’ experiences in the soft skills development course has revealed the spectrum of meanings of phenomenological values for management students, – the phenomenological structure of learners’ experience enables to justify the phenomenological view in management which emphasizes person’s human-nature need to create a meaningful authentic relation to his/her work and develop responsible, ethic and ecological cooperation in business. The structure of learners’ experience has also reflected the power of positive social atmosphere, natural physical environment, challenge based tasks and holistic reflection. Moreover, the analysis has provided us with insights that can be helpful in assessing our present situation in soft skills development as well as getting a renewed perception on person-centered education, that could trigger more humane practices in management.

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