Students' perceptions of the lecturer's role in management education: Knowledge acquisition and competence development

Based on the need for new paradigms fostered by the European higher education framework, this study explores the influence of the lecturer's role on knowledge acquisition and competence development in undergraduate management students. The lecturer's role is analyzed through students' perceptions of the lecturer's ability to build a good relationship and use appropriate teaching methods. This analysis is conducted from the perspective of student-centered learning and theoretical approaches that have emerged in the business field that show a conceptual affinity: the transfer of training and knowledge. Data were collected from 145 undergraduate students studying management courses in a Spanish university. The results indicate that the perceived ability of the lecturer to create a good relationship with students positively influences their perception the suitability of the teaching methods used, and the suitability of these methods, in turn, influences the students' level of knowledge acquisition and competence development. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.