Beyond the classroom: A retail store based experiential learning approach to business education

This study investigates the role of retail-based experiential learning in enhancing key competencies among business students, including analytical skills, decision-making, creativity, communication, selling skills, and technological adaptability. Drawing on data collected from 325 students across various business majors in South Asia, the research employs a quantitative methodology using stratified sampling and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to validate a hypothesized model. The findings confirm that active participation in retail store operations significantly contributes to the development of higher-order cognitive and interpersonal skills. The strongest effects were observed on creativity and innovation, followed by selling skills and analytical thinking. Additionally, model fit indices and validity measures indicate a robust and well-fitting model. These results underscore the pedagogical value of integrating real-time business tasks into academic curricula, particularly in the context of retail education. The study contributes to the growing body of literature advocating experiential learning as a transformative educational strategy and provides practical implications for curriculum designers and academic institutions.