Business Perspectives on Faculty Internships: Not Just for Students Anymore?

## Purpose of the Study: This exploratory research study examines business interest in using faculty internships, as well as perceived benefits and concerns, and builds upon literature showing faculty interest in the concept. For the purposes of this study, a faculty internship is defined as a faculty member taking a temporary placement within the field in which he or she teaches in order to gain firsthand experience that can be integrated into classroom learning. ## Method/Design and Sample: Members of two Midwestern chapters of the Product Development and Management Association (PDMA) were surveyed online through the chapters' LinkedIn pages. Respondents were directed to a Qualtrics survey link. Forty-three surveys were deemed usable. The researchers categorized answers to the open-ended questions via content analysis, and themes were presented to the board of directors of a Midwest chamber of commerce for further qualitative insights. ## Results: Respondents indicated interest in the concept of faculty internships, particularly in terms of knowledge exchanged between businesses and academe and its translation back into the classroom; however, there are concerns about the value faculty interns can provide to an organization versus consultants, as well as time and budget constraints. Gaining access to faculty experienced in evolving fields, such as marketing analytics and digital marketing, is of particular interest to businesses. ## Value to Marketing Educators: Educators can use faculty internships to gain industry-specific experience or to become more familiar with current issues in marketing. Such knowledge can be incorporated into marketing curricula, benefiting students while also enhancing the instructor's curriculum vitae. Faculty will need to be prepared to explain what value they can provide to the organization sponsoring the internship.