AN EXPERIENTIAL APPROACH TO FACILITATE ANTICIPATORY SOCIALIZATION

Among university business students today there is much idealism and a strong belief in the rational model of business activity. For those who are headed for initial appointments in corporate structures there will be disillusionment. Whether entering a new organization as a first‐time employee, or entering a new position as an employee of long standing, individuals are likely to experience feelings of anxiety, helplessness, and surprise. This effect is commonly known as “entry shock.” In this paper we (1) review an experiential exercise designed for classroom use, (2) describe implications and use of the exercise in anticipatory socialization to help abate future business entry shock for students, (3) present the results of several such applications of the exercise, and (4) suggest procedures which may be used to facilitate the use of the exercise.