An exploratory study of experiential learning in teaching a supply chain management course in an emerging market economy Minwir M. Al-Shammari Department of Management and Marketing, College of Business Administration, University of Bahrain, Sakhir, Bahrain Abstract Purpose – The study is exploratory and aims to investigate students’ learning experience in a supply chain management (SCM) course at a university in Bahrain. The selected learning skills were cognitive, affective and interactive, whereas the adopted pedagogical tools were case analysis, evaluative essay and game exercise. Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire survey was distributed to undergraduate students enrolled in an SCM course at a university in Bahrain. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis techniques were used. Inferential analysis tests were principal component analysis, Kruskal–Wallis analysis of variance and Dunn’s post hoc pairwise comparison test. Findings – Results are inconclusive but revealed significant differences in students’ perceptions of learning skills among the adopted teaching methods. Significant differences in the perceived learning skills were found between the evaluative essay and the case analysis and between the report and the game exercise. The game exercise was the most useful technique in improving students’ interactive, cognitive and affective skills, followed by case analysis and evaluative essay. Research limitations/implications – As the sample of this study consisted of students enrolled in a particular SCM course at a University in Bahrain, the small sample size may restrict the study’s conclusive findings. Practical implications – It is recommended to establish an experiential or problem-based learning support unit to assist faculty in the planning, design and development of pedagogical and assessment tools. Originality/value – The research findings are expected to help design, assess and enhance students’ learning experience in SCM and other business courses that adopt a process-based experiential learning perspective. Keywords Emerging economy, Experiential learning, Supply chain management, Bahrain, Pedagogical tools Paper type Research paper Introduction A supply chain (SC) is a system of organizations involved in moving a product or service from supplier to the end customer. In today’s globalized markets and turbulent environments, competition is no longer among firms but among supply chains (Adida and Demiguel, 2011). Decision-makers have recognized the importance of effective supply chain management (SCM) to achieve superior performance (van Hoek and Wagner, 2011; Leon and Uddin, 2016). To face turbulent business environments, firms need to work together to take advantage of their distinctive core competencies and achieve a sustainable competitive advantage (Fawcett et al., 2007; Mumtaz et al., 2018). Teaching a supply chain management course Received 9 September 2020 Revised 22 November 2020 15 January 2021 18 January 2021 Accepted 25 January 2021 Journal of International Education in Business © Emerald Publishing Limited 2046-469X DOI 10.1108/JIEB-09-2020-0074 The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at: https://www.emerald.com/insight/2046-469X.htm