Showing papers in "The Journal of Education for Business in 2010"

Performance of College Students: Impact of Study Time and Study Habits

Abstract: Available empirical research investigating the relationship that study time has with college student performance has seen mixed results. Positive, negative, and no relationship between the two variables has been reported (G. A. Krohn & C. M. O'Conner, 2005; A. G. Lahmers & C. Zulauf, 2000; R. M. Schmidt, 1983). At a time when there is overwhelming evidence that students are devoting less time to their studies (Higher Education Research Institute, 2003), it is critical for educators who desire to encourage and motivate their students to engage in productive study behavior to first understand the true nature of this relationship. The authors investigated the influence of a third variable, study habits. Based on a sample of business students, results showed some study habits had a positive direct relationship on student performance but others had a negative direct relationship. Results also showed 1 study habit moderated the relationship between study time and student performance positively, but another stud...

Knowledge Management, Human Resource Management, and Higher Education: A Theoretical Model.

Abstract: Much has been written on the importance of knowledge management, the challenges facing organizations, and the important human resource management activities involved in assuring the acquisition and transfer of knowledge. Higher business education plays an important role in preparing students to assume the knowledge management and human resource roles so necessary to organizations. The authors examined the relationship between knowledge management, human resource management, and typical knowledge learning goals of an accredited business education program. A theoretical model is presented, illustrating how these relationships might overlap. The model proposes a linkage between knowledge management tenets, human resource management activities in organizations, and Bloom's Revised Taxonomy for planning and evaluating educational goals.

Ethics and Personality: Empathy and Narcissism as Moderators of Ethical Decision Making in Business Students

Abstract: Many studies have reported that business students have been more apt to act in self-interested ways when compared to their counterparts in other academic fields. Beginning with the premise that ethical behavior derives in part from personality characteristics, the authors tested whether (a) measures of an empathetic or narcissistic personality predicted self-reported ethical decision making in business students and (b) individual business majors have a tendency to exhibit these personality traits. First, findings demonstrate that empathetic and narcissistic personality traits are significant predictors of ethical decision making. Second, they found that finance majors showed a marked and statistically significant tendency to be less empathetic and more narcissistic as compared to other business students.

A Review of Assessment of Student Learning Programs at AACSB Schools: A Dean's Perspective

Abstract: The authors report the results of a survey of 420 deans at Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business-accredited business schools in an attempt to describe how these schools have implemented the new assurance of learning standards. The results indicate that the majority of schools budget over $10,000 annually to implement their assessment programs. Written or oral assignments are frequently used as direct measures of student leaning. Surveys of graduating seniors and alumni are often used as indirect measures of student learning. Minor modifications to existing courses and closer coordination of multisection courses were the most frequent changes made to improve student learning. Faculty frequently participate in assessment tasks, including defining the learning goals of the degree program, developing instruments to measure student learning, and creating and implementing changes to improve student learning. Major causes of faculty resistance to assessment include the demanding time commitment a...

Student Learning in Business Simulation: An Empirical Investigation

Abstract: The authors explored the factors contributing to student learning in the context of business simulation. Our results suggest that social interaction and psychological safety had a positive impact on knowledge development in student groups, and that this synergistic knowledge development enabled students to form complex mental models. Implications of the findings are discussed.

Assessing and Improving Learning in Business Schools: Direct and Indirect Measures of Learning

Abstract: Institutions of higher education are scrambling to make program changes to improve the quality of learning and assessment of learning in the face of pressure from multiple constituencies. Business educators are incorporating various active learning techniques to enhance learning and application of skills and knowledge to real-world situations. Educators are also experimenting with new assessment techniques to meet assurance of learning standards. The authors compared perceptions of learning (indirect) to actual learning (direct) after completion of a management project with a real-world organization. The results support the use of management projects as a pedagogical tool for enhancing learning in business curricula and suggest actual learning may exceed perceptions of learning.

Student Academic Performance in Undergraduate Managerial-Accounting Courses

Abstract: The author's purpose was to identify potential factors possibly affecting student performance in three sequential management-accounting courses: Managerial Accounting (MA), Cost Accounting (CA), and Advanced Managerial Accounting (AMA) within the Saudi Arabian context. The sample, which was used to test the developed hypotheses, included 312 students whose performance was followed throughout 3 semesters (4, 6, and 8) out of 8. Techniques of mean comparison and correlation were employed. The results suggest that the preuniversity accounting background was only found to have significant impact on the AMA course whereas skill in mathematics was found to affect student performance significantly in the MA course. It was evidenced that student performance in the MA course and overall was significantly affected by preuniversity ability, general undergraduate academic capability, and matriculation year. Student performance in the Financial Accounting course significantly correlated with performance in the subsequ...

The Effects of AACSB Accreditation on Faculty Salaries and Productivity

Abstract: The authors explored differences between salaries and productivity of business faculty in Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)-accredited business programs and those without AACSB accreditation. Empirical evidence is scarce regarding these differences, yet understanding the impact of AACSB accreditation on salaries and productivity is important when university administrators assess the costs and benefits of AACSB accreditation. The authors found that faculty in accredited business schools are paid more, publish more, and teach less than their peers at nonaccredited schools. These differences exist between faculty who are otherwise similar, and are not simply due to nonrandom selection of faculty into accredited and nonaccredited institutions.

Learning: The Experiences of Adults Who Work Full-Time While Attending Graduate School Part-Time

Abstract: The experiences of students who are working full-time and going to graduate school part-time were the focus of this phenomenological investigation. Data analysis showed that these individuals, who reported high job involvement and strong career planning, were often stymied when they attempted to apply new ideas to the workplace. Those with strong social and family support reported feeling less stress than did those who did not, and preferred learning experiences in which they were active learners. Results from this exploratory study show that when individual characteristics, the academic environment, and the workplace environment are in alignment, individuals are most supported in becoming all they can be.

A Measure of Burnout for Business Students.

Abstract: The author surveyed 163 business students representing all business majors from a major state university. Participants completed a questionnaire utilizing a modified version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory. The data were factor analyzed to assess its basic underlying structure, and each burnout component was assessed for reliability. Results indicated that the 3-component model of burnout generally holds for business students, and the components demonstrated high internal consistency. Further, business students experienced extreme burnout levels prior to final exams. Implications for educators and others are provided along with recommendations for further research and application.

An Examination of the Effects of Flow on Learning in a Graduate-Level Introductory Operations Management Course

Abstract: The authors investigated the effects of flow on learning outcomes in a graduate-level operations management course. Flow was assessed through an overall flow score, four dimensions of flow, and three characteristics of flow activities. Learning outcomes were measured objectively through multiple-choice quiz scores and subjectively using measures of students’ perceived learning of the subject matter, students’ perceived skill development, and student satisfaction. The findings show that flow affected students’ perceived learning of the subject matter and student satisfaction but did not affect learning performance as measured through multiple-choice quizzes. Partial support is found for an effect of flow on students’ perceived skill development.

Teacher as Judge or Partner: The Dilemma of Grades Versus Learning

Abstract: Students are socialized to value grades, sometimes more than learning. Although many teachers are devoted to a learning-centered approach, others signal by their actions a deep-set interest in grading. The authors used a 2 × 2 matrix to analyze potential matches and mismatches between teacher orientation and student orientation. The implications of the mismatches are discussed. The authors suggest dealing with the dilemma by making learning and grading mutually supportive, thus creating a more effective learning environment.

An Empirical Test of Mnemonic Devices to Improve Learning in Elementary Accounting

Abstract: The author empirically examined the use of mnemonic devices to enhance learning in first-year accounting at university. The experiment was conducted on three groups using learning strategy application as between participant's factors. The means of the scores from pre- and posttests were analyzed using the student t test. No significant difference was found between the groups for the pretest; however, both treatment groups performed significantly better in the posttest than did the control group. The findings support the literature that mnemonic devices can accelerate the rate at which new information is acquired and improve formal reasoning. A model is introduced for assessing the characteristics which affect memory recall.

A Comparison of Logistic Regression, Neural Networks, and Classification Trees Predicting Success of Actuarial Students.

Abstract: The authors extended previous research by 2 of the authors who conducted a study designed to predict the successful completion of students enrolled in an actuarial program. They used logistic regression to determine the probability of an actuarial student graduating in the major or dropping out. They compared the results of this study with those obtained previously, by re-examining the data using neural networks and classification trees, from Enterprise Miner, the SAS data mining package, which can provide a prediction of the dependent variable for all cases in the data set including those with missing values.

The Education of a Leader: Educational Credentials and Other Characteristics of Chief Executive Officers

Abstract: The authors identified and described the CEOs of Fortune 500 companies in terms of several education-related and other demographic variables. Specifically, they identified the type and level of degrees earned, including specific majors, and additionally explored several demographic variables, including age, gender and ethnicity. They also identified trends among CEOs and across industries in order to further understand the educational profile of these leaders. Secondary data covering more than 50 variables and 500 cases were collected from various business-related and research databases.

High Performance Team: Building a Business Program With Part- and Full-Time Faculty

Abstract: Business programs at colleges and universities presently face wide-ranging challenges in delivering quality education. As more and more business programs find it necessary to conserve or redirect resources, successfully leading through change becomes paramount for departments and their faculty teams. This challenge is compounded by a growing number of part-time faculty. The author examined the processes a school of business undertook while redesigning its program with a faculty team of part- and full-time members. The author identifies and discusses components of leading change and achieving high performance with a diverse faculty team as well as implications for the future.

Evaluating a Program Designed to Demonstrate Continuous Improvement in Teaching at an AACSB-Accredited College of Business at a Regional University: A Case Study

Abstract: This article provides a detailed statistical analysis of a process intended to demonstrate continuous improvement in teaching at an AACSB accredited college of business. The Educational Testing Service's SIR II student evaluation instrument was used to measure teaching effectiveness. A six-year longitudinal analysis of the SIR II results does not indicate improvement in the overall teaching. The results indicate two important concerns when designing a procedure to demonstrate teaching effectiveness. First, resulting data should be analyzed frequently; second, more than one measure of teaching effectiveness should be included. This paper may be of assistance when blueprinting or applying processes designed to demonstrate continuous improvement in teaching.

Local versus Standardized Content Assessment: Some Management Implications, or Why Bother?.

Abstract: In a quest to improve student learning and simultaneously to satisfy accrediting agencies, colleges make decisions about how to assess knowledge or content as students graduate. The authors address the strengths and weaknesses of locally developed exams as contrasted to national, standardized tools, and describe a process for developing local capstone exams. The authors suggest that although locally developed exams take considerable time and effort, they also have numerous advantages, not the least of which are increased collegiality and improved communication about teaching among faculty. Although creating the exams is a lot of bother, they argue that the value of the process exceeds the cost.

GPA and Attribute Framing Effects: Are Better Students More Sensitive or More Susceptible?

Abstract: Data from 2 studies show students differ in terms of how attribute framing alters perceptions and reactions in a decision-making episode. Using student GPA as a moderator, results from a role-play–decision-making exercise (Experiment 1) show perceptions and intended actions of higher GPA students were more strongly affected by attribute framing manipulations than were participants with lower GPAs. A second experiment helped explain these findings. Results from Experiment 2 suggest students with higher GPAs responded to the inferred meaning of framed messages; that is, they looked beyond the literal message to find the message intended.

Developing problem solving and communication skills through memo assignments in a management science course

Abstract: The authors describe how to structure a memo format for homework assignments in which a manager requests analysis of a particular issue from the student. The student must respond with a memo stating a recommendation and describing the solution approach. The results from using the memo format include improved student performance and professional writing on word-problem assignments.

Introducing the Circular Flow Diagram to Business Students

Abstract: The circular flow of income diagram is a simplified representation of the functioning of a free-market economic system. It illustrates how businesses interact with the other economic participants within the key macroeconomic markets that coordinate the flow of income through the national economy. Therefore, it can provide students of business with a valuable tool for understanding the economic environment in which businesses operate. The author argues that the circular flow diagram may be used as an element of support for embedding a wide range of fundamental economic concepts into the structure of business education. He also describes an interactive classroom activity that engages students in constructing the diagram.

Transitioning Into a Major: The Effectiveness of an Academic Intervention Course

Abstract: The authors examined the effectiveness of a course designed to assist students in transitioning into a business major in achieving its learning outcomes in three areas: knowledge of the curriculum, utilization of the career center, and an appreciation of the value of and involvement in cocurricular activities. We collected data from 361 students enrolled in the course. The results indicate that the course was effective in all three areas, having a positive impact on both first-generation college students and those who are not. The value of a college-concurrent intervention for all types of students is discussed.

The Salary Premium Required for Replacing Management Faculty: Evidence From a National Survey

Abstract: One of the most important aspects of growing and improving business education is replacing departed faculty members. As the baby-boom generation approaches retirement, the supply of available replacement faculty members is diminishing. The result is a competitive market for replacement faculty that features increasing starting salary levels. In particular, faculty lines that have been occupied for extended time periods need to be marked to market salary levels because annual salary increases rarely keep pace with inflation in the labor market. The authors report the results of a national survey to determine the amount of salary premium required to bring vacated management faculty lines back up to competitive market levels. As business schools struggle to replace retiring and departing faculty, budgets have to account for these premium increases to succeed in an increasingly competitive market for faculty labor.

Making Knowledge Delivery Failsafe: Adding Step Zero in Hypothesis Testing.

Abstract: Knowledge of statistical analysis is increasingly important for professionals in modern business. For example, hypothesis testing is one of the critical topics for quality managers and team workers in Six Sigma training programs. Delivering the knowledge of hypothesis testing effectively can be an important step for the incapable learners or trainees to improve their learning process. The authors propose a failsafe measure for this knowledge delivery process by adding a direct statement before the conventional procedures of hypothesis testing. The authors tested the effectiveness of this measure statistically. The results showed that the proposed approach could help learners and trainees to select the correct hypotheses and reach the right conclusion in hypothesis testing of applications’ problems.