Master's Of Business Research Articles

Creating authentic remote work integrated learning: A new approach using HyFlex classrooms

This article reflects on the experience of a multi-disciplinary teaching team delivering an applied project course in a business master’s program. This capstone course was developed to address industry and government expectations for work-ready graduates. In the course students act as consultants for business clients, completing a project over two semesters to recommend solutions for real business issues. The focus of this article is on the innovative delivery of the course utilizing newly built HyFlex technology-enabled classrooms and how this multimedia technology presented opportunities and learnings for future work-integrated learning (WIL) courses.

Redesigning the HR processes for scaling up ISOQAR (India) Private Limited

Learning outcomes Post analysis of the case study, students will be able to comprehend the significance of Six Sigma and its integration with the human resources (HR) processes in the service sector. Post case study discussion, students will be able to: examine the HR processes of ISOQAR (India) and deduce the reasons to seek change in their approach; validate the importance of integrating Six Sigma in the human resource management (HRM) framework of an organization; and categorize the difficulties encountered while implementing Six Sigma in the service sector compared to those in a manufacturing environment. Case overview/synopsis In September 2006, four senior employees of an audit firm made the decision to start their own venture. They identified a gap in a sizable and fiercely competitive auditing industry. Nishid Shivdas, Suhas Risbood, Shiv Prakash Bhutra and Burgis Bulsara, co-founders of ISOQAR (India), had distinct leadership experiences that drove the organization to concentrate on developing a broad range of services, with a focus on management consulting, training and audit services. They created a distinctive positioning in market in a short span and reported growth by building strong customer relationships, providing high-quality service and personalized attention to individual clients and meeting deadlines. The wide gamut of services included areas such as the payment card industry, data security standard, information security management systems, business continuity management, service management systems, food safety management system, Responsible Jewellery Council certification services, retail audit services and risk assessment services. They concentrated on collaborating with UKAS for their accreditations. The focus on offering great services with faster response times, a varied array of services and the expertise of its founders let them to price their services at par with some of its competitors, and even higher in few cases. It did not have a large support staff; however, the ones they had were multifaceted, both full time and contractual. Being in the service industry, the founders realized that to maintain growth as the firm aims to grow geographically, their heavy engagement in the existing operations would have to give way to more standardized processes in general and HR in particular. Ensuring the integration of the current workforce to the Six Sigma framework presented challenges. Complexity academic level This case is designed for second-year students enrolled in Master of Business Administration/Post Graduate Diploma in Management (MBA/PGDM) or equivalent postgraduate-level programmes, in the domain of “Human Resource.” It will enable the students to engage with the significance of “Six Sigma” being used in various processes in the HRM framework. It can also be taught to students in the domain of Marketing because of its relevance to the service sector. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 6: Human Resource Management.

Alpha Design Technologies: making a mark in India’s Defence exports

Learning outcomes Alpha Design Technologies Private Limited (ADTL) was started in 2004 by Colonel H.S. Shankar after his retirement from services in the Indian Army and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL). Aggressively growing the company from US$0.04m in 2004 to US$100m in 2022, he proved that age was not a barrier to success in entrepreneurship. His aspirations were to gain a greater presence in foreign markets through higher exports. After reading this case study, the students will be able to understand how the defence sector evolved in India and the role of private-sector enterprises; recognise the risks and opportunities in the changing dynamics of defence sector in India; believe that the ideas and capabilities of an entrepreneur increase with relevant previous experiences; appreciate the ambition and managerial capabilities of an entrepreneur even at the age of 60; apply Ajzen’s theory of planned behaviour on the entrepreneurial journey of Shankar and formulate strategies for growth. Case overview/synopsis Started in the year 2004, ADTL specialises in manufacturing defence-related products. ADTL was cofounded by Shankar, at the age of 60. His experience of working with the Indian Army and BEL in various capacities gave him the proficiency to start a venture on his own after his retirement. The ecosystem in India was favourable for ADTL as the Government opened up the defence sector for private players. Nevertheless, age was not a barrier for this senior citizen to tap the opportunity and work aggressively to grow his venture from US$0.04m in 2004 to US$100m in 2022. By 2023, ADTL had an employee strength of 1,200 including 650 engineers, and they emerged as a market leader in Software Defined Radio space. They manufactured around 200 different products for defence and space. ADTL exported 60% of the defence products to countries such as Israel, the USA and Germany. Moving forward, the dream for Shankar was to make a mark in the defence geography of the world through ADTL, by improving its export volumes and also through strategic alliances. Complexity academic level This case study can be taught to Master of Business Administration/postgraduate degree in management students as a part of the introductory course on entrepreneurship and strategy. This case study can be used specifically to make the students understand the role of private sector in the manufacturing of defence products after the liberalisation policy of the Government of India. The intention was not only to protect the nation from the threat posed by neighbouring countries but also to promote exports of defence products to other countries to improve foreign exchange earnings. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.

Uncovering the hidden gem: The role of the undervalued quality in projects

Abstract In project management, the conventional focus on time and cost often overshadows quality’s undervalued, yet pivotal role. This study explores the nuanced dimensions of project success, centering on the Iron Triangle components: time, cost and quality (TCQ). Although quality is acknowledged in theoretical definitions, its economic significance and precise impact remain underexplored. This research addresses this gap by scrutinising the interplay between traditional success factors and project economic outcomes. By comparing projects with and without economic benefits, the study examines potential variations in TCQ influence. Furthermore, the research identifies specific traditional success factors associated with economic benefits and probes for a dominant factor with superior impact. A novel Project Unified Index (PUI) is introduced, enabling comprehensive economic performance assessment through TCQ analysis and statistical techniques. Intriguingly, the exploratory analysis reveals that time and quality possess more significant influence despite the apparent correlation between cost and profit. Quality emerges as a potential determinant, its significance often masked by meticulous measurement. This study underscores the paramount importance of quality, necessitating its redefinition across industries in a customer-centric manner. By repositioning quality as a decisive factor, this research reshapes perspectives on project management, steering future investigations towards a comprehensive understanding of quality’s pivotal role. The data for analysis were collected with the participation of a prominent professional project management association and a business master’s program in Hungary.

Marketing Strategy in the Era of Industrial Revolution 4.0 in Increasing Competitiveness

This study aims to determine and develop a marketing strategy for the Institute of Business (IOB) Master Program, Dili, Timor-Leste by utilizing digital technology to increase competitiveness in the era of the Industrial Revolution 4.0 based on SWOT analysis. This type of descriptive qualitative research with Sampling Determination Technique is purposive sampling of 16 16 informants. Data sources were obtained directly from the IOB Master Program Management, students, alumni and stakeholders through interviews, questionnaires, observations, and documentation. Data analysis is carried out by identifying internal and external factors that influence the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats which are then used to determine the marketing strategy of the IOB Master Program through SWOT analysis. Based on the results of the analysis, the IFAS score value is 3.21 and the EFAS score value is 3.16. From the IE Matrix, it was found that the position of the IOB Master Program was in quadrant I as a growth position. The right strategy to improve competitiveness in the Master Program in the era of RI 4.0 is by strengthening Market Development, Market Penetration and Product Development.

Building Bridges and Strengthening Bonds: An Exploratory Investigation Into Social Capital and Youth Programming

Abstract: Background: Social capital is increasingly recognized as a key component of adolescent development, providing important opportunities to grow and strengthen their social networks while increasing access to resources such as jobs and social support. Objectives: This study explored how youth-serving organizations (YSOs) across California address social capital development and assessed need for a social capital curriculum or measurement tools. Methods: The sample for this study was drawn from the 2019 IRS Business Master File from the National Center for Charitable Statistics Data Archive . We contacted a random sample of 169 California YSOs and implemented a 15-item survey to capture organizational perspectives on the importance of social capital, tools to measure this construct, and the use of programming related to social capital. Results: Among 41 YSOs completing the survey, only 24 (59%) had heard of the term "social capital," but when the term was described, 88% felt it was a highly important asset for youth. Thirty YSOs (73%) provided programming designed to promote social capital. Most respondents (68%) said being able to measure social capital would be very important and nearly all said they would be interested in adopting a tested social capital curriculum. Conclusions: Strong interest from YSOs for additional social capital tools highlights the need for additional work in this area. With support, YSOs can connect young people to institutions and influencers significantly outside of normal social circles, thus creating an increasingly sustainable and diverse range of resources available to youth as they navigate life milestones.

A content analysis study exploring the marketing messages communicated to prospective female law school and MBA students

American law schools (JD) and Master of Business (MBA) programmes have made strides to recruit female students over the last two decades. As these schools begin to see an equal number of female and male students applying to their programmes, will these graduate programmes continue to market to prospective female students? This paper aims to understand how American JD and MBA programmes market to prospective female graduate students through the graduate programme admission webpages. To understand gendered marketing messages for JD and MBA graduate programmes, the researchers provide a review of the literature regarding the female, graduate school-choice model, perceived influence of the graduate admissions webpage and gendered marketing education messages. Next, using a content analysis study, the researchers examine 25 American JD and MBA programmes for frequency and type of gendered, graduate, school-choice marketing messages. The researchers offer conclusions, implications and ideas for education stakeholders.

Designing internships: Student demographics and student motivation

Background: Internships as a means for learning and job training are increasingly getting traction among universities and policymakers. Still, we do not know what motivates students to undertake such external experimental learning arrangements.Aim: This study reveals students’ motivation for engaging in two different internships design.Setting: We explore the motivation among Norwegian bachelor and master business students for engagement in internships locally and abroad.Methods: This is a quantitative study where 244 students responded to our survey. The students themselves provided input on the survey topics. We applied t-tests, correlations, and regressions to analyse the data.Results: Demographical variables as well as motivational factors influence the student’s preferences regarding internships.Conclusion: The complexity and design inherent in the internship are accepted by the student depending on their family situation, their job experience and their learning expectations.Contribution: Internships are not a one-size-fits-all. The students’ family situation, their previous work experience and their academic achievements give hints to what the student looks for in an internship: a local internship offering future job opportunities or an international internship promising greater learning opportunities.

A multilevel approach to understanding the relationship between entrepreneurship and the urban environment

This document explores the relationship between the structure of cities and entrepreneurial intention EI, supporting empirical evidence of the incidence of exogenous regional factors on business activities. From a sample of Master Business Administration (MBA) students in fourteen cities in Colombia, EI is studied in an urban setting using a two-level binary logistic regression with random intercepts. The purpose of this document is to show empirical evidence for Colombia of the influence of the urban structure on entrepreneurial intention EI, disaggregating hard and soft factors and controlling the initial endowments of a sample of MBA students. At the individual level, EI is driven by gender, age and the presence of family entrepreneurs. In relation to the educational level of the fathers, the EI of the students is not being influenced by the academic training of the mothers. In the same way, our results suggest that the approximate urban structure of cities through hard and soft amenities stimulates EI in MBA students. Our results suppose systematic evidence in order to adapt the business ecosystem to the form and urban conditions of the main cities in Colombia.

Challenges in Assessing the Scope and Dynamics of the Nonprofit Sector

How many nonprofits operate in your community? How many closed during the pandemic? These questions are not as easy to answer as you might think. Production of demographic data for the nonprofit sector has been a challenge for nonprofit researchers. Scholars frequently rely on administrative records, but they sometimes make leaps without evaluating the shortcomings of their data. Our exploration documents the challenges researchers should confront when they seek to produce accurate demographics of the nonprofit sector. We compare administrative records and lists (core files, full Form 990 digitized, Business Master Files) with online footprints (news, websites, state records) to account for the variety of ways that living organizations get mislabeled as dissolved. We urge researchers to approach administrative lists critically when using them to paint pictures of community ecology.

Linking Corporate Social Responsibility to Employee Green Behavior: Mediation Through Supervisor-subordinate Guanxi

This study was conducted with the purpose of understanding the link between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and employee green behavior. Particularly, we explored the mediating role of supervisor-subordinate guanxi in this relationship. Participants were 327 part-time Master of Business Administration students at three universities in China, who completed a survey. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses. Results revealed that there was a positive and significant relationship between employees' perceived CSR and their green behavior, and that supervisor-subordinate guanxi partially mediated this relationship. This study extends research on the social outcomes of CSR by shedding new light on the psychological mechanisms connecting it with employee green behavior. The findings will help managers of organizations to better understand how CSR facilitates employee green behavior.

What is Missing in Entrepreneurship Education: A Case Study

Entrepreneurship education is designed to create entrepreneurs. However, the percentage of self-employed Master of Business and Administration of Entrepreneurship (MBAE) graduates at a top-tier business school in Jakarta (TBS) is below ten percent. In the current curriculum, TBS requires their MBAE students to start and develop their own business under Business Initiation and Business Growth subjects. Nevertheless, that project-based learning program seems not effective to shape their students to be entrepreneurs. What is missing in entrepreneurship education? The low percentage of MBAE graduates to be entrepreneurs indicates a gap in entrepreneurship education between what is really needed by students as future entrepreneurs and what business school offers as an education provider. This study aims to: (1) investigate the factors that discourage MBAE students not to be self-employed after graduation, (2) have a holistic understanding of ideal entrepreneurship education from MBAE students' point of view, (3) identify the gap between MBAE students' and educator's perspectives about entrepreneurship programs. This study uses qualitative methods, conducting In-Depth Interviews (IDI) and Focus Group Discussions (FGD) among the current MBAE students, graduates, and educators. This study found that economic factors, financial risk, and personal development deter students from choosing entrepreneurship as a career. MBAE students expect an entrepreneurship education should accommodate a high intensity of knowledge relevance and application, real business experience, practitioner involvement, individual-level coaching, and business development support. This study also found that the business school failed to equip the students with relevant knowledge and its application to their own businesses. In order to fill the missing part in entrepreneurship education provided, TBS is suggested to implement (1) an entrepreneurship-focus internship program that concentrates on gaining firsthand experiences and knowledge acquired from entrepreneurs in a complex business environment and (2) a formal entrepreneurship training for facilitators to adapt with entrepreneurship dynamism. Keywords: Entrepreneurship Education; Entrepreneurship Focus Internship; Phenomenography; Qualitative Method; Training For Entrepreneurship Facilitators

Managing campgrounds and “glampgrounds”

Research methodology Ethnographic interview/observation; analysis of public data; literature review. Case overview/synopsis As of 2020, camping was growing in popularity among new and experienced travelers. The growth of the outdoor accommodation type led to for-profit and nonprofit campgrounds operating at or near capacity during peak season. Camping Coast-To-Coast (CCTC), a for-profit camping business that managed approximately 500 campgrounds in the USA, was struggling to meet growth objectives because they too were operating at or near capacity at most of their campgrounds. This case analyzes a newly proposed strategy: developing glamping campgrounds (i.e. glampgrounds) near CCTC’s existing traditional campgrounds. Glamping is a luxurious form of camping characterized by modern amenities and services. The chief executive officer (CEO) was not only able to identify several opportunities that would support a recommended pilot glampground but also identified several threats and firm weaknesses that could deter travelers from paying premium prices for luxurious glampground accommodations. The CEO was left wondering: should I recommend a new glampground development to investors and board members at an upcoming annual meeting or not? Complexity academic level The case was developed with two purposes in mind: to be taught in an outdoor tourism management course (junior level) and to be used for association to advance collegiate schools of business master of business administration accreditation to measure four learning objectives: decision-making, problem-solving, application of business frameworks and writing. Thus, this case is optimal for upper-level undergraduate or graduate management and tourism courses including principles of management, strategic management and tourism management.

Sistem Pendukung Keputusan Peserta Lomba Desain Logo Menggunakan Metode Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) Berbasis Website

The Faculty of Business, Law and Social Sciences (FBHIS) Universitas Muhammadiyah Sidoarjo (Umsida) held an FBHIS Logo Design Competition for the FBHIS creative community. The provisions of the competition are to represent all study programs (Prodi) in FBHIS, namely Management Study Program, Master of Management, Law, Communication Studies, Public Administration, Accounting, and Digital Business. To help determine the winner of the best contestants, a decision support system (SPK) is needed that is able to provide alternative solutions to the parties concerned. The method used in the decision support system for selecting participants in the logo design competition uses the Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) method for the weighting of the criteria. The software used in making DSS is MySQL and PHP. The assessment criteria are taken from the Originality selection test scores, Design Idea Concepts, Aesthetic Values, Conformity of Themes and Messages Delivered. Alternative samples were taken as many as 20 participants with the top rank. The results of the SAW calculation give the order of the participants' scores from the highest to the lowest. The result of the SPK is not a final decision, because it goes back to the one who made the decision

The Effect of Service Quality on Shopee Customer Satisfaction on Students of the Technology and Business Master Institute Pekanbaru

This study aims to determine and analyze the effect of service quality on customer satisfaction. The analysis in this study uses the independent variable of service quality. The dependent variable is customer satisfaction. The sample of this research is the students of the Master's Institute. The sample is carried out using a non-probability sampling technique, which is sampling that does not provide equal opportunities or opportunities for each member of the population to be selected as a sample. Data collection techniques were carried out by means of questionnaires and interviews. The total population at the Master's Institute is 3004 and the sample obtained is 97 people. The results obtained that the t value is known to have a t-count of 7.920 > t-table 0.199, so it can be concluded that the service quality variable (X) has a significant effect on the consumer satisfaction variable (Y). The results obtained that the R2 value of the coefficient of determination is found in the Adjusted R Square of 0.391. This means that the ability of the independent variable to explain the dependent variable is 39.1%, the remaining 61.9% is explained by other variables not discussed in this study.

Integrate or keep separate? ChocoTravel’s dilemma around Aviata M&A

Learning outcomes This case will enable students to: understand reasons for mergers and acquisitions (M&A); identify and explain the risks associated with M&A and corresponding risk mitigation approaches; and decision-making on postmerger integrations. Case overview/synopsis The case discusses the integration dilemma around ChocoTravel’s M&A of Aviata. Both are among the largest online travel agencies in Kazakhstan. The acquisition of Aviata was not the first M&A deal for ChocoFamily – the Holding Company of ChocoTravel; however, it was the largest one. By combining their operations, ChocoTravel and Aviata together could capture 70% of the market share and become the market leader. Although the M&A had high potential toward superior business performance, it had significant risks. Threats of integration failures often make M&As fail. The management of ChocoTravel, therefore, had to consider several factors that could act as potential threats to post-M&A integration. First, each company had its own operating model and corporate culture. Second, both brands, ChocoTravel and Aviata, were well established and recognized in the market; each of them had its own loyal clients. Taking into account low switching costs to customers, the CEO of the new joint company needed to decide whether to integrate ChocoTravel and Aviata or keep them separate or even discontinue one. So, the important thing was not to disrupt operations and lose customers while introducing the post-M&A integration strategy. This case focuses on the challenges of post M&A integration. Complexity academic level The case targets last year’s bachelor’s students, Master of Business Administration/Master of Science students as part of the business strategy, marketing and branding and M&A classes. It allows students to have a broad in-class discussion and apply knowledge to make strategic management decisions in postmerger integration situations. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 11: Strategy.

Dancing in the storm: finessing emergency remote teaching in the COVID-19 pandemic

Case overview The Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), a South African based business school and one of the top ranked business schools in Africa, was yet again facing a crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic. Having emerged out of an extraordinary year of strict lockdown regulations and having managed a rapid shift to emergency remote teaching. GIBS had managed to maintain its academic programmes, ensuring the completion of the curriculum within the academic year whilst maintaining the exceptionally high standards and quality learning experience it was known for. As 2020 drew to a close, the academic programmes team and the students looked forward to starting the new year in a more “normal” mode of operation. GIBS closed for Christmas holiday with the intent on returning, in early 2021, in some form of face-to-face teaching. However, on the 27th of December 2020, the President of South Africa announced a return to level-3 lockdown as the second wave of infections swept through the country. Strict measures were once again enforced, significantly impacting GIBS’ possible return to campus in January 2021. Reflecting on the lessons learnt over the past year, the Executive Director: Academic Programmes, Professor Louise Whittaker, yet again faced the challenge of deciding how best to proceed given the circumstances. The case illustrates the need for effective change management through the application of Kotter’s 8 steps to transformation, whilst demonstrating the complexity of change management during a crisis. A particular focus on the importance of communication during a change management process in a crisis is illustrated through this case. Expected learning outcomes The learning outcomes are as follows: students need to understand that in a crisis, change management will be emergent and requires flexibility and adaptability; students will determine what concrete actions may be required during a change management process in a crisis; students will need to discern that theoretical models do not necessarily fit real world contexts, particularly in a crisis situation; and students will identify aspects that might be missing or inadequately formulated in standard models of change management. Complexity academic level The case is positioned at a post-graduate level and would be ideal as a teaching case for business school students on a Master of Business Administration programme, a specialised business masters programme or selected executive education programmes for general managers or senior executives. The case can be taught in a course in the following fields, namely, change management, leadership or strategy. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 11: Strategy.

The Perception of a Founder’s Obsessive Passion and Co-founders’ Decision to Join the Venture Team

We investigate how perceived obsessive passions (OPs) influence potential co-founders’ decision to join a venture team. Using a conjoint experiment with two samples: 116 founder entrepreneurs and 177 master business school students (supplementary sample), we find that potential co-founders are more likely to join when they perceive that the founder has OP for inventing and developing. Potential co-founders are less likely to join when they perceived OP for founding. Further, we also find significant interactions between perceived OPs, and interactions between perceived OP and potential co-founders’ own OP. These findings provide important theoretical implications.

FEATURES OF TEACHING HUMANITIES IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS FOR FUTURE SPECIALISTS IN HOTEL AND RESTAURANT BUSINESS AND TOURISM

We have considered the features of professional training of specialists in the hotel and restaurant business and tourism. In the analysis of the curriculum, we appear to find a place in the training of future specialists in hotel and restaurant business and tourism in the study of humanities, namely: "Ukrainian language for professional purposes", "World culture and art", "Foreign language for professional orientation", "Fundamentals of professional ethics and culture of communication", and other. During the course, participants of the educational process must make efforts to form a communicative culture, critical thinking and aesthetics of speech. Future masters of hotel and restaurant business and tourism must be at a high level of management of communicative culture and content to think critically. The humanities cycle subjects basing on the text, with the help of which educational activities are carried out, training of future specialists of hotel and restaurant enterprises and tourism takes part in professional texts that help students accumulate professional terminology and form professional skills. We concluded that introducing elements of the dual system of education is a positive trend in the training of hotel and restaurant professionals and tourism. Students can assimilate and improve communication culture, see bottlenecks and make an effort to correct and improve themselves.

IMPACT OF CURRICULUM ON BUSINESS GRADUATES' SKILLS: EVIDENCE FROM TELECOM SECTOR

The main purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the way that how business schools can better engage the graduates in business skills. The main focus is on the employability skills of business graduates. This is a quantitative research and survey method was used to collect the data from three stakeholders, Students and Faculty from 10 business universities of Pakistan and Employers from telecom sector of Pakistan. Total 450 respondent participated in this research and hypotheses were tested with regression analysis. The findings suggested that there are differences in the priorities given for employability skills by the three groups – graduates, university lecturers, and employers. Further, the findings suggest that employability skills are not produced by the business schools at this time. Overall, the findings of the study could be used to assist graduates, universities, and employers to reduce the g skills gap. Although this research focuses on the curriculum of business master’s students in a comparison to required skills in market, a broader sample employing samples in other study fields would further expand the knowledge regarding the curriculum of MBA students. The paper is timely given the introduction of Key Information Sets. The provision of such information will drive HEI to further develop students’ employability to obtain graduate-level jobs.