Business School Research Articles

Blocked out: reflections on the potential of intensive modes of teaching to enhance post-COVID-19 graduate employability in large-scale educational settings

PurposeThis paper explores the potential that block teaching offers to enhance employability in the context of large-scale classes. It suggests that block teaching, with its condensed structure, necessitates curriculum innovation, fosters participatory learning and peer-to-peer networking, and has been shown to increase student focus and enhance engagement and attainment, especially amongst diverse learners. As these are the same challenges that large-scale teaching faces, it is proposed that intensive modes of delivery could be scaled up in a way that may help to mitigate such problems as cohorts in business schools continue to increase in size.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on secondary research and provides an overview of literature that looks at block teaching, followed by that which explores the challenges of large-scale teaching contexts. It compares and contrasts the gaps in both to suggest a way that they could be combined.FindingsThe paper provides key insights into changes in the contemporary landscape of teaching within UK business schools, which have seen increasingly large cohorts and draws out the key strengths of intensive modes of delivery, which include helping students to time manage effectively, encouraging curriculum innovation and the creation of participatory learning opportunities as well as providing closer personal relationships between students and staff. Outlining some of the well-documented issues that can arise when teaching larger cohorts, the paper suggests that scaling up blocked delivery may offer a new way help to overcome them.Research limitations/implicationsBecause of the chosen research approach, the research results are subject to generalisation. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the proposed propositions in large-scale teaching scenarios.Practical implicationsThis paper includes implications for the development of innovative modes of teaching in the context of large cohorts, an experience that is increasingly common amongst British business schools and beyond.Originality/valueThis paper brings together two bodies of literature for the first time – that of intensive modes of teaching and that focuses on large-scale teaching contexts – for the first time to show how the former may help to overcome some of the key issues arising in the latter.

Can Strategy Address the Climate Crisis Without Losing its Essence?

AbstractHow should academic fields take on the existential risks created by the climate crisis? What can business schools do to accelerate the decarbonization of business required to save our species? In their Point, Bansal et al. argue that the field of strategic management is complicit in bringing about our current crisis, and they propose to reformulate the field's very foundations to help get us out. In our Counterpoint, we show why we agree with the diagnosis but argue why we are sceptical of the cure. Strategic management incubated in business schools devoted to creating shareholder value, and its central frameworks commit it to this mission, making it fundamentally impossible to reform. The adjustments suggested by Bansal et al. might nudge what is published in journals but will not solve the bigger challenge. If we are to turn back from the climate disaster and begin the process of mitigation and remediation, we need to equip firms to decarbonize their operations as quickly as possible, and to create new kinds of enterprise to bring about the clean energy transition. Given its history and methods, organization theory may be better equipped to take on this role.

DEVELOPING COMPETENT MANAGERS THROUGH PEDAGOGIC PRACTICES- A CONTRADICTION ANALYSIS FOR B-SCHOOLS OF NORTHEAST INDIA

With the rising demand for a “competent workforce” in the 21st-century business environment, Workplace learning is the centre stage of higher learning curriculum, which nobody can deny. In this direction management education plays its role as a path-leader. To nurture and prepare future managers for the changing requirements of the business world Bilimoria (2000), B-Schools can play a pivotal role. A plethora of research established on the issue of the “curriculum gap” to equip learners with the identified and relevant workplace competencies. Management education imparted by the B-schools and universities must deliver the most relevant workplace competencies.It is very important that the present educational system broadens its scope and equips future graduates with the latest and relevant competencies as per the demand of the industry. Does it so in reality and practice? In the global arena of management education, Indian B-schools are not resistant to the pressures of the recent times requirements of the industries. To meet the interests of society, industry, government, and the global community in general, Indian business schools must reinvent their management education to ensure its relevance over time. The present study is an effort to delve into associating workplace competencies most desired by industry with relevant standard pedagogic practices and comprehend how they differ from each other, based on the students and faculty of the select B-schools who perceive the source of workplace competencies through the various educational practices by the Russel and Rao Proximity Analysis.

SDGs Managers' Assessment Bias and Their Implications for Preventing Violence Against Women in Companies.

This study explores the role of managers' perceptions of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in preventing violence against women in companies. Surveying 673 managers in Lima, Peru, it found gender-based discrepancies in SDG priorities, with men leaning toward industry goals and women toward well-being and gender equality. Socially ingrained gender biases influence prevention strategies: men often comply with mandatory measures, while women opt for noncompulsory strategic actions. Notably, a high valuation of SDG-5 (gender equality) correlates with diverse prevention efforts. The findings highlight the importance of addressing gender bias in company practices and improving business school formation.

The disciplinarity of finance journals

This study quantifies and sorts the disciplinarity of academic journals by developing and employing three measures of journal specialization based on publication keywords. We retrieved 46,055 articles and 87,968 keywords from journals included in the finance section of the 2021 Academic Journal Guide (Chartered Association of Business Schools). The three metrics proposed to measure the number of repetitions of keywords in a journal, the level of concentration of keywords, and the tailedness of keyword occurrence. We found that the differences in specialization between finance journals observed for only a few sources that show significant marked disciplinary. The methodology proposed has non-negligible implications for interdisciplinary research to the extent that it may be helpful for researchers in searching for a suitable journal for their results.

Changes to business faculty perceived skills with online teaching tools and educational practices: The pandemic effect

AbstractIn the spring of 2020, universities worldwide closed their campuses and transitioned their face‐to‐face courses to remote teaching with educational technologies due to the COVID‐19 pandemic. This unprecedented transition to online instruction created a unique learning environment for students and faculty. Our case‐based, qualitative study explores the perceived skill level changes of professors who implemented (with minimal training) online educational technologies to deliver business courses at a business school in the southwest United States. Business faculty completed a Likert‐scale survey instrument that used the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) teacher competency framework, which includes digitally communicating with students, delivering asynchronous material, delivering synchronous classes, using the learning management system, and providing digital assessments and feedback (2018). Study outcomes indicate that instructors’ perceived skill sets in most topics grew due to the adoption of online educational technologies at the onset of the pandemic. Further study might focus on determining the long‐term implications of the growing integration of educational technology on business faculty instruction in both online and face‐to‐face classrooms.

Five-Year Trends of Vascular Disease-Related Amputations in Romania: A Retrospective Database Study

Background/Objectives: Lower extremity amputations (LEAs) are a burdensome complication of peripheral artery disease (PAD) and/or arterial embolism and thrombosis (AET). We assessed the trends in PAD- and/or AET-related LEAs in Romania. Methods: This retrospective study (2015–2019) analyzed data on minor and major LEAs in hospitalized patients recorded in the National School for Public Health, Management, and Health Education database. The absolute numbers and incidences of LEAs were analyzed by diagnosis type, year, age, sex, and amputation level. Results: Of 38,590 vascular disease-related amputations recorded nationwide, 36,162 were in PAD and 2428 in AET patients. The average LEA incidence in the general population was 34.73 (minimum: 31.96 in 2015; maximum: 36.57 in 2019). The average incidence of major amputations, amputations above the knee, hip amputations, amputations below the knee, and minor amputations was 16.21 (15.62 in 2015; 16.84 in 2018), 13.76 (13.33 in 2015; 14.28 in 2018), 0.29 (0.22 in 2017; 0.35 in 2019), 2.15 (2.00 in 2015; 2.28 in 2019), and 18.52 (16.34 in 2015; 20.12 in 2019), respectively. Yearly PAD- and/or AET-related amputations were significantly higher in men versus women. The overall number of LEAs increased with age, particularly in patients ≥ 70 years. The increase in the total number of amputations was mainly due to a constant rise in minor amputations for both groups, regardless of gender. Conclusions: PAD- and/or AET-related LEAs in Romania increased from 2015 to 2019, with men having a greater incidence than women. Raising awareness and effective management strategies are needed to prevent LEAs.

Earnings Management via Not-Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries

We investigate an unexplored mechanism of earnings management: income shifting from not-wholly-owned subsidiaries to help the parent company avoid losses at the expense of subsidiaries. Consolidated net income attributable to the parent company (i.e., net income) increases through this mechanism, as the parent company enjoys the full amount of the shifted earnings rather than sharing them with minority investors. We design an empirical model to directly estimate the amount of income shifted from subsidiaries to parent firms. Employing this measure, we find that firms opportunistically decrease earnings of their not-wholly-owned subsidiaries to manage net income upward to avoid losses. The results are stronger for firms with high noncontrolling ownership, firms with large subsidiaries, firms with strong influence over not-wholly-owned subsidiaries, and firms with a high level of related-party transactions. Our results are robust to alternative research designs, including controls for within-firm variations, alternative earnings thresholds, propensity score matching, and entropy balancing techniques. Our mechanism of earnings management is generalizable to other earnings management scenarios, such as share pledging. This paper was accepted by Brian Bushee, accounting. Funding: X. Zhang thanks the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant 72102243] for financial support. M. Luo thank the financial support from National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant 71840011], and the Research Center for Digital Financial Assets at School of Economics and Management of Tsinghua University. Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.03090 .

Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) in Sri Lankan Business Schools: A Pathway to Sustainable Business Education: A Study of Curricular Integration, Stakeholder Engagement, and Sustainable Development Outcomes

This research study is an analysis of the introduction and application, PRME within Sri Lankan business schools to promote al sustainable management education. This study applies an integrated approach through analyzing diverse facets of PRME implementation issues comprising alignment curriculum component, stakeholder involvement and realization to sustainable development benefits.By using a mixed-methods research design, the study assesses systematically the problems and respond encounters in integration of PRME criteria to curriculums offered by Sri Lankan business schools identifying activities which impact this process. Furthermore, the research analyses stakeholder engagement in PRME implementation path with a focus on collaboration between businesses, government agencies and civil society organizations that promotes achievement of sustainable development outcomes.The outcomes of this study offer not only a profound picture of the current situation with regards to PRME adoption but also shed fantastic light on its development prospects and influence over Sri Lankan business schools. This study pinpoints successful strategies thus it helps in developing a sound sustainable business education pathway for Sri Lanka.

Does eLearning Require 
Self-regulated Discipline? Measuring and Validating a Scale for Online 
Self-regulated Learning Quotient

Self-regulation has gained much prominence due to its necessity and significance in eLearning environment. The nature of eLearning mandates higher self-regulation to attain efficacy. In this article, we study the Online Self-regulated Learning Quotient (OSLQ) scale as it is a pioneering scale that has been verified for studying self-regulation in eLearning environment. The literature delineates the need to empirically examine the reliability and validity of the OSLQ in various contexts. This study was conducted in two phases on business school students from tier one management institutes in India. In phase 1, we performed qualitative analysis through focus group discussions on a sample of 24 respondents to check the content validity of the scale. In phase 2, we performed quantitative analysis on a sample of 528 respondents. Exploratory factor analysis in phase 2 of the study confirmed six factors. Confirmatory factor analysis in phase 2 of the study confirmed scale validity. Based on the findings, we conclude that OSLQ is a valid and reliable scale to assess self-regulation among Indian students in eLearning context. These findings have added to the theoretical legitimacy of the scale. In terms of practical implication, our findings suggest that OSLQ may be employed in an Indian context. This has significant implications for future research in self-regulation studies in India, especially in the context of eLearning.

Tailoring Management Education – Insights from a Two-Decade Longitudinal Study of Iranian EMBA Programs

This paper investigates the evolving subject areas required in management programs within business schools over a two-decade period through a survey of Iranian managers. The study identifies six clusters of subject areas and visually presents the evolving learning needs. It addresses the significance of the marketability and employability of graduates from management programs, contextualizing management education, fostering adaptability, and conducting cross-cultural studies. The paper discusses limitations and offers recommendations for future research, including the impact of cultural and contextual factors on management education. It argues that in today's rapidly changing business landscape, management programs must adopt a comprehensive and flexible approach to meet the diverse learning needs of managers from various backgrounds, ensuring the continued relevance and effectiveness of management education in preparing future leaders to address the dynamic business challenges.

Nonperforming Loan Disposals Without Resolution

Using proprietary data on nonperforming loan (NPL) transactions in China, we document that banks conceal NPLs in disposal transactions that are supposed to resolve NPLs. In these transactions, banks provide financing and retain the credit risks and debt collection obligations. Transaction prices contradict underlying credit risks: Despite being delinquent for 4.5 years, the median NPL package is sold at face value with zero haircut. The majority of NPL packages are resold at a premium to banks’ non–government-owned borrowers, further supporting the concealment view. Banks under stricter regulation conceal NPLs more and engage in more illicit concealment. NPL-concealing banks increase zombie lending, suggesting that an ineffective resolution exacerbates credit misallocation. Recognizing the hidden NPLs implies the total NPLs in China is two to three times the reported amount. This paper was accepted by Victoria Ivashina, finance. Funding: B. Charoenwong acknowledges financial support from the Singapore Ministry of Education [AcRF Tier 1 Research Grant A-8000760-00-00]. T. Ruan acknowledges financial support from the National University of Singapore (NUS) [Start-Up Grant A-0003870-00-00]. B. Charoenwong and T. Ruan acknowledge financial support from the NUS Business School Financial Database [Grant N-311-000-251-001]. Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.02163 .

Can Transformational Leadership Retain Employee through The Role of Job Satisfaction as a Mediative at The Sunan Drajat Lamongan Boarding School Business Unit?

This study highlights the strategic significance of Islamic boarding schools as historic contributors to Islam's development in Indonesia. The pivotal role these schools play in community empowerment is realized through their business units. The research aims to analyze the influence of transformational leadership on turnover intention, mediated by job satisfaction, in the business unit of Sunan Drajat Lamongan Islamic boarding school. Employing an explanatory research method, the study utilizes transformational leadership as the independent variable, job satisfaction as the intervening variable, and turnover intention as the dependent variable. Data is collected through questionnaires and analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) processed with SmartPLS. The findings indicate that transformational leadership significantly positively impacts job satisfaction, while job satisfaction significantly negatively influences turnover intention. However, transformational leadership alone has an insignificantly negative effect on turnover intention. Job satisfaction acts as a mediating factor in the influence of transformational leadership in preventing turnover intention. However, transformational leadership without job satisfaction, fails to prevent employee turnover intention. In this context, Islamic boarding schools can optimize transformational leadership and job satisfaction strategies to minimize employee turnover intention, thereby enhancing employee performance and contributing to community empowerment

Применение экосистемного подхода в образовании

Educating young people in an educational environment is a process of formation and development of person-ality, which is influenced not only by the educational organization, but also by other participants: accelerators, business schools, collective cooperation platforms, the professional community (employers), and the state. In this regard, it is appropriate to consider the interaction of participants in youth education using an ecosystem approach. The inextricable connection between education and work, the interaction of many stakeholders in the process of youth development, the presence of an organizational culture (collective values and principles), self-organization of interaction participants (including youth interested in personal development), mutually benefi-cial cooperation, as well as the availability of an information technology tool, allowing to track the process of personal development of young people, are direct forms of interaction in ecosystems. Based on a generaliza-tion of scientific provisions on the application of the ecosystem approach in education, as well as the definition of the features of the modern ecosystem, the author’s structure of interaction between participants in the pro-cess of educating young people is proposed, corresponding to modern challenges of society.

Stress among Private School Teachers

The modern lifestyle is accompanied by a great amount of stress, and private school teachers are also not far from it. The workplace is also more stressful than it used to be. Stress among private school teachers is influenced by a multifaceted phenomenon. For the completion of this research, the predetermined objectives were set first. The objectives of this study were to analyze and address the factors contributing to stress among private school teachers in order to implement effective support mechanisms and promote overall well-being within the educational environment. Altogether, 19 respondents, among them 1 principal, 2 management committee members, and 16 teachers (8 from the basic level and 8 from the secondary level) of a private school in Solukhumbu, were selected purposefully. The data and responses were collected from management committee members, principal, and teachers through an open ended questionnaire, and the responses were interpreted and described qualitatively according to the defined objectives. Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory is interconnected in this study to understand stress among private school teachers and use appropriate remedies in a specific order, starting with basic physiological needs and progressing to higher-level needs. 16 respondents working as a school teacher in a private school were burdened with excessive tasks, responsibilities, and demands within their professional role. They were facing high teaching loads with numerous classes, subjects, and students to manage. They had very limited time for lesson preparation and other innovations. Strategies such as workload management, providing adequate resources, promoting work-life balance, and offering support for professional development can help alleviate the stress associated with work overload and enhance the quality of teaching and learning. Further, private school teachers in Solukhumbu were not getting the facilities of professional development opportunities like seminars, workshops, research, on-the-job training, and other soft skills workshops from the school administration. To address this issue, it would be essential for private school teachers, school administrators, and relevant stakeholders to collaborate and advocate for the importance of professional development. Additionally, government policies or initiatives that support and incentivize private schools to invest in teacher training and other professional development courses. The responses of all the respondents showed that job security and stability are big worries for them. The survey showed that private school teachers in Solukhumbu had a lot of uncertainty about job security and stability, which is creating stress for the teachers. The school management committee and school administrators should prioritize clear policies regarding employment terms, the school's future plans, bonuses, insurance, retirement plans, disability coverage, and other wellness programs. All 16 respondents from different backgrounds responded that teaching is stressful and sensitive enough to address cultural differences, language barriers, and varying learning styles, which requires extra effort from the teacher. The school management committee and administration should prioritize the pressure of the sociocultural sensitivity of diverse students to the teachers. Limited participation in decision-making can generate stress by undermining teachers' sense of professional value, autonomy, and job satisfaction. Addressing these stressors involves implementing effective feedback mechanisms by the concerned authorities that provide constructive insights, recognize achievements, and support teachers. Maslow's theory is a psychological theory that suggests teachers are motivated by a hierarchy of needs, starting with basic needs and progressing through safety, belongingness, esteem, and self-actualization. While Maslow's theory is primarily focused on motivation, it can be indirectly related to stress management. Implementing these recommendations requires the commitment of school administrators, policymakers, and educators to create a supportive and conducive environment for teaching and learning in private schools.

Knowledge and Attitude regarding Emergency Contraceptive Pills among Non-medical Students of Pokhara University

Introduction: Emergency Contraceptive Pills (ECP) refer to a birth control modality that when used with in certain time limits after unprotected intercourse can prevent an unwanted pregnancy and its adverse outcomes especially unintended births and unsafe abortions. The study aims to assess the knowledge and attitude towards Emergency Contraceptive Pills among non-medical students of Pokhara University. Methods: A cross-sectional research design was used to conduct this study. Study population consisted of students of the School of Business and School of Development and Social Engineering of Pokhara University. A proportionate stratified random sampling technique was used to select 217 students. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were collected in the month of August, 2022 and were then analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentage, mean and SD) and inferential statistics chi-square test. Results: Result revealed that only 36.4% of respondents were aware of ECP, and 28.2% of respondents knew the correct meaning of ECP. Despite the lack of knowledge about ECP, 53.9% respondents showed a favorable attitude towards ECP. None of the demographic variables factors like age, gender, ethnicity, residence, marital status, type of family, and educational level of the respondents were found to be statistically associated with the level of  knowledge. Conclusion: This study concludes that non-medical students tend to have poor knowledge regarding ECP, but a favorable attitude towards ECP. Their demographic characteristics like age, gender, ethnicity, residence, marital status, type of family, and educational level are unlikely to influence their knowledge regarding ECP.

Business Schools’ Students Willingness to Embrace the Principles of Global Ethics in Management Education and Learning

Business Schools’ Students Willingness to Embrace the Principles of Global Ethics in Management Education and Learning

Unveiling Students’ Experiences and Perceptions of Artificial Intelligence Usage in Higher Education

This study explores the utilization and perception of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools among students in higher education. With the growing accessibility of AI technologies, their integration into educational settings presents a new frontier for enhancing learning experiences. This research adopts a mixed-methods approach, including surveys and interviews, to delve into how students employ AI tools and their perceived benefits and drawbacks of AI usage in the context of entrepreneurship education in a business school. The findings reveal a diverse range of AI applications, highlighting benefits such as increased productivity, personalized learning, and enhanced linguistic capability. However, concerns regarding academic integrity, over-reliance on AI, and the need for clear usage guidelines are also identified. This study contributes to the understanding of AI's role in higher education and provides much-needed empirical evidence of AI usage from students’ perspectives. Our findings underscore the importance of balanced, informed, and ethical use of AI tools in higher education.

Economic and geopolitical uncertainty vs energy variables: exploring connectedness in the LNG freight market

ABSTRACT This paper contributes to the literature by applying quantile connectedness methodology to explore the impact of geopolitical and economic uncertainty on the volatility of LNG freight rates. Our findings justify modelling this market using econometric methodologies that depart from the classical Gaussian assumptions. First, we find asymmetric spillover effects between LNG freight rates, uncertainty, and energy variables, with the impact of uncertainty on the LNG rates becoming more intense at the tails of the distribution. Second, we find that the marginal variation in LNG freight rates after a shock is attributable to geopolitical and economic uncertainty, as the energy variables appear to absorb the marginal effects. Our results point to profound spillovers in the LNG freight market resulting from the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and government interventions to mitigate the adverse impact of these developments. These findings contribute to the LNG freight rate risk management. This article is a revised and expanded version of a paper entitled «Assessing the Impact of uncertainty and energy variables on LNG freight rates: A dynamic quantile connectedness analysis» presented at European Financial Management Association (EFMA) 2023 annual conference, Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University, on Thursday, June 29, 2023.

SDGs in master’s theses: a study of a Finnish University of Applied Sciences

PurposeHigher educational institutions, such as universities of applied sciences, have a significant role in promoting progress towards a sustainable future as defined by the United Nations (UN) sustainable development goals (SDGs). This paper aims to identify how the UN SDGs are featured in master’s theses set in work–life contexts.Design/methodology/approachUsing a descriptive review and content analysis, this study identified the number of SDGs appearing in 31 master’s theses. Sustainable development (SD) and corporate social responsibility were reflected using the approaches and models in the literature. Finland’s eight objectives for committing to SD were used to examine the commitments made by the business school of the university of applied sciences to achieve Agenda 2030.FindingsEmphasising the value of higher education for SD, this study found that SDGs three, eight and 12 appeared most frequently in the theses. Sustainable and responsible dimensions reflected several issues concerning both the worlds of business and industry among the firms and organisations investigated by the master’s degree students in the business school at the Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences.Practical implicationsThis research holds practical and pedagogical value, serving to encourage master’s and PhD students to further explore research on SDGs and to shape public policy.Originality/valueSustainability was looked at in a new way as investigated by the theses. Ways to integrate the SDGs into management degree programmes and conduct research in the fields of business administration, tourism and hospitality management were identified.