Freshman Business Students Research Articles

Factors related to first-year retention rate in a public minority serving institution with nontraditional students

The authors present a comprehensive study to identify factors that affect the retention rate of first-time freshman business students in a large four-year public university. Factors include background academic and demographic variables, current performance indicators, and course-taking patterns. Based on a logistic regression model and comparison between nonretained students and students who graduate on time, the authors determined that sex, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, grade point average, academic standing, and performance in foundational and remedial courses were significant predictors of nonretention. Underrepresented students were found to struggle more in college and be at a significantly higher risk for nonretention than were others with socioeconomic or financial reasons playing a big role along with poor academic performance.

Further Understanding Factors that Explain Freshman Business Students’ Academic Integrity Intention and Behavior: Plagiarism and Sharing Homework

Academic integrity (AI) violations on college campuses continue to be a significant concern that draws public attention. Even though AI has been the subject of numerous studies offering explanations and recommendations, academic dishonesty persists. Consequently, this has rekindled interest in understanding AI behavior and its influencers. This paper focuses on the AI violations of plagiarism and sharing homework for freshman business students, examining the factors that influence a student’s intention to plagiarize or share homework with others. Using a sample of more than 1300 freshman business students over 2 years, we modeled intent to plagiarize and intent to share homework using factors in the Theory of Planned Behavior in addition to past violation behavior and moral obligation (feelings of guilt). Based on the results of this study, attitude, perceived behavioral control, subjective norm, and in addition past behavior and moral obligation, were found to significantly influence an individual’s intention to violate academic integrity (for plagiarism and sharing homework when asked not to do so), explaining 33 and 35 % of the variance in intention to commit an AI violation for sharing homework and plagiarism, respectively. These results contribute to a better understanding of individuals’ motivations for plagiarizing and sharing homework, which is a necessary step toward reducing academic integrity violations.

Integrating Financial Literacy Concepts into the Introductory Financial Accounting Course

Financial illiteracy is a growing problem in this country and college students are amongst those not knowing enough about personal finance. However, few colleges and universities require or offer a course in personal finance, but we believe accounting educators are uniquely qualified to improve their students’ financial literacy. This paper describes an effective and efficient way to introduce some basic personal finance concepts to freshman business students in a Financial Accounting course while minimizing class time. In addition, the assignments require an active writing learning approach which addresses the numerous calls for incorporation of writing assignments into the business school curriculum. The assignments improved students’ interest in personal finance, made connections to the Financial Accounting course creating a more interesting and relevant course, and provides a rewarding teaching experience for instructors. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:Table Normal; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Calibri,sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Times New Roman; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}

Engaging Learners in the Finance Discipline: Active Based Learning with Freshman Business Students

A master teaching approach was used during a session of introductory finance to provide high impact teaching practices for a large class of 190 freshman business students. To teach financial markets, an active-based learning approach was used, and the students participated in a simulated New York Stock Exchange trading floor. Using volunteers as market specialists, students traded fictional shares and submitted a portfolio assignment after the trading session. Active-based learning generated excitement toward meaningful student engagement about financial markets.

Information literacy competency of freshman business students of a private university in Bangladesh

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to assess basic information literacy (IL) competency and the perception of IL behaviour of freshman undergraduate business students of Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB).Design/methodology/approachFreshman business students were asked to fill a set of structured and sample questions which assessed their level of information skills and basic IL behaviour. The questionnaire incorporated different questions concerning their previous experience of information use and access to information sources.FindingsIt has been found that IUB freshman business students require more competencies to solve information‐related problems. Before answering the questions and statements of the questionnaire, most of them mentioned that they are aware of IL and they think they have IL‐related efficiencies. But the competency results showed that only one‐fourth of them gave correct answers. Regarding the concluding statement, most of them realized that they need information literacy education (ILE) to solve their information‐related problems.Originality/valueThis assessment related to IL is the first in any private university in Bangladesh, which will foster more research to design valid and relevant curricula of ILE for the students of IUB and possibly the wider higher education community in Bangladesh.

English

The objective of the study was to determine how well recent senior high school graduates understand basic consumer financial concepts and to ascertain those financial topics for which a significant proportion of students admit to not having knowledge. The sample for this research consisted of first-year degree students with a business major at the University of Cape Coast. There were 343 out of 613 business-major first-year students enrolled in the school of business that were tested on 20 multiple-choice questions dealing with basic knowledge of financial issues, which should be understood in order to function in everyday life. Of these, 190 were male and 152 were female. The highest test score was 75% and was achieved by 1 student only and the lowest was 5% and was achieved by 7 students. The average score was 35.87% for all students and the median score was 35%. Unlike most previous studies, students were offered the opportunity to respond “don’t know” to each question. On 15 of the 20 questions, more students selected the incorrect answers than those selecting “don’t know” answer.   Key words: Knowledge, personal finance, freshmen business students, Ghana.

University Students Development Of Emotional Intelligence Skills For Leadership

The study was conducted to add to the knowledge base and further the understanding of Emotional Intelligence and leadership theory. Freshmen business students enrolled in BUAD 1201: Principles of Business Administration and graduating senior business students enrolled in MGMT 4325: Decision Making and Business Policy class provided the data for the descriptive study of student profiles. Some interesting and relevant findings were found in developing both the first-year freshmen profiles and graduating senior student profiles. When examining the range in which first-year freshmen students and graduating seniors fell, the results indicated that both groups of students fell within the same range for all areas of the Personal Excellence Map (PEM), which were develop, strengthen, and enhance categories of personal excellence and leadership. The data provided a general benchmark of Emotional Intelligence skills as described by the PEM. With the exception of Positive Influence area of skill, the PEM skill areas in the five dimensions were in strengthen and enhance categories of development for first-year freshmen and graduating senior students. This study developed benchmarks of development and a rationale for initiating development of Personal Excellence skills for university students in business.

Today's Learner, Preferences In Teaching Techniques

The computer age is here. Students are tuned in to the latest digital devices and methods available today. Most students are exposed to short messages with video enhancements. This gives rise to a student who gets frustrated and bored with the standard lecture technique of years past. To achieve a greater effectiveness and learning outcome in delivering a lecture and subsequent learning, the professor has to know and understand the changes that are occurring in today’s learner. This paper presents findings of a study comparing the perceptions of first year freshmen business students’ with upper class business students’ perceptions as to how learning and assessment should occur in the classroom. The study also evaluates the differences between the various types of business majors.

The Influence Of Ethics Instructions On Ethical Judgment Of Minority Students

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Recent ethical scandals in corporate America have brought to the fore the issue of ethics in business. Many have questioned the role of the American educational system in general and the business school curriculum in particular for failing to inculcate in students and future business leaders good ethical standards. This exploratory study examines the influence of ethics instruction on the ethical judgment of students. Business students in an accredited (AACSB International) business program who have taken at least two formal courses in business ethics were compared to engineering seniors and freshmen business students who had not been introduced to formal instructions in ethics. Respondents were exposed to realistic ethical business scenarios dealing with conflict of interest transactions and personal integrity. The results showed a significant difference between the two groups of respondents on conflict of interest scenarios but no difference on personal integrity scenarios. Implications are considered for ethics education.</span></span></p>

Managers and Students as Newsvendors: How Out-of-Task Experience Matters

We compare how freshmen business students, graduate business students and experienced procurement managers perform on a simple inventory ordering task.We find that, qualitatively, managers exhibit ordering behavior similar to students, including biased ordering towards average demand. Experience, however, affects subjects’ utilization of information. The managers’ work experience seems most valuable when there is only historical demand data to guide decision making, while students better utilize analytical information and task training. As a result, when information necessary to solve the problem to optimality is added to historical information, students catch up to the managers, and students with classroom experience in operations management outperform managers.

Perception versus Reality—Determining Business Students’ Computer Literacy Skills and Need for Instruction in Information Concepts and Technology

Many colleges and universities require incoming students to demonstrate a prescribed level of computer proficiency. Currently, many educational institutions offer introductory computer courses to assist students in meeting this requirement. Other institutions are considering eliminating introductory computer courses with the expectation that students will demonstrate adequate computer knowledge through the proficiency examination. This assumes that students have acquired both computer knowledge (concepts) and computer skills (applications) in high school or through other personal experiences. Giving the students the option of taking a computer proficiency exam in lieu of a required course allows students to take other required, elective, or optional courses that will assist them in completing their degree requirements. However, not offering the introductory computer skills course may, likewise, be detrimental to students who would otherwise benefit from the knowledge gained from such a course. Thus, a study of 140 incoming business freshmen was developed to determine if students had adequate computer knowledge and skills to exempt the introductory computer fundamentals course. Using online testing software, students were tested on both computer skills (Excel) and computer concepts that students are expected to master at the completion of an introductory computer fundamentals course. Overall, the findings revealed that the students’ average test scores were 60 percent, which is significantly below passing. This study also found that only 36 percent of the students tested could exempt or “test out” of the course if given that option. Students not able to exempt the course demonstrated a mean gain or improvement of 26 points in the Excel post test and 23 points in the Computer Concepts post test following course instruction. This data indicates that course instruction was effective for students not able to exempt the course and achieved the desired effect of providing meaningful knowledge in information technology concepts and skills. Based on these findings, it was concluded that incoming business students lack the necessary computer knowledge, skills, and abilities to pursue their undergraduate degree programs. It is recommended that freshman business students need an introductory computer course that includes both Information Systems (IS) con

LEARNING DEVELOPMENTAL COACHING THROUGH EXPERIENCE.

Few MBA Programs provide preparation for the increasingly important management role of coach. This paper reports on one such effort. Students in a second-year MBA elective in leadership, as part of their participation in the course, serve as coaches in an assessment program, similar to a developmental assessment center, for freshmen business students. MBA leadership students and alumni are trained to coach the freshmen through observation of their behavior in structured exercises, working with other coaches to develop a feedback and coaching plan for the students, and conducting an individual coaching interview. This is the first opportunity that many MBA students have had to engage in a helping relationship. Questionnaires and writing assignments, completed by the MBA students, illuminate some of the key challenges that management coaches must confront. Developmental coaching requires that the coach carefully observe both individual and context, support the individual's expression of a personal learning ...

Student Perceptions of Persons With Psychiatric and Other Disorders

Policy shifts toward fostering community inclusion of persons with disabilities have brought community attitudes (including attitudes of professionals) into sharper focus as a cause for concern. Using a social distance scale, this study examined the attitudes of cohorts of occupational therapy and business students toward persons with psychiatric and other disorders. Contrary to expectations, occupational therapy seniors did not demonstrate significantly different attitudes from occupational therapy freshmen. Although freshman occupational therapy students expressed a desire to maintain less social distance from persons with various disabilities than did freshman business students, there was nonetheless a hierarchy of preference for persons with certain disabilities over others. This order of preference had only weak stability between cohorts, with persons with psychiatric disabilities consistently ranking among the least favored. It is proposed that occupational therapy curricula attend to students' attitudes toward persons with psychiatric and other disabilities. To this end, certain strategies to enrich students' education are suggested.