Higher Education Business Research Articles

Examining the roles of universities in place-based industrial strategy: which characteristics drive knowledge creation in priority technologies?

ABSTRACT Industrial strategies designed to promote innovation in a set of priority technologies through university–industry collaboration essentially institutionalize a triple helix approach to economic development. Yet, treating universities as a generic resource leaves a question mark as to which institutions are most likely to be most useful. In addition, prior evidence of uneven regional distribution of research income in these technologies suggests that place-based interventions may merely lock in pre-existing inequalities. Therefore, by controlling for spatial and temporal variations among UK universities, this paper examines whether their ability to generate knowledge in these priority technologies is dependent upon their entrepreneurial or engaged nature, and strategic orientation. Using data from the UK Higher Education Business & Community Interaction (HE-BCI) survey, the analysis finds that entrepreneurial activities such as higher levels of licensing income, start-ups and patents are associated with higher levels of research income in these priority technologies. Furthermore, higher levels of income from engagement with businesses through collaboration and contract research are also associated with higher research income in these priority technologies, while strategic orientation has no effect.

Virtual Exchange as a Tool for Boosting Students’ Skills for Virtual Negotiations

Recently the virtual organization of work has become of crucial significance. The changes in the work environment induced by the Industry 4.0 revolution are also reflected in the emergence of virtual negotiations. New settings impose new challenges not only for negotiators, but also for higher education struggling to provide students with the best opportunities for comprehensive development. Given the applicability of virtual exchange (VE) in business higher education, the main objective of this paper is to present the usefulness of virtual exchange as a tool to boost students’ skills that are necessary for virtual negotiations. Firstly, the concept of the 4th space was applied to compare the context of virtual negotiations and VE projects. Secondly, the learning outcomes of the VE projects were studied from the perspective of the requirements of virtual negotiations.

American Advocacy to Education System Development: The Case of Albania

Human capital development highly affects any country’s advancement, regardless of its geographical location. The key role of education in development processes stays at the focus of studies for encouraging further progress. The education’s progress has significantly influenced the historical course of Albania during the last 120 years. The establishment and strengthening of secondary and higher education in Albania are among the areas in which U.S. support has been prominent, impacting the country’s development. Tracing the Albanian secondary education system at the beginning of the last century leads to the American contribution in vocational orientation. American expertise and consultancy enabled radical changes to economics and business higher education after the 1990s. New study programs and improved curricula were the prerequisite to adapt higher education to the needs of an economy in transition and a changing labor market. Education systems in any country face the challenge to provide qualified and trained staff, capable managers, and executives to successfully expand their companies and economic activity in general. This venture was harder for Albania and other ex-socialist countries of Eastern Europe during the last years of the 20th century, because of a different education system and mindset inherited from their past. The restructuring of Albanian business higher education was facilitated as it relied on the American long-standing pragmatic tradition and institutional contribution. The paper addresses the history of the higher education changes observed from an individual and institutional viewpoint. The study aims to point out the achievements of the education system in Albania through the support and the impact of the American school. This would assist in a better understanding of Albanian education policies and contemporary processes in a global market.

The Gap between Higher Business Education and Business Expectations: The Case of Poland

Employers expect business school graduates to possess a wide and diverse range of competencies, because the conditions governing the operations of enterprises are subject to constant and dynamic change. Therefore, adjusting study programs to labor market requirements is one of the main challenges faced by higher education institutions, particularly business schools. Therefore, the expectations of potential employers have become an object of detailed study for most universities. The most frequently applied research approach adopted for such studies involves direct surveys of employer opinions, based on various types of questionnaires. An alternative method is textual analysis of job advertisements using analytical tools that automate the research process. The aim of this article is to identify the gap between the business education offer and the expectations of the labor market in Poland, as well as to show the possibility of using the analysis of the contents of job advertisements to identify employer expectations regarding the competencies of university graduates. The presented research is exploratory in nature, with four questions posed by the authors during the research process. The research is innovative with regard to Poland and in relation to graduates of business schools.

Promoting Case-Based Learning in Business Higher Education in the Middle East and North Africa Region

The case method has made inroads as a pedagogical tool that can sharpen students’ analytical skills and better prepare them for the reality awaiting them professionally. Despite its deep-seated origins in the West, the case method remains underused in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The purpose of this study is to explore the main challenges that MENA business higher education institutions face in effecting case-based learning and the key initiatives that may help in addressing them. Building on our extensive experience with case studies production and teaching in the MENA context, and a pioneering exploratory research involving 40 instructors, students, and administrators from three leading business schools in Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia, we shed new light on the skills and contextual challenges that MENA business higher education institutions encounter when implementing the case method. We also propose a framework that integrates a wide range of initiatives to promote case-based learning in MENA. At the heart of this framework is the “community building” effort advocated as a catalyst to support case writing, teaching, solving, and publishing, as well as the development of a culture conducive to an effective deployment of the case method in the specific MENA context.

What Is the Relationship between Higher Education and Neoliberalism in the United States?

What Is the Relationship between Higher Education and Neoliberalism in the United States?

Unleashing frugal innovation in private higher education institutions via intellectual capital: a systematic literature review

Background: Given the persistent challenges to the higher education business model, private higher education institutions (PHEIs) are exploring myriad ways to increase enrolment and income, while aggressively managing spending. Many PHEIs are facing financial distress and struggling because of decreasing budgets and declining revenue. Thus, carving unique strategies that direct the institution to focus on its core competencies, making additional budget cuts without compromising quality, developing new revenue streams, embracing new technology, and offering affordable programs, will ultimately lead to financial success. Frugal innovation (FI) can shed light on these challenges. Methods: This paper presents a systematic literature review to investigate and analyse prior research that focused on FI within the sphere of intellectual capital (IC) and information technology capabilities (ITC) research, and their relationships in PHEIs. Transfield's five phases were employed to extract journal articles published over a thirty-year period (1990 to 2020) from major online databases using keyword searches. Although an initial search generated 76,025 papers, the search for IC and FI yielded 41 papers, and finally only two papers were selected as they clearly related IC with FI. Results: There was a research gap in the literature published from 1990 to 2020 regarding IC applications to achieve FI. This work revealed that IC and ITC research for FI in PHEI remain insufficiently explored. Conclusions: Further research is required on the evaluation model of IC, ITC and FI, methodologies, empirical analysis, and the development of measurement metrics. A limitation to this study is the number of keywords selected.

A learning architecture approach to designing and evaluating learning spaces: an action research study in fashion business higher education

ABSTRACT Within fashion business higher education there is a growing interest in integrating learning with experience in practice settings to improve industry-relevant skills of future professionals. This study addresses the problem of designing an appropriate learning space to achieve a balance between discipline and practical knowledge. This article introduces and applies Wenger’s learning architecture framework to support the design of learning communities in alignment with the pedagogy of design. Data from an action research intervention is evaluated against this framework to illustrate the decision-making process and document significant design elements. It concludes that Wenger’s concepts provide a useful evaluation framework that can be used to inform future interventions and their dissemination.

Resistance to Blended Learning in Business and Public Administration Higher Education

Although resistance to technology is frequent in teaching, when it comes to resistance to Blended Learning (BL) in higher education, research is scarce and rare in literature, especially in the national. Currently, resistance to BL is a significant problem, although such technology has high rates of growth in several countries. The general objective of this research was to identify and analyze the main dimensions of resistance to BL in higher education in Business and Public Administration in Rio de Janeiro/Brazil, in São Paulo/Brazil, in Malaga/Spain and in the city of Porto/Portugal. After the bibliographic review of themes such as BL, Resistance to Technologies and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technologies (UTAUT), a theoretical structure tested explains the resistance to the BL method. Seven dimensions were used: Self-efficiency, IT Skills, Performance Expectancy, Effort Expectancy, Social Influence, Interactivity and Internal Communication, all directly influencing the Resistance construct. The results indicate that the proposed model had a good fit and that the Self-efficiency and IT Skills constructs had a negative influence on Resistance. The Expectancy dimension had a positive and extremely significant impact on the mitigation of resistance to BL adoption. The other dimensions do not form statistically significant, not conforming their influence on the mitigation of resistance to BL. In the comparison between the four universities researched, EAESP-FGV was the one that showed less resistance to BL adoption and Malaga/Spain was the one that showed more resistance to BL adoption.

Towards Knowledge Diplomacy or Sharp Powers in International Higher Education Business of Countries?

Towards Knowledge Diplomacy or Sharp Powers in International Higher Education Business of Countries?

Higher education in business: a model for international students' choice

PurposeWith a considerable increase in international students studying in Asia, Taiwan has become one of the most popular study destinations. The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors and processes leading to the choice of international students studying in Taiwan. In addition, an appropriate model of students' choice that explored the impact of the motivation, career planning and the decision-making process on student's choice was constructed.Design/methodology/approachThis study was conducted using the mixed-methods methodology. A qualitative approach was used for in-depth interviews with 15 international students studying in Taiwan. The data collected from the interviews were used to create questionnaires to survey over 500 participants. The responses were subsequently used for quantitative analysis.FindingsThe results revealed the main factors of the motivation of international students to study abroad in Taiwan. A model of how the students' choice process operated was also provided. The quantitative findings indicated that students' motivation and career planning were significantly correlated, whereas both factors directly affected the decision-making process. On another note, the students' decision-making process remained a mediator between motivation, career planning and students' choice.Originality/valueThis research contributed to methodology development and the practicality of HE management. In addition, a comprehensive model was developed that diagrammatically demonstrated international students' choice in Taiwan.

Rubrics and Teamwork Development in Online Higher Education Business Courses: Exploring the Connection

Rubrics and Teamwork Development in Online Higher Education Business Courses: Exploring the Connection

Before the Neoliberal Campus: University, Place and the Business of Higher Education

This article examines the relationship between the university and physical place over time, setting out the rise of the placed-based higher education institution leading to its current role as an attractant for the academy. The association between campus and community, known as the town–gown relationship, influenced the material form that the university initially took, and this relationship continues to play a prominent role today. However, a new and more globalized outset provokes growth and change in the physicality of the modern neoliberal university, where the campus responds to an increasingly larger market of potential users and investors. The article argues that the business of higher education has always existed and is amplified, rather than instigated, by the globalized knowledge-based economy. While place has become an important aspect of the higher education experience, the creation of knowledge is expressly tied to human organization and spans well beyond the tangible environment.

Teaching Causation and Effectuation in the Large Classroom: A Production–Trade Game

Researchers claim that experiential learning approaches (e.g., gamification) are well-suited to management and entrepreneurship education. However, this research has been conducted mostly in small classroom settings. With the increases in the number of university business students, many business courses have also increased in size. The large classroom setting introduces new pedagogic concerns, in particular regarding the complexity of the teaching–learning environment, as a result of students having diverse educational backgrounds, skills, and learning styles. This article explores this concern in its investigation of the ways in which business higher education can prompt various business behaviors among students in large classrooms.By utilizing the gamification of concepts, we created an experiential learning exercise—the Strategic Business Game. Questionnaire surveys conducted with the 126 university students enrolled into two majors during the game reveal that this educational learning experience prompts the students’ causation and effectuation behaviors. In this educational learning experience, the complexity of the large classroom is seen as an advantage and gives the educators an opportunity to increase the quality of the student interaction. Furthermore, this study emphasizes the appropriateness of experiential learning through gamification on individuals’ business behaviors as revealed in large classes in management and entrepreneurship education.

The Impact of Education for Sustainable Development on Romanian Economics and Business Students’ Behavior

Education for sustainable development (ESD) has presented long-lasting interest for researchers and policy makers. Despite a significant body of research, more in depth empirical studies are required for a better understanding of how sustainable development goals are applied in higher education and how sustainable behavior could be shaped via ESD. The need for this kind of research arises from, first, the scarceness of existing studies that explore economic and business higher education, and, second, the necessity to properly assess the connection between ESD principles and students’ behavior. Following this rationale, the present paper aims to provide an overview of how students’ sustainable behaviors are shaped via their perception of sustainable campus initiatives, teaching staff involvement and curricula. Statistical and econometric analysis applied on data collected via a survey on students from Bucharest University of Economic Studies (N = 1253) provides findings on the extent to which the awareness of sustainable development-specific issues acquired through education leads to sustainable behavior among students. According to the results, we argue that an increasing share of sustainable development topics combined with teaching staff involvement to raise awareness of sustainability issues are crucial to students’ sustainable behavior. However, on-campus actions are unlikely to change behavior unless they are optional rather than compulsory. Our findings ratify that, since education is one of the main drivers of sustainable development, there is an urgent need for coherence in shaping higher education according to sustainability issues.

Human factor in business process management: modeling competencies of BPM roles

PurposeThe study proposes competence models for the roles of process owners, process analysts and industrial engineers based on qualitative research.Design/methodology/approachThe research methodology is a combination of a questionnaire survey and interviewing in Czech companies, which develop the process approach. The proposed competence models can be utilized during business process management (BPM) implementation while appointing process owners, analysts and industrial engineers and their further development.FindingsThis paper emphasizes the role of human factor and presents research results concerning most important BPM roles and their competencies.Research limitations/implicationsThere is lack of research (a research gap) in the field of BPM roles, what they do and what they should do.Practical implicationsA system of competence models is thus a tool for human resource management and should increase the success rate of BPM projects. Another possible utilization is in higher education in business administration.Social implicationsAnother possible utilization is in higher education in business administration.Originality/valueIt proposes competence models for the roles of process owners, process analysts and industrial engineers based on qualitative research.

The challenges and opportunities of using 360-degree video technology in online lecturing: A case study in higher education business studies

Novel technologies can offer many benefits for learning and teaching and employ the constructivist learning theories and pedagogical methods. Using online video streaming the students can be present at the lecture even if they are not physically present at the classroom. 360 video technology allows the user to monitor the learning environment extensively from wider angle than usual camera technology. When using this technology in education it may also pose didactic or pedagogical challenges to the teacher and lead to the rejection of otherwise usable technologies. In this study, we explore the opportunities and challenges associated with using 360 video technology in learning. What didactical and pedagogical challenges are associated to the use of this technology and how these challenges can be overcome? In this study the 360 video technology was tested with business students in higher education settings and students opinions about the usefulness of the technology was inquired. Addition the teacher’s experiences was used in analyzing the challenges and opportunities. From students point of view it was in particular interesting how 360 technology can convey a sense of presence to remote students. The findings seem to indicate that the sense of presence was felt more comprehensive among students who participated online. This could help students to focus more on instructions. On the other hand concentrating profoundly to instructions may lead to better learning experience and outcomes because it empowers situational learning. The most didactical and pedagogical challenges were teachers cognitive overload and inactivity of the technology.

Reorienting business education through the lens of Ernest Boyer

PurposeThis article assesses the ability of Boyer's (1990) four-function definition of scholarship to address critiques of business schools. Boyer's definition of scholarship is presented as the foundation for a paradigmatic shift in higher education in business.Design/methodology/approachThe authors developed this conceptual paper by considering information from three sources: 1) Ernest Boyer's Scholarship Reconsidered: Priorities of the Professoriate, 2) articles by four well-known pundits of business education as well as critiques appearing in the Academy of Management Learning and Education Journal and 3) articles in which Boyer's work was the focal point of the article found by searching Google Scholar, two well-known education journals, a prominent database of education articles and the International Handbook of Higher Education (Forest and Altbach, 2007).FindingsA four-function framework based on Boyer's definition of scholarship is proposed to help improve the operations of business schools. The authors also forward ideological and practical implications related to each of Boyer's four functions.Originality/valueFor several decades now, a number of highly respected business scholars have criticized American business education in its current form. These criticisms, although plentiful, have not fueled the magnitude of change needed to have a significant, sustainable impact on business education. The authors suggest that this lack of change is due, in part, to institutional practices and to the absence of a unified framework for how higher education in business should be executed. The authors argue that Boyer's four-function definition of scholarship could provide such a framework.

A magyar gazdasági felsőoktatás egy nyugati doktori fokozattal rendelkező itthon oktató nézőpontjából – kitörési pontok beazonosítása és egy lehetséges cselekvési terv

Felismerve a magyar uzleti felsőoktatas atalakitasanak elodazhatatlansagat, a cikkben a szerző lefektet egy ehhez alapul szolgalo cselekvesi tervet. Mivel egy ilyen tervhez a nyugati modell ismerete szukseges, a porteri tevekenysegrendszeren keresztul ismerteti a halado nyugati elvrendszer kulcstemait a tamogato tevekenysegekkel egyetemben. Ezzel parhuzamosan bemutatja azt a kiemelkedő nyugat-europai doktori programot, ahol fokozatat szerezte. A kimunkalt cselekvesi terv főbb pontjait szervezeti, szakmaisagbeli es a doktori iskolakat erintő reszekre osztja, kiemelt szerepet szanva egy uj, erdemen alapulo kinevezesi gyakorlat bevezetesenek. Gyorsan megvalosithato intezkedes bevezeteset is javasolja, peldaul a Bolyai-osztondij eseten meghatarozott szamu eves osztondij odaiteleset menedzsmenttudosoknak. A cikk utmutatasai es a levonhato tanulsagok relevansak lehetnek a fő erintett csoportok – gazdasagtudomanyi karok dekanjai, intezetek es tanszekek vezetői, kancellarok es az illetekes allami miniszterium vezetese – szamara. ------ Recognizing the undelayable nature of transforming the business higher education in Hungary, the author lays down in this article the foundations of an action plan. In order to so doing, one needs to deeply know the western model, for which he gives a description on the main themes and supporting activities through Porter’s activity systems map. He also introduces a leading Western European doctoral program in management where he earned his PhD degree. The main points of the action plan cover organizational, professional and doctoral educational issues, with a distinguished role on introducing a widespread merit-based promotion practice. The author also suggests a couple of easily implementable actions, for instance the retailoring of the Bolyai scholarships to the needs of business science. The guidance and lessons to be drawn from this article are of relevance to main stakeholder groups, specifically to deans, heads of institutes and departments, chancellors and the ministry of education.

A Pedagogy to Develop Effective Virtual Teams

ABSTRACT While virtual teams dominate business environments, little attention has been paid to how team leadership, in particular shared leadership, can be reinforced in classrooms. There is a consensus that shared leadership impacts the performance of virtual groups in a positive manner. While higher education in business is aiming to prepare graduates for virtual team leadership and effectiveness, pedagogical practices to orient students to virtual leadership based on quantitative research are lacking. Business school educators need to develop a classroom pedagogy that encourages the growth of shared leadership in virtual groups within students. This paper presents the results of preliminary research that demonstrates that one aspect of the skills of shared leadership, in the form of expertise-based teamwork, contributes to the success of virtual teams in a business class. How this pedagogical practice can be applied to the business setting is discussed. Replication of this work is planned.