Undergraduate Management Programs Research Articles

Factors Affecting Chinese Students’ Selection of Tourism and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Programs

ABSTRACT While China has long been recognized as the primary target market for all tertiary institutions, existing knowledge about factors affecting Chinese students’ choice of tourism and hospitality management (THM) undergraduate programs is surprisingly scarce. The primary objective of this study is to identify key determinants affecting Chinese students’ selection of THM undergraduate programs. Drawing on data provided by Chinese high school graduates who plan to pursue higher education majoring in THM, this study finds Chinese students consider push factors and particularly career prospects, program quality, and career support as highly important factors when they select THM undergraduate programs. Pull factors, such as financial capability and social influence (e.g. advice from friends), are comparatively less influential in Chinese students’ program choice. The robustness of the results is ascertained after cross-comparing the results from data collected before and after the outbreak of COVID-19. The resulting knowledge of this study provides a good foundation for universities’ management to formulate sound marketing strategies that appeal to prospective applicants from China.

A netnographic study of courses in an undergraduate management program at a leading university

Higher education is important for Indonesian society. This research uses a qualitative approach with a virtual netnography method. The purpose of this research is to find out how the implementation of education in the management study program of Universitas Brawijaya and to see which courses need to be developed in the undergraduate management program Universitas Brawijaya. Data collection by browsing the official websites of leading universities that are included in the top 10 QS World rankings domestically and abroad. The initial stage was to select universities according to the top 10 QS rankings. The second stage is to search for courses on the official websites of the selected universities. The third stage is data presentation by coding the search results courses. The next step is to analyze the data with the help of the PIVOT formula in Microsoft Excel. The results of the PIVOT formula are then depicted in graphical form. The results showed that the netnography method can explain the differences in courses applied at leading universities comprehensively. PSSM Universitas Brawijaya has not implemented several courses such as business model, business planning, business analytics, decision making, and innovation management. PSSM Universitas Brawijaya has provided courses following technological developments. Therefore, PSSM Universitas Brawijaya is advised to maintain the current courses and develop courses that have not been implemented.

Assessment of Epidemiology Courses in Health Management Undergraduate Education in Turkey

Abstract
 
 Objective: In today’s ever-changing health sector, health managers need to focus on promoting the health of populations, therefore they need a specialized understanding of epidemiology, as a necessary requirement for population-based management. Epidemiology is acknowledged as an important component of health management undergraduate education, which provides the knowledge and skills that health managers use in their efforts to promote quality of health. This cross-sectional descriptive study aims to assess the extent to which epidemiology is conducted in health management undergraduate programs in Turkey.
 Material and Method: The current curricula of 75 health management undergraduate programs, listed on the Program Atlas of the Higher Education Council, are reviewed through universities' Information Package for National Qualifications Framework for Higher Education to profile the characteristics of epidemiology courses. Descriptive statistics was expressed as mean±standard deviation for continuous variables, frequency and percentage values were used for categorical variables.
 Findings: A total of 60 (80.0%) programs have epidemiology in their curricula, yet the characteristics of these courses, such as their core/elective status, the semesters they are conducted, the weekly contact hours and ECTS credits, and the topics covered in the syllabus vary across programs.
 Conclusion: The findings of this study reveal that there are variations regarding how epidemiology courses are conducted across health management undergraduate programs in Turkey. Apparently this poses a challenge against all efforts to ensure the uniformity of the minimum core competencies among all health management program graduates; and although the Health Management National Core Education Program has been a great starting point towards standardization, there are further steps to be taken to improve the health management undergraduate curricula in Turkey.

Student Perceptions of Program Quality: The Value of the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation in the Strategic Development of Sport Management Curricula

A routine critique of programmatic accreditation in the academic discipline of sport management is the tangible return from investment in specialized accreditation. As the sole accrediting body offering programmatic accreditation in the field of sport management education, the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA) provides members with a systematic outcome-oriented approach to assist in the development of holistic sport management undergraduate and graduate degree programs. A strategic emphasis on professional competencies’ (e.g., Common Professional Components) and student outcomes’ assessment positions COSMA to be of unique value to accredited programs, specifically in the area of curriculum development. Utilizing direct student feedback, this study examined student perceptions of a sport management undergraduate curriculum at a COSMA-accredited institution. Results indicated that undergraduate students found COSMA-accredited sport management courses to be enjoyable, relevant, and of practical value. Findings are illustrative of the significance of programmatic accreditation through COSMA to the sampled institution in both systematic curriculum development and student perceptions of quality.

Investment Knowledge, Self Efficacy, Expected Return, Perceived Risk dan Minat Mahasiswa Berinvestasi Saham

The aim of the research is to empirically prove the influence of investment knowledge, self-efficacy, expected return and perceived risk on students' interest in investing in shares. The population is active students of the Accounting and Management undergraduate study program at the Faculty of Economics and Business, Udayana University. Samples were taken using the proportional stratified random sampling method, obtaining 300 students as respondents. The data analysis technique uses Structural Equation Model-Partial Least Square (SEM-PLS). The results of the analysis show that investment knowledge, self-efficacy, and perceived risk have a positive effect on students' interest in investing in shares. Meanwhile, expected return has no effect on students' interest in investing in shares.Keywords: Interests, Investment Knowledge, Self Efficacy, Expected Return, Perceived Risk

Pedagogical strategies and academic performance in theses seminars: a study in an undergraduate management program in Peru

PurposeWriting a thesis is a difficult endeavor for undergraduate students, especially in management careers, due to the highly practical approach of the discipline. Students often find difficult to understand and apply research methods in concrete research projects, so a proper set of teaching-learning strategies is critical. This study aimed to examine the effect of these strategies on the academic performance of students in two research seminars in an undergraduate management program in Peru.Design/methodology/approachThe research adopted a mixed approach. The quantitative component included a survey of 249 students in both seminars, while the qualitative one involved only some of the students using three focus groups. The corresponding data analysis included stepwise linear regression models and content analysis.FindingsThe study found that a clear course structure, adequate research methods literature, good advisor–student communication and goal planning and achievement were the key determinants of the students' final grades.Originality/valueThis research fills a gap in previous studies on the subject by including a broader set of strategies and by statistically estimating the strategies' effects on academic performance.

Comparative analysis of recreation and recreation management undergraduate education programs in Turkey

Türkiye yükseköğretiminde rekreasyon eğitimi, Spor Bilimleri Fakülteleri/Yüksekokulları bünyesinde rekreasyon ve Turizm Fakülteleri bünyesinde ise rekreasyon yönetimi isimleri ile iki farklı kurumsal çatı ve iki farklı disipliner yaklaşımla verilmektedir. 2000’li yıllardan itibaren her iki kurumsal çatı altında farklı isimde açılmaya başlanan bölüm sayısı, 2020-2021 öğretim yılı itibarı öğrenci kabul eden bölüm esasına göre toplam 49’a ulaşmıştır. Birbirinden farklı iki kurumsal çatı altında faaliyet gösteren rekreasyon ve rekreasyon yönetimi bölümlerinden mezun olan öğrencilerin her ikisi de rekreasyon uzmanı unvanını elde etmektedirler. Bu çalışmanın amacı, iki farklı kurumsal çatının aynı uzmanlığa hizmet eden öğretim programlarını karşılaştırarak, program çıktılarına dayalı olarak unvan becerileri arasındaki farkı ortaya koymaktır. Araştırmada tamsayım biçiminde, Türkiye’de lisans düzeyinde örgün öğretimde öğrenci kabul eden farklı üniversitelerdeki lisans düzeyinde 49 adet Rekreasyon ile Rekreasyon Yönetimi bölümlerini kapsamaktadır. Nitel araştırma deseni olan doküman incelemesi ile gerçekleştirilmiş çalışmada, söz konusu her iki isimdeki bölümlerin web sayfaları üzerinden ulaşılan öğretim programları kapsamında farklı becerilere hizmet eden dersler sekiz başlıkta gruplandırılmış ve nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden doküman analizi yöntemi ile gruplar arası dağılım farklarına ulaşılmıştır. Elde edilen verilere göre, aynı unvanı alan iki farklı başlıktaki öğretim programları arasında dersler baz alınarak, bilgi ve beceriyi etkileyen oldukça yüksek derecede farklılıklar olduğu saptanmıştır.

Implementing virtual reality - building information modeling in the construction management curriculum

As the industry transitions towards incorporating BIM in construction projects, adequately qualified students and specialists are essential to this transition. It became apparent that construction management programs required integrating Building Information Modeling (BIM) into the curriculum. By bringing Virtual Reality (VR) technology to BIM, VR-BIM would transform the architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry, and three-dimensional (3D) immersive learning can be a valuable platform to enhance students' ability to recognize a variety of building principles. The study carries out a methodology for implementing the VR-BIM in the construction management undergraduate program. Based on the previous literature review, in-depth analysis of the program, and accreditation requirements, VR-BIM will be implemented throughout the curriculum by combining stand-alone class and integration in the existing courses method. The challenges that may face the program planning to implement VR-BIM are discussed, and few solutions are proposed. The lab classroom layout appropriate for the applications is designed to be adjusted for several layouts to accommodate all learning styles and objectives. A comparison between different Head-Mounted Display (HMD) headsets is carried out to choose the appropriate equipment for the lab.

Relacional: Easing the Crisis Effects in the Education Sector

ABSTRACT This teaching case addresses the need for change in Relacional’s business strategy, driven by the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Brazilian educational sector in the first half of 2020. The startup is a software warehouse whose systems seek to solve specific problems of educational institutions, from basic to higher level, such as relationship, attraction, and retention of students. In the midst of a scenario of probable crisis in the sector, the partners seek business alternatives to assist educational institutions while wanting to ensure the growth and continuity of the company itself. Applicable in Entrepreneurship, Marketing, and IT courses in undergraduate and graduate Business Management programs, this case addresses concepts of Information Economy, models of offer and pricing of software.

Ensino-aprendizagem da improvisação organizacional: O valor do teatro na educação em administração

Abstract Purpose: This article aims to understand the implications of theatrical improvisation in the teaching and learning processes of organizational improvisation. Originality/value: Management constantly deals with changes and unforeseen events, as research on organizational improvisation has shown for more than two decades. However, managers are still trained to face stable situations and not those of organizational turbulence. Management educators lack teaching and learning options aimed at developing organizational improvisation skills. Design/methodology/approach: The research is based on theories about organizational improvisation, theater improvisation, and management teaching-learning. Several teaching and learning practices of organizational improvisation based on theatrical improvisation were analysed - practices of a curricular component of a Management undergraduate program carried out during six academic terms. The qualitative methodology was based on an artistic approach and several sources of information (short stories, theater, direct observation, press conferences, and documents). Findings: The results are categorized into organized implications between four synergies (logic of practice, practice of the narrative, the creativity, and corporeality) and three entropies (shame to practice, fear of making mistakes, and habit of dispersing) of the use of theatrical improvisation for teaching and learning organizational improvisation in the training of contemporary managers. The research results contribute to the advancement of knowledge about organizational improvisation, as they unfold a proposal for a more precise understanding of teaching and learning of organizational improvisation. This study also enhances the linkage between fields of knowledge (theater and management), increasing of the knowledge that contributes to the advancement of research and practice of teaching and learning organizational improvisation.

Based on a Survey about the Capability Structure Analysis of Bachelor of Credit Management

In order to understand the market demand for credit management professionals, the author conducted a survey on the graduates of the national credit management undergraduate program and the companies and financial institutions engaged in credit management related businesses. By means of questionnaires and interviews, and with the current knowledge about the situation of credit management undergraduate talent training, the author identified the problems of credit management talent training and thought about the development of talent training.

The US experience of management programs curriculum design: The recommendations for improving management curricula in Ukraine

Introduction. The paper analyzes the issue of curriculum design of management programs in Ukraine. Taking into account the employers’ dissatisfaction with the skills of management graduates in Ukraine, the author studies the features of curriculum design of undergraduate management programs in Ukraine comparing them with the US ones.
 Purpose. The purpose of the study was to compare the curriculum design of American and Ukrainian management programs to find out the differences and similarities in order to develop recommendations for making Ukrainian management curricula more relevant to the needs of Ukrainian business community.
 Methods. The study analyzes the curriculum design of three American and three Ukrainian management programs in higher education. The comparative analysis of American and Ukrainian management curricula included three lines: the analysis of required and elective courses, program contents, and the number of credits.
 Results. The comparative data received allow to define the five trends in curriculum design of Ukrainian management programs. Firstly, American management programs contain less credits in comparison with Ukrainian ones (3.85 vs. 5 credits per course; required courses: 122.3 vs. 240 credits; elective courses: 76 vs. 30 credits). Secondly, American management programs offer less subjects comparing with Ukrainian analogs – 24 vs 33 subjects per program. The comparative analysis reveals that this variety of disciplines is due to the double subjects in Ukrainian management curricula. Thirdly, the curricula of American management programs provide more subjects related to the development of soft skills, whereas their Ukrainian analogs still more focus on theoretical foundations of management. Fourthly, both types of curriculum assume studying economic theory and organizational behavior theory in-depth, but lack the courses related to the sustainable development issues. Finally, American management programs are more universal and globally focused, whereas Ukrainian management curricula contain a lot of locally-oriented types of courses.
 Conclusion. The paper allows to conclude that Ukrainian management programs are too overloaded with the same type subjects, credits, and theoretical knowledge. Based on the comparative analysis provided, it is recommended to decrease the number of credits and double subjects, but implement the disciplines related to the development of soft skills and global competencies of Ukrainian future managers.

Career trajectories in a technology management-HRD programme

ABSTRACT This ‘perspectives on research’ paper presents the first stage of an innovative in-progress study aimed at understanding the career trajectories of graduates of a technology management undergraduate program with a strong integration of a human resource development component. The program is housed in the College of Education at an American University and started graduating students in 2008. The scope of work is limited to obtaining critical information to the institution on the career trajectories of its graduates and to provide perspectives on research to the HRD community through an online survey instrument (first stage of the study). The total amount of alumni, approximately 500, were invited via postal mail and phone calls and 75 responded to the survey, a simple 4 open-ended questionnaire that included demographic information. This online survey, first stage of the study, provided participants’ responses that were qualitatively analysed. The results are presented here in the form of strengths and weakness of the program. Some of the findings include females’ perception of their gender as a factor affecting their careers and an almost generalized petition for courses more focused on technology content. Also, aspects of career development from classic HRD literature are discussed and presented here.

Lady mosquito at NPS Mumbai

Theoretical basis The term emotional intelligence was coined by the researchers Peter Salavoy and John Mayer. The concept was popularized by Daniel Goleman through his book Emotional Intelligence published in 1996. According to Salavoy and Mayer (1990), emotional intelligence consists of a set of skills hypothesized to contribute to the accurate appraisal and expression of emotion in oneself and in others, the effective regulation of emotion in self and others and the use of feelings to motivate, plan and achieve in one’s life. Research methodology The case study uses two sources of information, namely, primary and secondary. Dr Dev, a senior training and development manager with a multinational company constituted the primary source. The secondary source consisted of information publicly available on various websites. The case has been disguised for various reasons. Case overview/synopsis Lady mosquito at NPS Mumbai is a case study on emotional intelligence, a much sought-after concept in management education, but not many case studies have been written on the topic. This case involves an interaction that took place between a facilitator and a learner, and it highlights the importance of emotional intelligence in day-to-day communication. The use of emotional intelligence will manifold improve the ability of the facilitator to understand the learners’ behavior in the classroom. This will further enhance the effectiveness of learning, as the motivated facilitator/trainer will be more committed to engaging the learners in their educational activities. Complexity academic level This case has been developed to be used in postgraduate and undergraduate management programs. This case can also be used in management development programs for executives. As the case provides a basic understanding of human behavior and thereby teaches to manage others just by managing oneself. As the case revolves around a facilitator and the learner, it can also be used in the trainer program for facilitators who desire to conduct training programs or want to take teaching as a full-time career.

Experiência Emocional na Educação Empreendedora: Emoção como Dinâmica de Aprendizagem

Poucas pesquisas propõem um tipo de educação empreendedora baseada na experiência, apesar de grande parte das pesquisas alegarem que a experiência é fundamental na formação do empreendedorismo. Se a experiência torna-se o eixo da educação, não podemos pensar a experiência sem emoção. A relação entre emoção e educação empreendedora com base na experiência precisa ser melhor compreendida. O objetivo deste artigo é desenvolver conhecimento sobre essa relação, com base no conceito de dinâmica emocional e no estudo empírico de práticas educacionais, junto aos estudantes do curso de graduação em administração em uma universidade brasileira. A partir da análise de informações provenientes defontes diversas (observação sistemática, documentos, entrevistas e fotos), a dinâmica emocional que sustenta a educação empreendedora é descrita, categorizada e discutida. Os resultados da pesquisa contribuem para aperfeiçoar o arcabouço teórico dos estudos sobre educação empreendedora, além de oferecer uma reflexão sobre como as emoções são fundamentais para compreender o processo de ser empreendedor.

The influence of psychological capital on graduates’ perception of employability: the mediating role of employability skills

ABSTRACT This study investigated the influence of psychological capital on the acquisition of employability skills among final-year university students. The study also looked into whether employability skills played a mediating role in the relationship between psychological capital and employability as perceived by undergraduates. With a time-lagged design and a sample of 326 students in their last year in a Business Administration and Management undergraduate program, the results showed that the increase in students’ psychological capital had a positive and direct effect on the increase in the level of competence shown in employability skills. On the other hand, the results revealed that entrepreneurial initiative was the only employability skill that plays a mediating role in the relationship between psychological capital and the employability perceived by students. Therefore, interventions designed to increase the perceived employability of undergraduate students should include components that focus on developing their psychological capital and entrepreneurial initiative.

Sustainability for Brazilian management students: integrity and opportunism

This paper investigates the perspective of students in the undergraduate management program of a Brazilian public university regarding the notion of sustainability. A quantitative survey was carried out, and data were collected through triangulation by combining documentary research and submission of a questionnaire to a sample of 233 students (30.98% of the population size) from both shifts of the course (morning and evening). Data analysis was carried out through the SPSS software and the use of descriptive statistics as well as nonparametric tests. The synthesis of the results reveals that, according to the respondents’ perspective, the classic notion of sustainability, which entails an equitable treatment of the economic, social–cultural, and environmental dimensions, takes different positions when comparing the expected behavior and the actual behavior. In the first case, the notion of sustainability is oriented by the morals of integrity with long-term orientation and, in the second, it is guided by the morals of opportunism with a short-term orientation. The results indicate that the introduction of the topic of “sustainability” in the undergraduate management program deserves rethinking, especially through a holistic approach of integration and synthesis. Additionally, the results elicit reflections on the process of managers’ education, especially because there is evidence that the profit-targeted, functionalist educational model still prevails over the logic of a sustainability-targeted education.

A basic content proposal on sustainability for management undergraduate courses

This paper aims to propose a basic content for teaching sustainability in undergraduate Management programs, covering a range of topics considered as critical for future professionals’ background. Although the existence of several studies on how to incorporate sustainability in higher education, just a few focus on “what” is to be taught, which is the focus of this paper. This exploratory study had two stages. First, a survey of the professional demands regarding sustainability by organizations was carried out, according to specialists. Secondly, we researched the knowledge in sustainability by undergraduate Management students from a recognised university in Brazil. Data analysis was based on exploratory factor analysis. The research presented 38 sustainability topics split into three major subjects organized according to their content to structure a core sustainability curriculum as an initial proposal. This proposal is not a set of unrelated subjects, disconnected from the context of the course, but complementary. Despite the barriers to the inclusion of sustainability in universities, particularly in countries with problems in education, instructors, and academic managers can use a basic content as we propose as a starting point to embed sustainability into students’ background, and consequently leading to wider sustainable impacts on society.

Implementation of Team Teaching in Construction Management Education

Evidence suggests that team teaching is linked to significant tangible and intangible benefits to students, academic staff, and institutions. Partnering with industry participants is an emerging trend of team teaching in the higher education sector. Partnering with industry participants in curriculum design and unit delivery will ensure that students learn about important industry developments and help students improve their employability. It also will be helpful for academic staff to engage with the industry. Team teaching has been piloted at the School that the Authors are working at and the outcomes were very positive. In 2020, team teaching is required to be implemented in another core unit of Construction Management Undergraduate Program. By addressing the lessons learnt in implementing team teaching in the Authors’ units and being guided by previous research, a plan to implement Team Teaching in this core unit is presented in this paper. This plan will be evaluated and improved after each semester and it will be redeveloped with the industry partner every 3 years.

Fostering Information Literacy in the Management Education at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy

This paper illustrates the information literacy (IL) strategy in an undergraduate Management program at U.S. Coast Guard Academy. The paper exemplifies a sequential approach that improves students’ capabilities to evaluate and apply information in a specifically designed learning environment while generating new knowledge in undergraduate business coursework. The paper also emphasizes how IL can be developed within management coursework through a six-step process, including defining, locating, selecting, organizing, presenting, and assessing. This specially designed framework of IL learning can be applied across all relevant courses using specially designed assignments in the Management major.