MBA Program Research Articles

Responsible Leadership in the Manager–Employee Relationship

Research questions:The aim of this study is to explore and conceptualize responsible leadership. The topic is viewed from the viewpoint of the dyadic level between managers and employees. The following research questions are answered: What principles do managers and employees perceive as being significant for responsible leadership in the manager–employee relationship? What social contexts in the relationship call for the principles to occur? To whom do the parties place responsibility for the advancement of the principles?Theory:The study draws on relational leadership theory as well as literature on responsible leadership. Responsible leadership is understood as a dynamic and contextual process of social construction through relationships between managers and employees rooted in principles, which guide the parties’ actions.Type of the case:An explorative case study strategy was adopted. Two executive MBA groups are the cases through which the research phenomenon, responsible leadership, is explored. The data consists of a sample of 22 participants in the groups. Content analysis was used to analyse the data.Basis of the case:The participants in the executive MBA groups offer real-life data from which the results can be built. The participants represent professionals who have a broad and versatile perspective to leadership issues from the viewpoint of employee and manager. In general, an executive MBA programme advances its participants’ competency to reflect and analyse leadership topics.Findings:Conceptualization that shows the principles of responsibility in leadership—fairness, empowerment, openness, trust and caring—and their contextual and dynamic nature in the manager–employee relationship was formed.Discussions:This case study implies that exercising responsible leadership is produced differently in different social contexts: in some contexts the manager is expected to take the lead and be in charge, while at other times it is expected that practising responsible leadership principles will be shared between partners. A limitation is that this study explored its topic only at the dyadic level between manager and employee.

Consumer surplus and budget constrained preference maximization: A note

The paper attempts to rectify what appear to be popular but elementary misconceptions about the concept of consumer surplus in the context of Marshallian demand curves. It is primarily addressed to teachers of microeconomics at the undergraduate level or in MBA programs of business schools. The main text informs the reader about the model/context and the results we are concerned with, all of the latter being a comprehensive teaching note, relegated to an appendix of the paper. Thus, the potential instructor may use the main text to motivate himself/herself and at the same time inform his/her students as to the topic i.e. the rehabilitation of consumer surplus as an exact measure of welfare from the stand-point of cost benefit analysis. Thereafter the appendix can be referred to for a more formal presentation. The technical results contained in the appendix begin by showing that willingness to pay is the area under the demand curve if and only if consumers are surplus maximizers. The last result in the appendix is a theoretically ‘happy ending’ since it shows that for purposes of applied economics, budget constrained preference maximization implies surplus maximization and hence for such consumers, willingness to pay is indeed the area under the demand curve up to the quantity consumed.

Using Conjoint Analysis to Understand a Regional MBA Market

As universities experience a declining number of applicants for their MBA programs, business schools are pressured to adjust their curriculum. This paper suggests using conjoint analysis to understand the needs of prospective students. The authors segmented the market preferences toward the university’s MBA program into three groups – high, medium and low utility. The high utility group preferred the current program, the low group would likely never consider it, but the medium group could be enticed with programmatic changes. The findings suggest that an increase in applications could occur by addressing the needs of the medium group.

Towards a More Inclusive Accounting Academy

This essay provides descriptive evidence on the state of underrepresented minority (“URM”) PhD faculty in the accounting academy. The number of URMs in the accounting academy has almost tripled since the inception of The PhD Project in 1994. Despite that growth, the proportion of URM faculty in the academy remains less than 5% of all accounting PhD faculty. More than 60% of the URM faculty earn their PhDs at research-intensive institutions, however, these institutions do not generally employ accounting URM PhDs. Moreover, the employment rate for accounting URM PhDs at the nation’s top ranked universities and MBA programs remains low. URM accounting faculty representation in leadership roles at accounting journals and the American Accounting Association is also low relative to their numbers in the academy. Although URM faculty are largely excluded from leadership roles, they have made contributions to accounting research that are on par with productivity metrics for all accounting faculty (e.g., publishing 354 articles of which 126 appear in the top 3 elite accounting journals and over 200 in the top 6 (‘A') journals in the field). As the first report on the state of the academy, this essay provides a review of relevant existing literature and offers suggestions for future research on URM accounting faculty. This essay also includes recommendations for improving the recruitment and retention of URM accounting faculty, and transparency in the publication process aimed at achieving greater inclusiveness in the accounting academy.

Changing the quality mindset at Ashok Leyland (Parts A and B)

Theoretical basis Change in culture brought about by effective leadership is at the core of this case. Therefore, two broad topics can be discussed using this case: organizational culture change and Change Leadership OR Role of leaders in organzational change. Research methodology The case was prepared using primary data collected through a series of interviews conducted with participants of the change process. The participants included R. Sivanesan, Senior Vice President (Quality, Sourcing and Supply Chain) of Ashok Leyland, many members of the quality team, production department, HR executives and members of the marketing team. Secondary data in the form of an interview of Mr Vinod Dasari published in a popular magazine Autocar Professionals and organizational documents/presentations used during the change process were also used to build the case. Case overview/synopsis In 2011, when Vinod Dasari took over as the Managing Director and CEO of Ashok Leyland (AL), he hired R. Sivanesan. The quality standards of the vehicles produced in the AL plants in 2011 was far from satisfactory. He decided to change this. Part A of the case discusses the challenges faced by Sivanesan and Vinod Dasari in bringing about a change in the quality management practices at AL. Part B discusses the steps they actually took and the change that resulted from it. Learning objectives At the end of the case discussion, the participants will be able to develop an understanding of the various aspects of organizational culture and how it manifests itself; become aware of the underlying causes of resistance to change; critically evaluate and apply various theories of change management; create an action plan for changing the culture of any organization; and appreciate the role of leaders as change agents. Complexity academic level The central theme in this case is managing culture change within organizations through effective leadership. Instructors teaching courses in organizational theory, organization structure/culture and leadership will find this case relevant. It is primarily intended for use in MBA and Executive Education programs in Management.

A Conjoint Analysis of MBA Market Preferences When Choosing a University in Indonesia

As the master’s education market continues to expand, Indonesia will be amongst the key markets, especially for the MBA program. Universities are faced with challenges and opportunities in acquiring the increasing MBA market. The present study uses conjoint analysis to explore Indonesia’s MBA market preferences in choosing a university by examining the tradeoffs made on attributes considered important in decision making, which has not previously been discussed. Therefore, the present study fills a gap in the research and aids practitioners in understanding the preferences of the MBA market in Indonesia, thus enabling them to design a program and marketing strategy accordingly. The results show that total tuition fees and lecturing time are the most critical attributes. Thus, attributes defining quality were found not to be of significant concern, while programs that offer alternatives in reducing financial burden and time were more valued.

A Fulbright Scholar\u2019s report on textiles and apparel education in Myanmar

Myanmar, once known as Burma, has a substantial history in the textiles and apparel industry. In the past, the nation’s contribution to the industry was small compared to that of other Asian nations. However, Myanmar’s global trade in textiles and apparel products has increased dramatically after the European Union suspended its sanctions in 2013 and after the United States issued a waiver and general license in 2012 (Kent, Can manufacturing succeed in Myanmar, http://www.forbes.com/sites/connorconnect/2012/10/18/can-manufacturing-succeed-in-myanmar/#73630e4c4b7d, 2012). This trend is expected to continue, with Myanmar’s apparel exports projected to more than double by 2020, reaching $4 billion (www.fibre2fashion.com). Given the economic growth potential of the textiles and apparel industry, it is imperative for Myanmar to support textiles and apparel education regarding design, product development, retailing, and marketing. The author served as a U.S. Fulbright Scholar to Myanmar for the 2018–2019 term. She taught a course in the MBA program at Yangon University of Economics in Yangon, Myanmar, in addition to working in the Myanmar fashion industry to support fashion entrepreneurs using traditional Myanmar textiles and designs. In this report, the author provides her insight on the current status of Myanmar’s textiles and apparel education, along with information on the textiles and apparel industry in Myanmar.

How Constituents Evaluate Configurations of Status and Conformity

Recent management research on institutional pluralism has surfaced that today’s organizations typically face multiple – oftentimes competing - institutional expectations. Despite this recognition, research on institutional pluralism remains circumscribed in two important ways: First, the existing literature typically assumes that pluralistic organizations straddle two sets of competing expectations, rarely more. Second, competing expectations are represented and evaluated by discrete sets of constituents with unidimensional expectations, for example when investors only evaluate financial aspects, and environmentalists only environmental aspects of firms. Examples that challenge these two assumptions abound, for instance when impact investors evaluate firms holistically based on their financial, environmental, and social performance. Where individual constituents have those multidimensional expectations, we argue, they holistically evaluate how organizations conform with multiple, interdependent expectations. Yet, such configurational approaches to evaluating pluralist organizations are currently absent from the literature. To address this gap, we conducted a fuzzy-set configurational analysis of 117 international business schools to uncover the configurations through which prospective students evaluate how MBA programmes conform with their expectations. Based on our analysis, we make three contributions to the literature on institutional pluralism. First, we explain how organizations are evaluated holistically as configurations of multiple interdependent, rather than independent expectations represented by individual constituents. Second, by doing so we add to current accounts of institutional outcomes. We extend current, binary accounts of the existence or demise of pluralist organizations to consider social evaluations as a more nuanced outcome of pluralism. Third, we provide new insights about how configurations of conformity and status interact in producing holistic evaluations in the context of institutional pluralism.

Developing a Curriculum on Organisation Behavior Training From an African Perspective

The title of this book is: ‘Organisational Behavior from An African perspective.’ Take a close look at the society around you. You would find the existence of several organisations. To mention a few, the business organizations that produce goods or services, hospitals, religious and social institutions like charities, schools, colleges and universities. All these organisations exist to achieve pre-determined objectives. They affect our lives in many ways. Though there are vast differences in their functioning and approaches, they all strive to achieve certain objectives. It must also be noted that organizations cannot achieve the objectives effortlessly. They are achieved through systematic effort. Several activities have to be performed in a cohesive way. In the absence of systematic and cohesive performance of the activities to achieve the objectives, it is no wonder that the resources of organisations would be underutilized. As such, it is the function of the management to facilitate the performance of activities such that the accomplishment of the objectives becomes possible. It is common to hear from managers, CEOs, engineers, and all kind of professionals that organisational behavior (OB) is a key strategic issue and a source of competitive advantages of all organisations. Indeed, issues related to organisational behavior are among the most relevant decisions that managers need to take if they want to answer proactively to the challenges faced by the organisations. Having an MBA can be the answer. However, due to time and money constraints, not always these professionals are able to obtain a MBA. Not only the time and schedule needed to obtain the MBA are not compatible with their professional availability, but also the prices established by the most reputable business schools are not accessible to these professionals. Conscious of this reality, the authors of this book, have developed through this volume, a curriculum of subjects usually presented in an MBA programme, focusing on challenges managers face in their daily activities. The emphasis in this book are subjects related to strategic and operational human resource management, organisational behavior, equal opportunities and diversity management. Based on the core subjects presented in this book, everyone interested will be able to obtain the necessary knowledge that can be applied as a whole to a variety of real-world business situations. We thank all our colleagues who went through the first draft of the book. Dr Emmanuel Innocents Edoun of the Johannesburg University and Tshwane University of Technology in Pretoria, Dr Polycarpe Feussi of the Johannesburg University in South Africa, Dr Lawrence Kok from the Vaal University of Technology in South Africa, and Dr Florence Nisabwe from the Foundation Lance d’Afrique Burundi were valuable assets during the write-up. We thank them all!

Career Adaptability: The Role of Developmental Leadership and Career Optimism

Researchers suggest contextual and personal factors may interact to predict career adaptability and that antecedents of career adaptability have received less research attention. Consequently, we examined the relationship between developmental leadership, career optimism, and career adaptability, and the potential moderating role of career optimism. Data were collected from workers pursuing an MBA program in leadership and other business courses in a Ghanaian University. Results showed that developmental leadership and career optimism relates positively to career adaptability. Finally, we observed developmental leadership relates positively to career adaptability for employees low on optimism but was unrelated to career adaptability for employees high on optimism. Together, the results suggest that although both developmental leadership and career optimism are beneficial for career adaptability, developmental leadership is particularly important, for less optimistic employees. We have discussed implications and limitations of our findings.

Teaching Multi-Stakeholder Sustainable Innovation

Higher education has a crucial role to play in the global transition sustainable devbelopment. A shift from an educational paradigm that teaches linear and unsustainable innovation activity, to one that teaches circular and sustainable innovation activity, is a fundamental requirement if global sustainable development goals are to be met through future innovation. The educational model currently forming the foundation for most MBA programs remains primarily focused on teaching maximization of shareholder profit within a private, for-profit business context. A ‘sustainable’ business is usually defined as one that has successfully met purely financial goals for the benefit of shareholders, often ignoring other vital stakeholder interests, most importantly: natural, human and social capital. On the base of UACU we grounded that today models of business instruction must focus student innovation activity on the design and implementation of multi-stakeholder innovations. Innovations that meet a need or solve a problem within foundational sectors of civilization. Innovations that are adaptable and applicable to widely divergent sectors, from private for-profit business to social charities. Business education must be built upon a foundation of analytic skills, an ethical framework, and a commitment to promoting ‘sustainable’ innovations.

Expansion plan of Central Tiffin Room: a case on accounting

Learning outcomes The case presents students with the opportunity to do the following: students can pre-work questions; understand the relevant factors to be considered in the decision to expand; and list out the industry and macro-environment factors affecting the expansion decision. Assignment questions help understand the various measures used to evaluate the financial performance of the company; understand the practical implication of incremental analysis to estimate the profit; assess the operating profit and margin of safety of the restaurant Shri Sagar with and without expansion; and critically evaluate the impact of uncertainty on projected sales using the sensitivity model. Case overview/synopsis Shri Sagar (Central Tiffin Room – CTR) was started by Y.V. Subramanyam and his siblings (Y.V. Srikanteshwaran, Y.V. Krishna Iyer and Y.V. Ramachandran) in the 1920s, specialised in Benne (Butter) Masala dosa, Maddur Vada and Mangalore Bajji. In Bengaluru, there are few restaurants, which have the legacy of more than 50 years such as Vidyarthi Bhavan, Mavalli Tiffin Rooms and Shri Sagar (CTR). Shri Sagar has witnessed three different ownership right from 1920 to the present. Ganesh, an MBA graduate, took the active participation in the business from 2018 and found there are potential opportunities to expand the business. Although business was doing well, Ganesh wanted to assess his company’s financial strength before proceeding. He would require a financial forecast that took into account the strength of the competition and the peculiar nature of the restaurant business in Bengaluru. Ganesh wanted to assess the expansion plan; to address the proposed plan, the case had used cost–volume–profit analysis and sensitivity analysis techniques to make the students understand how these techniques can evaluate the alternatives. Complexity academic level This case is best used while teaching Managerial Accounting, which is a core course in MBA program with a module on break-even-analysis or it can also be used in an executive education class with a similar purpose. The teaching plan can be used for MBA students and entrepreneurial training programmes, which involve training on important managerial decisions, which includes business expansion, estimating business profits/revenue targets, etc. It assumes some basic knowledge of cost–benefit analysis concepts where participants have already exposed some basic understanding of break-even analysis and what-if analysis. Supplementary materials Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 1: Accounting and Finance

A Study on Impact of Post Graduate Distance Learning Programme in the Case Institution- Master of Business Administration

The study was conducted to understand that how far the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) MBA program was useful to the respondents and to mainly identify constraints they faced while undergoing the program and the reasons for them to join the ODL MBA program in the case institution. The data collected from 60 students registered for the MBA program in ODL using a random sampling method. Data were analyzed using appropriate statistical tools like Percentage analysis, Chi-Square (χ2) test, and Discriminant Analysis. Major findings reported that the respondents' motive behind joining the PG MBA program was to obtain promotion and increment, start a new venture, interest in the subject, and gain knowledge in management aspects. The suitable measures were suggested to address the challenges inorder to increase the effectiveness of ODL MBA program.

A Comparative Study of Chinese and WesternMBAPrograms

In the last two decades, questions have been raised against the relevance of business education all around the globe including the famous MBA program. Despite few shortcomings of western MBA programs, they are considered to be the global benchmark owing to their reputation, quality, research focus etc., whereas most of their Chinese counterparts are criticized heavily for their different weaknesses ranging from obsolescence and incorporating unique Chinese characteristics to blindly following the US model, without devising the right mix. This study compares the Chinese MBA with the Western MBA programs, highlighting the crucial weaknesses prevailing in Chinese MBA programs and then identifying the necessary improvements to bring them at par with their western counterparts. The study also contributes by bringing-forth ‘must have’ and ‘can have’ courses as a part of the MBA curriculum by going through both Western and Chinese MBA curriculums in depth.

Triumph Motorcycles: vrooming for increased market share in India

Purpose The purpose of this study is to discuss the complexities and challenges involved in retailing luxury motorcycle brands in India. Research methodology This study has been developed by carrying out in-depth interviews of company officials of Triumph Motorcycles. The researchers also reached out to various distributors of luxury motorcycles in Tiers I and II cities, and through the interview process, tried to understand the problems/issues faced while selling luxury motorcycles. Case overview/synopsis There has been a marked increase in the branding and marketing of luxury products in the recent years. Although the two wheelers account for 80 per cent of the domestic demand, the luxury motorbike market in India is still in its introductory stages. This study discusses the challenges faced at Triumph Motorcycles and raises questions on what should be done to increase the market share of Triumph Motorcycles in India. Readers would get insights into the activities carried out to build customer connect and would be able to suggest marketing strategies and customer relationship programmes for luxury motorcycle brands. Complexity academic level This study can be used for the core course on marketing management or for elective courses on customer relationship management, brand management or consumer behaviour course in MBA programme.

Association of Service Quality with Customer Satisfaction

The purpose of this explanatory research is to investigate the relationship of service quality with customer satisfaction. To examine the relationship, the study was conducted on students of the executive MBA program at a business school in Karachi, Pakistan. The research technique adopted for this study was probabilistic in nature. Both variables under consideration are observed through multiple dimensions. A chi-square test was performed to test the relationship between the qualitative variables. Findings indicate that service quality and all its dimensions have a significant and positive association with customer satisfaction at the university level. The education sector is a significant industry in Pakistan’s economy and has seen unparalleled growth and progression over the last decade. Therefore, this study has been explicitly conducted to look into the service quality phenomenon and seek credible scientific justification in this regard by studying service quality as one of the main influential factors towards customer satisfaction.

A Study on the Success Factors of Full-time MBA Program: The Case of NUS Business School

A Study on the Success Factors of Full-time MBA Program: The Case of NUS Business School

The entry of a second generation at SK Enterprises: challenges and future prospects

Theoretical basis The case discussion begins with an understanding of Davis’s three-circle model. It then leads toward the key resources and challenges, by system and development stage as given by Gersick et al. (1997). After understanding the family business system, the case delves into making the students understand the circumplex model of the marital and family system. This matrix talks about the flexibility in the business structure along with cohesion in the family unit. The case then gets into the discussion about succession and the new generation joining the family business and the conflicts that may arise due to the same. It might be imperative to bring out the different forms of conflict that may arise in the family and business system. Researchers have identified three forms of conflict – task, process and relationship (Mckee, Madden, Kellermans and Eddleston, 2014). As passing the baton would take place next for this business in the case, the current generation needs to look at the future growth strategy for the business. Here, the discussion refers to the exploitation and exploration matrix given by Bergfeld and Weber (2011). Research methodology This is a primary data case. The data has been collected from SK Enterprises. Interviews were conducted to arrive at the issues and challenges discussed in the case. Case overview/synopsis This case talks about the dilemma of a first-generation entrepreneur. Jatinder Agarwal was the owner of SK Enterprises, a light-engineering firm manufacturing bright bars, engine parts and ceiling fan shafts. He had set up the business in 1984. His brother, Ramesh was helping him in the business. The business had prospered and grown from a single product manufacturing workshop in 1984 to two factories manufacturing multiple light engineering products. In 2015, the business was doing well and both Jatinder and Ramesh were excited to involve their respective sons, Pranav and Sanidh in the business after completion of their education. The case is about the challenges faced by Jatinder and Ramesh with the entry of a new generation. Jatinder and Ramesh were working in the family business with an implied structure where the business was a sole proprietorship in the name of Jatinder but the decisions were taken by both the brothers collectively. With the entry of the new generation, Jatinder had to decide how to re-organize the business and avoid conflicts in the family. He also had to take a decision regarding the future course of strategy, which would help the business grow further. Complexity academic level This case is about the dilemmas faced by a first-generation entrepreneur. The case can be taught in an “entrepreneurship” course, in a post-graduate MBA program. This case can also be taught in a family business program as part of the course on “Understanding Family Business – Managing Paradoxes” or “Building Lasting Family Business – Synergy in Vision, Values and Strategy.” This case can also be taught as part of a “business strategy” or “human resource management” in MBA or executive MBA program in the first year.

An aging work force that will not retire

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to make employers aware of the unique characteristics of the baby boomer generation in the workforce, the causes of boomer behavior and how employers might respond to those unique circumstances. A review of some books and articles is included as documentation of the phenomena. Design/methodology/approach As this is not a research paper, there is no specific design or methodology. The approach used was to write an assessment based on the authors’ nearly 50+ years’ experience in the recruiting and talent management field and Sparzo’s academic experience teaching in an MBA program. Findings Employers should be mindful that employees who are members of the baby boomer generation are not generally performing or retiring in ways that are similar to previous generations of workers. Recommendations are made as to how to manage this cohort, how to integrate this generation with the members of an employer’s workforce who belong to other younger generations and how the accommodations suggested may be applicable into the future, even after the last boomer retires. Originality/value The authors believe that the emerging trends and patterns of baby boomer behavior offer both challenges and opportunities to employers. The authors’ unique view as to how to understand the source of these trends and manage this workforce’s accumulated knowledge, while using the period of longer work-spans to “catch up” in developing strategies to capture, manage and redeploy their knowledge before they leave the employment scene.

IKEA Inc.: the India way

Learning outcomes Learning outcomes are as follows: to learn about the application of Bartlett and Ghoshal’s model of international strategy; to compare and contrast the global strategy of IKEA in India and China; and to understand how adaptability can create a new competitive advantage in emerging markets. Case overview/synopsis The case study enables discussion about the global strategy of a well-established multi-national company, IKEA in an emerging market. IKEA is a well-established and well-known brand in the international market in furniture retailing. It has decided to make a debut in India in 2017 with its first store in Hyderabad. However, it was yet to open it in 2018. The case emphasizes upon understanding the global strategy of IKEA, positioning itself in the fragmented Indian furniture industry, managing differences in emerging markets and adapting to the local environment of the particular country. The case highlights how adaptability can create a new competitive advantage in managing global strategy in different countries of emerging markets. Complexity academic level This case study is developed for post-graduate management programs as an MBA, Executive MBA and executive development programs. Supplementary materials Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 11: Strategy.