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Relationship of emotional intelligence, demographic characteristics & job satisfaction to Indian call center agents’ intentions to stay on-the-job
No full textAbstract: This study examined relationships between Indian call center agents’ intent-to-stay and the factors of emotional intelligence (EI), job satisfaction, age, gender, & commute time. Specific results from this study established a relationship between: 1) emotional intelligence & job satisfaction, and, 2) job satisfaction and intent-to-stay A slight relationship was identified between the agents’ EI and intent-to-stay; no relationship was established between the demographic characteristics of age, gender, and commute time with intent-to-stay.The Relationship of Emotional
Intelligence, Demographic
Characteristics & Job Satisfaction
to Indian Call Center Agents’ intentions
to stay on-the-job
Dr. Rich Feyerabend
University of Maryland University College
ABSTRACT
This study examined relationships between Indian call
center agents’ intent-to-stay and the factors of
emotional intelligence (EI), job satisfaction, age, gender,
& commute time
Specific results from this study established a relationship
between:
1) emotional intelligence & job satisfaction, and,
2) job satisfaction and intent-to-stay
A slight relationship was identified between the agents’
EI and intent-to-stay; no relationship was established
between the demographic characteristics of age,
gender, and commute time with intent-to-stay
THESIS
Despite considerable efforts to
ameliorate the issue of call center
attrition, the problem has persisted --
largely unabated
More closely examining specific
personal factors influencing agents’
intent-to-stay may provide managers &
HR practitioners with a more
comprehensive and actionable
understanding of this problem
METHODOLOGY
• Examined industry, organizational & personal
factors driving call center attrition
• Focusing on personal factors, developed a
quantitative study to examine relationships
between intent-to-stay and:
• Job satisfaction
• Emotional intelligence
• Gender
• Age
• Commute time
METHODOLOGY (cont’d)
• Gathered data using an online survey
• Participants: 299 Indian call center agents in
New Delhi & Bangalore
• Data analyzed using Correlation & ANOVA
• Conclusions and implications drawn from
results
FINDINGS
Intent
to Stay
Job
Satisfaction &
Gender
Job
Satisfaction
Personal Factors
Emotional
Intelligence
Age
Commute
Time
Demographic
Factors
Positive Correlation
Positive
Correlation
Partial
Correlation
No
Correlation
No
Correlation
No
Correlation
UNANTICIPATED
FINDINGS
Attrition
Levels
(2008 vs. 2009)
Possible Causes
• Global recession
• Less educated agents clinging
to previously unattainable jobs
July 08 June 09
2%
4%
6%
8%
10%
New Delhi
Bangalore
10.3%
6.4%
8.1%
5.6%
Education
Levels
(2005 vs. 2009)
Possible Causes
•Talent shortage in Indian labor market
•Better job opportunities available for educated workers
2005
(Batt, et al)
2009
40%
50%
60%
90%
100%
80%
Agents with
Bachelors degrees
75%
58%
CONCLUSIONS
! Workforce demographics shift over time;
organizations should consider monitoring macro
shifts in demographics:
! Education levels
! Commute times
! Hiring Ratios: # of applicants vs. # of offers
! Recognizing macro shifts in demographics could
inform strategies employed to decrease attrition:
! Under-educated workforce: offer career
pathing; tuition assistance
! Highly-educated workforce: offer job
diversity; problem-solving opportunities
! Hiring managers should consider emphasizing the
emotional intelligence of candidates in addition to
technical skills & experience. (Hire the right person,
not just the right skill-set)
! Similarly, a growing body of literature is
establishing a correlation between emotional
intelligence and job satisfaction. Assessing the EI of
candidates might be an important additional data
point when selecting & hiring candidates.
! Higher-level strategies for decreasing agent
attrition may involve identifying less transient
labor, such as workers in non Tier-1 cities.
Organizations should explore the feasibility of
opening call centers in (smaller) college towns and
rural locations
Contact Information
For additional information, please
contact Rich Feyerabend at
[email protected]
Key Literature Influencing
the Research
17
Job Satisfaction
Mobley
Judge, Thoreson, Bono & Patton
Spector
Locke
Hirschfield
Mallorca & Mukherjee
Griffeth, Hom & Gardner
Huy
Cleveland & Hash
Holman & Fernie
Personal Characteristics
Babin & Boles
Arnold & Feldman
Baysinger & Mobley
Cotton & Tuttle
Emotional Intelligence
Goleman
Salovey & Mayer
Petrides & Furnham
Dulewicz & Higgs
Bar-On
Boyatzis & McKee
Singh
Srivastava, Sibia & Misra
Zeidner, Roberts & Matthews
Carmelli
Batt et al.
Deery & Kinnie
Holman, Batt & Holtgrewe
Grebner et al.
Hansen
Houlihan
Siegall & Gardner
Leggae & Wiley
Bordoloi
Bhatnagar
Call Center Attritio
Entrepreneurship in federal contracting: Factors for success
No full textSmall Businesses enrolled in 8(a) program need management discipline and rigor of Critical Success Factor analysis to be successful as a Prime Contractor at every stage of the 8(a) program life.……factors for success
By Sunil Kolhekar DMGT 892
Faculty Dr. Tom Mierzwa
Dr. Yung-Chi SungBackground
•Federal Government is the single largest purchaser in the world –
•More than 65 billion is spent in Metro Washington Area
• 0
70
91
45
9/17/2010Summary of the SBA’s Small Business Programs
SOARS Presentation by Sunil Kolhekar DMGT 892
SBA Program
Specific Program Features
Small Business (SB)Employee roster of 500 employees or 15 employees depends on NAICSAverage Revenue not to exceed 250,000 at the time of application and then cannot exceed amountsMay own multiple 8(a) qualified subsidiaries
9/17/2010Summary of the SBA’s Small Business Programs
SOARS Presentation by Sunil Kolhekar DMGT 892
SBA Program
Specific Program Features
HUBZoneBusiness51% of the organization must be owned by US CitizenMust maintain Primary office in HUBZone35% of the workforce should reside in HUBZone
Veteran Owned Business (VOB)Owner must be retired from armed forces and must own 51%Self Certified for Veteran Owned Status
Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business (SDVOB)Owner must be retired from armed forces and must own 51%Adjudication letter from the Veterans Administration (VA)Department of Defense Form 214Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active DutyStatement of Service from the National Archives and Records Administration, stating that the veteran has a service-connected disability
Women Owned Business (WOB)Women of all ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds Special status for Women’s Business Enterprise Certification (WBE)Can Apply for SDB and 8(a) status as wellAlso available certification as Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)
9/17/2010Studies that have addressed this problem and their deficiencies
SOARS Presentation by Sunil Kolhekar DMGT 892 Studies that have addressed this problem with deficiencies
Headd& Kirchoff2007 a working paper for US SBA
Genericbut comprehensive study of firms that enroll as small businesses and how they contribute to employment and growth. Macro level study of 83 industrial sectors. Study helpful to establish that small businesses create net new jobs in the US between 1968 –1976.
GAO 2000, 2007,2010
GAO suggestsmeasures for SBA to improve but no ideas on how to guide the fresh entrepreneurs entering the 8(a) program. Access to federal contract is the benefit new entrepreneurs seek when enrolling into the 8(a)
Gadenne, 1998
Comprehensiveresearch to determine if there were any common management practices across different industries that contribute to the successful financial performance of small businesses. Study too broad to develop any meaningful factors for success.
Dickinson, 1984
CSF can help entrepreneursin the creation of a company. Focus is on commercial and not specific to federal contracting
9/17/2010Research Question
SOARS Presentation by Sunil Kolhekar DMGT 892
GAO (2000) report concludes that access to federal market is the most important benefit that entrepreneurs desire and the question is how to prepare small businesses so that the chances of small businesses winning those contracts are improved by participating in the 8(a) program and whether Critical Success Factor Analysis provides that needed help to win contracts early in the 8(a) life cycle to improve overall success rate of the small business companies.
9/17/2010Significance of the Research
SOARS Presentation by Sunil Kolhekar DMGT 892
Significance of this Study for management is to create jobs in US and develop entrepreneurial firms to create competition
9/17/2010Purpose & Limitations of the Study
SOARS Presentation by Sunil Kolhekar DMGT 892
Purpose
•To examine the benefit of CSF analysis as a management tool to improve success rate as a prime contractor
•Implications for this study on practitioners (Entrepreneurs), SBA and management theory
Limitations
•Definition of Success –Organic Growth of Independent Entity versus Acquisition by Large Business
•Assumes that 8(a) program is designed to produce new “large” companies to compete in the full and open market
•Alaskan Native Corporations –a special status accorded to some companies are not studied in this research
9/17/2010Literature Themes and Authors
SOARS Presentation by Sunil Kolhekar DMGT 892
Four Focus Areas
•Pattern of Small Business Growth
–Churchill, N. C., & Lewis, V. L. (1983), Hamm, J. (2002), Phelps, R., Adams, R., & Bessant, J. (2007), Steinmetz, L. L. (1969), Scott, M. & Bruce, R. (1987)
•Constraint Factors in Small Business Growth
–Porter, M. E. (2008), Brunk, D. E. (2006)
•Success Factors in Small Business
–Dickinson, R., Ferguson, C., & Sircar, S. (1984), Gadenne, D. (1998), Rockart, Jack F. (1986), GAO (2000)
•Organizational and Individual Resiliency
–Komives, J. (1994), Marcketti, S., Kozar, J. (2007)
9/17/2010Key Propositions from Literature
Proposition 1 –The small business growth cycle (as dictated by federal acquisition regulations) is detrimental to the SB community it serves due to term limit of 9 years.
Proposition 2–Barriers to entry in the federal procurement market are daunting, even with complex federal regulations designed to prevent such barriers.
Proposition 3 –A new focus by SBA on CSF analysis—that cuts across all functional areas—early in the life of the 8(a) company, will increase the success rate of the 8(a) program.
Proposition 4 –Small Business 8(a) Owners need to acquire the skills to be resilient individually as well as organizationally. During the entire 8(a) life cycle, an owner’s resiliency is linked inextricably to the organization’s resiliency.
9/17/2010
SOARS Presentation by Sunil Kolhekar DMGT 892 Thesis Statement
Small Businesses enrolled in 8(a) program need management discipline and rigor of Critical Success Factor analysis to be successful as a Prime Contractor at every stage of the 8(a) program life.
9/17/2010
SOARS Presentation by Sunil Kolhekar DMGT 892 Conceptual Framework CSF Analysis –how it makes sense
SOARS Presentation by Sunil Kolhekar DMGT 892
Figure 2-CSF Analysis as it Pertains to Business Strategy CSFs and their Relevance to 8(a) Small Business 9/17/2010CSF Analysis is necessary at each stage
SOARS Presentation by Sunil Kolhekar DMGT 892
Figure 5 -CSF Analysis Yields Critical Decision Sets and Actions through out the 8(a) life cycle
9/17/2010Research Approach and Schedule
SOARS Presentation by Sunil Kolhekar DMGT 892
•8 firms selected after CCR database search
•2 External expert selected
•6 Interviews Conducted
•4 Interviews planned by July 15
•Findings and conclusions planned by July 20th, 2010
9/17/2010Findings and Implications for Theory and Practice
•TBD –July 31, 2010
9/17/2010
SOARS Presentation by Sunil Kolhekar DMGT 892 Future Research Agenda
•TBD –July 31, 2010
9/17/2010
SOARS Presentation by Sunil Kolhekar DMGT 89
Interested in a Fulbright?: Learn about the Fulbright Specialist Program
No full text- General Facts About the Fulbright Scholar Program
- Fulbright Specialist Program
- Fulbright Specialist Program Administration
PROCESS 1 -The Project Request Administration and Approval Process for Degree Granting Institutions Overseas
PROCESS 2 -Roster Application and Peer Review Processes for U.S. Academics and ProfessionalsFulbright Opportunities for FacultyFulbright Specialist Program UMUC -Adelphi29 September 2010 Andy Riess, Ph.D. Associate DirectorOutreach and Public [email protected] Facts About the Fulbright Scholar Program
•
Established in 1946
•
Sends U.S. academics and professionals overseas
•
Brings scholars and professionals from abroad to the U.S.
•
Sponsored by U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
•
Administered by the Institute of International Education’s Department of Scholar and Professional Programs, which includes the Council for International Exchange of Scholars and Humphrey divisions.FULBRIGHT SCHOLAR PROGRAMS
AMERICAN SCHOLAR PROGRAMS
•
Fulbright Scholar “Core” Program –2-9 months
–
Includes Fulbright Distinguished Chairs
•
Fulbright Specialist Program –2-6 weeks
•
Fulbright International Education Administrators Program –2-3 weeks [Germany, Japan, Korea, India, Russia*]
•
Fulbright German Studies Seminar –2 weeks [topical]
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Fulbright NEXUS Program –1 year [topical]FULBRIGHT SCHOLAR PROGRAMS
•
NON-U.S. SCHOLAR PROGRAMS
•
Fulbright Scholar “Core” Program –2-9 months
•
Scholar-in-Residence Program –up to 1 year
•
Occasional Lecturer Fund –2-5 days
•
European Union Scholar-in-Residence Program -1 semesterWhat is the Fulbright Specialist Program?
•
Collaborative institutional grant program for universities overseas as well as organizations with an educational component
•
Short term (i.e. two to six week) opportunities for qualified U.S. faculty and professionals to work with foreign colleagues at universities overseas
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Funded by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA)
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In-country expenses usually funded by the host institution
•
U.S. academics and professionals whose commitments prevent participation in longer term exchanges•
Builds linkages between U.S. and overseas degree granting institutions
•
Faster response to needs of degree granting institutions
•
Project may be administered in as little as 3 months from the time it is approved
•
There are about 2500 Specialist currently on the Roster
•
Over 350 awards each year for U.S. applicants to collaborate with universities overseasFulbright Specialist Program Goals
•
Increase the participation of U.S. scholars and professionals in Fulbright academic exchanges
•
Encourage new activities that go beyond the traditional Fulbright activities of lecturing and research
•
Promote increased connections between higher education institutions in the U.S. and other countriesSample Specialist Grant Activities
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Needs assessments, surveys, institutional or programmatic research
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Specialized academic programs and conferences
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Consultations with administrators and instructors of post-secondary institutions on faculty development
•
Lectures at graduate and undergraduate levels
•
Seminars or workshops at overseas academic institutions
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Development/assessment of academic curricula or educational materials
•
Teacher-training programs at the tertiary level
NOTE: Personal Research is not funded via the Fulbright Specialist Program.Fulbright Specialist Program Administration
•
2 Separate Processes:
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Institutional project request and approval
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Individual application process for Roster candidacy
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Both program steps must be successfully completed before a Specialist grant can be awarded.
•
Non-U.S., post-secondary, degree granting academic institutions submit Specialist project requests through the appropriate in-country Fulbright agency.
•
CIES
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Manages the external peer review of U.S. scholars and professionals for placement on the Specialist Roster
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Manages the grants administration of approved projects on behalf of the U.S. Department of State. PROCESS 1 -The Project Request Administration and Approval Process for Degree Granting Institutions Overseas
•
Universities overseas submit project requests to the local Fulbright Fulbright Commission (http://fulbright.state.gov/fulbright/about/whyis/binational-partnerships/fulbright-commissions)
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or the local US Embassy (http://www.usembassy.gov/).
•
There are two types of requests:
–
1) a named request which may include a named person (from the Roster)
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2) an open request for someone who matches specified criteria.
•
The local Fulbright agency reviews the project request.
•
Approved project requests are forwarded to U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) for final approval.PROCESS 2 -Roster Application and Peer Review Processes for U.S. Academics and Professionals
•
Academics and professionals submit online applications for the FSP Roster
–
URL for New Roster Applicants: http://www.cies.org/specialists/Joining_The_Roster/Apply.htm.
•
There are peer review committees in 20 disciplines.
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Reviews conducted eight times each year.
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Eligible applications are assigned to a discipline review panel (of 2 to 3 individuals).
•
Recommended applicants are forwarded in a report to J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board for its approval.
•
Approved candidates placed on the FSP Roster as Specialist.
–
CIES matches Specialist candidates with approved project requests.
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Specialists are on the Roster for up to 5 years
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They can participate in up to two grant opportunities
–
Rejected applicants must wait 2 years to re-apply.Roster application sections include:
•
Basic biographical data
•
Summary of credentials
•
Previous Fulbright Scholar experience
•
University level teaching/training experience
•
Three short essays –
–
Summary of achievements (100 words, max.)
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Motivational statement (250 words, max.)
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Statement of potential contributions (250 words, max.)
•
Discipline/specializations selection and occupational profile (important for distinguishing professional from academic applicants)
•
Foreign language ability
•
CV –five pages, 21,000 (characters with spacing) max.
•
Letters of reference –internal and externalRoster Applicant Eligibility Requirements
•
U.S. citizenship.
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If a naturalized citizen, applicant must provide actual date of naturalization.
•
Academics
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Ph.D. or equivalent professional/terminal degree (including a master's depending on the field)at the time of application
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minimum of five years of post-doctoral teaching or professional experience in the field in which you are applying.
•
Professionals and artists outside academia,
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Recognized professional standing and substantial accomplishments
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Minimum of five years of professional experience in the field in which you are applying
•
Roster applicants or candidates need not reside in the United States in order to be approved for the Roster
•
Fulbright specialists mustreside in the United States at the time they are approved for a grant and intend to return to their U.S. institution after the grant's completion.
•
Limits apply to prior Fulbright Scholar grantees2010-2011 Peer Review Calendar
Review Cycle
Applications Assigned To Peer Review Committee
Deadlines for Evaluations from Peer Review Committee
Cycle IA
August 2, 2010
August 25, 2010
Cycle IB
October 27, 2010
November 24, 2010
Cycle IIA
January 5, 2011
February 2, 2011
Cycle IIB
March 16, 2011
April 13, 2011
Cycle IIIA
May 25, 2011
June 22, 2011
Cycle IIIB
August 3, 2011
August 31, 2011
Cycle IVA
October 12, 2011
November 9, 2011
Cycle IVB
December 21, 2011
January 18, 2012Thank you
For more information, visit www.iie.org/cies
or
www.cies.or
Factors that impact success in an online capstone course with biotechnology business partners
No full textAbstract: Internships provide a valuable opportunity to students at all levels of education to build career-relevant experience. With increasing numbers of students moving to online courses and programs, experiences that were traditionally only for full-time, face-to-face students are now being tailored for working professionals who are geographically dispersed and take classes through web-based media. However, these online programs face a challenge in providing a meaningful, graded internship for students. A variety of models have been developed to provide internship experience in the virtual environment. In this paper we describe a graduate-level, biotechnology major capstone course where small teams of students work with start-up biotechnology companies to complete semester-long projects. Outcomes are quantitatively assessed using individual student grades, team project grades, student and company evaluations and course assessments. We look at a number of factors that may be involved in a successful online group project. Preliminary results based on four semesters of data suggest that incoming GPA is the strongest indicator of success but that location, prior number of courses and background do not impact the course final grade. Future work will address our hypothesis that time commitment is a significant factor .Factors that Impact Success in an Online Capstone Course with Biotechnology Business
Partners
Richard Conroy
Biotechnology Program, Graduate School of Management and Technology
University of Maryland University College, Adelphi, MD 20783
Corresponding author: Dr. Richard Conroy
Tel: +1-916-674-2739; E-mail: [email protected]
Keywords: distance education, curriculum development, business internships, online
classroom, capstone course, biotechnology
Abstract: Internships provide a valuable opportunity to students at all levels of education to
build career-relevant experience. With increasing numbers of students moving to online
courses and programs, experiences that were traditionally only for full-time, face-to-face
students are now being tailored for working professionals who are geographically dispersed
and take classes through web-based media. However, these online programs face a challenge in
providing a meaningful, graded internship for students. A variety of models have been
developed to provide internship experience in the virtual environment. In this paper we
describe a graduate-level, biotechnology major capstone course where small teams of students
work with start-up biotechnology companies to complete semester-long projects. Outcomes
are quantitatively assessed using individual student grades, team project grades, student and
company evaluations and course assessments. We look at a number of factors that may be
involved in a successful online group project. Preliminary results based on four semesters of
data suggest that incoming GPA is the strongest indicator of success but that location, prior
number of courses and background do not impact the course final grade. Future work will
address our hypothesis that time commitment is a significant factor .
Introduction
Online distance education is having a dramatic impact on higher education, with more
than a third of institutions now offering a complete degree or certificate program online (Waits
& Lewis, 2003), and nearly two-thirds offering at least one online course (Allen & Seaman,
2005). The rapid growth of network capabilities and the falling price of computers have
removed many of the access barriers to distance education and asynchronous communication
concerns. The rise of internet-based courses and the move away from the independent study
model traditionally used in distance education, has increased student expectations that
programs will offer the same activities and opportunities as campus-based programs.
Online science programs face the same challenge in two different curriculum areas: how
to provide educational and meaningful laboratory experiences and final projects. Laboratory
skills training has been tackled in a number of ways including virtual labs (Koretsky, Amatore,
Barnes, & Kimura, 2008), remote control of equipment (Nedic, Machotka, & Nafalski, 2003),
intensive short courses and home-based kits (Holmberg & Liston, 1998). In this paper we
discuss a solution to the second curriculum area: the implementation and assessment of a
capstone course for providing online biotechnology students with a fulfilling, real-world
experience working with small businesses.
Capstone Courses
There are three types of capstone courses and three ways in which they can be
incorporated into a degree program. “Fieldwork” capstones involve writing about or completing
a project following an internship or field trip (Paradis & Dexter, 2007), while “portfolio”
capstones focus on providing an environment for students to build a collection of work
(Thomas & McShane, 2007). The third type, “project” capstones, involves students work on
solving a significant problem by developing a plan and working on a set of deliverables, often in
collaboration with an outside organization (Gnanapragasam, 2008). “Major” capstone courses
are typically the last course of a program and the most common, however “bridge” capstones
after a set of prerequisite courses and “foundation” capstones taken as the first class (Brown,
Skau, & Wall, 2009), both provide different opportunities. In this paper we describe results
from a “major project” capstone course, characterized by teams of online graduate students
working with local companies as their final or penultimate course.
Capstone courses are traditionally found in the senior year of undergraduate degree
programs, giving students nearing the completion of their studies an opportunity to apply the
skills and knowledge they have acquired (Nielsen et al., 2003). The course format is often
structured to test written and oral skills, explore advanced topics with guest lecturers, and
provide meaningful experiences for future employment. Capstone courses also provide a
unique opportunity for program directors to assess learning outcomes and when they include
businesses, the strengths and weaknesses in the curriculum with respect to potential
employers’ needs. These courses also provide an opportunity to focus on the last three of
Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives (Krathwohl, Bloom, & Masia, 1964): analysis,
synthesis and evaluation, which can be challenging to some students who prefer an instructor-centered
environment, but enables non-traditional adult learners the opportunity to bring skills
and experience from outside the course into their work.
Assessment is a key component of the learning process (Levia & Quiring, 2008), though
it can be more challenging to define metrics in an experiential capstone course than a problem-based
course, particularly when there are outside stakeholders involved (Keefe, Glancey, &
Cloud, 2007). Assessing the dimensions of experiential learning: immersion, initiative and
analysis (Stavenga de Jong, Wierstra, & Hermanussen, 2006) requires active and sustained
participation of the instructors in all aspects of the course but can be supplemented by peer
and outsider stakeholder evaluation.
A comprehensive review of capstone engineering projects (Dutson, Todd, Magleby, &
Sorensen, 1997) summarizes the historical development, course design and best practices in
that field. Although written in a different field and decade, the demands of faculty involvement
and the difficulties amongst team members in these capstone classes are similar, with the
duration and team construction processes of our program equaling the median values reported
in this review. There are significant differences however, including that the course described
here is for part-time, graduate students who enrolled in an online program (Conroy & Khan,
2009). In the graduate school at the University of Maryland University College, where the
majority of students are non-traditional learners employed full-time and learn online, there are
a number of different capstone models. In large programs, students are given the option of
either doing a project for a company or a hypothetical project. Both project ideas and real
projects are solicited from companies by the program director, however because there are
multiple sections (>10) it is not sustainable to offer all students the opportunity to work directly
with the company. A slightly different model is also used in some programs, where the students
have the option of either working on a case study as a project or if they can bring a project on
their own they are allowed to complete that as part of their capstone course requirement. The
third variation, used in smaller programs such as the biotechnology one, is to offer all students
the opportunity work in teams directly with a company to complete a project. We have
previously qualitatively described some of the best practices we have developed as part of this
type of virtual internship course (Conroy & Khan, 2009).
Online Team Projects with Companies
One of the challenges with business-academia linkage projects is ensuring meaningful
interactions between the company representatives and students and realistic expectations. The
asynchronous nature of many online programs can be challenging for team projects and more
some when the project goals are dynamic and are driven by an outside stakeholder. In the
capstone class we emphasize good communication as a key success factor, requiring students
to attend a “kickoff” meeting at the start of the semester and the final presentation at the end
of the semester, either in person or via teleconference. Furthermore, we try to establish the
norm of having a team teleconference every week, with or without the company
representative, to discuss progress and any issues encountered.
Integration of the company representatives is subject to their availability and
expectations. Companies are solicited for projects by word of mouth in the month leading up to
the start of the class and asked to write a one page description of the project then would like a
team of 3-5 students to complete over a 12 weeks period. This description includes background
information, the research to be carried out, the goals and objectives for the project, and
contact information for the company representative. The number of projects solicited is
adjusted according to the anticipated number of students, with a goal of approximately 4
students per project. Before the start of the semester, an expectations document is sent to all
the participating companies describing the program, the goals of the capstone course and a
timeline as well as best practices for getting the most from working with the student team. In
2010 we moved to a web interface to collect and standardize the project descriptions to ensure
consistent information and smooth distribution.
Project descriptions are made available to students on the first day of the semester
through the online UMUC learning management system Webtycho and they typically have 2-3
days to rank their top three project choices and comment on their choices. The instructors then
form the teams based on these rankings with the constraints that at least one team member
should live in the “local” area and bioinformatics projects be completed by bioinformatics
students. The teams are formed to have a shared interest in the project, but there is no
attempt to homogenize GPAs, which is a method observed previous to give best outcomes
(Brickell, Porter, Reynolds, & Cosgrove, 1994). Once formed, teams are asked to schedule a
kickoff meeting within the following week (2nd week of the semester) which all students can
attend, taking into account the availability of the instructors and company representatives. A
schedule is posted online with scheduling constraints to avoid any overlap in meeting times.
The “local” student(s) are strongly encouraged to attend the meeting in person and act as the
company interface for the team.
The kickoff meetings typically last one hour and provide an opportunity for the company
representative to get to know the students and for the students to learn more about the
company and the project. Teams are asked to prepare an agenda and a list of preliminary
questions based on the project description and companies asked to provide any relevant
background information which may help the team and a non-disclosure agreement if
applicable. Two major student goals of the kickoff meeting are to identify how the project can
be divided into equitable parts which each team member can pursue independently buy
synergistically and to schedule weekly meetings with the company representative. Within a day
of the meeting, the student team is asked to post a summary of the meeting which is an
ungraded exercise, but helpful in ensuring that everyone understands the information
presented at the meeting.
The second step of the team project is to formulate the information from the project
description and the kickoff meeting into a detailed project outline. This is a common-grade
assignment (5%), typically 2-3 pages in length due the week after the kickoff meeting. The
students are asked to present the goals of their project in the context of the overall goals of the
company they are working with, the research which will be required to meet the goals of the
project, a timeline of milestones and which team member will be working on each part of the
project.
An example project outline is provided to students, which has proved to be double-edged;
occasionally a student group will use the example as a template, trying to fit their
project to that of the very different example project. A second problem arises with providing
students examples of previous projects: nearly all of the projects contain commercially sensitive
information. For this reason we have not provided students with an example graded project
report or final presentation. However, to partial address the question of what makes a good
project, we interviewed the student team of one of our most successful projects to date and
posted the resulting videos in the classroom. They describe in detail how they approached the
project, organized their workflow and coped with unforeseen issues, with the goal of providing
inspiration and a guide to expectations for current students.
The third step of the project is a project status report half way through the semester.
Initially this was a written report, 4-6 pages in length, describing what had been achieved by the
team by that milestone and any issues or changes in direction. In Fall 2009 we switched from a
written assignment to an online presentation in order to have more interaction with the
students and provide more detailed feedback. Student teams now prepare and present a
fifteen minute presentation, scheduled in advance, using one of a number of online
presentation sharing programs (e.g. DimDim, WebEx). The team is encouraged to arrange a
simultaneous teleconference for better audio quality, invite the company representative to the
meeting, and for each team member to explain their progress as well as allow fifteen minutes
for discussion after the presentation. The oral status report also enables the instructors to
assess team dynamics, and advise and intervene as necessary if teams are struggling or effort is
not being equitably distributed.
To independently assess individual student contributions to the team project, we ask all
the students to write up and submit all the work they have done three-quarters of the way
through the semester. This assignment provides a third checkpoint to assess progress before
the final report and an opportunity to check the effort and originality of the work being
submitted by students. Students are asked to only submit their own work, with an explanation
of progress so far and what remains to be achieved. With class sizes up to thirty students, each
of whom may be submitting more than fifty pages of written material, grading this assignment
can be particularly time-consuming; however it is also extremely beneficial for understanding
the capabilities and approach of each student and the quality of the work they are contributing
to the final report. For all graded assignments, students are encouraged to seek feedback from
their company representative well in advance of the due date.
The primary deliverables for the course are a final report and presentation for the
business partner in the last week of the semester. The final report is expected to be a
professional, comprehensive summary of the team’s progress towards addressing the goals of
their project. Each student is expected to contribute 3,000 words at a minimum, and to have
carried out meaningful independent research which is of value to the company they are
working with. The students are encouraged to augment their written report with supporting
documents, scripts and data files they have developed and worked on during the semester, and
provide all the material to the company in electronic form.
Each team is asked to schedule a face-to-face final presentation with the instructors and
company representative in the last week of the class to deliver the key findings of their report.
Teams are free to decide how best to present their work, and perhaps surprisingly the vast
majority choose to divide the presentation amongst all team members even those participating
via the teleconference. Without formal prompting, many of the teams schedule a
teleconference in advance of the final presentation to practice coordination of the presentation
and to make sure people on the teleconference can remain in sync with the face-to-face
meeting. The presentation is an excellent opportunity for the team to analysis and assess what
it feels are the most significant results of the project and also for instructors to ask and receive
informal feedback on the project, the company representative and the course overall.
The final part of the team project is to collect feedback from the students and company
representatives. Students are asked to complete a form rating their fellow team members in
ten categories ranging from timeliness to understanding of the goals and quality of work. The
instructions also indicate that any evaluations simply giving each team member 100% will be
discounted and that honest and critical evaluation is important. Although there are one or two
students per semester who fail to read the instructions carefully, a significant majority of
students provide both quantitative and qualitative feedback on their team. Feedback from
companies was not formally part of the grade structure until Spring 2009, from when it was
given equal weighting with student feedback (5% of final grade). Company representatives are
asked to provide written feedback on the program, including whether there are techniques that
it would be helpful for students to know about, how much time the project took and whether
they would be interested in participating in future classes. Company representatives are also
asked to rate individual team members in areas ranging from participation, to writing quality
and analytical skills. The instructors distribute these feedback forms to the representatives in
advance and at the final presentation to ensure as much feedback as possible.
In this paper we examine the impact of different variables on four measures of success
for the capstone course: student course grades, student team grades, student evaluation of
instructors and company evaluation of students. The goals of this on-going study are to improve
the learning outcomes for students taking the course and the value of the student projects for
the companies involved by understanding how the course and team project can be structured
to maximize the potential for success.
Methodology
Data was collected on the characteristics and performance of 106 students taking part
in the biotechnology capstone course in 2008 and 2009. Status in the program was taken from
student records at the start of the course, performance in the class from the electronic
gradebook and summary statistics and anonymous instructor evaluations collected at the end
of the course. At the beginning of each semester, students were asked to complete a
questionnaire asking for details about their background and current situation. Student details
from this questionnaire and peer evaluations for the Spring 2008 class were not available for
analysis. Quantifiable company evaluation data was collected beginning Spring 2009.
Several weeks before the end of each semester, each student must complete a course
evaluation form before they can re-enter the online classroom. Twenty eight questions relating
to the course are scored on a five point scale. Anonymous results from these course evaluations
are made available to the instructors approximately one month after the end of the semester.
Information was analyzed using Microsoft Excel using standard statistical techniques.
Variations are expressed as mean +/- standard deviation. Student t-tests were used to assess
statistical significance and p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The Pearson product-moment
correlation coefficient was used to measure correlation and regression analysis to
determine overall significance.
Results
Characteristics of the four classes analyzed in this paper are summarized in Table 1. The
online flexibility of the program is illustrated by the high percentage of students with full-time
employment (83%) and living outside the metro Washington, DC area (51%). Although details
were not collected for this analysis, a previous survey of the program indicated that the
majority of students are from a
Rise of the light of reality in the horizon of Persia
No full textAbstract: A literature review of the history of the Baha’i Faith, the context within which it began and the impact of its founders.The Rise of the Light of Reality in the Horizon of Persia
Shokouh Najafabadi
University of Maryland University College
Department of History
2
Shokouh Najafabadi
The Sovereigns who were addressed by the pen of Bahá’u’llah
3
Likeness of Táhirih, a Persian women taking veil off her face
under the influence of the Bahá’I Faith’s teachings.
4
The map of the route of the exile of Bahá'u'lláh from Iran
5
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, in West Englewood, New Jersey, last Saturday of
June 1912.
6
The Bahá’I House of Worship in Wilmette Chicago founded by
Abdu’l-Bahá in 1912
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The Bahá’I Gardens in Haifa, Israel.
8
Abstract: A literature review of the history of the Baha’i Faith, the context within
which it began and the impact of its founders.
Introduction:
The purpose of this paper was to explore the history and context in which the Baha’I
Faith began. It examines the transformation that its central figures caused by challenging
the prevalent religious, political and social ideas of the time. The advent of the Bahá'I
Faith (a world religion which teaches the oneness of mankind) took place in Iran, when
the clouds of ignorance and prejudice dominated Persian society.
The Bahá'I Faith’s early history is centered around three main personages. The Báb,
(1819-1850), Bahá'u'lláh, (1817-1892), and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, (1844-1921). Using a
narrative style, the paper, presents the lives, work and contribution of each of these main
personages and how they proposed to transform human consciousness.
Methods:
• Researched Baha’i literature to provide a view of history as perceived from within
the community of followers.
• Researched literature regarding expectation of religious renewal during the 1800s.
• Use of significant historical events in the Western world to provide comparative
description of great events in history.
• Use of religious and political ideologies in Persia (Shi’ite Islam, Colonial and
Empire politics) to explain the context and the scope of shifting consciousness
9
More information:
• The Báb declared his mission in 1844 and founded a new and independent
religion after Islam.
• More than twenty thousand of the Báb’s followers (Babis), were tortured, and
massacred in Persia because of the fear that a non-clerical based system of belief
would destabilize the power structure in Iran.
• Babis came from different social and economic backgrounds, from advisors to the
Persian King, to craftsmen. Men and women.
• Bahá'u'lláh who was an ardent adherent of the Báb, was imprisoned and banished,
to Iraq, Istanbul, Edirne, Akka by the Persian and Ottoman Kings.
• In Adrianople Bahá'u'lláh wrote letters to the rulers and leaders of the world,
calling them to renounce trivial power plays and restore world peace.
• Baha’u’llah left His earthly life in 1892 after forty years of incarceration and
banishment in the penal city of 'Akká, Phalestine, today Israel.
• Baha’u’llah produced myriads of pieces of writing, which are categorized into
discussions on spiritual and mystical matters, explanation of religious concepts,
critique of religious dogma and political ideologies, and spiritual, political and
social principles for the functioning of a global society.
10
• ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was born on the 23rd May 1844, the eldest son of Baha’u’llah was
entrusted with the leadership of the Baha’is and the promotion of Baha’u’llah’s
principles.
• Once liberated from incarceration after the fall of the Ottoman Empire, ‘Abdu’l-
Bahá embarked on a long journey to Europe, US and Canada to promote
Baha’u’llah’s principles.
• ‘Abdu’l-Bahá arrived in the US in 25 March 1912.
• During his travels in the US and Canada, he sought to speak to different groups in
American society
o Intelligentsia, Socialists, Peace Societies, Esperantists, Agnostics,
Mormons, Jews, Christians, churches of nearly all denominations, New
Thought Clubs, to Women’s suffrage Societies, to the National
Association for the Advancement of the Colored People,
o He visited the slums of New York, the Bowery Mission,
o Delivered speeches and discourses at various universities such as Stanford,
Columbia, Howard, and New York Universities.
o He met with many dignitaries including Congressmen, churchmen,
Ambassadors, Sr. D. S. Jordan, President of Leland Stanford university,
Alexander Graham Bell, Secretary of the United States treasury, Lee
McClung, rabbi Abram Simon, Rabbi Stephen Wise of New York,
Andrew Carnegie, Prince Muhammad-‘Alí of Egypt, Admiral Peary.1
o ‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote “the continent of America is, in the eyes of the one
true god, the land wherein the splendors of His light shall be revealed,
1 Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By (Wilmette, Illinois, Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1944, 1971, 1974), 289.
11
where the mysteries of His Faith shall be unveiled, where the righteous
will abide, and the free assemble.”
Results:
A historical overview of the Baha’I Faith provides a useful tool of observation about the
potential of educating individuals in an alternative way of perceiving human reality and
the ongoing relationship between the Divine and the individual. Persia was led by the
despotic dynasty of the Ghajar, influenced gravely by a sacerdotal order, which was
immersed into the fathom of the most vehement bigotry, hypocrisy, and corruption.
Amidst the spiritual quest prevailing in the mid nineteenth century, the Báb and
Bahá'u'lláh, introduced principles and concepts that annulled the idea of an end to Divine
guidance.
Contact Information:
Baha'i Faith Washington Center
dcbahai.org
5713 16th Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20011
(202) 291-5532
1.
2. Northern Virginia Bahá'í Center » NOVA Baha'i Center
History
The Northern Virginia Baha'i Center, at the corner of Route 7 and
Cardinal Glen Circle in Sterling, Va., opened its doors on September
22, 2007.
12
The Baha'i House of Worship
100 Linden Ave.
Wilmette, IL 60091
847-853-2300
www.bahai.us/bahai-temple
--
Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Montgomery County South
Bethesda, MD
[email protected]
Systems thinking and systems dynamics: Connecting the dots
No full textRecent breakdown in our homeland security system, which almost resulted in the fatal bombing of a Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Detroit, has left many wondering how this could have happened. President Obama described the incidence as a failure to connect the dots. Dr. Aje describes it as a failure to educate like a system, think like a system, talk like a system and act like a system. In this presentation he discussed issues in politics, education, security, management, etc., and how the application of systems thinking and systems dynamics could provide a better insight into the problems and lead to better decision making and actions.Systems Thinking and Systems Dynamics: Connecting the Dots
Dr. John Aje
Associate Dean, Graduate School of Management and TechnologyCharacteristics of Our Present World and Workplace
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Globalization
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Interdependency
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Work increasingly involves and affects a wide array of stakeholders
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Increasing diversity
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Increasing complexityComplexity and the Decision Maker
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Information explosion
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Time compression
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Proliferation of opportunities
•
Accelerating organizational changesImplications for Management
•
Managers and decision makers must change their patterns of thought and approaches for solving problems.
•
“Without changing our patterns of thought, we will not be able to solve the problems we created with our current patterns of thoughts” (Einstein)
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Peter Senge, Russell Ackoff, W. Edwards Deming and Jay Forester in all their books and articles emphasized that businesses and organizations are complex social systems, and management practices must change to be effective in this environment.Some Thoughts (English majors, please ignore the grammar)
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“Today’s problems come from yesterday’s solutions” (Peter Senge).
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There is a difference between doing things right and doing the right thing (Peter Drucker).
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The righter we do the wrong thing, the wrongerwe become. When we make a mistake doing the wrong thing and we correct it, we become wronger.
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When we make a mistake doing the right thing and we correct it we become righter. Therefore it is better to do the right thing wrong than the wrong thing right.
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These thoughts are very important because most problems that we are confronted with, that we have not solved successfully (especially nationally) involve trying to do the wrong thing righter.Characteristics of Complex Systems
•
Forrester identifies the following characteristics of complex systems:
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“Problem resolutions that improve a situation in the short term may often create bigger problems in the longer term and vice versa.”
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“The subsystems and parts of a system interact using multiple, nonlinear feedback loops. This complex flow of interactions often results in counterintuitive behavior.”
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“Due to the time delays between cause and effect, people become accustomed to situations. They then reduce their goals and objectives to accommodate what they originally viewed as an unacceptable situation.”Characteristics of Complex Systems (contd)
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“Cause and effect are often separated in terms of both time and space.”What is Systems Thinking?
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It is a way of seeing and talking about reality that helps us better understand and work with systems to influence the quality of our lives.
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Provides an approach of thinking through chaos, complexity, and the imperatives of interdependency.
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Develops the ability to synthesize separate findings into a coherent whole.What is Systems Thinking
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Russ Ackoffdefines it as: “systemic thinking is holistic versus reductionist thinking, synthetic versus analytic.”
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Accurate but not precise. It provides a correct definition but does not address the cognitive processes that are required to think systemically.
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An educational program that is going to help students learn how to think systemically must make these cognitive processes explicit and teach techniques for developing these skills.Cognitive Processes Required For Systems Thinking
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Synthetic Thinking –understanding the role and purpose of a system and its parts to understand why they behave as they do.
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Dynamic Thinking –examining the behavior over time of the system and its parts.
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Closed-Loop Thinking –“investigating how the parts of a system react to and interact with each other and external factors”Putting Systems In Context
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The Iceberg Context:
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Events: These are the occurrences we encounter on a day-to-day basis.
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Patterns:The accumulated “memories” of events. Patterns can reveal trends.
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Systemic structure: The ways in which the parts of a system are organized. These structures generate the patterns and events we observe.Putting Systems In Context Cont’d
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Mental Models: The belief and assumption we hold about how the world works.
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Vision: Our picture of what we want the future to be.The Iceberg
EventsPatternsStructure
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Events:What happened?
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Patterns:What has been happening? What are the trends we have seen?
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Structure: Why is this happening? What forces (including the underlying mental modes) have created this behavior?
Use the iceberg framework to discuss patterns and discover how different people see the same event. Ask the following questions in a group setting:The Seven Thinking Skills
Systems Thinking Skill And Definition
Traditional Skill And Definition
Dynamic Thinking: Framing a problem in terms of a pattern of behavior over time.
Static Thinking:Focusing on particular events.
System-as-Course Thinking: Seeing internal actors who manage the policies and “plumbing” of the systems as responsible for a behavior.
System-as-Effect Thinking: Considering a system’s behavior as being driven by external forces.
Forest Thinking: Seeing beyond the details to the context of relationships in which they’re embedded.
Tree-by-Tree Thinking: Focusing on the details in order to “know.”
Operational Thinking: Understanding how a behavior is actually generated.
Factors Thinking:Listing factors that influence, or are correlated with a behavior.
Closed-Loop Thinking: Viewing causality as an ongoing process, not a one-time event with effects feeding back to influence causes, and causes affecting each other.
Straight-Line Thinking: Viewing causality as running one way, with each course independent of other courses.
Quantitative Thinking: Knowing how to quantify though you can’t always measure.
Measurement Thinking: Focusing on achieving a high degree of numerical precision.
Scientific Thinking: Knowing how to define testable hypotheses
Proving-Truth Thinking:Seeking to prove models true by validating them with historical data.
Source: Richmond, BarrySurvey of Faculty Members(By Brian Atwater and Alan Stephens of Utah State University College of Business)
•
Web-based survey that was distributed electronically to approximately 2,900 randomly chosen faculty members teaching at the top 63 business schools in the U.S
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297 responses were received
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Survey tested four questionsQuestions
1.
How do faculty members define the concept of system thinking?
2.
What level of importance do faculty assign to systemic thinking skills?
3.
To what extent is systemic thinking taught in Graduate Schools of Business?
4.
Do faculty differentiate between teaching about systems and teaching systemic thinking?Which of the following best describe how you would define systemic thinking?
16% -Eliciting inputs from multiple disciplines and perspectives to develop a more complete understanding of a situation
13% -Identifying the optimal combination and arrangement of resources needed to achieve a desired outcome
19% -Studying how the different parts of an organization interact to achieve a desired outcome
7% -Mapping work flows to determine how information and material cut across an organization to create value
35% -Understanding how different parts of an organization interact, react to changes over time, and send feedback to affect performance
10% -Other
6% -Never heard of systemic thinking/have no idea how to define it
3% -All of the above
1% -All of the above plus an understanding of how it interacts with the environmentTeaching Students to Think Systemically is an Essential Part of a Graduate Business Program
33.7% -Strongly Agree
40.7% -Agree
20.2% -Unsure
3.0% -Disagree
1.6% -Strongly Disagree
0.7% -No responseSystemic Thinking Should be Part of Every Class in a Graduate Business Program
12.8% -Strongly Agree
39.0% -Agree
24.6% -Unsure
12.8% -Disagree
3.0% -Strongly Disagree
7.7% -No responsePlease Allocate 100 Points Across the Following Thinking Skills, According to How You Perceive Their Relative Importance
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Critical Thinking -27.14
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Analytical Thinking -26.35
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Systemic Thinking -22.01
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Creative Thinking -21.14
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Other (Communication Skills, Core Business Knowledge, etc.) -3.22
(Average score across all respondents)Does the Program at Your School Do an Adequate Job Teaching Systemic Thinking?
9.7% -Strongly Agree
36.3% -Agree
39.5% -Unsure
12.9% -Disagree
1.6% -Strongly Disagree
0% -No responseLinear Vs. Systems ThinkingSource: Ollhoff, Jim
System Thinkers
Break things into component pieces
Are concerned with the whole
Are concerned with content
Are concerned with process
Try to fix symptoms
Are concerned with the underlying
dynamics
Are concerned with assigning blame
Try to identify patterns
Try to control chaos to create order
Try to find patterns amid the chaos
Care only about the content of
communication
Care about content but are more attentive to interactions and patterns of communication
Believe organizations are predictable
and orderly
Believe organizations are unpredictable in a chaotic environmentMaking The ShiftSource: Ollhoff, Jim
Instead of …
Try …
Instead of blaming someone, ask …
“What are the influences on that person?”
Instead of saying, “I know the answer,” say…
“I have another perspective on the issue.”
Instead of thinking you know the answer …
Always be looking for evidence to confirm your theory, in addition to evidence to disconfirm it.
Instead of focusing on one item …
Look at all the variables that affect that item.
Instead of looking at the content of what people say …
Look for the process of what they say. How are they saying it? What are they not saying? What are the common themes in the content?
Instead of focusing on negative behaviors …
Look at what is motivating these behaviors or if they are masking a deeper problem.
Instead of just looking at what individuals are doing …
Also look at the dynamics of the system-what forces are pushing individuals toward one thing or another?Advantages Of Using The Systems Thinking Approach
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There is a focus on “closed interdependence”.
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The use of visual diagrams help clarify complex issues, promote communication and facilitate learning.
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Forces decision makers or members of a group to be explicit about their mental models.Advantages Of Using Systems…contd
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Promotes examination and inquiry.
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Embodies a worldview that looks at wholes and recognizes interconnectedness.When Should We Use Systems Thinking?
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The issue is important
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The problem is chronic, not a one-time event
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The problem is familiar and has a known history
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People have unsuccessfully tried to solve the problem before
(Ref: Michael Goodman)Some Tools For Systems Thinking
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Causal loops diagrams
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Stock and flows diagramsCausal Loop DiagramSOME EXAMPLES OF APPLICATIONSQUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION
Google Scholar vs. Academic Search Premier: What libraries and searchers need to know
No full textProject objective: Compare how Google Scholar and Academic Search Premier stack up as research tools.Google Scholar vs. Academic Search Premier What Libraries and Searchers Need to Know
January 29, 2010, Bridging the Spectrum Symposium, CUA
Ingrid Hsieh-Yee John Coogan
Professor Systems Librarian
School of Library & Information Science Univ. of Maryland University
Catholic University of America College
[email protected] [email protected]
Project Objective:
Compare how Google Scholar and Academic Search Premier stack up as research tools.
Methodology: Search topics in science and technology
What are the causes and treatment options for plantar fasciitis?
Is brain development in children a good indication of their intelligence?
How is hurricane intensity or strength related to global warming?
What do we know about the language development of internationally adopted children?
Methodology: Data collection and analysis
Two searchers: Searching four topics in GS and ASP in 2008 and 2009.
Searches: Search terms are “AND”ed together for basic and advanced searches.
Date limit: Since 2004.
Top 10 items: In basic searches top 10 items of each search set are examined for relevance, full text availability, full text effort, currency, and overlap. In advanced searches top 10 items are examined for relevance and overlap.
Findings:
ASP outperforms GS in terms of:
Higher Relevance (especially in metadata-only searches).
More FT availability and easier access to FT.
More effective advanced searching.
GS outperforms ASP in terms of:
“Newer” items (slight advantage when limiting by date).
GS retrieves more items, plus more ASP items are indexed by GS than the other way around.
Covers some types of materials not readily found in library databases (books, grey literature, materials in institutional repositories).
Top 10 results:
Similar searches in ASP and GS produce very different top 10 results.
Recommendations:
ASP is a good primary tool, GS is a good supplement.
Searchers may want to use both systems to have the best of both worlds
Developmental lifecycle of a Knowledge Management (KM) initiative to forecast maturity and growth:A Possible Tool for Sustaining the Life of a KM Initiative
No full textThe purpose of the research is to determine if a KM Initiative Lifecycle can be developed by merging a variety of existing lifecycles.A Developmental Lifecycle of a Knowledge Management (KM) Initiative to Forecast Maturity and Growth:A Possible Tool for Sustaining the Life of a KM Initiative
Susan Camarena
Doctor of Management Program, DMGT 892
Key Words:
Knowledge Management; KM initiative lifecycles; KM project; forecasting tool; resource planning tool, Purpose and Scope of the Research
•
Purpose:Determine if a KM Initiative Lifecycle can be developed by merging a variety of existing lifecycles.
Developmental growth
•
Scope: The “initiative” or “projects” that comprise a full KM program.
Codification
PersonalizationResearch Questions
RQ 1
Can timelines applied to growth and maturation, as stated in various lifecycles, be applied to a KM initiative?Research Questions(continued)
RQ 2
Can identifying an initiative’s developmental “age” help to:
i.
Identify remediation for stunted growth?
ii.
Forecast growth progression?
iii.
Determine an initiative is “past its prime?”
iv.
Identify “offspring” of a failed initiative?Significance of this Research for Management
•
Knowledge is a vital resource and must be managed.
Knowledge Management “Initiatives” provide optimal use
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Yet-More KM Initiatives fail than succeed
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Developmental lifecycle may provide framework for success
Management tool to better forecast KM initiative success-before and during the initiative
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Improved opportunity to succeed= win/winMain Literature Themes and Authors
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Knowledge as a Competitive Edge
Bell, Toffler
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Need to Manage Knowledge
Svieby, Nonaka, Ribiere, Greinener
•
Foundations for Successful Knowledge Management
KM maturity (Kulkarniand Lewis )
Business Strategy (Desouzaand Grier )
Business Drivers (Jain)
Business Direction (Chew)
Leadership Support (GAO)Main Literature Themes and Authors(Continued)
•
Lifecycle Approaches
Human Development: Kailand Cavanaugh; Erikson; Piaget; Maslow
Organizational: Drazinand Kazanjian; Miller and Freisen; Lester, Parnell and Carraher
Project: Khangand Moe
Knowledge: Birkenshawand Sheehan
KM: Wiig, Davenport and Prusak; Bhatt
KM Initiative : FridKey Propositions Distilledfrom the Literature
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Knowledge is a vital Resource
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Management of Knowledge (KM) Impacts Competitiveness
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Foundations for successful KM programs set environment for KM initiative
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Lifecycles:
Provide measurements
Forecast expected characteristicsConceptual Framework Thesis statement
It is possible to merge a variety of lifecycle approaches into a lifecycle that can be used to define the stages of a KM initiative and its potential for growth.
KM Initiatives could be managed and forecasted according to this lifecycle, which identifies potential developmental changes, environmental impacts and event personality traits of initiatives at different stages.Research Approach & Formationof Argument Findings
Current Lifecycles can be modified to define a KM Initiative Lifecycle
Developmental aspects can be applied
Stages and Challenges can be defined
Actual ages are not as concrete
Age/Stage names not final
Concept is easily understood by KM experts and non-experts Implications for Management Practice
•
Redefine KM Initiative timeline based on a developmental framework
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Application to other (non-KM) activities
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Forecasting resourcesFuture Research Agendas
•
Lifecycle review of Initiative(s) from Cradle to Grave
•
Fuller definition of stage characteristics
•
Intervention and Remediation-case studies
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Use of lifecycle for resource forecasting: lessons learned
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Application to other initiatives or project
Driving forces of sustainability among the top nine publicly traded global automakers
No full textThe purpose of the research is to examine whether a portfolio of factors can be utilized to predict relative sustainability within an industry.Driving Forces of SustainabilityAmong the Top Nine Publicly Traded Global Automakers
S.O.A.R.SOctober 29, 2010
Eric Scott Kushner
Doctor of Management
University of Maryland University College
Contact: [email protected]
Keywords:Organizational Sustainability; Globalization; Competitiveness; Technological Innovation Purpose and Scope of Research
•
Purpose
To examine whether a portfolio of factors can be utilized to predict relative sustainability within an industry
•
Scope
This study considers sustainability among the ninemajorpublicly traded global automakersResearch Questions
1.
Can a portfolio of both qualitative and quantitative factors be utilized to measure relative sustainability within an industry or industry segment?
2.
Can relative sustainability be predicted among the nine publicly traded global automakers?Significance of Research for Management
This study addresses the gap that exists between qualitative and quantitative sustainability models by proposing a conceptual model that includes a multivariate mixed methods research approach to predicting organizational sustainability. Main Literature Themes and Authors
•Schumpeter (382)*•The Brundtland Commission Report (142)*•Porter and van der Linde (10, 412/926)*Sustainability•Hannan (11,518)*•Senge (285)*•Hamel and Prahalad (3982/4548)*Competition•Thurow (662)*•Dunning and Lundan (1644/30)*•Campa and Guillen (111/635)*Globalization•Teece , Pisano and Shuen (7719/3596/2308)*•Bower and Christensen (464/710)*•Dean and McMullen (202/161)*Technology
* Number of Times Cited in the Web of Science®Key Propositions
•
P1: The concept of organizational sustainability is fluid and changes over time in response to influences in the internal and external operating environment.
•
P2: Intensity of competition, globalization, and technological innovation positively correlate to an organization’s relative sustainable position.
•
P3: Underlying factors influencing competition, globalization, and technological innovation can be utilized in combination to predict relative sustainability within an industry. Conceptual FrameworkPredicting Sustainability Among the Top Nine Globally Traded Automobile Manufacturers
Market ShareRevenue GrowthReturn on Assets Underlying Units of MeasurementGlobalization StrategyCompetitive StrategyTechnology StrategyInternal Factors Taking into Account the External Environment and Strategic PortfolioDecline Sustainability GrowthRegulatoryPoliticalEconomicResourcesThesis Statements
An organization’s relative sustainable position within an industry can be predicted by utilizing a portfolio of underling factors such as revenue growth, market share, and return on assets as proxies for the systemic underpinnings of competition, globalization, and technology, respectively.Research Approach and Formation ofArgument for a Qualitative Dissertation
Research InterestLiterature ReviewPropositionsThesis StatementConclusions
Future ResearchFindings
•
A portfolio of three underling variables, revenue growth, market share and return on assets can be utilized as a quantitative proxy for measuring the qualitative concepts of competition, globalization, and technological innovation respectively.
•
An examination of automobile industry data representing revenue growth, market share and return on assets for the past 10 years indicates that a portfolio of underlying variables which approximate competition, globalization, and technology respectively, can be utilized to predict an organization’s relative sustainability within the industry.Implications for Management Practice
•
Offers a quantitative methodology for directing the development of qualitative organizational initiatives
•
Closes the gap between theory and practice by combining qualitative elements underlying sustainability with a quantitative methodology for measuring and predicting relative sustainability within a major manufacturing industry
•
Provides senior management with a tool which can be utilized to link sustainability initiatives with overall organizational initiatives based on a portfolio of quantifiable factorsFuture Research Agendas
•
Are the findings generalizable beyond the labor intensive automobile manufacturing industry?
•
Would knowledge intensive industries such as software development require a unique portfolio of predictive factors?
•
What other underlying variable(s) could be utilized to predict relative sustainability in the automobile industry?
•
What impact did the global recession (2007-?)have on relative sustainability in the automobile industry
Workforce diversity in the senior executive service: Exploring African American Women's perceptions of key success factors needed to gain appointments in the SES
No full textPurpose of the study: To identify African American women’s (AAW) perceptions of key success factors which enable them to achieve SES appointments.WORKFORCE DIVERSITY
IN THE SENIOR EXECUTIVE
SERVICE: EXPLORING AFRICAN
AMERICAN WOMEN’S PERCEPTIONS
OF KEY SUCCESS FACTORS NEEDED
TO GAIN APPOINTMENTS IN THE SES
Dr. Lynda C. Jackson
Doctor of Management
University of Maryland University College
[email protected]
March 2010
Keywords: Workforce Diversity, SES, African American Women, Key Success Factors
1
Purpose & Research Gap
Purpose of the study
To identify African American women’s (AAW)
perceptions of key success factors which enable them
to achieve SES appointments.
Gap in research studies
Limited focus on AAW’s perceptions
No empirical studies focus on AAW’s perceptions of
SES success factors
No studies address perceptions of GS-15/GS-14
Literature suggests more studies are needed on
AAW’s perceptions (Bell & Nkomo, 2001; Catalyst,2004)
2
Thesis Argument
This study argues that:
Mentors, informal networks, role models,
emotional intelligence and organization diversity
practices are key success factors needed for
AAW to achieve SES level positions.
3
Management Problem
4
Work force diversity for AAW in the SES
Of 6,555 SES appointees nationwide - 232 are AAW (GAO, 2008)
Lack of sufficient representation of women and minorities in the SES
impedes its ability to reflect the diversity of the people it serves.*
An SES that reflects the nation’s diverse culture and backgrounds
can help bring different and fresh perspectives and approaches to
policy development, problem solving and decision making.**
OPM, and GAO acknowledge lack of work force diversity in SES for
women and minorities (OPM 2002; GAO, 2008)
*Zeller, 2003
**Partnership for Public Service & Booz Allen Hamilton, 2009, p. 11
Scope of the Study
Scope
Focused on African American women (AAW)
Success factors needed to achieve Senior
Executive Service (SES) rank
US Federal Government employees
Target grades - SES, GS-15 & GS-14
5
Research Questions (RQs)
RQ1 - How do AAW in the SES, GS-15, and GS-14 grades rate the
importance of mentors, informal networks, role models, emotional
intelligence, and organization diversity practices as success factors for
reaching the SES career level?
RQ2 - How do emotional intelligence (EI) test scores relate to perceptions
of the importance of key success factors for AAW in the SES, GS-15, and
GS-14 ranks?
RQ3 - How does perceived difficulty to achieve SES ranking relate to the
perceptions of key success factors and to career aspirations, job location
flexibility, and family responsibilities for AAW in the SES, GS-15, and GS-14
ranks?
RQ4 - How do demographic variables like age, marital status, education
and government experience relate to perceived difficulty to achieve SES
ranking, key career success factors, and personal conditions factors: career
aspiration, family responsibilities, and job location flexibility? 6
Key Success Factor Literature
7
Conceptual Framework
• EI Scores
• Perceived
difficulty to
achieve SES
• Career
Aspirations
• Location
flexibility
• Family
Responsibility
• Demographics
Related
Methodology
Quantitative Study
Measure AAW’s perceptions of career success factors
Descriptive and inferential statistics
Empirical analysis of SES and non-SES AAW’s perceptions
Reliabilities, Correlations, ANOVA, Scheffe
Instrument
Web-based survey (Zoomerang)
Likert scale items
EI test (Wong & Law EI Scale)
Targeted sample
AAW serving as US federal government employees
SES
GS-15, GS-14 (Developmental Pool) 9
Top Three Factors
Survey item: Select the top three factors that have
contributed the most to YOUR overall career success.
10 options listed:
5 key success factors (Mentors, Networks, Role models,
Diversity practices & Emotional Intelligence)
Hard work
Ability
Being in the right place at the right time (Luck)
Education & training
Other
10
Top Three Factors (cont)
Survey item: Select the top three factors that have
contributed the most to YOUR overall career success.
10 options listed:
5 key success factors (Mentors, Networks, Role models,
Diversity practices, & EI)
Hard work
Ability
Being in the right place at the right time (Luck)
Education & training
Other
11
Top Three Factors
& Attribution Theory
12
• Mentors
• Informal Networks
• Role models
• Diversity practices
• Luck
• Emotional Intelligence
• Hard work
• Education & Training
• Ability
• Effort
Internal
Attribution
External
Attribution
Source: Weiner (1972) and
Rotter & Mulry (1965)
Theory:
Effort, ability
or skill
Theory:
Luck, task
difficulty, fate,
or powerful
others
Internal and External Attribution
Implications for Management
Organizations
Understanding AAW’s perceptions benefits diversity management
Knowledge of perceptions may aid in the development of diversity
programs targeted to dispel misinformed perceptions
Managers
Increased awareness for minority career development initiatives
Improve insight for building relevant diversity recruiting programs
AAW Employees
Increase awareness of the most important success factors
Enhance understanding of additional factors that may be needed
13
Conceptual Model for Future Study
+
Future Research Potential
Replicate study with broader grade spectrum
Conduct comparison study of women in other minority
groups and nonminority women
Triangulate – gather rich data to enhance clarity
Explore AAW’s strategies for accessing success factors
Examine AAW perceptions in corporate arena
Conduct comparative study of African American men’s
perceptions
Investigate perceptions presented in conceptual model for
future study
15
16
Variable, Means, Correlations
& Alpha Reliabilities
*p<.05;**p<.01 N=190, Alpha reliabilities on the diagonal Back
Analysis and Interpretation
• Present study’s primary objective was to identify AAW’s perceptions of key
success factors needed to gain SES appointments.
• AAW perceived EI, mentors, & networks as the most important factors
• Analysis revealed no significant differences existed between groups
• Participants were more likely to attribute success to internal factors
• Results may increase awareness for AAW who aspire to become SES
• Results may provide tools for organizations and managers to improve inclusion,
career development, and recruiting diversity programs.
• Follow-on study should investigate how all women perceive the importance of
internal, external and personal conditions as success factors
• Future comparative studies should determine if AAW’s perceptions are different
from the perceptions of other minorities and non-minorities 17
DISCUSSION & QUESTIONS
18
Findings: Research Question 1
RQ1: How do AAW in the SES, GS-15, and GS-14 grades rate
the importance of mentors, informal networks, role models,
emotional intelligence, and organization diversity practices as
success factors for reaching the SES career level?
All groups rated key success factors in the following order:
Significant relationships existed among all success factor ratings
No significant differences existed in ratings between the groups
1- EI 4- Diversity Practices
2- Mentors 5- Role Models
3- Networks
19
Table 1
Findings: Research Question 2
RQ2: How do emotional intelligence (EI) test scores relate to
perceptions of the importance of key success factors for AAW
in the SES, GS-15, and GS-14 ranks?
All groups scored high on EI (4.49)
All groups’ EI scores related significantly to all key success factors.
SES – EI scores related significantly to perceptions of EI
GS-15 – EI scores related significantly to all key success factors.
GS-14 – EI scores related significantly to all key success factors
except informal networks.
20
Findings: Research Question 3
RQ3: How does perceived difficulty to achieve SES ranking
relate to the perceptions of key success factors and to career
aspirations, job location flexibility, and family responsibilities
for AAW in the SES, GS-15, and GS-14 ranks?
All groups – significant relationships between organization
diversity practices & career aspirations
SES – significant relationships between organization diversity
practices & career aspirations.
GS-15 – no significant relationships between other variables
GS-14 – significant relations between role models, career
aspirations, job location flexibility & family responsibility
21
Findings: Research Question 4
RQ4: How do demographic variables like age, marital
status, education and government experience relate to
perceived difficulty to achieve SES ranking, key career
success factors, and personal conditions factors: career
aspiration, family responsibilities, and job location
flexibility?
Age–related to perceived difficulty to achieve SES,
organization diversity practices & job location flexibility
Marital status–related to organization diversity practices
Education–related to informal networks
Government experience–related to mentors, informal networks,
& perceptions of EI
2