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Assessing focal points in homeland security and emergency management research and practice through content analysis method: Creating a knowledge area map for the curriculum at UMUC
No full textAbstract: This research identified important focus areas associated with the fields of Homeland Security and Emergency Management through a survey of the literature published in the well known online scholarly journal, Journal of Homeland security and Emergency Management between the years 2003 and 2011. Trends were observed including emergent themes as well as the lack thereof. The resulting knowledge will help build a roadmap for UMUC’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management curriculum enhancement.Assessing Focal Points in Homeland Security and Emergency Management Research and Practice through Content Analysis Method: Creating a Knowledge Area Map for the Curriculum at UMUC
Irmak Renda-Tanali, D.Sc.
Collegiate Associate Professor and Program Director
Homeland Security Management and Emergency Management
Graduate School, University of Maryland University College
Abstract
This research identified important focus areas associated with the fields of Homeland Security and Emergency Management through a survey of the literature published in the well known online scholarly journal, Journal of Homeland security and Emergency Management between the years 2003 and 2011. Trends were observed including emergent themes as well as the lack thereof. The resulting knowledge will help build a roadmap for UMUC’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management curriculum enhancement.
Research Objectives
This research was motivated by a need to develop a “knowledge area map” for the courses offered in both of the Homeland Security and Emergency Management master’s degree specializations. Among the seven specialization courses offered in each of the Homeland Security and Emergency Management areas there are overlapping knowledge areas as well as differing focus areas. There is a need for a systematic approach in determining the focus areas in general in both the Homeland Security and Emergency Management areas and map the current course contents according to the knowledge areas. Due to the convenience and other practical factors this researcher decided to use the online Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (JHSEM) as a resource to determine the core knowledge areas and trends in Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Since this researcher is the Executive Editor and has been involved as an Assistant Managing Editor since the journal was founded in 2003, the data is easily accessible. JHSEM with the vast number of quality articles it has published, its widespread reach and its vast readership (around 80,000 people worldwide) is arguably the leading scholarly journal in the fields of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. JHSEM serves as an excellent source for the determination of the focus areas in the two disciplines. Since JHSEM does not solicit articles, it is a perfect barometer for where research is moving in academia, government and research institutes around the world (Coffey, 2009). The goals of the proposed research were: (1) To capture the focal points of the broader areas of Homeland Security and Emergency Management through the method of content analysis and using the online Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (JHSEM) as the main resource. The primary data used was the entire journal articles published in the JHSEM from its first issue in 2003 through the latest issue in 2011. (2) To classify articles according to the type of manuscript (research article, opinion article, book reviews, news); type of hazard (natural, manmade –intentional and unintentional, complex); by management area (prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery); by type of organization (public, private, volunteer); by critical infrastructure sectors according to the Department of Homeland Security (agriculture and food, commercial facilities, dams ,energy, information technology, postal and shipping, banking and finance, communications, defense industrial base, government facilities, national monuments and icons, transportation systems, chemical, critical 2
manufacturing, emergency services, healthcare and public health, nuclear reactors materials and waste, and water); by domain (policy, practice, and theory); by discipline area (health, engineering, mathematics, geology, geography, finance, international relations, political science, psychology etc.) and by location (U.S.—and its regions/states, America, Europe, Asia, Africa.) (3) To collect and analyze the statistics in terms of the number of articles published in each category, article download history (number and frequency of downloads to date, type of readership). (4) To uncover facts about the focal points and shifts in emphasis areas as well as potential gaps concerning the categories identified (per item 2). (5) To apply the findings as an input for developing a “knowledge area map” for the Homeland Security Management and Emergency Management graduate degree curricula in UMUC. (Note that this task will not be accomplished within the semester the research was conducted. It will be a gradual and elaborate process and will span months and semesters).
Research Findings:
Through a semi-automated keyword data search software custom built by a graduate student for this research, a statistical data output was generated which involves the frequency of the use of keywords that were previously identified through literature review and personal expert judgment. The output data uncovers interesting facts about the frequency and intensity of the themes spread over 8 years of publication of JHSEM. Preliminary analysis shows that of the 473 manuscripts published over these years, there is a balanced emphasis on both homeland security and emergency management in general (48% and 46% respectively). However, these two fields are not necessarily mutually exclusive therefore an article can be counted twice if it falls under both categories. Of the secondary topics, the most popular subject matter involved “management” (33%). The theme of “security” was mentioned in about 30% of all the manuscripts published. While about 29% of all manuscripts covered intentional/manmade hazards, only 10% of the manuscripts were about natural hazards. This uncovers the fact that JHSEM’s focus has been on more of security than the safety issues generated from natural events (e.g. earthquakes, tornadoes, floods etc.) Consistent with the findings above, a dominant theme was “terrorism” that accounted for 26% of all manuscripts. The term “disaster” was used in about 23% of all manuscripts. Also of the 4-phases of emergency management (mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery), the most popular one was “response” (15%), followed by “preparedness” (12%), followed by “mitigation” (8%), and lastly “recovery” (only 3%). The term “public” was mentioned in 14% of the articles whereas private sector was the theme in only 4% of the articles. This shows that there was heavy emphasis on public sector as opposed to the private sector’s role in the topics covered in JHSEM. Given that the majority of the critical infrastructures are owned and operated by the private sector, this finding calls for action for improvement in JHSEM. Another relatively frequent theme was “strategy” or “strategic planning” (13%), and the terms “policy” and “legal” (11%) were relatively well addressed. The terms “risk” and “risk analysis” showed up in 56 articles making up about 11% of the manuscripts. Some of the important areas highlighted in literature and government policy documents received little or no mentioning in JHSEM articles. These include the critical infrastructure areas, ethics, border security, volunteering, media and risk communications, engineering, water sector, nuclear threats, transportation security, intelligence, cybersecurity, pandemics, and evacuation among others. A favorable conclusion from these findings is that there is statistical data to support the existence or lack there of the important areas published for scholars and practitioners in the fields of EM and HS. The emphasis areas found through literature review and that are lacking in the publication statistics can be covered more by inviting authors to publish in those less covered areas. A map of the UMUC curriculum with the focus areas is in the works. In the meantime, this research triggered substantial revision of two courses in the HS curriculum. 3
Feb. 2, 2012
Acknowledgments: I would like to thank Prasanna Menta, Josephine Garcia, Jay Liebowitz, Robert Goodwin, and Greg von Lehmen for their support
Keys to unlocking prior learning: Transformation of UMUC's portfolio assessment "The Sequel"
No full textWhy Prior Learning Assessment?
–Open admission university
–Non-traditional learners
–Adult learners bring a wealth of prior learning experiences to the classroom
–Prior learning assessment values students’ knowledgeThe Keys to Unlocking
Prior Learning
Transformation of UMUC’s
Portfolio Assessment
“The Sequel” Presenters
•Shawna Acker-Ball, PhD
–Director, Experiential Learning
University of Maryland University College
•Cheryl Horton, MS Ed
–Associate Director, Experiential Learning University of Maryland University College Why Prior Learning Assessment?
•UMUC’s mission and student population
–Open admission university
–Non-traditional learners
–Adult learners bring a wealth of prior learning experiences to the classroom
–Prior learning assessment values students’ knowledge Overview of PLA Program
•UMUC and Prior Learning Assessment
–Program was established in 1978.
–All student portfolios were submitted in hard copy binders and mailed to each evaluators.
–CD’s and web based platform are now used.
•Strictly web based beginning Spring 2012 Program Background
•Program eligibility
–Degree Audit Team
–Official evaluation
–Grade point average
–Writing requirement
–Resident credits (3)/Transfer credits (30) EXCL 301-Learning Analysis and Planning
•The three (3) credit course guides students through exercises toward the preparation of a written portfolio that describes and documents their college-level learning.
–Eight (8) weeks in duration/online and face to face
–Satisfactory/D/Fail - grading method
•If student receives the grade of “D” for the course, the portfolio is not moved forward for evaluation.
•Students who pass the course with an “S” or “D” are not permitted to re-take EXCL 301
–Up to 30 credits can be earned (15 for second bachelor’s degree) Evaluation Process
•Faculty evaluation
–All faculty evaluators are approved by respective academic directors.
–All faculty evaluators are provided Evaluator Guidelines and PLA resources.
–All credit recommendations from evaluators are reviewed and approved by UMUC’s Degree Audit Team (DAT). Evaluation Process
•Evaluators make credit recommendations based on the learning outcomes and supporting documentation.
•Credit is granted for verifiable college-level learning from one’s experiences, but not for the experiences themselves. EXCL Credit Awards
How many credits are students guaranteed to earn?
•Successful completion of EXCL 301 will earn three credits for the course.
•There is no guarantee that students will receive credit from the evaluation of their portfolio.
•The average credit award is between 15 and 18 credits.
–Assessment fees are applied.
–PLA tuition is offered at a reduced cost.
Transformation
•Curriculum redesign
–EXCL 301 underwent review – 18 month project
•Changes to the program mission and outcomes
–Change from course objectives to learning outcomes
–Creation of common assignments across all sections
–Changed course duration from 15 weeks to 8 weeks beginning fall 2011
–Process
–Established concepts and skills and issues related to the program
–Feedback loop is ongoing
Shift in Paradigm
•Establish prior learning culture
•Faculty teaching method – shortened timeframe
•Encourage increased faculty interaction with online courses
•Encourage increased student engagement – “hit the ground running”
Shift in Paradigm
–OEL department review of all portfolio evaluations from faculty.
–Ensure portfolio evaluations adhere to department standards.
–Required participation in faculty/evaluator Wimba workshops. And More Assessment
•Academic Program Review
–Deeper look at all systems and processes
•No textbook
•All resources/templates embedded in the course
•Inclusion of writing advisors in each course section
•Alternative assessment strategies (interview, simulations, etc.)
•Quantitative evaluation rubrics – Spring 2012
•Redesign of Evaluator Manual – Spring 2012 Changes to Come
•Competency Based Education
–Portfolio/Course Challenge expansion
–Messaging to students at admission
–Messaging to target populations for each program
–UMUC-wide support
•Office of Enrollment Management
•All academic units
–Anticipated increase in student participation
Questions and Answers
Shawna Acker-Ball
[email protected]
Cheryl Horton
[email protected]
Telephone
(240) 684-289
Repatriation turnover: The influence of employee expectations
No full textThe purpose of the study is to explore the relationship between unmet employee expectations and repatriation turnover.Repatriation Turnover: The Influence of Employee Expectations
October 28, 2011
James Brown
[email protected]
Keywords: repatriation, expatriate, expectations, retentionPurpose and Scope of the Research
•
Purpose: To explore the relationship between unmet employee expectations and repatriation turnover.
•
Scope: Units of analysis: Multinational Corporations and expatriate employees.Research Questions
•
Do expectations of returning expatriate employees matter for their retention in the organization? Significance of this Research for Management
•
Repatriated global managers have a turnover rate that is twice that of domestic managers, an immediate loss of investment for the firm and a long-term loss of knowledge and talent.
•
The cost to the organization can exceed $1 million per expatriate.Main Literature Themes and Authors
Repatriation Cost
Black & Gregersen, 1999; Black, Gregersen, & Mendenhall, 1992
Talent Management
Lazarova & Caligiuri, 2001
Management of Knowledge
Fink, Meierwert, & Rohr, 2005
Expectancy Theory
Vroom, 1964
Met Expectations
Porter & Steers, 1973; Wanous, Poland, Premack, & Davis, 1992
Mentors/ Sponsors
Jassawalla, Connolly, & Slojkowski, 2004; Martin & Anthony, 2006
Repatriation Adjustment
Black, 1992; Gregersen & Stroh, 1997
Realistic Job Preview (RJP)
Phillips, 1998; Wanous et al., 1992 Themes (continued)
Recognition
Adler, 1981; Black & Gregersen, 1999
Organizational Support
Arman, 2009; Lazarova & Caligiuri, 2001
Turnover/ Retention
Gregersen & Stroh, 1997; Lazarova & Caligiuri, 2001; Lazarova & Cerdin, 2007; Stahl, Chua, Caligiuri, Cerdin, & Taniguchi, 2009
Intent to Quit/ Intent to Stay
Gregersen & Black, 1990; Stahl et al., 2009
Organizational commitment
Gregersen & Black, 1990
Employee Satisfaction
Sanchez Vidal, Sanz Valle, & Barba Aragon, 2008; Stahl et al., 2009
Psychological Contract
Lazarova & Caligiuri, 2001; Rousseau, 1989 Key Propositions Distilled from the Literature
1.
Formal repatriation programs offer a systematic approach to address employee concerns, reduce the level of uncertainty concerning the follow-on assignment, and a process for managing employee expectations.
2.
Organizational support throughout the repatriation process helps to reduce uncertainty and stress among employees.
3.
The quality and frequency of communication with the employee, in the form of a realistic job preview (RJP), provides a mechanism to align employees’ expectations with realistic career opportunities.
4.
Increasing global competition combined with economic uncertainty requires a systematic management approach to managing global talent and knowledge in order to respond to rapidly changing opportunities and threats.Conceptual FrameworkThesis Statement
Organizations using a systematic repatriation process are more likely to retain globally experienced managers. Research Approach and Formation of Argument
Petticrew and Roberts (2006) provide a framework used in conducting a systematic literature review:
Step 1. Clearly define the hypothesis to be tested.
Step 2. Determine the types of studies to be used in the review.
Step 3. Conduct a comprehensive search to locate relevant studies.
Step 4. Using an established criteria for which studies to include, screen the retrieved studies identifying to what degree they meet the inclusion criteria.
Step 5. Critically assess the included studies.
Step 6. Synthesize the results of the included studies.
Step 7. Produce the findings of the review.Findings
The results support the central thesis that meeting employee expectations during and after repatriation strengthens the psychological contract between the employee and the organization and improves retention among global managers. The research indicates that organizational support activities are not valued the same among repatriates, and the influences of specific repatriation program activities on employee turnover are not equal.Implications for Management Practice
•
MNCs would benefit from a strategic human resources perspective that defines expatriate experience as a component of professional development and is essential to harnessing the talent of globally experienced employees.
•
Because of the long-term costs to the organization of not having a systematic repatriation program, repatriation planning should be a strategic level concern.
•
Organizations must select among the effective components of a systematic program that will meet the needs of the firm and fit within the specific requirements of the organization’s budget.
•
Organizations need to continuously experiment with mechanisms to align employee expectations with the reality of the follow-on assignment.Future Research Agendas
•
Because of the time period of repatriation adjustment, a longitudinal study of its consequences would be necessary.
•
Advances in communication technology might mitigate the isolation associated with overseas assignments.
•
An emerging and permanent expatriate class will have significant implications for MNCs.
•
The overlap between the retention of globally experienced employees and the management of knowledge remains unexplored.
•
Repatriation program outcomes should be influenced by corporate culture, national culture, and industry
Situational leadership approach effects on employee motivation in multi-generational IT organizations
No full textThe purpose of the study is to explore IT Organizations preferred leadership approach, situational leadership, to determine what motivational effects it has on employees in Information Technology (IT) organizations where multiple generations of employees exist.The Situational Leadership
Approach Effects on Employee
Motivation in Multi-Generational
IT Organizations
Thaddaeus Andrew Irby – Doctoral Candidate
[email protected], 301-221-7894
Key Words: situational leadership approach, employee motivation, Baby Boomer, Generation X, Generation Y, IT Organizations Purpose and Scope
Purpose - The purpose of this research is to explore IT Organizations preferred leadership approach, situational leadership, to determine what motivational effects it has on employees in Information Technology (IT) organizations where multiple generations of employees exist
Scope - The scope of this research consists of the three generations (Baby Boomer, Generation X, and Generation Y) and what motivational effect the situational leadership approach has on each generation. Research Questions
Research Question 1 - What motivational effect does the situational leadership approach have on employees in multi-generational IT organizations?
Research Question 2 - What leadership characteristics support multi-generational IT organizations?
Significance of this Research for Management
-
The exploration of situational leadership, and its effectiveness, in leading and motivating employees in today’s multi-generational IT organizations will give managers an understanding of how to move away from this leadership approach.
Will provide managers, and leaders, whom have daily direct contact with each generation of employees, with unique leadership tools and knowledge to utilize in their organization to motivate its multi-generational workforce to meet and surpass performance expectations.
Main Literature Themes and Authors
Themes
•
Unique Generations in IT Organizations
•
Leadership Influence on Generational Employees
•
Motivational Needs and the Situational Leadership Approach
Authors
•Artley, J. and Macon, M. (2009). Can’t We All Just Get Along? A Review of the Challenges and Opportunities in a Multigenerational Workforce
•Blanchard, K (1985). SLII: A Situational Approach to Managing People.
•Brown, R., and Jurkiewicz, C. (1998), GenXers vs. Boomers vs. Matures: Generational Comparisons of Public Employee Motivation.
•De Kerpel, E., Dries, N., and Pepermans, R. (2008). Exploring Four Generations' Beliefs About Career is "Satisfied" the new "Successful"?
•Faraj, S., Sims, H., & Yun, S. (2009). When Should a Leader be Directive or Empowering? How to Develop your own Situational Theory of Leadership
•Thompson, G., & Vecchio, R. (2009). Situational Leadership Theory: A Test of Three Versions. .Key Propositions
1.
Generation X prefers freedom and flexibility in IT organizations, which theoretically comes out of content and process motivational theories.
2.
Generation Y prefers multi-tasking, teamwork, and social collaboration in IT organizations, which theoretically comes out of content and process motivational theories.
3.
The Baby Boomer generation prefers advancement and monetary rewards in IT organizations, which theoretically comes out of content and process motivational theories.
4.
The situational leadership approach does not meet the motivational needs of any generation in IT organizations and will have a negative effect on the employee performance in regards to tasks such as knowledge transfer.
5.
The expectation for leaders in Multi-generational IT organizations are they should be able to handle their own administrative, recruiting, training, orientation, performance management, employee motivation, and retention needs.
6.
Each generation of employees will be motivated by unmet needs and that once a need is satisfied, it is no longer a motivator.
7.
IT generation organization leaders should focus on the positives by addressing what their workforce can do, instead of what it cannot do are the ways to get their workforce to march to the same tune.
8.
There is a desire for today’s leadership to move into a new scope where social values and employee work-related needs require its leaders to implement new type of leadership to remain a viable in today’s economy. Conceptual Framework
Quality of Supervision
Leadership Approach
Employee Motivational Needs
Content Motivations
Process Motivations
Generations in IT Organizations
Baby Boomer
Generation X
Generation Y
Future Employee Performance
Quality of Supervision
Employee Needs
Generations in IT OrganizationsThesis Statement
A move away from the situational leadership approach and into a more dynamic leadership approach will allow leaders in IT organization to motivate its multi-generational workforce to perform tasks such as knowledge transfer.Research Approach and Argumentation
Situational Leadership Approach
Multiple generations in one organization
Quantitative data collection
Employee performance
Qualitative data collection
Analysis of Findings
Implications for Management Theory and Practice
Unit of Analysis
Independent Variable
Primary Factor
Dependent
Variables
Conceptual Model Groundwork & Research Question
HYPHOTHESES
Refined Conceptual Framework
Subject Matter Expert (SME) Review
MotivationFindings
Employee motivations are generally based on where that generational employee falls in the Age Maturity Lifecycle, and not so much what generation that employee falls under.
Common leadership traits that each generation looks for are leaders that are visible and have a genuine concern for their personal and professional needs.
A wide ranging leadership approach is preferred and should be taught in all IT organizational leadership training that caters to these common traits.
Leaders should have the option to utilize any leadership approach that is capable of addressing any generational employee’s personal and professional motivational needs. Implications for Management Practice
Situational leadership approach is widely used in management training courses and is most applicable to this research due to its flexibility in multi-generational IT organizations.
These training courses should be modified to include all of leadership approaches that can address an employee personal and professional needs such as: Leader-Member Exchange Theory, Transformational Leadership, Psychodynamic Approach, Transformational, and Transactional.
See Word FileFuture Research
•
Follow Generation X and Generation Y through the rest of their age maturity life cycle. This will assist in identifying specific generational similarities and differences.
•Research what impact the economy has on employee motivational behaviors
•Research what impact the economy has on leadership behaviors
•Research cultural beliefs affects on leadership behavior
•Research cultural beliefs impacts on generational work force. This can also be explored under diversity in multi-generational IT organization
Risk assessment framework for evaluating Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) cloud services before adoption
No full textSoftware-as-a-service (SaaS) is rapidly becoming the standard software platform for many organizations seeking to reduce their IT costs and take advantage of the inherent flexibility, quick deployment, ready access, and scalability of the SaaS concept. SaaS is part of the paradigm shift toward cloud computing in software, hardware, and IT services acquisition. Swayed by its noted benefits, SaaS adopters may neglect to consider the risks associated with SaaS and overall cloud-based services before adoption. SaaS risks stem from its multi-tenancy, Internet dependency, and the requirement to entrust cloud providers with confidential data. Existing standards for selecting commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) or custom-built software and frameworks for evaluating the risks of cloud-based services are either too broad to apply specifically to SaaS or do not take into account some of the unique requirements of SaaS. Furthermore, the issue of risk relevancy is significant if adopters are to formalize the SaaS decision-making process. A review of existing cloud risk assessment frameworks and cloud literature reveals higher-level risk dimensions of security, business continuity, and integration as the prevalent concerns regarding SaaS adoption. To determine the relevance of these risk dimensions, particularly to SaaS success, a web-based survey was conducted of organizational cloud decision-makers. The results provide evidence that certainty about some elements of security, business continuity, and integration significantly influences the adopting organization’s level of satisfaction with its overall SaaS experience. The findings serve as input to the development of a new SaaS-tailored risk assessment framework. The SaaS Cloud Risk Assessment Framework (S-CRA) is a questionnaire-based decision-making tool allowing cloud adopters to develop a risk profile of candidate SaaS providers and solutions and make a normative and rational decision to reduce organizational risk exposure. Despite its theoretical utility, further qualitative research is needed to determine the viability of the S-CRA framework in an empirical SaaS selection scenario.A Risk Assessment Framework for Evaluating Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) Cloud Services Before Adoption
Lionel Bernard
A Thesis
Submitted to the
Graduate Faculty
of
University of Maryland University College
in Partial Fulfillment of
the Requirements for the Degree
of
Doctor of Management
Dr. Monica Bolesta, Dr. James Gelatte, Dr. Michael Evanchik
January 21, 2011RISK ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK FOR EVALUATING SAAS i
Abstract
Software-as-a-service (SaaS) is rapidly becoming the standard software platform for many organizations seeking to reduce their IT costs and take advantage of the inherent flexibility, quick deployment, ready access, and scalability of the SaaS concept. SaaS is part of the paradigm shift toward cloud computing in software, hardware, and IT services acquisition. Swayed by its noted benefits, SaaS adopters may neglect to consider the risks associated with SaaS and overall cloud-based services before adoption. SaaS risks stem from its multi-tenancy, Internet dependency, and the requirement to entrust cloud providers with confidential data. Existing standards for selecting commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) or custom-built software and frameworks for evaluating the risks of cloud-based services are either too broad to apply specifically to SaaS or do not take into account some of the unique requirements of SaaS. Furthermore, the issue of risk relevancy is significant if adopters are to formalize the SaaS decision-making process. A review of existing cloud risk assessment frameworks and cloud literature reveals higher-level risk dimensions of security, business continuity, and integration as the prevalent concerns regarding SaaS adoption. To determine the relevance of these risk dimensions, particularly to SaaS success, a web-based survey was conducted of organizational cloud decision-makers. The results provide evidence that certainty about some elements of security, business continuity, and integration significantly influences the adopting organization’s level of satisfaction with its overall SaaS experience. The findings serve as input to the development of a new SaaS-tailored risk assessment framework. The SaaS Cloud Risk Assessment Framework (S-CRA) is a questionnaire-based decision-making tool allowing cloud adopters to develop a risk profile of candidate SaaS providers and solutions and make a normative and rational decision to reduce organizational risk exposure. Despite its theoretical utility, further qualitative research is needed to determine the viability of the S-CRA framework in an empirical SaaS selection scenario.RISK ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK FOR EVALUATING SAAS ii
Table of Contents
List of Tables...........................................................................................................................iv
List of Figures ...........................................................................................................................v
Chapter 1: Introduction ............................................................................................................1
Overview .................................................................................................................................................. 1
What Is SaaS? ........................................................................................................................................ 1
Factors Leading to SaaS Growth ............................................................................................................. 7
Impact of SaaS on the IT Industry ........................................................................................................... 9
What Is Cloud Computing? .................................................................................................................... 11
Disadvantages of SaaS .......................................................................................................................... 15
Research Purpose ................................................................................................................................ 16
Research Questions ............................................................................................................................... 18
Organization of This Research .............................................................................................................. 19
Chapter 2: Concept Development and Hypothesis .............................................................21
Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 21
Basic Theoretical Framework ................................................................................................................. 30
Conventional Software Selection Methods ............................................................................................ 34
Analytical network process and analytical hierarchy process ................................................... 34
COTS software evaluation methods ......................................................................................... 36
Decision-making, Risk, and SaaS .......................................................................................................... 40
Gauging Successful Software ................................................................................................................ 49
Conceptual Model and Hypothesis ........................................................................................................ 50
Security risk dimension .............................................................................................................. 53
Business continuity risk dimension ............................................................................................ 53
Integration risk dimension .......................................................................................................... 54
Chapter 3: Research Method and Data Collection ...............................................................56
Target Population .................................................................................................................................. 56
Research Method .................................................................................................................................. 57
Research Instrument .............................................................................................................................. 57
Questionnaire Scales ............................................................................................................................. 59
Validity and Reliability ............................................................................................................................ 62
Content validity .......................................................................................................................... 62
Reliability .................................................................................................................................. 63
Construct validity ....................................................................................................................... 65RISK ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK FOR EVALUATING SAAS iii
Chapter 4: Data Analysis and Results ..................................................................................70
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 70
Descriptive Analysis ............................................................................................................................... 70
Factor Analysis of Dimension Construct Items ...................................................................................... 75
Hypothesis Testing ................................................................................................................................ 80
Hypothesis 1: Security risk ........................................................................................................ 80
Hypothesis 2: Business continuity risk ...................................................................................... 81
Hypothesis 3: Integration risk .................................................................................................... 82
Chapter 5: Conclusion............................................................................................................84
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 84
Major Findings ....................................................................................................................................... 85
Limitations of Research Design ............................................................................................................. 91
Managerial Implications ......................................................................................................................... 92
Implications for Future Research ........................................................................................................... 94
References ..............................................................................................................................96
Appendix I: Institutional Research Board (IRB) Survey Approval Form...........................104
Appendix II: Survey Instrument (with Consent Form) ........................................................107
Appendix III: Survey Distribution Approval.........................................................................115
Appendix IV: Construct Items Removed Based on Factor Analysis .................................116
Appendix V: S-CRA Framework Questions and Rating/Weight Sample ...........................118
Appendix VI: Explanation of Risk Sub-Dimension Items in S-CRA Framework ...............121RISK ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK FOR EVALUATING SAAS iv
List of Tables
1.1. Results from Survey of Current SaaS Selection Methods (n = 252)...............................18
2.1. Software Selection Decision Matrix ...............................................................................25
2.2. Software Selection Decision Matrix with Probability-Weighted Factors..........................25
2.3. S-CRA: Summary of Key Conceptual Model Components.............................................34
3.1. Reliability Measures and Constructs..............................................................................64
3.2. Factor Analysis for SaaS Security Risk (n = 114) ..........................................................66
3.3. Factor Analysis for SaaS Business Continuity Risk (n = 114) ........................................67
3.4. Factor Analysis for SaaS Integration Risk (n = 114) ......................................................67
3.5. Correlation Matrix of Latent Variables (Security Risk Construct)....................................68
3.6. Correlation Matrix of Latent Variables (Business Continuity Risk Construct) .................68
3.7. Correlation Matrix of Latent Variables (Integration Risk Construct)................................69
4.1. Cross-Tabulation of Level of Satisfaction and Organization Type..................................72
4.2. Cross-Tabulation of Level of Satisfaction and Job Function...........................................73
4.3. Cross-Tabulation of Level of Satisfaction and Length of Adoption .................................74
4.4. Cross-Tabulation of Level of Satisfaction and Continued Usage....................................74
4.5. Correlation of Security Risk Dimension Construct Items................................................75
4.6. Security Risk Dimension Reduction Factor Analysis......................................................76
4.7. Correlation of Business Continuity Risk Dimension Construct Items..............................77
4.8. Business Continuity Risk Dimension Reduction Factor Analysis....................................78
4.9. Correlation of Integration Risk Dimension Construct Items............................................78
4.10. Integration Risk Dimension Reduction Factor Analysis..................................................79
4.11. Level of Satisfaction and Security Risk Certainty Hypothesis Test Analysis ..................81
4.12. Level of Satisfaction and Business Continuity Risk Certainty
Hypothesis Test Analysis...............................................................................................82
4.13. Level of Satisfaction and Integration Risk Certainty Hypothesis Test Analysis...............83RISK ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK FOR EVALUATING SAAS v
List of Figures
1.1. The SaaS paradigm.........................................................................................................2
1.2. Top 10 SaaS provider categories, 2010 ..........................................................................4
1.3. SaaS cost and benefit incentives to management ...........................................................9
1.4. The components of cloud computing .............................................................................12
2.1. Rational decision process..............................................................................................23
2.2. Bayes’s theorem formula...............................................................................................28
2.3. Proposed risk relevancy determination process.............................................................33
2.4. SaaS Cloud Risk Assessment (S-CRA) framework .......................................................33
2.5. Comparative analysis of COTS and SaaS selection processes .....................................40
2.6. Comparison of cloud risk factors, categories, and controls in Heiser’s cloud risk factors and the ENISA, CSA, and FedRAMP cloud risk assessment frameworks .....................46
2.7. Sample risk assessment questions based on Heiser’s cloud risk factors and the ENISA, CSA, and FedRAMP cloud risk assessment frameworks...............................................47
2.8. Synthesized SaaS risk dimensions and sub-dimensions ...............................................52
3.1. Likert-like SaaS adoption satisfaction rating scale and explanation ...............................60
3.2. Likert-like SaaS certainty rating scale and explanation ..................................................62RISK ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK FOR EVALUATING SAAS 1
Chapter 1
Introduction
Overview
Software-as-a-service (SaaS) was once viewed as merely a passing trend, one among the many that proliferate in the jargon of the information technology (IT) sector. The concept has now reached a much higher level of maturity and acceptance at a speed unprecedented and unexpected even by those in the IT industry. The main appeal of SaaS lies in its cost incentives. It helps organizations reduce IT costs by channeling large software acquisition expenditures into essentially smaller payments through “renting” software for a wide variety of business functions. The question now facing most organizations is not whether to adopt SaaS but, rather, when to do so; indeed, in some companies, the technology is quickly forcing the decision to either adopt or perish in response to the need to cut costs and maximize efficiency. Despite its cost appeal and other tangible benefits—convenience among them—SaaS comes with its own unique risks. Organizations must resist the tendency to be blinded by the glow of SaaS and consider these risks carefully when deciding whether or not to adopt the technology . Hence, this research intends to highlight the importance of rational decision-making in SaaS evaluation, determine the relevance of prevailing risk factors to successful SaaS adoption, and propose a methodology for adopting SaaS that considers the risks and helps reduce them. Considering risk in SaaS adoption secures the organization’s decision to embrace this new technology and reduces the probability that the business functions dependent on SaaS will be compromised.
What Is SaaS?
Software adoption in business organizations is experiencing a paradigm shift from commercial or custom-built applications installed in-house to subscription-based applications. This phenomenon, known by the acronym SaaS, is dramatically transforming the way organizations evaluate, select, and integrate software into their functions (Hayes, 2008). SaaS entails using software on a subscription basis via the RISK ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK FOR EVALUATING SAAS 2
Internet. In this arrangement, the subscribing organization is considered a “tenant” and incurs only usage costs rather than full ownership costs, as is the case with in-house software (Miller, 2008). Gartner, a reputable information systems (IS) research firm, defines SaaS as “software that’s owned, delivered and managed remotely by one or more providers...consumed in a one-to-many model by all contracted customers anytime, on a pay-as-you-go basis, or as a subscription based on use metrics” (Desisto & Pring, 2010, p. 3). As illustrated in Figure 1.1, to qualify as a legitimate SaaS offering based on the prevailing definition, online software must be web-based, provider-owned, available only through a subscription or rental arrangement, allow the tenant to pay a periodic and predetermined usage fee, and have a cloud-based underlying infrastructure. In this SaaS pay-as-you-go arrangement, the software provider owns and maintains the hardware, software, and systems that make up a specific SaaS application.
Figure 1.1. The SaaS paradigm.
Given that the web browser is the primary medium used by subscribing organizations to access SaaS applications, SaaS is poised to dramatically expand the status of the web browser from its original role as the window to the Internet to the standard operating system for computers. Google, one of the pioneers in SaaS provision, is banking on the web browser’s expanded role as the gatekeeper to the RISK ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK FOR EVALUATING SAAS 3
SaaS domain. Google introduced its heralded Chrome web browser in 2008 not only as a means of supporting its SaaS offerings, such as Google Apps, an online word processing and spreadsheet application, and Gmail, but also as a strategy to position the Chrome browser as the predominant tool for accessing online applications. Unlike Microsoft’s Internet Explorer (IE) and Mozilla’s Firefox browsers, Chrome is specifically designed to optimize online applications, with faster response time, a friendlier interface, and feature-rich offerings (Havenstein, 2008). As the use of online applications increases, a free web browser that facilitates SaaS access and use could monopolize the SaaS distribution channel by forcing providers to adjust their applications to accommodate this browser. Microsoft embarked on a similar path more than a decade ago. Sensing the growing availability and usage of the Internet, Microsoft purposely linked its free IE browser to its Windows operating system (OS), thus annihilating its main competitor, Netscape, and allowing Microsoft to leverage IE’s subsequent widespread use to push its own content to Internet users. Google’s Trojan horse strategy to benefit from the SaaS trend appears to be similar.
SaaS offerings are expanding exponentially and now include mission-critical applications in almost any business interest category imaginable and catering to a
Decision perception in contract acquisition: Strategies in managing intellectual capital in successful DOD contract competitions
No full textUnited States defense contractors serve the needs of the government by providing goods and services to advance the mission of the agencies they support. In many cases they compete for the opportunity to provide these goods and services. That means the manner in which they compete is of critical importance to their survival. The purpose of this paper is to understand why some contractors are successful and why others fail in acquiring government contracts. This paper will discuss how contractors pursue contracts and the impact perception has on the decision process in four major decision areas. Inherently, as part of the proposal process, the contractor will make a series of decisions that can have an effect on the outcome; whether the contract is won by the contractor or not. Perception will be presented as a characteristic of the decision process with a significant impact on the outcome. Further, this paper intends to display, through the use of a constructed meta-cognitive model that can effectively redirect perceptual understanding and approach to decision making in the contractor‘s proposal process. This study suggests that use of this model‘s guidelines can have a significant impact on the effectiveness of the contractor proposal response and potential contract award.Nixon – Perception in Contract Acquisition 1
Running head: Decision perception in contract acquisition: Strategies in managing intellectual capital in successful DOD contract competitions
Decision perception in contract acquisition: Strategies in managing intellectual capital in successful DOD contract competitions
David Nixon
University of Maryland University College Nixon – Perception in Contract Acquisition 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION & RESEARCH OBJECTIVE ............................................................... 7
Background .............................................................................................................................................. 7
Thematic Discussion ................................................................................................................................ 9
The Problem ........................................................................................................................................... 12
Research Objective ................................................................................................................................ 13
Organization of the dissertation .............................................................................................................. 15
CHAPTER 2 – LITERATURE REVIEW .................................................................................................. 17
Overview of the government/contractor relationship ............................................................................. 17
Major Decisions in the Proposal Process ................................................................................................ 20
Major Decisions - The bid / no bid decision ....................................................................................... 22
Major Decisions - Teaming arrangements ......................................................................................... 25
Major Decisions - The price to win .................................................................................................... 29
Major Decisions - Contract negotiation ............................................................................................. 32
Decision Making & Perception ............................................................................................................... 36
Decision Making - Intuition versus judgment ..................................................................................... 37
Decision Making - System 1 and system 2 thinking ............................................................................ 41
Decision Making - Bounded rationality .............................................................................................. 43
Decision Making - Expected Utility .................................................................................................... 45
Decision Making - Framing ................................................................................................................ 49
Discussion and definition of Social Capital ............................................................................................ 51
Discussion and definition of Intellectual Capital .................................................................................... 54
Discussion and definition of self-concept ............................................................................................... 56
Innovation as a dynamic process ............................................................................................................ 58
Discussion of the theoretical lens............................................................................................................ 61 Nixon – Perception in Contract Acquisition 3
CHAPTER 3 – CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK ...................................................................................... 63
Perspective versus perception ................................................................................................................. 63
Redirecting perception and the RDP model ............................................................................................ 70
Application of the RDP model leads into divestments, investments and essential capacities ................ 73
Using innovation to manage intellectual capital ..................................................................................... 79
Innovation in the defense contractor‘s proposal process ........................................................................ 82
Decision Perception (Concept and Characteristics) ................................................................................ 84
Application of Decision Perception to the Proposal Process .................................................................. 88
Decision Perception in the bid / no bid decision ................................................................................ 89
Decision Perception in the teaming arrangement decision ................................................................ 90
Decision Perception in the price to win decision ................................................................................ 91
Decision Perception in the contract negotiation decision .................................................................. 92
Summary ................................................................................................................................................ 93
CHAPTER 4 – METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................ 95
Discussion of theory and practice of evidence based research ............................................................... 95
Evidence based research matrix ......................................................................................................... 97
Discussion of scholarly research evidence .............................................................................................. 97
Web of Science ................................................................................................................................... 98
Rationale for selection ...................................................................................................................... 119
Exclusion of literature ....................................................................................................................... 120
Expert panel as evidence ....................................................................................................................... 121
Best method for analyzing the proposal environment ........................................................................... 123
Method ............................................................................................................................................. 124
CHAPTER 5 – ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION.................................................................................... 142
Analysis of findings .............................................................................................................................. 143
DoD solicitation case studies ................................................................................................................ 150 Nixon – Perception in Contract Acquisition 4
Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Program ............................................................................................... 151
Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program .................................................................................................. 153
Summary of findings in relation to research question .......................................................................... 155
Conclusions & summary of analysis ..................................................................................................... 158
CHAPTER 6 – CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS AND TRENDS ..................................................... 159
Overall Conclusions .............................................................................................................................. 159
Implications for management & trends ................................................................................................. 161
Limitations and areas for future research .............................................................................................. 163
Summary .............................................................................................................................................. 164
REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................................ 167
Nixon – Perception in Contract Acquisition 5
ABSTRACT
United States defense contractors serve the needs of the government by providing goods and services to advance the mission of the agencies they support. In many cases they compete for the opportunity to provide these goods and services. That means the manner in which they compete is of critical importance to their survival. The purpose of this paper is to understand why some contractors are successful and why others fail in acquiring government contracts. This paper will discuss how contractors pursue contracts and the impact perception has on the decision process in four major decision areas. Inherently, as part of the proposal process, the contractor will make a series of decisions that can have an effect on the outcome; whether the contract is won by the contractor or not. Perception will be presented as a characteristic of the decision process with a significant impact on the outcome. Further, this paper intends to display, through the use of a constructed meta-cognitive model that can effectively redirect perceptual understanding and approach to decision making in the contractor‘s proposal process. This study suggests that use of this model‘s guidelines can have a significant impact on the effectiveness of the contractor proposal response and potential contract award.
Nixon – Perception in Contract Acquisition 6
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First, I want to thank my family for their incredible sacrifice during this endeavor. I would also like to acknowledge the excellent, insightful and extremely helpful support of Dr. Jim Gelatt, Dr. Claudine Schweber, and Dr. Dennis Winters. Each has played a pivotal role in supporting the development to this research. Dr. Gelatt believed in my vision for this research and encouraged me during the process, providing opportunities for me to expand on my idea. This ultimately lead to the publication of the initial concept in an international conference proceeding. Dr. Schweber inspired me to pursue this research based on material I provided to her in her Leadership course. Dr. Winters has been the ultimate coach for me from start to finish. He encouraged me to follow through on my research and see the potential of what it could accomplish. I am thankful to the team of individuals who have helped to make this a reality. Nixon – Perception in Contract Acquisition 7
CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION & RESEARCH OBJECTIVE
United States defense contractors serve the needs of the government by providing goods and services to advance the mission of the agencies they support. In many cases they compete for the opportunity to provide these goods and services. That means the manner in which they compete is of critical importance to their survival. For the most complex contractual arrangements between contractors and agencies, a solicitation is released by the government agencies and contractors respond in kind with proposals that offer potential solutions, advancements, and agreements on critical components of the effort including technical and financial aspects. Internally, contractors progress through an elaborate process as a means to developing a winning proposal response.
The purpose of this dissertation is to understand why some contractors are successful and why others fail in acquiring government contracts. Further, this paper intends to display, through the use of a constructed meta-cognitive model that can effectively redirect a perceptual understanding and approach to decision making in the contractor‘s proposal process. This study suggests that use of this model‘s guidelines can have a significant impact on the effectiveness of the contractor proposal response and potential contract award. It is argued that critical differences in a contractor‘s perception and assessment of intellectual capital are primary determinants of success or failure in a defense contractor‘s attempts to acquire contracts.
Background
Each year, the federal government spends billions of dollars purchasing equipment and expertise from contractors to continue its ongoing mission to serve the citizens of the United States. ―The purchase of arms to defend this country's borders and to protect its interests Nixon – Perception in Contract Acquisition 8
overseas has been the main concern of national policy since the earliest days of the republic‖ (Burnett & Kovacic, 1989, p.4). Contractors from various industries vie for these contracts from multiple government agencies. The amount of revenue that can be attained from doing business with the government is substantial enough for some contractors to thrive as going concerns for generations. Federal agencies operate with annual budgets with which to purchase goods and services. This opens the door for competition among contractors to capture business, particularly major contracts where the government agency has determined that the procurement will be made on a competitive negotiation basis.
The Department of Defense (hereafter DOD) is one such agency that makes significant purchases of goods and services through competitive contract proposals and negotiations. In recent history, over half of the U. S. federal government‘s annual budget has been allocated to the purchase of goods and services in the defense industry. ―Government contracting is a big business. Each year the government spends over 120 billion in prime contract awards, more than 60% of all federal procurement dollars (US Congress, 2003c)‖ (Berrios, 2006, p.119-120).
Contractors enter fierce competition for this revenue by responding to government solicitations. These responses are crafted in proposals and contractors go through internally defined processes to develop them. The government‘s process for releasing solicitations is structured and defined by law. In the case of DOD, the Federal Acquisition Regulation (hereafter FAR) is the established guide for developing a solicitation and releasing a request for proposal (hereafter RFP). The FAR has the full effect of law.
Contractors are not limited to such a defined structure. Each contractor is bound only to meet the minimum criteria to compete as established by the government‘s regulations (approved Nixon – Perception in Contract Acquisition 9
accounting systems, established certifications on internal processes for contract execution, etc.) and respond to the requirements of the RFP. However, the internal manner in which a contractor develops a proposal response is not defined for them. This leaves the contractor to develop an internal proposal process of their own that can be used effectively and consistently for any bid. Inherently, as part of the proposal process, the contractor will make a series of decisions that can have an effect on the outcome; whether the contract is won by the contractor or not.
Perception will be presented as a characteristic of the decision process with a significant impact on the outcome. Throughout the course of this paper, reference will be made specifically to the decision maker, as opposed to the leader. Those two may be one and the same, but that is a different concept intended more for a discussion on leadership, whereas the intent here is to determine the thought process of the decision maker; whoever may be defined as possessing that authority at the time of the ultimate decision. Therefore, the intent of this paper is to discuss the perception of the decision maker about the decision at the moment of choice and how that perception impacts the final choice.
Thematic Discussion
Businesses and organizations in general, evolve, dissolve or simply maintain as a result of a seemingly endless set of decisions. In defense contracting, contractors are constantly making decisions that will ultimately affect the continued success of their business or the misfortune of failure. The proposal process is one such critical area where these types of decisions are made. Contractors need to adhere to certain government regulations and meet certain criteria to compete, but they are not bound by government statute to operate under a certain set of laws or guidelines internally in developing their proposal response to government solicitations. The Nixon – Perception in Contract Acquisition 10
contract, however, is a binding agreement between the government agency and the contractor. This means that the contractor must be careful to propose something that the contractor can execute if they are awarded the contract. The binding nature of contracts on the part of contractors as well as government agencies emphasizes the need for using competition as a means of assurance that the appropriate contractor is performing the required contractual effort.
The Competition in Contracting Act of 1984 (CICA) requires DOD to use ‗full and open competition‘ through the use of competitive purchasing procedures. The Defense Authorization Act of 1986 bars DOD from beginning full-scale development for major systems until the Secretary of Defense has given Congress an ‗acquisition strategy.‘ This strategy must provide that there will be competitive alternative sources available for the system (and each major subsystem) under the program throughout the period from the beginning of full-scale development through the end of production (Burnett & Kovacic, 1989, p.7).
In a competitive solicitation, other contractors are attempting to secure the same contracts. According to the FAR, each contractor is to be provided the same information with which to produce its proposal response. The challenge is the individual competitor‘s conceptualization of the information provided and the ultimate proposal response. The varying differences between contractors are likely to have an impact on who will win the business and who will not.
In some instances, DOD will award a contract to multiple contractors. In these instances, the effort associated with the contract is divided into smaller portions of effort. This is usually done as a means of insuring competition for the smaller portions of effort. Contracts, such as some indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity contracts (hereafter IDIQ), can be awarded to multiple contractors with the intent being that each contractor that was awarded the IDIQ is now Nixon – Perception in Contract Acquisition 11
eligible to compete for portions (delivery orders, task orders, etc.) of the overall contractual effort. At the task order level, a single competitor is awarded that portion of the contract. For the purposes of this paper, multiple awards and single awards will not be differentiated. The only point that will be considered is reaching the point of award or not. In the case of a single award contract, winning that award is the ultimate goal. In the case of a multiple award, the goal is two-fold. First the contractor must win the right to compete for the resulting delivery orders and task orders. Second, once selected, the contractor must compete for actual work. The principles of winning are the same, because the concept and process of receiving an RFP and responding with a proposal are the same, just at different levels. Winning the contract on which the contractor bid will be the definition of success or failure.
Considering the subtle differences in successful and unsuccessful contract proposal efforts, the thesis is that critical differences in contractor perception are a primary determinant of success or failure in a defense contractor‘s attempts to acquire contracts. Understanding the impact of perception in the decision process is critical to management, because many decision makers ma
Enhancing workplace performance through executive education
No full textThe purpose of the research is to examine the management skills that
are the focus of executive education
programs to see if they enhance the
participants’ performance at the
workplace.Enhancing Workplace Performance through Executive Education
Kavitha R. Hassan
DMGT 892Purpose and Scope of the Research
Examine the management skills that
are the focus of executive education
programs to see if they enhance the
participants’ performance at the
workplace. Research Questions
Do executive education courses expose managers to skills that can be applied to the workplace? Significance of this Research for Management
•
Enhancing workplace performance is a goal essential for both individuals and organizations.
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Skills are needed that empower managers and the organizations. Main Literature Themes and AuthorsMain Literature Themes and AuthorsKey Propositions Distilledfrom the Literature
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Proposition 1: A correlation exists between executive education courses being taught and the skills needed for managers in the workplace.
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Proposition 2: Executive education programs help managers to develop their leadership capabilities.
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Proposition 3: What is learned through executive education courses can be applied to the workplace.
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Proposition 4: Effective executive education course components are designed to facilitate the transfer of learning for a manager. Conceptual Framework
Source: AuthorThesis statement
Executive education courses expose managers to skills that can improve the managers’ overall performance in the workplace. Research Approach & Formationof Argument
Evidence-Based Research:
•
Utilized extant literature.
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Utilized information from Web of Science and other relevant databases.
2 member Expert Panel:
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1 Academic Expert and 1 Practitioner.
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Expert Panel provided guidance on propositions and existing literature.
Research Approach:
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Existing literature provided approach to conceptual framework.Findings
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A correlation exists between executive education courses being taught and the skills needed for managers in the workplace.
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Effective executive education programs help managers to develop human, conceptual, and technical skills.
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The 3 basic skills of human, conceptual, and technical that Robert Katz identified in 1955 can be applied to the workplace.
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The transfer of learning for a manager is enabled through effective executive education programs.Implications for Management Practice
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Enhancing workplace performance is a goal essential for both individuals and organizations.
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Specific skills of human, conceptual, and technical skills that Robert Katz identified in 1955 continue to be essential for managers.
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Skills needed that empower managers and the organizations can be found in effective executive education programs. Future Research Agendas
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Research executive education programs utilizing quantitative methodology.
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Utilize quantitative research as supporting evidence of the thesis statement and propositions.
•
Enhance conceptual framework
Lessons from the cockpit: How aviation training can improve managerial decision making
No full textThe purpose of the research is to To determine what aspects of aviation training and practice are potentially relevant to business education and managerial decision making.Aaron Glassman
[email protected]
757-589-9568
Lessons from the Cockpit: How aviation training can improve managerial decision makingPurpose and Scope of the Research
•
To determine what aspects of aviation training and practice are potentially relevant to business education and managerial decision makingResearch Questions
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Aviation training and piloting is exemplary of general managerial skills.
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Managerial training requires an action orientation
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Managerial decision making is scenario based
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Effective decision making requires the ability to shift cognitive gears
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A decision making model that uses both aviation and managerial components could improve managerial decision makingSignificance of this Research for Management
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Identifies aviation training and piloting concepts beneficial to management
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Provide guidance on how to improve business education using an aviation training model
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Identifies the importance of thought and action in managerial processes
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Provides a new managerial decision making model based on aeronautical decision making Main Literature Themes and Authors
Business/management education
Mintzberg, Pfeffer, Fong, Bruch, Goshal, Sutton
Aviation training and piloting
Orlady, O’Hare, Hawkins, Federal Aviation Administration
Decision making
Yukl, Simon, Khanneman, Tversky, BazermanKey Propositions Distilledfrom the Literature
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Business schools are not creating effective managers
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Aviation training concepts are being effectively used in other industries
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Decision making should use intelligent action to achieve optimum resultsConceptual Framework Thesis statement
Aviation training concepts can improve business education
Aeronautical decision making can improve managerial decision makingResearch Approach & Formationof Argument
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Evidence based management
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Web of science
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Pragmatic lens
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“What works”Findings
Action is a critical component of every decision
Aviation training concepts can improve business education
Pilots do have managerial skills
Managerial decision making can benefit from an aviation model Implications for Management Practice
Managerial decision making should be action oriented
Aviation methods are applicable to management and business education
Business schools need to focus on candidate selection, practical skills, and thoughtful actionFuture Research Agendas
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A specific curriculum using an aviation training model could be created and tested
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The role of the typical “pilot personality” on managerial competencies has not yet been studied
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The role of pilot training itself on general competencies has not been studie