Reorienting business education through the lens of Ernest Boyer

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-59
Author(s):  
K. Doreen MacAulay ◽  
Mark J. Mellon ◽  
Walter R. Nord
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Business Education ◽  
Business Schools ◽  
Focal Point ◽  
American Business ◽  
Unified Framework ◽  
Current Form ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Function Definition ◽  
Definition Of

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

Introduction

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Steven Conn
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Business Schools ◽  
The United States ◽  
Late Nineteenth Century ◽  
American Business ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Professional Business ◽  
Late Nineteenth ◽  
Definition Of

This introductory chapter provides an overview of American business schools. While at one level business schools stand as of a piece of the way American universities have grown and evolved since the end of the Civil War, they stand apart from the rest of higher education in three, interconnected ways. First, they have consistently disappointed even their most enthusiastic boosters—failing to develop a definition of professional business education, failing to develop a coherent, intellectually vibrant body of knowledge, unable to agree on what the raison d'être of business schools ought to be—to an extent simply not true of any other academic pursuit. Despite this, of course, business schools have flourished on U.S. campuses and continue to do so. Second, the late nineteenth-century revolutions in higher education fostered a change in how universities were funded and governed. For the businessmen who now presided over higher education, a business school on their campus might hold a special place in their hearts. Finally, business schools serve as the handmaids to corporate capitalism in the United States in a way that no other campus enterprise does.

Reweaving the rainbow: qualitative color in business education

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 238-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Starr-Glass
Keyword(s):  
Business Education ◽  
Business School ◽  
Business Schools ◽  
Business Students ◽  
First Year ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Central Direction ◽  
Undergraduate Economics ◽  
Personal Insight ◽  
Limited Generalizability

Purpose This study aims to reflect on the dominance of a narrowly focused analytical approach within business schools, which provides an artificially fractured and disjointed understanding of the contextual complexities and interconnectedness that students will encounter in the future. This approach unnecessarily constrains sensemaking and inhibits creative response to future social and organizational complexity. As business schools and their graduates come under sustained scrutiny and criticism, it perhaps appropriate to reexamine and reframe their analytical bias. Design/methodology/approach The central direction taken in this study is that of critical reflection on the present author’s practice and experience in teaching undergraduate economics and accounting. Although the analysis may have limited generalizability, it is hoped that it may prove of interest and value to business school educators. Findings The preferential business school reliance on analytical perspectives suggest that they fail to appreciate the nature of business, its embeddedness in broader society and the competencies required by undergraduates and graduates. This study argues that an emphasis on holistic systems, synthetic fusion and an appreciation of complexity – rather than a reductive analytical agenda – might benefit business schools, their graduates and society at large. Originality/value This study provides an original, albeit personal, insight into a significant problem in business education. It offers original perspectives on the problem and presents faculty-centered suggestions on how business students might be encouraged and empowered to see quality as well as quantitative perspectives in their first-year courses.

scholarly journals Academic excellence as “competitiveness enhancement” in Russian higher education

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Tsvetkova ◽  
Sylvie Lomer
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Critical Discourse Analysis ◽  
Academic Excellence ◽  
Content Type ◽  
World University Rankings ◽  
Russian Higher Education ◽  
The Government ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Russian Universities

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse critically the Russian Academic Excellence Initiative (the Project 5-100), designed to propel five leading Russian universities into world university rankings (WURs) by 2020, and research it through the lens of neoliberalism. The paper seeks to reveal recurrent discourses and dominant orders of discourse constituting the overall concept of “excellence” in Russian higher education (HE) policy. Design/methodology/approach Since the Project 5-100 has been designed in line with a neoliberal model of academic excellence initiatives, emphasising “competition as a driver of excellence” (Hazelkorn, 2009), Fairclough’s approach to critical discourse analysis (CDA) has been adopted as a qualitative research method. There is no universally accepted definition of “excellence” in HE policy; therefore, this CDA also aims at revealing the Russian government’s vision of the concept and its voice in HE policy. Findings The paper concludes that the government reinforces neoliberal discourse on the HE agenda and transforms the 5-100 Universities’ identities through emphasising the role of WURs in modernising the HE system. Consequently, within the neoliberal paradigm, the Project 5-100 can be regarded as a manifestation of the commodification of “excellence” in Russian HE policy. Originality/value This research intends to broaden knowledge of excellence initiatives in HE policy and reveal their features and neoliberal natures. It also seeks to contribute in terms of showcasing a qualitative study of the Project 5-100 for future comparative analyses of similar HE policies.

scholarly journals Towards sustainable capitalism in the development of higher education business school curricula and management

2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 523-545 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Beusch
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Business School ◽  
Business Schools ◽  
Broad Class ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Content Type ◽  
External Forces ◽  
Education Business ◽  
School Curricula

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to account for, and conceptualize, the internal and external forces that influence higher education business schools as they strive to integrate sustainability issues into their curricula in the effort to achieve a more sustainable (yet capitalist) world. Design/methodology/approach – A case study approach is used for the research, which is grounded in the relevant literature, to investigate sustainable development issues in the context of a Swedish business school (university level). The empirical data consists of a review of internal documents plus e-mail surveys and interviews and discussion seminars with university teachers/researchers and key administrators. Findings – Two tentative models are presented that map the various internal and external forces behind business schools’ curriculum change. One important finding describes how supply and demand influences business schools and recruiters of business students. Research limitations/implications – Because this research is based on a single case study, the analysis and the mapping in the paper are somewhat limited in their general applicability. However, the research context of the business school permits drawing conclusions that may apply to a broad class of colleges or departments in higher education. In addition, because the research is supported by significant ideas from the literature, general inferences may be drawn about business school curricula. Originality/value – The two tentative models provide a holistic framework that adds to the understanding of the composition and interrelationship of influential forces on business schools when major changes in curricula and their management are contemplated.

Learning the PR trade

2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (7) ◽  
pp. 29-31
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Business Education ◽  
Business School ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Reading Time ◽  
Business Schools ◽  
Cutting Edge ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Pertinent Information ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings Change in business education is effortlessly elusive. No matter how often the great and the good of either the business or business school worlds lament the lack of adequate teaching through Masters of Business Administrations and other programmes, very rarely does anything seem to change. Managers are still put though their paces at business schools; they still read the same “seminal” books and case studies; they still get their blue riband qualification; they still receive a hefty increase in salary after graduation. Practical implications The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organisations. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

International student perceptions of experience in the West

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 147-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Robert Buchanan
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
International Students ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Foreign Students ◽  
International Student ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
American Business ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Usa

Purpose The purpose of this exploratory study is an examination of some perceptions of US education, as experienced by foreign MBA students. Design/methodology/approach A longitudinal field study captured perceptions of a group of 51 international students over a one-year interval. The first anticipatory survey was done in India, and the follow-up was made in the USA at the end of a foreign sojourn semester. Inter-item correlations and t-tests were used to examine variance in student perceptions, highlighted by qualitative elements. Findings In general, the students went home, less impressed than they had expected to be in terms of the perceived general quality of the American business education, as well as their abilities to make friends with the local people. Additionally, the observed preparation of the American students for master’s studies was not nearly as high as the foreign students had anticipated. Research limitations/implications Results are not generalizable to broad populations, as the sample was small and localized. Social implications Emerging markets are successfully luring locals and sojourners based on cost and proximity as they achieve greater legitimacy in their institutional credentials. This could challenge the preeminence of Western higher education, especially in light of concerns arising from marketization and rigor. Meanwhile, developed market institutions need to be strategically mindful of their international guests as a resource rather than a commodity. Originality/value Extant internationalization studies tend to focus on administrative viewpoints, whereas this research examines the perspective of international students, which may be indicative of lessening gaps between perceptions of quality of developed and emerging market higher education.

Using peer instruction with hints in introductory business statistics

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-71
Author(s):  
Ning Ding ◽  
Xiaoyan Xu
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
International Business ◽  
Business Education ◽  
Business Students ◽  
Peer Instruction ◽  
Final Exam ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Statistics ◽  
Conceptual Changes ◽  
International Business Education

Purpose – Peer instruction has been widely adopted as an instructional method in higher education. However, due to students' different preconceptions, the authors argued that peer instruction is not a panacea in international business education when students' prior knowledge extensively varies. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – In this experimental study, the authors focused on three conditions of an introductory statistics course: individual problem solving, peer instruction, and peer instruction with hints. Findings – The authors have found students in peer instruction with hints class did not only outperform in the final exam, but also achieved the highest frequency of successful conceptual changes in comparison with their counterparts in the other two classes. Practical implications – Providing instructional hints to improve the effectiveness of peer instruction may shed light on classroom instruction in higher education. Originality/value – As for international business education, this was a unique exploration to capture students' conceptual changes using clickers. The authors believed this research paper will help the education practitioners to know their business students better.

scholarly journals Chilean management education: rhetoric of pragmatism, consumerism, individualism and elitism

2010 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 370-387
Author(s):  
Marcela Mandiola Cotroneo ◽  
Paula Ascorra Costa
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Business Education ◽  
Management Education ◽  
Business Schools ◽  
Economic Globalization ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Education Practice ◽  
Goods And Services ◽  
The Social

The aim of this paper is to understand the character and the role of higher education in business in relation to the wider institutional and structural contexts within which they function. Being loyal to that widespread background, business schools in Chile have become efficient providers of appropriate goods and services for their respective clients and consumers, behaving more like corporations and businesses rather than educational institutions. From this perspective, business education's alignment with the wider political and socio-economic shifts associated with the developments of market economies and economic globalization is a necessary reflection. In this paper we will provide an account of our problematization of management education practices in Chile. This practice was pictured as one of the main characters at the forefront of the Chilean neo-liberal revolution during the final years of the last century. In particular, we will unravel more closely the chain of signifiers articulating the meaning of Chilean higher business education. This articulation is recuperated mainly around how those involved in the management education practice talk about (our)themselves. As well as specialised press writings, some academic accounts and fragments from our own 'ethnographic' involvement are used for this purpose. Particular attention is paid to the social, political and fantasmatic logics (GLYNOS; HOWARTH, 2007) as key elements of our own explanation of this practice, which in turn informs our critical standpoint.

Are we ready for Education 4.0 within ASEAN higher education institutions? Thriving for knowledge, industry and humanity in a dynamic higher education ecosystem?

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 1161-1173
Author(s):  
Rozinah Jamaludin ◽  
Elspeth McKAY ◽  
Susan Ledger
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Quantitative Data ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Mixed Method Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Test Items ◽  
Knowledge Industry ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Perceptions Of Education ◽  
Very High

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the perception, readiness and change involved in the implementation of Education 4.0 within the region of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) among policymakers, enablers (lecturers) and receivers (students), within globalisation, referred here as the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).Design/methodology/approachThis study used a mixed method research design using quantitative data from a Likert scale of 1–5, involving: (1) Not Ready; (2) Ready; (3) No Sure; (4) Quite Ready and (5) Extremely Ready. Open-ended questions formed the qualitative approach taken by the researchers to uncover the richness of the respondents' perceptions of Education 4.0. The test items reliability index of 0.744 drew quantitative data from the perspective of the educational policymakers, enablers and receivers to reveal their collective definition of each construct (knowledge, industry and humanity).FindingsThis study has exposed the importance of knowing and capturing the interrelated components of an educational ecosystem that exists in higher education (HE) within the ASEAN region. The personal readiness of respondents towards Education 4.0 is very high; yet concern was raised about the financial and managerial readiness of institutions across the region.Originality/valueThis study highlighted the dynamic nature of the HE ecosystem and the connectivity between the elements of Education 4.0 – knowledge, industry and humanity within the ASEAN region.

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