Business Commons^™

Understanding Equity, Diversity And Inclusion In Business Incubators, Valentina Depikolozvane

Capstone Research Posters

This research seeks to understand how incubators support equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) with the businesses that reach out to them. Qualitative research was used in this study by interviewing 5 participants online via WebEx. All participants work at a business incubator and gave a better understanding of what their own incubator does to support EDI. Participants were able to determine ways they support EDI in their responses such as bursaries offered, workshops, makeup of staff/team and mentorship. Participants were able to identify what their exact role is at their organization and what they personally do to help the businesses …

Black Entrepreneurs Within The Region Of Peel, Sonia Deacon

Capstone Research Posters

The qualitative study carried out through sampling Black entrepreneurs within the Region of Peel is for the purpose of answering the question of what are the experiences and supports required for Black entrepreneurs within the Region of Peel? The method used to recruit participants was through a process called snow balling along with making cold calls. Once participants were recruited, the Informed Consent Form was signed. Data was then collected through interviews, and coded through axial and open coding . The findings were then, collected, coded and analyzed . The findings presented, reflect that the lack of resources and supports …

Business Incubators And The Application Of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion (Edi), Daren Costin

Capstone Research Posters

The title of this research paper is, “How do incubators help entrepreneurs think about equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in relation to the ventures they are supporting? There is little literature on this combination of topics. It is an important topic because EDI is being integrated into public policy and rhetoric. Five incubator managers were interviewed, and their responses were similar despite the differences in their location and population being served. It was found that interviewed incubators were highly skilled, yet the responses demonstrated that EDI is still in the early stages of development and that they do aspire to …

Thinking Strategically About Your Human Resources, Marcella Kowalchuk

Publications and Scholarship

From 2018 to 2023, Thinking Strategically About Your Human Resources, provided small and medium businesses of Black Brick Capital with relevant information on how to navigate common workplace matters. The themes throughout the years dealt with leadership, employee engagement, performance management, equity, and inclusivity, retaining talent, total rewards, psychological safety, employment legislation and much more.

Changing How We Change: Change Management Processes And How Best To Achieve Change Results In The Public Sector, Gayathri Rajasekaran

Featured Student Work

This research paper analyzes change management theories, processes and organizational behaviours intended to better understand how they are conducted in not-for-profit (i.e., public sector) organizations. This examination was conducted using a comprehensive literature review of current change management theories along with referring to a real case study of a global not-for-profit organization going through a comprehensive change. The conclusions seem to reveal that many change theories and theory driven outcomes are not only relevant to private sector organizations but can be successfully applied to not-for-profit organizations. The conclusions also seem to reveal that strong and competent leadership is an essential …

‘Blown Away ’: Partnering On A Netflix Reality Series To Promote Glassblowing Education, Christine Szustaczek

Publications and Scholarship

Despite having taught the craft of working with glass for 50 years and playing an instrumental role in establishing a community of glass artists and glassblowers throughout Canada, Sheridan College’s glass programme had been experiencing declining enrolment for several years. This case study outlines the innovative approach taken by Sheridan to generate visibility for and interest in its Honours Bachelor of Craft and Design – Glassblowing programme by partnering with Netflix to create a competition-based reality TV series about glassblowing called Blown Away.

Arts Participation In Canadian Older Adults During Covid-19, Kate Dupuis, Emma Bender

Arts Participation in Canadian Older Adults

Arts participation can be incredibly beneficial for the health and well-being of older adults. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many arts organizations were unable to provide in-person activities, and moved to alternate forms of program delivery. We examined whether and how Canadian older adults continued participating in the arts during the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. A 28-item survey was completed by 141 individuals (M = 70.5 years, range = 55-94, 66% female). Although the majority of respondents (70%) were engaging in the arts during the first wave of the pandemic, their engagement had declined compared to …

Research Survey Questionnaire And Results, Iryna Molodecky

Research Survey

Prior to the development of the Visual Toolkit, a questionnaire was sent to all full and part-time faculty in the Pilon School of Business to gather information about the current use of visual tools among the faculty. Among the 10 questions asked were inquiries into faculty and student level of comfort with visuals, whether faculty was aware of the use of visual tools in business today and whether they believe teaching visual thinking (learning and processing with visuals) will better prepare students for the current business environment. The full questionnaire and survey results are included here

Visual Templates, Iryna Molodecky

Visual Toolkit

An important element of the Visual Toolkit is the visual template. Templates are one of the key visual strategies used in business meetings and offer structure, framework and support in leading people through a process. Templates can be customized to support the thinking at various stages of a project and are particularly suitable for systems process work where teams need to collaborate and brainstorm solutions to complex business problems.

Biography, Iryna Molodecky

Overview

With a career of over 25 years in advertising, graphic design, illustration and visual facilitation, and 13 years as a professor of Advertising and Creative Thinking at Sheridan College’s Pilon School of Business, Ontario, Canada, Iryna brings a wealth of skills and knowledge including creative and visual process work to her teaching. Passionate about making a meaningful difference in the way students experience learning, Iryna is dedicated to preparing students to be creative problem solvers and co-creators in a world that is ever-changing and demands innovative thinking skills. Iryna holds a Bachelor Degree in Fine Art from York University, a …

Overview, Iryna Molodecky

Overview

The Visual Toolkit Overview covers the background, research and development of the toolkit as well as a summary of the elements of the Toolkit. The research and development of this Visual Toolkit looked at three key aspects: 1) the current use of visual tools among Sheridan College’s Pilon School of Business faculty, 2) the use of visuals in the current business environment, and 3) the effectiveness of drawing as an educational tool. Evidence of the value of freehand drawing in both business and education supported my focus on developing a toolkit for business educators that centered around hand-drawn imagery. With …

Visual Vocabulary, Iryna Molodecky

Visual Toolkit

The icons in this document are a compilation of simple drawings for a variety of business concepts and metaphors that can be used for communicating ideas using visual language. Using simple shapes such as a line, square and circle, these icons are easy to reproduce for both instructors and students. They are presented in alphabetical order for quick referencing. Detailed instructions and tips on how to easily draw basic icons are provided at the end of the vocabulary. All images are original drawings.

International Visual Literacy Association Conference 2020 Presentation, Iryna Molodecky

IVLA Conference 2020 Presentation

The Visual Toolkit for Teaching Business was first presented at the IVLA Conference in September 2020. The theme for the 2020 conference was “Visual Literacy in the Virtual Realm”, focusing on issues such as equity and access with visual resources online, augmented reality, visual misinformation, data visualization, appropriating and remixing images, visual storytelling, and online representation of under-represented groups.

International Visual Literacy Association (IVLA) is an organization and a forum providing the possibility for exchanging information related to visual literacy. The organization is working toward a fuller understanding of how meaning is derived from what is seen and to how …

Advertising And Marketing Communications, Aswin Thomas

Creative Thinking: Theory and Practice

Creativity in Advertising and Marketing Communications

Co-Operative Education And Work-Integrated Learning (Cewil) Research Matters, Joanne Islip

Publications and Scholarship

Joanne Islip (Manager, Work-Integrated and Experiential Learning Services, Sheridan College) discusses how the the article Students’ assessment of experiential learning in an entrepreneurship curriculum: Expectations versus outcomes (2016) by Liang, Dunn, Howard & Khananayev can inspire readers to use reflection beyond an evaluation tool, and to consider how reflection can improve WIL/EL program design and development.

Co-Operative Education And Work-Integrated Learning (Cewil) Research Matters, Matthew Rempel

Publications and Scholarship

Matthew Rempel examines the article An emerging ecosystem for student start-ups (2017) by Wright, Siegel, and Mustar giving insight as to what he has gained from reading the article and how the results of this work impacts his job.

The Employee Engagement Framework: High Impact Drivers And Outcomes, Amena Shahid

Publications and Scholarship

For the prior two decades, employee engagement has been a subject of interest both in academic research and among managers. Organizations have invested vital resources in promoting employee engagement since employee engagement is identified as a critical driver of organizational performance. Engagement adds distinctly to an organization’s performance, driving to gains in quality, customer satisfaction, and long-term monetary results. In a world that is evolving both regarding the global essence of work and the diversity of the employees, engaged employees may be a core of an ambitious resource. Companies promoting employee engagement will achieve organizational goals effectively. Several employees look …

Employee Intention To Stay: An Environment Based On Trust And Motivation, Amena Shahid

Publications and Scholarship

An organization effort to recognize the reasons for employee retention can serve to keep turnover down. No matter what industry it is essential to comprehend what the employees think and sense about the organization and the working culture. A supportive and positive work environment instilled by motivation and trust strengthens the connection between an organization and employee. When organizational leaders naturally respect employees as more than mere work resources, employees reach a high level of performance and will continue with the organization longer. The primary objective of this study was to recognize and promote the factors of trust and motivation …

Adaptive Technology Abandonment And Engagement In Post-Secondary Contexts: Changing The Conversation, Janice Fennell, Andrea Zians

Publications and Scholarship

Agenda

Background and Research

• Definitions
• Benefits of Adaptive Technology (AT)
• Fennell Research Findings
• Implications of AT abandonment

Our College Experience

• Questions We Asked
• AT Abandonment in our Setting (what it looks like, trends, possible reasons)
• Our Response
• Future Directions
• Questions

2018 Toronto Fishackathon Back Stories, Mark Buchner

Publications and Scholarship

Cause-based “hackathons” are a experiential learning experience for students in various programs (Systems Analysis, Project Management) at GTA colleges. By partnering with Toronto-based hackathon powerhouse HackerNest, students have been provided with opportunities to demonstrate their innovation and leadership while developing solutions for real-world problems. This year’s focus was ocean sustainability. Fishackathon was implemented in 40+ cities around the world with the help of the US State Department.

Ultimately, what I saw from Fishhackathon was the amazing potential of experiential learning to highlight the unique skill-sets of student leaders and entrepreneurs. This blog posting will feature the stories of contributions of …

Resistance Is Futile: Embracing The Era Of The Augmented Worker, Nathaniel Barr, Kelly Peters

Publications and Scholarship

The prospect of A.I.-augmented workers is both promising and unsettling: How can employees and firms ensure that they get the benefits of A.I. without erasing uniquely human strengths?

European Velo Stops, Kathryn Theall

Exceptional Student Work - Architecture

Kathryn Theall is a recent graduate of Sheridan College’s Architectural Technology program. Theall's shelter design was a short-listed entry into the 2018 Bee Breeders’ European Velo Stops competition, which tasked architects with designing a series of cost effective, environmentally responsible, and energy-efficient cabins for overnight stays along the EuroVelo 6 bicycle route which spans 3,600 km and 10 European countries. The jury considered the scale of the projects, their ability to be mass-produced, as well as the designs that stood out from the typical A-frame or lean-to structures” (competition press kit). Theall’s modular adaptable, design is informed …

Creative Journal, Jenny Kim

Featured Student Work

This journal was created for the course Creative Thinking, taught by Iryna Molodecky. The journal is divided into parts, which focus on different aspects of creating, experiencing, and learning. This journal summarizes experiences or situations in detail, as well as the impact of those experiences and identifies what future actions these experiences have inspired. The journal was largely assessed on the reflection, insights, added value, and overall connection to the course content.

Ccdi Toolkit: Diversity & Inclusion Councils, Sujay Vardhmane

Publications and Scholarship

Diversity and inclusion is a core leadership competency in today’s organizations. As an inclusive leader, I understand the need and value of diversity of thought.

It is well documented that diversity of thought is vital to an organization’s operational success. However, success will not be achieved by diversity alone. Once you have diverse people in the organization, how do you create an inclusive culture? As leaders, we must look at how we can be inclusive to make sure that the benefits of having a diverse workforce contribute to the business success of our organizations. The Global Diversity and Inclusion Benchmark …

Co-Op Research Matters, Matthew Rempel

Publications and Scholarship

Matthew Rempel (Associate Dean, Career Education and Co-curricular Learning, Sheridan College) discusses Clarke's article Rethinking graduate employability: The role of capital, individual attributes and context (2017). Matthew touches on how the term “employability” is very complex and how Clarkes model may require further research.

Practice And Refactoring Log: A Reflection Based Learning Strategy To Improve The Fluency Of Computing Students In Writing Computer Programs, Elizabeth Dancy, El Sayed Mahmoud

Faculty Publications and Scholarship

The relationship between reflection and learning is evident. Reflection plays a significant role in learning by encouraging insight and complex learning. However, most students consider their work experiences at school as isolated and unrelated events. This work aims to investigate how to improve the students’ fluency in writing computer programs through reflection. A new deliverable, the Practice and Refactoring Log (“PAR Log”), is requested for each assignment in order to engage students in the process of making meaning from their experiences when completing their assignments. The PAR Log shows and justifies all changes through the assignment development cycle. Two student …

On Becoming You: Creating A Transformational Learning Culture In Business Education Through Critical Reflection, Golnaz Golnaraghi, Ginger Grant, Anne-Liisa Longmore

Publications and Scholarship

Our institution has launched five new innovative Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degrees in September 2014. The vision for the BBA degrees is to “To be an innovative business educator developing individuals who are ready to make a difference.” Our vision is to effectively prepare learners “as lifelong learners to ensure that their transition to … work environments is smooth and seamless”. Central to the BBA programs is the development of the “whole” learner. The BBA programs recognize the fact that it is the whole learner that engages in the process of learning. As a result, learners enter the BBA …

Revisioning Creativity In Business: An Update On The Journey The Program, The Process And The People, Ginger Grant

Publications and Scholarship

The demand for innovation within organizations is a world-­wide concern. In order for innovation to occur, creativity must first be unleashed in the individual. Education is under heavy criticism for failure to produce the workforce needed to meet the innovation challenge. The solution lies in the human imagination. Many have tried to ‘teach’ creativity which results in a prescriptive focus on tools and process but has limited, if any, emotional engagement. Emotion is a necessary component in engagement, as the creative drive is intrinsic, it originates from within. In order to increase innovation capacity in our organizations, we need to …

Instructional Resources For Bba Business Communication, Angela Garmaise

Teaching and Learning Academy Research Posters & Papers

This project involved the creation of six new and innovative learning resources for Sheridan's students studying business writing: two Slidedocs and four instructional videos. These materials are intended primarily for the Bachelor of Business Administration Business Communication class (COMM10000D), but are also designed to be usable for diploma Business Communication and Reports and Presentations (RAP) students as well.

Sheridan College Pilon School Of Business Student And Faculty Reflections On Ontario Colleges Marketing Competition, Pilon School Of Business Sheridan College

Personal Reflections & News Stories

Two current OCMC student team members and one Pilon School of Business faculty member and OCMC coach reflect on their experiences participating in the competition and how it has informed their experiences in personally and professionally.