Other Business Commons^™

Advancing Beyond An Entry-Level Job, Paul Hill, Osei Vega-Sandoval

All Current Publications

Entry-level positions are a gateway into the workforce, yet advancing beyond an early-career role is necessary to broaden one’s professional experience and earn a higher salary. Whether following the traditional path of moving up within an organization or developing extensive expertise, there are a variety of career paths and concepts to consider. This fact sheet provides strategies and insights for advancing to higher-level positions within organizations.

Obtaining An Entry-Level Job, Paul Hill, Osei Vega-Sandoval

All Current Publications

Entry-level jobs are designed for people with little to no work experience. These jobs do not require previous education or training. Entry-level roles range from labor-intensive jobs (e.g., stocking shelves, preparing food, cleaning equipment) to customer service jobs (e.g., cashier, bank teller, retail associate). Entry-level jobs are the most common gateway into an organization. This fact sheet explains how to find entry-level jobs and outlines the fundamentals to improve one’s prospects of gaining employment.

Repairing Workplace Trust: A Process-Based Classroom Exercise For Management Education, Luke A. Langlinais Ph.D.

Posters

Trust is essential in every workplace, but conflicts, mistakes, and broken promises are inevitable. This project develops an experiential classroom exercise in which students diagnose workplace trust violations, examine the perspectives and emotions of both parties, and practice selecting and communicating evidence-based reparative actions. The exercise translates organizational behavior research into a practical learning experience that develops not only managerial competence but also the character, empathy, and relational wisdom needed to build healthy organizations and promote human flourishing.

I gratefully acknowledge peer review feedback on this project, and I am accountable for writing of this product without generative AI and …

How Does An Advanced Educator Utilize Digital Language Teaching And Learning By Integrating Linguistic, Cultural, And Business Life Perspectives?, Hely Westerholm, Pirjo Takanen-Körperich, Ph.D.

International Journal for Business Education

This paper explores advanced educators’ digital working capabilities in online language teaching, with a particular focus on sharing Finnish language and culture in a foreign context. Cultural and linguistic knowledge play a significant role in enhancing students’ motivation to study foreign languages. In today’s educational environment, digitalisation and globalisation exert an increasing influence on foreign language teaching and learning.

The digital learning environment has brought about a paradigm shift in foreign language didactics. Digital language learning is both challenging and holistic in nature. Continued foreign language learning is simultaneously an individual and a social process, as digital learning cultures impose …

How Grades Changed Before, During And After Covid-19 In A Business College, Douglas R. Moodie, Alison Keefe, Robin Cheramie

International Journal for Business Education

Purpose: This study examines how undergraduate business student grades changed before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic using a large institutional dataset from a business college in a US university between 2015 and 2024.

Method: The analysis includes over 390,000 student-course observations and incorporates instructional modality, student demographics, course characteristics, and prior academic performance.

Results: Results show a substantial increase in mean course grades during the COVID-19 period, followed by a partial reversion post-pandemic to levels that remain above pre-pandemic trends. These patterns are consistent across modalities, demographics, and departments.

Implications: The findings raise important questions regarding the interpretation of …

Exploring The Transformative Effects Of Executive Coaching On Leaders: A Qualitative Study, Dwayne Norman

Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative dissertation examines the transformative effects of executive coaching on leaders’ development, personal growth, decision-making, and overall effectiveness across varied organizational contexts. Grounded in authentic leadership theory and employing a generic qualitative inquiry design, the study investigated how leaders who completed executive coaching describe changes in their behavior and mindset. Eleven experienced leaders participated in semi-structured interviews selected through purposive sampling. Thematic analysis, guided by the cyclical and inductive coding methods of Saldana (2021), generated 187 initial codes, which were distilled into 72 final codes. These final codes were then further refined into twelve categories and four overarching themes: …

Investigating The Relationship Between Noun Classes And Plant Folk Taxonomy In Chasu Language Of Kilimanjaro Region In Tanzania, Peter Rabson Mziray

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The current study investigates the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu (G 22). The study focuses on two objectives: the first objective is to describe the plant folk taxonomy in Chasu and the second objective is to determine the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu. Data were collected from rural villages in Same and Mwanga districts by using free listing, field interviews (jungle-walk-and-identify), and written texts containing Chasu plant names. The findings reveal that Chasu folk taxonomy reflects different ethnobotanical categories; including a unique beginner which is mmea/mimea ‘plant(s)’, and three life …

Digital Transformation In Jamaica's Education Sector, Grace Willis

Capstone Collection

Digital transformation in Jamaica’s education sector, significantly spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, represented a seismic shift on this small Caribbean island I call home. This transformation was central to national education reform and involved multiple projects aimed at modernizing educational delivery, infrastructure, and the supporting ecosystem. This study explored the multifaceted implications of these initiatives through qualitative research conducted with ten key stakeholders, complemented by a review of publicly available materials. Interviewees included school administrators, Information Technology (IT) teachers, funding sponsors, representatives from national education bodies, and international development agencies engaged in domestic strategic efforts. Participants were recruited through cold …

Living Heritage, Resilience And Ethically Informed Infrastructures In Malawi, Martha B. Lerski, Frank Puluputu Mwale

Publications and Research

Rooted in a rural community’s needs, this paper explores how historically, and ethically informed infrastructures can support community engagement towards identification, documentation, and dissemination of local, traditional, and indigenous knowledge relating to climate change. The paper examines climate adaptation and sustainability issues through the lenses of community organizing and Library & Information Science best practices. It draws on a growing body of literature identifying a role for expanded epistemological and subject discipline perspectives. While the impacts of climate on material culture are increasingly recognized, intangible, and biocultural heritage have not received as much attention. Living heritage traditions and knowledge systems …

Assessment Of Graduate Admission Requirements Aimed At Predicting Student Outcomes, William Pratt, Robert Greve, Michael Williams, Suye Wang, Evan Shough

International Journal for Business Education

The purpose of this study is to measure the appropriateness of the existing admissions requirements as related to the likelihood of graduation. We employ a five-year sample of students admitted into the graduate program and selected a cutoff date to allow sufficient time for most of each cohort to complete their studies. Following the general structure of Pratt (2015) this study assesses the appropriateness of criteria employed to evaluate graduate program applicants. The findings of our study demonstrate that undergraduate performance, GPA, and work experience can provide sufficient information for qualifying candidates into a graduate business program. Furthermore, our findings …

Gap, Inc. : A Strategic Audit Of Gap, Inc. Company, Amber Hanson, Ike Mcley, Sophie Thomas, Avery Plessel, Kira Pavlik

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The following paper is a comprehensive overview of the company Gap, Inc., a leading global retailer with a diverse brand portfolio that includes Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Athleta. They compete in the Family Clothing Industry through their operation of over 3,352 brick-and-mortar stores along with offering their digital shopping platform to align with changing consumer preferences. Gap, Inc. plans to maintain financial rigor, reinvigorating its brands, and strengthening its platform. Their strengths are found in their expanding e-commerce segment and their strong commitment to sustainability. Through a broad differentiation strategy, Gap, Inc. targets a diverse consumer demographic across …

The Role Of Financial Literacy Education In Shaping Students’ Future Financial Decisions, Arianna Shornock

Honors Program Theses

This paper aims to explore the relationship between the effectiveness of financial literacy programs and their influence on students' future decision-making. In this study, survey data were collected from a random sample of young adults aged 18-25 years, primarily located in the Midwest region of the United States. This study suggests that students who took a financial literacy class are less likely to perform better on financial literacy topics and are less likely to have higher perceived confidence when making financial decisions, which contrasts with the existing evidence in the literature over financial literacy programs. Possible explanations for this deviation …

Entrepreneurship Education: Understanding The Lived Entrepreneurial Experiences Of Community College Students In South Texas, Hussain Y. Sama

Theses & Dissertations

Entrepreneurship education (EE) is a hot topic and has gained the attention and interest of scholars in the United States and globally. Despite the growth of EE, scholars have been marginalizing the impact of EE at the community college level and there is a dearth of studies in this area (Liguori et al. 2019; Mars & Ginter 2012). Therefore, I conducted this study to bridge this indicated gap and contribute to the EE literature through exploring the entrepreneurial learning and practical experiences of community college student entrepreneurs.

The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry was to better understand the lived …

Hse-8 The Revitalization Of The Hazel Green Academy, Josephine Traver, Jennifer M. Nguyen

SC Upstate Research Symposium

The Hazel Green Academy Revitalization Project is a community service-based project focused on restoring and repurposing the Hazel Green Academy (HGA). Established in 1880, HGA was a residential college-preparatory school located in Eastern Wolfe County, KY. At its height, HGA served not only as a school but also as a source of education and community events. Throughout the years, the academy expanded its facilities and resources to benefit both the students and the community. However, as free public schools emerged in the surrounding area during the 1930s, HGA faced a decline in enrollment. Consequently, HGA struggled for the next few …

Exploring Entrepreneurial Intention And Subjective Beliefs: A Comparative Analysis Of General Education Schools And Commercial Schools, Julia Riess, Bettina Fuhrmann, Gerhard Geissler

International Journal for Business Education

This study examines the entrepreneurial intentions of Austrian secondary school students, specifically comparing students from commercial schools with those from general education schools. We analyzed 2,329 data sets and found that subjective beliefs, primarily behavioral and control beliefs, significantly influence entrepreneurial intentions. In addition, demographic factors such as gender, language, acquaintance with entrepreneurs, and school type play a significant role in explaining the variance in entrepreneurial intentions.

Our detailed analysis shows that students from commercial schools have stronger entrepreneurial intentions and subjective beliefs. Particularly notable are the differences in behavioral beliefs, where students from commercial schools find all aspects of …

The Effect Of Massage Therapy On Test Anxiety Experienced By Traditional-Aged Undergraduate Business Students, Jorge A. Pazmiño

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Test anxiety impacts traditional-aged undergraduate business students and influences their academic performance and overall well-being. This study explored the efficacy of massage therapy (MT) as a means of mitigating test anxiety within this demographic. Building on existing literature that addresses the consequences of anxiety and alternative coping mechanisms, this research study focused on MT as a potential strategy for test anxiety management. The study employed the Adult Manifest Anxiety Scale–College Version (AMAS-C) to gather data from participants at a private liberal arts institution in the East South-Central region of the United States. An experimental group received an MT intervention, while …

Leading Horses To Water During A Pandemic: Assuring Communication Learning For "Quants", Thomas Hall

International Journal for Business Education

Students who are attracted to quantitative disciplines of study can be reluctant to devote much attention to the important task of communicating, and previous research (Hostager, 2018) has identified statistically significant differences in learning approaches by major among undergraduate business students. This paper presents results of learning assurance for writing skills (direct measures) even when the content of the course relates to the highly quantitative topics of data analytics and finance. The approach combines various pedagogical methods in an undergraduate, writing-intensive setting: traditional testing but in an iterative framework, “flipped classroom” intensive work using spreadsheet software, repeated submission of brief …

Learning To Be Reflexive In Qualitative Research: Improving Training For Doctoral Students In Business Schools, Eun Su Lee

The Qualitative Report

Doctoral education in business schools is focused on a functional approach to research training. While this approach is necessary, it rarely encompasses reflexivity in qualitative research, despite its importance. This paper provides the groundwork for educators in business schools to reconsider the conventional approach to teaching qualitative methods. It draws on my personal and professional experience as a key resource to shape its examination of doctoral education in conducting qualitative research. The paper offers points of reflection on the struggle students may face in conducting rigorous qualitative research without appropriately understanding the influence of self with previous experience, preconceived ideas, …

Identifying Essential Employability Attributes Of Mba Graduates Without Work Experience Using Grounded Theory, Puja Ghosh Singh, Parveen Ahmed Alam, Kaushik Kundu

An-Najah University Journal for Research - B (Humanities)

The aim of this study is to identify attributes that are essential to increasing the employability of a fresh MBA graduate, i.e., those without any work experience, based on the grounded theory approach. Specifically, the purpose is to explore HR managers’ perceptions of attributes required by fresh MBA graduates to assess their corporate readiness or employability so that they can join the corporate sector. The study utilized Strauss & Corbin’s (1990) method of grounded theory, where 16 human resources professionals at the middle management level were interviewed one by one to get their perspective on the attributes that are essential …

Gamification As An Effective Method In Developing Leadership Skills And Competencies, Tianshi Hao, Ziyi Liu, Hanhui Bao, Siyuan Chen, Jesse Llamas, Michael Llamas

The Scholarship Without Borders Journal

Gamification, the incorporation of game design features into non-game environments, has been implemented in a variety of disciplines, including education, sustainability, language learning, and workplace transformation. According to research, workplace gamification enhances employee engagement and productivity. The gaming business has leveraged incentives and motivation to drive behavior and participation. This literature study assesses gamification's potential as a technique for leadership development and competency building. Leadership is characterized by a combination of personality characteristics, knowledge, abilities, and behaviors. Existing leadership competency analysis frameworks include emotional intelligence and taxonomies such as Gallup's "Strengths Finder." Through points, levels, and leaderboards, gamification has been …

An Examination Of The Relationship Between Cheating In Online Classes And Technostress: Perceptions Of Business Faculty, Stacy Boyer-Davis, Kevin Berry, Amy Cooper

International Journal for Business Education

This research study investigated the relationship between technostress creators (techno-complexity, techno-insecurity, techno-invasion, techno-overload, and techno-uncertainty) and faculty perceptions of student cheating in online classes. Data were collected from faculty members of the Management and Organizational Behavior Teaching Society (MOBTS), a member of the AACSB Business Education Alliance, the American Society of Business and Behavioral Sciences (ASBBS), an interdisciplinary professional organization comprised of faculty teaching in accounting, finance, management, marketing, organizational behavior, and computer information systems, and other research panels during 2021 (N = 94). Findings from regression analysis indicated that the techno-complexity subconstruct is positively related to a faculty’s perception …

Responses To General Capabilities Framework For Tertiary Education, Tony Shannon

International Journal for Business Education

The Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment (DESE) is consulting on how best to develop a general capabilities framework for tertiary education. This is being done with NOUS, a business management consultancy, and the Assessment Research Centre of the University of Melbourne

Academic Freedom And Academic Integrity, Tony Shannon

International Journal for Business Education

The demand for freedom, an intense desire in fact, is a positive characteristic of our era, but human freedom does not mean acting in accord with one’s caprices or without restraint by any law. Recent controversaries at universities in Queensland have raised questions about mandating the French Review in Australian higher education as the review deals with the related issues of academic freedom and integrity.

Comments On Teqsa Discussion Paper: "Making And Accessing Claims Of Scholarship And Scholarly Activity", No Author

International Journal for Business Education

The Background and initial discussion are extracts from the TEQSA paper dated 12 October 2020, as are the subsequent statements of Principles and associated Questions. The layout here is to make it easier for interested staff to comment and contribute to our response to TEQSA if it is eventually deemed appropriate and useful to make such a submission. In any case, it is useful to have a discussion among colleagues on this important topic and what the regulator expects from providers and their staff.

The Purpose Of Education: Dewey And Maritain Re-Visited, Tony Shannon

International Journal for Business Education

This paper touches on the views of John Dewey and Jacques Maritain on the purpose of the process of formal education, particularly its social dimension in relation to the environment, which for Dewey means “those conditions that promote or hinder, stimulate or inhibit, the characteristic activities of a living being”. Dewey is concerned with communication and the conditions of growth of the child from every point of view. He was very opposed to those who see education as preparation for something else: he focused on what he saw as the existential needs of the student. Some of Dewey’s views are …

Associate Membership Of Hte Commercial Education Society Of Australia, Tony Shannon

International Journal for Business Education

Associate Membership of the Commercial Education Society of Australia (A.C.E.S.) can be achieved by completion of an assignment on twelve generic employability skills. This can be done remotely by interested persons or through a twelve-week program of classes followed by twelve weeks devoted to the assignment with consultation with the program tutor.

Affective And Psychomotor Taxonomies, Tony Shannon, Melvin Leong

International Journal for Business Education

Taxonomies can sensitise teachers to develop their learners’ applications of their knowledge and skills in depth when utilised judiciously in preparing experiences for learning and assessments for evaluation (Tyszko and Sheets, 2019).

The Coaldrake And Joyce Reviews Into Australia's Tertiary Education Systems, Tony Shannon

International Journal for Business Education

In October 2018 the Commonwealth Minister for Education, the Hon. Dan Tehan MP announced that Australia’s Higher Education Provider Category Standards will be reviewed to ensure the sector has the capacity to meet the evolving needs of students, employers and the wider community.

Continuing Professional Development And The Commercial Education Society Of Australia, Kathleen Mckenzie, Jacob Munday

International Journal for Business Education

The Commercial Education Society of Australia (CESA) was founded in 1910 and incorporated in 1911 as a non-profit company limited by guarantee. The mission of the Society is to provide students with the opportunity to raise their standards of education so that they can take advantage of the opportunities for further education and employment. This is reflected in the Society’s coat-of-arms ‘Digne Ambulate’ — walk worthily.

Group Learning And Tutoring, Tony Shannon

International Journal for Business Education

There are some academic subjects, particularly problem-based units, where group learning is beneficial, particularly as so much professional work is conducted in groups, whether formal or informal. These notes are merely an introductory outline to what can be an important element of some learning and assessment.