This exploratory study evaluates the satisfaction of students with a web-based information system at a medium-sized regional university. The analysis provides a process for simplifying data interpretation in captured student user feedback. Findings indicate that student classifications, as measured by demographic and other factors, determine satisfaction levels towards various web sources of information. Differences in satisfaction levels across student groups based on gender, age, minority status, employment, and current course load were found. Implications for university web designers and university administrators are considered and discussed.

The results of an executive Masters of Business Administration (MBA) program assessment are analyzed and interpreted against the backdrop of increasing competition between universities to attract and retain qualified students. The public education environment is currently in a turbulent state. This turbulence is in part caused by such factors as: reductions in public funding for higher education due to constrained state budgets, student expectations, requirements imposed by accrediting bodies, and other outside constituencies requesting more accountability. The pressure to hold education institutions accountable is increasing at a rapid rate. To provide a measure of accountability and quantify program quality, education institutions have placed a great deal of emphasis on program assessment. Informational results from program assessments influence a myriad of decisions made by many that ultimately impact student enrollment, program support and program funding. Despite questionable psychometric properties and potentially conflicting outcomes, student evaluations of teaching faculty continue to be a primary source of information used in program assessments. This burdens educators and administrators with the task of interpreting and utilizing incomplete and perhaps inaccurate information. Results indicate that student response rates decline with increased numbers of evaluations and influences on teaching quality assessments may be unrelated to content and presentation. Introduction According to Marsh and Roche (1993), universities have traditionally had students evaluate professor performance to improve course content and structure and for tenure and promotion decisions. Research on the topic generated more than 2000 studies by 1998 (Wilson, 1998) and the literature is rife with inconclusive outcomes associated with student evaluations. Some studies provide general support for the reliability and validity of student evaluation use (Marlin and Gaynor, 1989; Nimmer and Stone, 1991; Scherr and Scherr, 1990; Byrne, 1992; Tagomori and Bishop, 1995). Other studies indicate that student evaluations suffer from design flaws and cannot accurately capture many aspects of teaching effectiveness (Sheenan, 1975; Cashin, 1983; Rodin and Rodin, 1972; Seldin, 1993; Centra, 1993; Green et al, 1998). Despite the inconsistent results in the literature, a study conducted by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching indicated that approximately 98% of the universities surveyed used some form of student evaluations (Simpson and Siguaw, 2000). Business schools also feel pressure from accrediting bodies such as the American AssocErnest Capozzoli, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Accounting & Information Systems at Kennesaw State University. David Gundersen, Ph.D. is a Professor of Management at Stephen F. Austin State University. Journal of Executive Education Fall 2003 51 Ication of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) where 99.3% use some form of evaluation to monitor performance (Comm and Mathaisel, 1998). Student evaluation data can be used by administrators to plan strategically. Strategically, evaluation data can be used for realignment of university missions and to alter educational offerings. A more crowded and competitive education market is also forcing universities to promote and adopt a customer-driven approach to course offerings. While having great intuitive appeal, the customer-driven approach has shortcomings. Driscoll and Wicks (1998) suggest that a strong marketing orientation may be a potential threat to program quality. They indicate that a marketing approach assumes that student needs and wants are proper to satisfy, that student customers are aware of their needs and can communicate and use them as a basis to make selections. A distinction between customerled and marketoriented marketing approaches is also required (Slater and Narver, 1998). One problem in the customer-led approach is defining the customer (Bailey and Dangerfield, 2000). Is the customer the student, the taxpayer, the organization that hires the student graduate or some other third party? While acknowledgment that all the preceding may constitute “customers,” it is typically the student providing information on teaching performance. Despite potential shortcomings, a more meaningful question is what happens to the resulting data gathered and how is that data used? In a study by Comm and Mathaisel (1998), 71.8% of schools do not share the results of evaluations beyond the faculty and administration. This calls into question the notion that evaluations are used to satisfy customer demands. Also, the evidence that evaluations are used to improve teaching performance is suspect. Evaluation processes often lack followup and quality assurance checks and are often conducted on an annual basis post-facto for data gathering and reporting purposes only (Comm and Mathaisel, 1998). A research project was initiated to analyze student evaluations associated with an executive MBA program of a large regional university. Response rates and influences on ratings of instruction quality were considered in light of the importance placed on student ratings. A key investigation is to determine whether student evaluations warrant the influence universities place on them for determining program success or failure. In short, are response rates numerous enough to make program decisions based on evaluation results? Do superfluous factors influence student evaluations rendering them less useful for the strategic decisions mentioned earlier?

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) describes their accreditation as the hallmark of business education. According to information at BestBizSchools.com (n.d.), AACSB accreditation represents the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide. Being AACSB accredited means a business school is able to continuously pass a strict set of standards that ensure quality. As of December 2010, only 5%, or 607, of the academic business programs globally were accredited by AACSB. This number represents schools in 38 countries where the majority of programs incorporate both undergraduate and graduate education covering business, accounting, or both. An institution must be a member of AACSB in order to apply for accreditation. It is important to note, however, that membership does not imply that the program is accredited (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, n.d.-a). Recent emphasis demanding external validation on the quality of Business Schools has resulted in the promotion of AACSB accreditation as the de facto quality standard. Earning this quality seal of approval, business programs can verify they have met the 21 AACSB standards that cover strategic, participant, and assurance of learning achievements and processes. Programs with AACSB accreditation are encouraged to promote the standard using it to externally validate their quality and to market their programs to external groups including students, employers, and contributors (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, n.d.-b). Despite established standards, no single approach to meeting standards for accreditation is suggested by AACSB. Rather, varying approaches to meeting standards should be developed to fit individual programs of institutions (Bryant & Scherer, 2009). This position by AACSB underscores its recognition of the diversity across accredited programs and allows educators wide latitude in developing and implementing approaches to excellence. Small programs are not disadvantaged so long as their students, faculty, graduates, and the employers who hire them receive the quality outputs that help them meet the external competitive requirements (Olian, 2007). In recognition of member institutions diversity, the AACSB has established the Affinity Group program where school administrators from schools sharing similar characteristics can interact, exchange ideas, and present views on a wide range of issues (Olian, 2007). This allows AACSB member schools, who have varying missions and constituents, to find and link with other programs of a similar nature where creativity and synergy can more easily occur. The AACSB wants the accreditation process to help facilitate creativity in designing business school strategies rather than being viewed as an impediment to a programs push to quality (Romero, 2008).

Executive MBA programs have grown in popularity in the United States as well as in many other countries. These programs accept students from a broad range of professional backgrounds: corporate executives, entrepreneurs, physicians, nurses, accountants and engineers to name a few. These individuals also come from many sectors and organizations: the public sector, the private sector, for profit organizations, non-profit organizations, and more. Given the diversity of backgrounds and work experience of these individuals, it is a difficult task ensuring minimum business skill levels necessary to be successful in an EMBA program. This paper will examine the results of using an “Accounting Boot-camp” to ensure a minimum level of financial accounting proficiency in an EMBA program. Introduction Executive Masters of Business Administration degrees (EMBAs) have grown in popularity throughout the world. A 2007 survey by the EMBA Council reported that the average number of applicants per program in 2007 was up 25 percent from the previous year. Another study showing increasing interest in graduate management education was conducted by 114 Journal of Executive Education the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). Results from that study indicated that the volume of applications to MBA programs increased significantly between 2005 and 2006 (Schoenfeld 2006). Across all MBA program types, the largest increases in enrollments and applications are associated with EMBA programs (EMBA Council 2006). According to the EMBA Council (2006), 69% of executive programs had increased applications between 2005 and 2006. This translates into 195 EMBA programs where enrollments increased out of the total of 283 EMBA programs listed on the EMBA Council website. This growth warrants a closer look at what differentiates EMBAs from traditional MBA programs. EMBA Programs The traditional MBA program has a long and rich history reaching back more than 100 years at some well known universities. Two of the earliest universities to offer programs in graduate management education included Wharton which began in 1881 and Harvard which started in 1908 (Crotty and Soule 1997). As more programs were developed, MBA content evolved to encompasses a curriculum consisting of a combination of pre-set courses and a few electives providing some standardization across the degree (Crotty 1971). Admittance into MBA programs was predicated on having sufficient academic knowledge of basic business courses such as accounting, marketing, management as well as quantitative skills. The typical MBA student in a traditional MBA program is generally a younger individual with minimal managerial experience who decides to further his or her formal undergraduate business education with minimal company support or commitment (Crotty 1971). Older more experienced individuals who wanted to further their education in graduate business curricula were often not well served by most traditional MBA programs. Unlike the traditional MBA student described previously, the more experienced individuals typically have significant managerial experience often in a narrower career path where they have spent years honing their skills in a particular business function. Due to age and experience differences, they have little in common with the typical student found in the traditional MBA program. This lack of fit for older more experienced students facilitated the development of EMBA programs with the first program offered by the University of Chicago in 1943 (Byrne 1991). These programs were

The authors analyzed the reactions of various academic- level respondent groups to 14 short scenarios reflecting ethical dilemmas in higher education and research. As the authors hypothesized, groups differed in their views of the dilemmas presented. The results did not support a 2nd hypothesis predicting a linear relationship between academic achievement of respondent groups and their ethical responses. The authors expected that as respondents gained more exposure to ethical perspectives through further education, they would respond accordingly, supporting a correlation effect. Despite significant differences between groups in their assessments of the dilemmas, situational differences other than educational attainment appeared to be most influential. The authors discussed implications, which raised doubt about whether teaching ethics enhances ethical behavior.

The primary purpose of the current study was to extend previous research by examining actual leaders in a small group setting to empirically assess the efficacy of using leader impression management (LIM) as a predictor of group satisfaction. Specifically, the current study explored LIM as a predictor of group cohesion, consensus, and communication using a sample of 105 undergraduate business students from a midwestern university. Results indicated that the impression management (IM) tactic of exemplification was predictive of group cohesion, feelings regarding group member relationships and decision processes, and feelings regarding group decision outcomes. The IM tactic of ingratiation was positively related to group cohesion. Helplessness was negatively related to feelings regarding group member relationships and decision processes. No IM tactics were predictive of feelings regarding individual effectiveness. Implications for the research findings as they relate to management education and small group research are discussed.

Information systems (IS) outsourcing research has continued to evolve over the past decade to reflect changes in its practice and a deeper understanding of its business impact. Typically, the drivers of outsourcing decisions are both internal and external to the outsourcing organization and have been the basis for such studies. Since IS essentially represents an organization's implementation of its business processes, this paper approaches IS outsourcing by explicitly integrating issues related to business process outsourcing. The resulting business risk management framework provides a basis for effective IS outsourcing. The framework is further discussed within the context of outsourcing in e-business. By adopting a risk management perspective, this paper provides a strategic direction to further the field of IS outsourcing research.

Union organizing targeting public teachers has resulted in the formation of some of the largest unions in the United States including the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). Financial support provided by these unions to the Democratic Party indicates extensive political influence. In spite of the growth of public education unionism, many States continue to restrict collective bargaining for teachers through legislative actions especially in the South. Statements claiming union teachers hamper student performance while increasing costs are shown to be either untrue or too simplistic. A historical understanding of why some States restrict collective bargaining for teachers having nothing to do with performance and costs is presented. Texas, a State prohibiting collective bargaining for teachers, is discussed relative to how unions progress when restricted legislatively.

Theory building efforts in quality management have begun in earnest. However, while services continue to dominate the developed economies of the world, these studies have mostly focused on manufacturing firms. Research that addresses this limitation by specifically addressing quality management in service organizations is presented in this paper. Through a survey of 170 US service firms, this study empirically develops and validates 11 constructs for quality management in services. A comparison between this study and other empirical quality management studies highlights many distinct quality management constructs in services. It also shows that all empirical studies have some gaps in the coverage of their constructs, reiterating the need for continued quality management theory building research in services and manufacturing.

Union organizing targeting public teachers has resulted in the formation of some of the largest unions in the United States including the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). Financial support provided by these unions to the Democratic Party indicates extensive political influence. In spite of the growth of public education unionism, many States continue to restrict collective bargaining for teachers through legislative actions especially in the South. Statements claiming union teachers hamper student performance while increasing costs are shown to be either untrue or too simplistic. A historical understanding of why some States restrict collective bargaining for teachers having nothing to do with performance and costs is presented. Texas, a State prohibiting collective bargaining for teachers, is discussed relative to how unions progress when restricted legislatively.

This experimental study investigated how computer-mediated communications influence team process and outcome variables in a classroom assignment. Traditional in-class teams were compared with teams composed of members from different universities who relied on computer-mediated communications for task accomplishment. Results indicate that significant differences existed across the two formats in both process and outcome variables. For example, teams relying on computer-mediated communications were less satisfied as team members and with the project and felt that they gave more individual effort, but they had a higher amount of overall learning compared with traditional in-class teams.

This study used a mail survey to explore the extent to which the hospitality industry employs various information technologies, including computer-mediated communication systems. In addition, we examined the relationships between users' perceptions of computer training and their reported satisfaction and usage of specific computerized information systems. The results indicate that: (1) hotel/motel size and chain-affiliation are related to information system complexity; (2) chain-affiliated hotels/motels provide less computer training, and less “in-house” training, than independents; (3) more training is reportedly provided for electronic cash registers than personal computers; (4) information system complexity is positively related to user satisfaction; (5) computer training is associated with higher levels of system usage and user satisfaction; and (6) user expertise is strongly related to system usage. Finally, we consider directions for future research and the implications of these findings for managers in the hospitality industry and beyond.

Information is critical to an organization's performance in today's knowledge based economy‐and information systems have become a primary resource. The management of information systems in organizations is currently undergoing a transformation. Outsourcing, an integral part of corporate strategy, is now being adopted as an approach to manage information systems. This has resulted in the spawning and rapid growth of the information services industry. This article reviews this new trend in the management of information systems and evaluates its implications for management.