Call for Papers

 

Decision Sciences Journal of Innovative Education: Special Issue on ‘Rethinking Undergraduate Business Education: In the Classroom & Beyond’ (Rethinking Undergraduate Business Education: In the Classroom and Beyond)

Guest Editors: Lynn Perry Wooten, University of Michigan, Joy Oguntebi, Rochester Institute of Technology

 

Motivation and Background

 

Business is the most popular undergraduate field of study in universities in the United States, with 21% of graduates receiving degrees in its various disciplines. In contrast, in 1970 only 14% of undergraduates received degrees in business. Despite this growth, critics contend that undergraduate business education is anti-intellectual, provides a ‘skate-through’ experience, and is too focused on career preparation. Research suggests that compared to students in other fields of study, undergraduate business students spend less time preparing for classes, and after two years of college have the weakest gains in writing and reasoning skills. Some educators also argue that that undergraduate business education does not have a distinct identity from MBA education. As a result, it has failed to acknowledge that students need a holistic academic education in addition to professional preparation. 

 

In light of criticisms, a growing movement is calling for a rethink of undergraduate business education. Both critics and proponents are calling for an educational experience that extends beyond an instrumental approach that only considers value as defined as career based knowledge. Undergraduate business education needs to embrace the central tenets of liberal learning, learning that empowers students and prepares them to deal with complexity, diversity, and change, by providing them with a broad knowledge of the wider world as well as in-depth study in a specific area of interest. This should embrace

 

• Analytical Thinking: Abstracting from a particular experience to produce formal knowledge that is general in nature and independent of a particular context.
• Multiple Framing: The ability to work with fundamentally different and incompatible and analytical perspectives to make sense of knowledge.
• Reflective Exploration of Meaning: The deeper understanding of how an approach relates to students’ values, identities, and how they engage with the world.
• Practical Reasoning: The capacity to draw upon knowledge and intellectual skills to engage concretely in the world by expanding reflection to deliberate action.

 

An education of this kind would equip students with the skills to draw on a diverse knowledge base to make sense of the world, their role as citizens of the world, and business as a societal institution. It would also help students develop the ability to examine issues from multiple perspectives and develop into intellectually adventurous, life-long learners.

 

Adding to the need to rethink undergraduate business education is the changing landscape of higher education. Professors are facing pressure to use technology innovatively and efficiently, such as through flipped classrooms and massive open online courses (MOOC). Students are seeking educational experiences that integrate different facets of college life, such as study abroad, service learning, and civic engagement. Administrators are expected to demonstrate assurance of learning of students while confronted with increasing budgetary challenges.

 

In response to these opportunities and challenges, this special issue solicits submissions that explore issues in undergraduate business education that include but are not limited to

 

• Identifying pedagogies that integrate decision sciences with liberal learning
• Examining how decision sciences education is employed to facilitate life-long learning
• Exploring the role of technology as a tool to foster innovation and student engagement
• Showcasing high impact learning experiences that incorporate decision sciences with other programmatic components such as undergraduate seminars, capstone courses, themed semesters, and writing-intensive courses
• Demonstrating the potential of decision sciences education for learning beyond the classroom, such as through study abroad experiences and externships/internships

 

Submission Deadline: June 1. 2014

 

DSJIE is a peer reviewed publication of the Decision Sciences Institute. Its mission is to publish significant research relevant to teaching, learning, and education in the decision sciences - quantitative and behavioral approaches to managerial decision making. For more details visit www.dsjie.org.

 

 

Vijay R. Kannan, Ph.D.

Editor, Decision Sciences Journal of Innovative Education

email: dsjie.editor@gmail.com