Exploring quantitative skills provision in European logistics and supply chain education

Paper presented at 20th ISL, 5th – 8th July 2015, Bologna Italy Abstract: Logistics comprises functional ‘stop’ and ‘go’ activities such as warehousing, inventory management and transport, and logistics strategy has focussed on making these activities more efficient, effective and relevant (Grant, 2012). Techniques for doing so require quantitative skills for logistical system design and analysis and hence logisticians should possess a degree of quantitative skills to undertake these tasks. The broader concept of supply chain management (SCM) includes developing and managing relationships with stakeholders, internally and externally, along the supply chain– such stakeholders include shareholders, employees, customers, suppliers and possibly even competitors in collaborative opportunities. Accordingly, both logisticians and supply chain managers should also embrace ‘softer’ management and less quantitative skills in order to achieve these functions. However, this is not to say that both types of skills are not required at all levels

Investigation into the effectiveness of blended learning as a means of supporting management development in MBA programmes

The aim of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of blended learning as a means of delivering management development in Master of Business Administration (MBA) programmes. This research followed an interpretivist and qualitative approach, utilising multiple case study as a research method to explore the MBA programmes of three UK universities. The three case universities offered MBA programmes that were marketed as online learning, distance teaching, and face-to-face learning. Building this study around the theoretical learning models of Cookson (2000); Wilde et al. (2000) and Khan (2001), and their missing dimensions, data were collected by online questionnaires and semi-structured interviews from students and module leaders respectively. The collected data were further triangulated using document analysis to enhance the internal validity of the research. Based on the three theoretical frameworks and the missing dimensions, data analysis for interviews involved coding using a classification scheme, while data from the online questionnaire were analysed using descriptive statistics.Among many others, findings in this study show that; there is a difference between marketing, education and academic language when the language used in the marketing of MBA programmes is investigated; all the programmes in all three Universities were, in practice, blended learning programmes despite the fact that they were marketed as fully online learning, distance teaching, and face-to-face learning, respectively; and MBA pedagogy in the three case study Universities includes different pedagogies in full-time and part-time MBA programmes, i.e., more didactic on full-time and more experiential on part-time programmes. Based on these findings, this research developed a theoretical framework for MBA programmes, with new dimensions that strongly reflect the need for a clearly defined meaning of MBA pedagogy for institutions in the UK

Interaction and effectiveness of corporate e-learning programmes

This study was conducted in a large Mexican organization running a virtual corporate university. It aimed to evaluate students’ perceptions of three types of interaction (learner–teacher, learner–content and learner–learner) and their views on the effectiveness of online courses in terms of satisfaction, learning and behaviours. Twenty-six employees who had studied at least one online course within the organization answered an online survey. Four of them were interviewed. Results show that: (1) Learners value their interaction with the content the most. (2) Online learning is generally perceived as an effective method for delivering corporate training. (3) There is no perceived relationship between online interactions and training effectiveness. The findings are limited to the specific context of the participating organization. Further research into online learning in corporate settings is needed to understand training interactions and changes in job performance

Prospects and Challenges in the Deliverance of Executive Masters Degree Programmes

In the recent decade Executive Masters degree programmes have become very popular deliverance in the Tanzanian higher learning institutions. Such shift of paradigm may have occurred due to public budgetary cuts, employment and socio economic conditions that do not favour full time courses attendance and recent higher learning marketing processes. Using The Open University of Tanzania as a case study, this article will focus on two programmes, namely; Executive Masters in Business Administration (EMBA) and Masters in Community Economic Development (MCED) to analyze its deliverance prospects and challenges. Data collection tools included questionnaire, interviews and documentary analysis. We are arguing that the Executive Master‟s Degree programmes can be made more effective by being more practical, learner-centered and adoption of blended learning approach. These changes in the provision of Executive Masters degree programmes may expand the impact of the higher learning institutions in the communities and labor marketsKeywords: Executive Programme, Prospects, Challenges, Blended learnin

Alternative Modes of Financing Higher Education in Nigeria and the Implications for University Governance

Under-funding has been identified as one of the major problems presently facing the university system in most of the African nations, Nigeria inclusive. The study documented both financing and expenditure patterns in the Nigerian universities, and found that most monies, which go on direct teaching, are in fact used for the payment of salaries and entitlements of staff

Managing a consumer focus in MBA programmes

This investigation explores the pressures currently exerted on the UK higher education (HE) sector to become focused on their consumers. The conceptual framework is developed through a review of the political contingency and competitive positioning schools of strategic management, which are grounded in the concept of environmental determinism. The framework and rationale for managing a consumer focus are further developed through a review of the changes that have impacted on the UK public sector and, more specifically, the HE sector over the past two decades. The most significant changes were found to be increased pressure to manage organisations more economically, efficiently and effectively and to improve the quality of the service provided to consumers. The investigation provides prescriptions for achieving this. The different relationships that can exist between HE consumer and provider are explored, and the limitations of the consumer as a customer of HE services discussed. The roles of the HE consumer as client and citizen are also discussed. The investigation then provides the results of fieldwork undertaken at 8 UK business schools involving MBA course participants and course directors. The fieldwork, including a census survey at each institution, and a personal interview with each course director, found that the customer / client status of the consumer was acknowledged by the majority of directors, although the consumer's role as citizen was not. The study also unearthed an implementation gap between the institution's intended strategies / messages and consumers’ perceptions. The final section of the investigation provides conclusions for both theory and practice. Here, recommendations for the development and management of consumer focus in the context of HE are provided. The implications of the operating environment for institutions are also outlined, and recommendations for further research are provided

How do perceptions of the importance of service-quality determinants differ across key stakeholder groups in the Pakistan higher education sector

Quality is critical to organizations as it strongly influences organizational performance. It can be defined in various ways depending upon the organizational type, but it is generally easier to define the concept in a manufacturing setting. However, the concept of quality is much more difficult and complex to define in service sector, in which it is generally referred to as Service-Quality. In this study Service-Quality has been defined, operationalized and conceptualized as multi-dimensional construct based around the Service-Quality determinants approach derived from a number of existing Service-Quality models. As well as developing and utilising a novel, multi-dimensional conceptualisation of Service-Quality, incorporating thirteen distinct determinants, which have been explicitly tailored to the higher education context, this study also breaks new ground in a number of other ways. For example, whilst most prior studies are based upon the more common disconfirmation paradigm, this study argues that in a higher education the perception paradigm is more appropriate, and consequently the study adopts this less common perspective. This study is also unusual in that it explicitly adopts a multiple stakeholder perspective, which helps to deliver a more holistic picture of the determinants of Service-Quality. Finally, although there have been some prior studies of Service-Quality in an higher education, none have been found which explicitly focus upon the provision of MBA education, and none have focussed on the provision of Service-Quality in HE, from the perspective of the developing country. The study has used a mix of qualitative and quantitative approaches, to exploring and evaluating the perceptions of a variety of stakeholder groups. Based upon a thorough analysis of the qualitative and quantitative data-sets, it has been found that the three most important determinants of Service-Quality, in a business school context, are: curriculum and programme design, faculty profile and the teaching methods

Marketing higher education in Africa : challenges and opportunities

This chapter examines the global marketing environment of today’s higher education institutions (HEIs). (Semi) Autonomous HEIs and business schools are increasingly behaving like for-profit organisations as they seek new opportunities and resources to prioritise revenue creation. Therefore, they are diversifying the portfolio of their student populations by recruiting domestic and international students. In this light, this contribution deliberates on contemporary integrated marketing communications that are intended to support HEIs to promote their quality, student-centred education as well as their high-impact and meaningful research in global markets. Moreover, it reports on how HEIs’ marketing endeavours will be able to forge fruitful and collaborative relationships with industry stakeholders; foster student mobility and engagement in exchange programmes, as they can create partnership agreements with other institutions, among other strategic avenues. These issues imply that tomorrow’s educational institutions will have to keep investing in adequate resources, competences and capabilities to leverage themselves amid intensifying competition in challenging socio-economic environments.peer-reviewe

Assessing sustainability support to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs)

The aim of this paper is to evaluate qualitatively the impact of sustainability support to Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) where quantitative results are often difficult to appraise. Many of these organisations require sustainable business support to enable them to start or build their business concepts on sound sustainable platforms. Many SMEs are unable to quantitatively evaluate the benefit which they have received from support programmes because they are in the project planning stage or have limited financial data. Without a form of evaluation, support networks often cannot retain funding support. This paper is based on the grounded theory approach to analyse qualitative data received from participants in a sustainability support programme. Research on such programmes to SMEs is scant. This paper proposes the use of qualitative data collection and its evaluation to be considered when making the case for funding such programmes, along with quantitative data when availabl

Accounting education at doctoral level : a Canadian perspective with special reference to the demand and supply of academic accountants

This study is a critical analysis of doctoral accounting education. Its mandate is to examine the extent to which existing university programmes in accounting meet the needs of those concerned with the education of academic accountants; to consider ways in which universities could improve options for the education of accountants; to explore the continuing major shortage of accounting faculty; and to analyze the resource requirements, especially human resource requirements and their impact on university based accounting education in Canada.What do we expect from accounting schools? What do we want them to do besides helping to educate accountants? What kind of accounting education do we want them to dispense? Who is the better judge of student needs, the accounting professoriate or the accounting practitioners? Is the relationship between the professoriate and the accounting practitioner symbiotic or a superior-subordinate situation?What can be done to:1) increase the number of applications for admission to accounting Ph. D. programmes?2) shorten the duration of the Ph. D. programme?3) increase non-government financial support to universities?4) improve financial rewards for Ph. D. s?5) market academic accounting as an exciting career?These are typical questions that evolved and were dealt with in this research effort.It is evident that the present state of accounting education in Canada is a cause of deep concern for many who are directly involved with it. The severe shortage of academic accountants coupled with the market demand for better trained, professionally qualified accountants has put a great strain on universities. The demand for a larger commitment to accounting education is occurring at a time when programmes are under severe financial constraints. Given the circumstances, it should not be surprising that there is much discontent with the status of accounting education.This paper researches the educational issues involved and suggests respective educational policies in resolving them. It also explores the accounting labour market and evaluates the ramifications that various policies have upon it. Concentration on particular segments of accounting education is highlighted and justified by the asymmetry that characterizes the contribution of these elements to doctoral education in accounting