Improving Undergraduate Learning For Employability Through International Exposure

The purpose of this study is to identify how undergraduate business programs can incorporate international exposure to increase employability among its graduates. We first examine how international opportunities in corporations have impacted the skills needed by employees to excel in a globalized work environment. From this, we identify desirable employee characteristics. Next, we discuss the research methodology to determine how highly ranked undergraduate business programs are adapting to employer demands. A four-tiered research approach is used to: identify criteria for measurement; select top undergraduate business programs for assessment; research university websites for curriculum requirements; and confirm observations directly with institutions. The findings show how universities have adapted undergraduate learning experiences to incorporate global exposure to help ensure graduates possess the required skills for employability. Finally, we discuss what characteristics many undergraduate business programs may lack in terms of international exposure and offer suggestions on how they could improve. This study should be of interest to university faculty and administrators by providing practical implications to aid undergraduate business programs in adopting initiatives, courses, and opportunities to stress an international focus for students. Introducing global education to a business curriculum could improve graduate job placement and improve a business program’s overall ranking to external constituencies

Attitudes Toward and Behavioral Intentions to Adopt Mobile Marketing: Comparisons of Gen Y in the United States, France And China

The rapid global diffusion of mobile marketing makes it increasingly important to understand cross-­‐cultural consumer attitudes and behavioral intentions toward mobile marketing as a promotional channel. By building on the previously published research of Altuna and Konuk (2009), this work investigates the attitudes and behavioral intentions toward mobile marketing of Generation Y consumers in the United States, France, and China. Based on this analysis, Chinese Gen Y have the most positive attitude toward mobile marketing, and their overall attitude is significantly more positive than the attitudes of French and American Gen Y groups. While American Gen Y\u27s behavioral intentions are more favorable, their intentions to adopt mobile marketing are not significantly different from the other two groups. For American and French Gen Y, although not for Chinese Gen Y, it appears that positive attitudes toward mobile marketing relate to positive behavioral intentions to adopt mobile marketing

Pneumococcal sepsis presenting as acute compartment syndrome of the lower limbs: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Acute compartment syndrome is a surgical emergency requiring immediate fasciotomy. Spontaneous onset of acute compartment syndrome of the lower limbs is rare. We present a very rare case of pneumococcal sepsis leading to spontaneous acute compartment syndrome.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 40-year-old Caucasian man presented as an emergency with spontaneous onset of pain in both legs and signs of compartment syndrome. This was confirmed on fasciotomy. Blood culture grew <it>Streptococcus pneumoniae</it>.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Sepsis should be strongly suspected in bilateral acute compartment syndrome of spontaneous onset.</p

The Company We Keep: The Implications of Coworker Friendships for Employee Resources, Well-Being, and Work Outcomes

Coworker friendships refer to interpersonal relationships between peers and overlap across work and personal domains of life. Prior research suggests that these relationships are beneficial in some ways and detrimental in others, and that they are characterized by divergent forms of social bonds (i.e., friendly or affective bond and work-related or instrumental bond), relational expectations, and norms. Yet, the processes through which coworker friendships influence employees’ work outcomes and well-being remains poorly understood. To illuminate the features of coworker friendships and the mechanisms through which they affect employees, I develop the Coworker Friendship-Resource (CFR) Model. Specifically, building from interaction ritual theory, I explore how features of friendship—nonwork socializing and self-disclosure with coworker along with the personal growth function (i.e., benefit or purpose) of the coworker relationship—simultaneously drain and replenish employees resources or energy by shaping work-nonwork (enrichment and conflict), affective (vitality), cognitive (psychological detachment from work), and relational (intrusion) mechanisms, and subsequent employee work behaviors, well-being, and relationship conflict. I also consider the contingencies affecting these pathways, including contextual work features and individual differences. Overall, the CFR model highlights the simultaneous benefits and burdens of coworker friendships for employees and organizations. To test the CFR model, I conducted a pilot study to validate new measures, a vignette experiment, and a two-wave field study. As a set, the results of the vignette and field studies revealed countervailing effects of the friendship features on resource gain and drain