This study investigates whether the processes associated with the use of business simulations can be structured to improve transfer of learning from the classroom environment to the workplace.The answer to this question is explored by investigating teaching methods used to introduce the simulation, the amount of time students spend on decisions, team decision-making characteristics, and student performance levels in the course. The results indicate that students have higher perceived transfer of learning when they learn the simulation by reading the student manual and from peers rather than from the instructor or from hands-on experience. Also, the results indicate that perceptions of time spent on strategic decisions, financial decisions, and student expectations of their final grade were related to perceived transfer of learning.

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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt; mso-pagination: none;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between an index of bank common stock prices and a variety of explanatory variables including interest rates on Treasury securities of various maturities and other economic variables.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We also examine the relationship between the term structure of interest rates and bank stock prices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>A sample of week ending values of the bank stock index is used as a proxy for the bank industry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The weekly closing interest rates for the 13-week Treasury bill, 5-year Treasury note, 10-year Treasury note and the 30-year Treasury bond are used in the study.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Other data used were the U.S. dollar index, the CRB index, the price of gold, the S&amp;P500 stock index, the VIX stock market volatility index and a measure of the yield curve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Data was taken from January 1998 through November 2009.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Therefore, a total of approximately 620 cases of weekly observations are included in the study.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>In order to study the effects of term structure of interest rates on bank stock prices, we take the difference between the 10-year Note and the 13-week Bill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>All variables are converted to a stationary series by taking first differences of each series.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Multiple linear regression is then used to study the variables that can explain bank stock prices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>A stepwise procedure was used to identify those variables with the strongest relationships in a multi-variable equation. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>Three independent variables were found with an R-squared of 0.619.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The results of this study corroborate previous studies and have practical implications for investors and for bank managers.</span></span></p>

The current business environment requires various communication skills to succeed. The skills include the use of a number of technologies that were not available 20 years ago. For this research, students were required to complete a project with students not in their own class using alternative communication methods. A questionnaire was administered to the students after completion of the project and the results are presented in this paper.

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