While the past two decades have produced much promise (and accompanying research) on the use of information technology (IT) in business school courses, it is not entirely clear whether IT has truly 'transformed' management education. There are compelling arguments on both sides. On one hand, advocates for the transformative role of IT can point to several success stories. On the other hand, skeptics on the role of IT in management education can also point to support for their view. This lack of consensus has led researchers in Academy of Management Learning and Education to call for scholars to confront the bias against online education (Redpath, 2012) and engage in serious research on online education (Arbaugh, DeArmond, & Rau, 2013). In this work, we respond to these calls for research by using Adaptive Structuration Theory to develop a conceptual model of three factors that influence the use of IT in business education. We review prior research for each factor and use the conceptual model to identify implications for the design and delivery of business education. Based on the implications, we offer recommendations and recognize challenges for business schools and faculty related to the use of IT in business education. 1 Throughout the paper, we use the term 'information technology' (abbreviation IT) to refer to the overall domain or discipline, and we use the descriptive term 'technology' (or technology tools) to refer to the specific information technologies used in business education. Use of the descriptive term 'technology' is consistent with Adaptive Structuration Theory research on which the conceptual model in this paper is based (DeSanctis & Poole, 1994; Orlikowski, 1992).
Are management textbooks propaganda? Do textbook authors write to advance the interests of a particular group or groups (such as employees, organizations, and/or society)? Do they write to present the theory and research of the academic discipline? Do they write primarily to produce a product that consumers (faculty and students) will buy in sufficient numbers and at a price that will yield financial profit? This article explores these and related questions by asking four well-established management textbook authors—Kim Cameron, Duane Ireland, Bob Lussier, and Steve Robbins—to react to the metaphor of “management textbooks as propaganda or ideology.” Their responses provide insights into the role of textbook authors in shaping the direction of management education.
The authors believe the development, peer review, and sharing of course portfolios can significantly improve the scholarship and teaching of management. To make this case, they provide background information about course portfolios, including origins, defining features, purposes, and potential benefits. They then identify actual portfolio projects and resources that are currently publicly available, including an Organizational Behavior course portfolio they developed. They conclude with recommendations for further action by business schools, individual faculty members, and professional organizations such as the Organizational Behavior Teaching Society and the Academy of Management.
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