Foundational Considerations for Establishing an Integrated Business Common Core Curriculum

Pharr, Steven W.

doi:10.1080/08832320009599045

Cited by 45 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…Porter and McKibbin, 1988;Dudley et al, 1995;Walker and Black, 1997;Stover et al, 1997;Michaelsen, 1999;Pharr, 2000;Hamilton et al, 2000;Aurand et al, 2001). The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) (2002) also highlighted the concern that curriculum is heavily dependent on producing specialised graduates at the expense of a more interdisciplinary-based problem solving way of thinking.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…In looking at the options for integration-ranging from standalone subjects to fully integrated -team teaching approaches across the degree are a significant cost to both the institution and the academics involved in the programme (see Kwok, 1994;Pharr, 2000), with a lot depending on the willingness of staff. From our own experience this involves many issues including timetabling and supervision not only of students but academic staff.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Interdisciplinary business education: curriculum through collaboration

Bajada

Trayler

2013

Education + Training

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Purpose -A modern business graduate is expected to have strong disciplinary skills as well as the soft skills of communication and team work. However today's business graduate needs to be more than the traditional "I-shaped" graduate of the past and more of the "T-shaped" graduate employers are looking for. Many undergraduate business degrees profess to offer integration of the curriculum but on investigation this occurs mainly through a capstone subject at the end of the degree. Today's business graduates need a more integrated approach to their learning. This paper aims to outline the transformation of a traditional business curriculum to one that is inter-disciplinary, outlining the necessary steps and conditions including the most challenging -faculty buy in. Design/methodology/approach -The review of the Bachelor of Business degree at University of Technology Sydney (UTS) provided an opportunity to explore the option to embrace an integrated curriculum. The authors outline how the review was shaped, the need for change and the approaches to interdisciplinary business education, and an approach to designing an interdisciplinary curriculum. They also provide two case studies. Findings -Approaches to developing an integrative curriculum can take many forms, but the most effective is one that is embedded throughout an entire degree program. This must start with a cornerstone subject to set the road map for the student's study. This subject needs to demonstrate how each discipline interrelates and how at the end of the degree through a capstone subject, this knowledge is again brought together to deal with more complex issues using the more sophisticated tools studied throughout the degree. There also needs to be a strategy that integrates the various firstyear disciplinary subjects traditionally included in an undergraduate business degree. Originality/value -This paper aims to outline the transformation of a traditional business curriculum to one that is inter-disciplinary and integrated. The outcome of such an approach produces graduates with the inter-disciplinary skills that employers are looking for.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interdisciplinary business education: curriculum through collaboration

Bajada

Trayler

2013

Education + Training

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“…Instructional issues that arise with the integration process include shifting learning objectives and continuous improvement measures, making a successful transition to team teaching, and managing student expectations and frustrations with the new curriculum. There are several examples in the literature that compare different integrating methods and provide the reader with insights into the process (Aurand, DeMoranville, & Gordon, 2001;Hamilton, McFarland, & Mirchandani, 2000;Jones, 2002;Pharr, 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Team-Taught Cross-Functional Core: Insights From a Long-Term Undergraduate Program

Buttermore

2011

Journal of Education for Business

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A small number of undergraduate business schools have made significant changes to their curriculum to deliver a team-taught, cross-functional undergraduate core. The author examines an exemplary early-adopting program to better understand the long-term impact such a change has had on the overall organization, and to seek insights on implementation and sustainability from these experienced faculty and administrators. The author found a program that benefits students with a well-rounded view of how business operates and the people skills employers want. In the process the study school has made broad and lasting connections to business, created a sustaining model to help support the program, and redefined its culture as a community of learners.

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“…A recent web-based survey of the MBA core curricula of topranked US business schools has also reported the continued existence of a traditional 'functional silo-based' approach to teaching and pointed out the lack of emphasis on multidisciplinary integration and experiential learning (Navarro 2008). In addition, earlier study by Ducoffe et al (2006) and Pharr (2000) highlighted the interrelationships between various functional silos and integration of functional knowledge and the need to prepare business students to operate in a cross-functional fashion. AACSB (2002) has pointed out the failure of current business curriculum in developing sound understanding of the emerging IT-enabled processes, products and services.…”

Section: Inadequacies Of Business Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Business process management: a missing link in business education

Seethamraju

2012

Business Process Management Journal

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Business processes have been the subject of formal study from multiple perspectives for a long time since the start of industrial age. In spite of such sustained focus, processes still are not well understood, left unmanaged and poorly executed. Business schools' teaching is primarily function specific and narrow, while the IT schools focused on narrow technical skills and leaves the 'process view' and 'integration' either to the individual student or the academic. This paper analyzes the inadequacies of current business and IS/IT education and reviews the historical perspective of business processes. It posits the significance of business process management and highlights its ability to provide the missing link to business education. It reports on the strategies employed by business schools and discusses the challenges in the BPM education and research.

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Foundational Considerations for Establishing an Integrated Business Common Core Curriculum

Cited by 45 publications

References 3 publications

Interdisciplinary business education: curriculum through collaboration

Interdisciplinary business education: curriculum through collaboration

The Team-Taught Cross-Functional Core: Insights From a Long-Term Undergraduate Program

Business process management: a missing link in business education

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