Management
(Progress Report Submitted in 2006)

BBA Management [33]

The objective of the management program is to develop conceptual skills and practical problem-solving techniques that apply to management. Students are educated in management fundamentals and methods applicable to decision making. Emphasis is placed on the importance of organizational behavior in public and private enterprises and consideration of the public interest in making management decisions.

Contact Person

Dr. Tom Tudor

Associate Professor of Management
Reynolds Center, Room 223

trtudor@ualr.edu
501-569-8895

assessment home | top

Program Goals

The Management Program is designed to ensure that students demonstrate the ability to think strategically, integrate holistically, operate proactively, analyze complex situations, develop solutions and plans, and execute the plans utilizing appropriate team/interpersonal leadership skills. As specialists in human resource management and labor relations roles, students should be able to make immediate and significant contributions in a variety of professional roles involving the recruitment, development, evaluation and motivation of employees and the development and application of labor contract terms.

The goals follow from the program’s mission to prepare graduates for careers in the management of all types of organizations, including light manufacturing, services, transportation, health care, financial, information services, not-for-profit and governmental agencies. This encompasses generalists utilizing problem solving, interpersonal and conceptual skills in leadership roles and specialists in human resources management and labor relation’s roles.

assessment home | top

Program Objectives

To understand and be able to integrate appropriate strategic management concepts in the design and implementation of a corporate/business strategy. Includes defining the organization’s purpose/mission, setting objectives, determining opportunities and threats, monitoring competitors, crafting appropriate strategic actions, implementing appropriate structural and support systems and providing strategic leadership.

To understand the concepts underlying effective interpersonal relations and group/team leadership skills and be able to model the roles involved in making assignments, empowering, praising, coaching, evaluating, disciplining, decision making and conflict resolution.

To understand the principles of planning, directing, and controlling the human resource management function and the components of a comprehensive personnel program involving the recruitment, development, evaluation, compensation and motivation of an identified workforce.

To understand the principles of managing small businesses, including management, marketing, finance, accounting, research and development, and administration.

assessment home | top

Brief Statement of Methods

Assessment This Year

Based upon input from faculty and stakeholders, the first method used to assess the effectiveness of the current Management program was to retest senior level students based on last year’s assessment findings concerning their academic knowledge of best practices in team-building and employee motivation techniques in the workplace. In addition, testing seniors concerning their academic knowledge of best practices in leadership was also added to this year’s assessment. These three areas fall under Management Program Objective “C” (see above) and are considered critical knowledge for those seeking degrees in the Management program.

Assessment Testing

Instructors in the MGMT 4380 Strategic Management capstone course administered a thirty question multiple choice assessment test in which ten questions dealt with team-building, ten with employee motivation, and ten with leadership. The questions were chosen to test key areas of student knowledge in motivation, leadership, and team building that we would want students to retain after graduation.

Method

Student responses were evaluated using a typical 100 point scoring for each question. A blank question response was viewed as a lack of program objective knowledge and was recorded as 0 points. The sample size was 34 management program students.

Scoring was based on AACSB recommended three scoring levels:

0 to 69      Does Not Meet Expectations
70 to 80    Meets Expectations
81 to 100  Exceeds Expectations

assessment home | top

Results and Use for Program Building

Team Building Question Results

The management students tested overall did well with their understanding of team-building concepts again this year. Acceptable “meets expectations” scoring was 70% for the given questions. The average score was 76%, which was slighter higher than last year, and may have been higher if two students had made an attempt instead of leaving these questions blank. Of the 34 management students taking this part of the assessment test, 4 scored below expectations, 19 scored meeting expectations, and 11 scored exceeding expectations. In other words, 88% of management students tested met or exceeded expectations in knowledge of team building skills. These results were excellent.

Employee Motivation Question Results

In addition, management students did much better on their understanding of employee motivation techniques in the workplace than last year. Acceptable “meets expectations” scoring was 70% for the given questions. The average score was 73%, which included one blank response. Of the 34 students taking this part of the assessment test, 5 scored below expectations, 23 scored meets expectations, and 6 scored exceeds expectations. In other words, 85% of management students tested met or exceeded expectations in knowledge of employee motivation techniques. These results were very good.

Leadership Question Results

Finally, management students tested did overall very well on their understanding of leadership techniques. This is the first year this knowledge has been tested. Acceptable “meets expectations” scoring was 70% for the given questions. The average score was 74%, which included two blank responses. Of the 34 students taking this part of the assessment test, 6 scored below expectations, 17 scored meets expectations, and 11 scored exceeds expectations. In other words, 82% of management students tested met or exceeded expectations in knowledge of leadership techniques. These results were very good.

assessment home | top

Faculty and Stakeholder Involvement:

Management faculty members meet to reach a consensus of what to specifically assess for the coming year in the management program. Assessment is also discussed at multiple meetings throughout the year. In addition, many faculty members are sent to professional assessment training and attend and participate in assessment fairs. Faculty members also discuss the results of assessment and what changes (if any) are needed to the management program.

Discussion Areas

• Student performance on course exams and other assignments related to program objectives, which might allude to a potential curriculum problem that needs to be assessed for possible correction.
• Previous assessment findings, which might need further assessment because findings were not fully clear or to see if curriculum changes have worked.
• Perceptions of skills and knowledge lacking of graduates based partially on the views of the Management Advisory Council members (that hire our graduates and graduates at other schools), employers in general, and management student input.
• Perceptions of skills and knowledge lacking based upon our current senior level students and students that have graduated from our program.

Involvement of External Stakeholders

The Management program has a Management Advisory Council (representatives from Little Rock employers), which has early morning meetings at various times during the year. All management faculty members attend these meetings. The Advisory Council advises and gives feedback on assessment, curriculum issues, and program ideas. It also makes recommendations for changes and gives valuable input on proposed changes.

Involvement of Students

Student input from surveys and focus groups help gain information for current and future assessment. This input is extremely valuable because it can pinpoint concerns and praises that might not be discovered through other methods. Assessment results are shared with students during the assessment process as an additional check on interpretations.

Sharing of Assessment Results and Interpretations

Assessment results are shared with all management faculty members and our Management Advisory Board with discussions on interpretations and on what changes (if any) should be made in the Management program. Students also have an opportunity for input. All of these discussions are valuable input for laying the foundation for future assessment.

assessment home | top