The Evolution of an Innovative Undergraduate Business

Curriculum

Presented at the2015 Western Association of Collegiate Schools of Business

ConferenceHonolulu, HawaiiOctober 4-6, 2015

Mario ReyesDean

CBE Curriculum in pre-1994

MIS

Econ

omic

s

Fin

ance

Quantitative

Methods

Accounting

Marketing

Management

Prod

uctio

n Ope

ratio

ns

Man

agem

ent

International

Business

CBE Advisory Board demand

Graduates with a broad perspective of how businesses operate— students in the traditional program did not have a systems

perspective, or the ability to determine how actions in their functionally

organized unit might impact other areas. Graduates with skills/experience in working in self-managed

teams Graduates with effective written and oral communication

skills

The Planning Process Data collection and analysis (1993-94)

Focus group sessions with College’s Advisory Board Benchmarking visits to other universities Focus group sessions with students Faculty retreats for discussion

Summer 1994 planning session for team Jack Morris (P/OM) Dana Stover (MHR) Steve Pharr (Marketing) Randall Byers (IS, Quantitative Methods) Mario Reyes (Finance and International Business)

Business Systems

Team Building

Planning & Decision Making

Product & Process Planning

Managing the Firm’s Resources

Business Operating Decisions

Integrated Business Curriculum (IBC): 1994-2012

Integrated Business Curriculum (IBC): 1994-2012

17 credit/2 semester cohort program 6 modules based on business decisions and processes Team taught by 5 faculty members- different disciplines

Required of all junior-level business and economics majors, thereby providing a common base for all business majors

Broad perspective of business; exposure to business disciplines Teambuilding and group dynamics

course module and faculty mentoring Team environment in and out of class

Formal students presentations and lots of writing assignments All essay/problem exams Close ties to business with Case Firm Program

IBC Course Modules: 1994-2012 First Semester

Team Building and Group Dynamics (2)

Business Systems (4)

Product and Process Planning (3)

Second Semester

Planning and Decision Making (2)

Managing the Firm’s Resources (3)

Business Operating Decisions (3)

For Example: Finance in the IBCIBC Module Finance Topics Covered

BUS 340Team Building and Group Dynamics None

BUS 341Business Systems

· Financial Markets and Institutions· Foreign Exchange Markets· Risk and Return· Time Value of Money· Valuation

BUS 342Product and Process Planning

· Capital Budgeting

BUS 343Planning and Decision-Making in Organizations

· Financial Planning· Pro Forma Financial Statements· External Funds Needed

BUS 344Managing the Firm’s Resources

· Cost of Capital and Capital Structure· Dividend Policy· Cash Management Models· Inventory Models

BUS 345Business Operating Decisions

· Credit Standards· Credit Policy Decisions

The Case Firm Program

Adopt a case firm (3 year commitment) Faculty shadowing visits Executive for a day Student team projects

Assurance of Learning in the IBC: 1994-2012CBE Learning Goal Measures Assessed by

#1 Business Knowledge and Environment

Embedded questions IBC Faculty, with rubric for some

#2 Critical Thinking and Ethical Problem-Solving

Embedded questions IBC faculty, with rubric for some

#3 Communication Student presentations

Module projects

IBC Faculty team and CBE Assessment Committee with rubricIBC Faculty team and McCarthy Writing/Communication Lab mentor with rubric

#4 Clarify Purpose and Perspective

None to-date Not applicable

#5 Teamwork and Collaboration Team problem-solving activity Department of Business Advisory Board with rubric

Closing the loop: IBC Faculty Summer Camp CBE Faculty Retreat

Administration of IBC: 1994-2012 Faculty team formation Faculty recruiting

Choose faculty with solid teaching performance Choose faculty who have demonstrated they can work in academic teams or who

have been successful in interdisciplinary research Attempt to include SP/IP faculty in each faculty team

Faculty teaching load Typical load per year: SA—5 courses; SP/IP—8 courses IBC faculty (steady state):

SA faculty 2 sections of IBC + 1; 1 section of IBC + 2

SP/IP faculty 2 sections of IBC + 3; 1 section of IBC + 4

Rewards Stipend for IBC summer camp $15,000 one-year fellowships (2 awards) for IBC faculty

Other Benefits: IBC 1994-2012

Cohort experience == incredible networking Positive impact on college’s scholarly activities Contributes towards the CBE’s strategic goal of “creating an

intellectually stimulating and dynamic learning community that emphasizes teamwork and values the unique contributions of all individuals …” A sense of community Mentoring Improve teaching

Impact on development efforts, internships, etc

Praise for the IBC: 1994-2012

From the corporate world Winner of the Idaho Quality Award for excellence

Design and process reviewed by team of corporate auditors Criteria based on Malcolm Baldrige award

From the academic world Winner of Distinguished Education Program Award (the

Academy of Educational Leadership)—integration of Accounting into the Business IBC

Challenges to the Delivery of IBC: 1994-2012

Cost of delivery Faculty burn-out Dwindling faculty champions for the program

Perceived reallocation of resources to IBC Perceived adverse impact on the majors

Scalability

The Evolution of the INTEGRATED BUSINESS CURRICULUM

Fall 1993 Fall 1993- Summer Spring 1994 1994

Task force established to explore ways of attaininggreater cross-discipline integration

Data collection

Fall 1994

20-credit IBC2 is offered to 40

volunteer students

Pilot course dubbed as IBC2 is developed by a 5-person faculty team

Fall 1996

Revised IBC:18- credit

requirementfor all CBE students

Feedback fromstakeholders andself-evaluation;Adjustments and improvements

Fall 2002

17- cr. IBC2 cr. Econ 340

2 2-cr Acct 310-311

Fall 2010

17- cr. IBC1 cr. BUS339

2 cr. Econ 340 2-cr Acct 310

Spring-Su 09

Stakeholder survey, and

IBC revitalizationSummer meetings

1994-1996 Fall 2012

Re-engineered the curriculum in an environment of

enrollment growth with lagging

resources

Desired Outcomes of 2012-2013 IBC Re-engineering

Scalability Cohort experience Team building/group dynamics Cross-functional business perspectives Maintaining the CBE innovative reputation

Re-Engineered IBC: 2012-Present

Features of the Re-engineered IBC

Freshman Year Team building and group dynamics Introduction to the different business functions Introduction of cross-functional perspectives via business simulation

Sophomore Year Leadership skills

Junior Year Competency in core business functions

Senior Year Integration Ethics and leadership

CBE: Learn Business by Doing Business

Hands-on Learning: Business Process Improvement Center Barker Capital Management and Trading Program

US Bank Trading Floor Vandals Solutions Idaho|Entrepreneurs Career@CBE Financial Literacy VITA Vandal Hat Hacking Club

Continuing discussions:

Ensure cross-functional perspectives and integration

How to instill a cohort experience Assurance of learning plan

Ideas and Suggestions?

Thank You!