OATdb Archive

2013 - 2014

Business Foundation

Goal
Basic Knowledge And Competency In The Subject Areas Essential To All Business Professionals
The Business Foundation is the curriculum required of all COBA undergraduates - regardless of major. The goal of the Business Foundation is to ensure that all bachelor degree recipients have fundamental knowledge of multiple business disciplines - not just the one in which they specialize. 

Objective
Students Should Demonstrate Competency In The Core Areas Of Business Knowledge
Students should be able to demonstrate competency in the principles of accounting, business statistics, business law, economics, finance, management, marketing and management information systems.

Indicator
Student Performance On Questions Embedded In Final Exams In Accounting
Common questions are embedded in the final exams of multiple sections of ACCT 2301 and ACCT 2302. Student performance on these questions is an indicator of how well COBA students are learning the fundamentals of accounting.

Criterion
Percentage Of Correct Responses On Embedded Final Exam Questions In ACCT 2301 And ACCT 2302
The number of correct responses to the common questions for each objective divided by the number of attempts to the common questions for each objective should equal at least 60%.

Finding
ACCT 2301 And ACCT 2302 Results For 2013
ACCT 2301 And ACCT 2302 Results For 2013

ACCT 2301:
The following course objectives were assessed.

1. All business majors should understand the terminology, procedures,
    and techniques used in identifying, organizing, and reporting
    accounting information for business entities.

     Successes            4,612
     Attempts              7,119
     Success Ratio       65%

2. All business majors should understand the fundamental principles
    and concepts underlying the valuation and disclosure of financial
    statement accounts.

     Successes            3,724
     Attempts              5,537
     Success Ratio       67%

3. All business majors should develop a basic understanding of the
    economic information contained in company financial statements
    and what it communicates about the business.

     Successes            1,684
     Attempts              2,373
     Success Ratio       71%

4. All business majors should understand why accounting information
    is essential to business decision-making.

     Successes            332
     Attempts              791
     Success Ratio       42%

Aggregate Successful Response Rate over all objectives:

     Successes           10,352
     Attempts             15,820
     Success Ratio       65%

-----------------------------------
ACCT 2302

The following course objectives were assessed.

1. All business majors should understand the role and scope of financial
    and managerial accounting and the use of accounting.

     Successes            2,232
     Attempts              3,144
     Success Ratio       71%

2. All business majors should understand various terms and concepts and
    their appropriate uses including the idea of using different costs
    for different purposes.

     Successes            7,905
     Attempts              9,977
     Success Ratio       79%

3. All business majors should be proficient in various calculations that
    are routinely used in financial and managerial accounting such as
    debt and equity financing and investments, preparation of a
    statement of cash flows, product cost determination, C-V-P analysis,
    and budgeting.

     Successes            1,787
     Attempts              2,342
     Success Ratio       76%

4. All business majors should understand the behavioral implications of
    financial and managerial accounting in virtually all aspects of
    business activity.

     Successes            632
     Attempts              892
     Success Ratio       71%

Aggregate Successful Response Rate over all objectives:

     Successes           12,556
     Attempts             16,355
     Success Ratio       77%
 


Indicator
Student Performance On Questions Embedded In Final Exams In Finance
Common questions are embedded in the final exams of multiple sections of FINC 3320. Student performance on these questions across the various sections is an indicator of how well COBA students are learning the fundamentals of finance.

Criterion
Percentage Of Correct Responses On Embedded Final Exam Questions In FINC 3320
Final exams in FINC 3320 will include embedded questions covering each of the course learning objectives. Each of these questions should have a 70% correct response rate or better.

Indicator
Student Performance On Embedded Exam Questions In Marketing 3310
Questions representing 15 Key Marketing Concepts are embedded into MKTG 3310 exams. The combined results are an indicator of how well COBA students are learning the principles of marketing.

 


Criterion
Percentage Of Correct Responses On Embedded Exam Questions In MKTG 3310
The percentage of correct responses on the embedded exam questions should equal 75 percent or more.


Finding
Student Performance On Embedded Exam Questions In MKTG 3310

Student Performance on Embedded Exam Questions in MKTG 3310 - Fall 2013

Questions representing 15 Key Marketing Concepts were embedded into exams of nine sections of MKTG 3310 (three professors, three sections each) during Fall 2013. Below are the results (n = 499 students).

Percentages represent the average percentage of students who answered correctly on questions related to the subject matter embedded in multiple choice exams. Data were collected across four separate exams given throughout the course of the semester.  In some cases, data were collected via a comprehensive exam over key topics.

Summary of Performance on 15 Key Marketing Concepts
MKTG 3310 (9 sections; n = 499)

Overview

1) Understand the marketing mix (4 Ps)
90 percent

Strategic Planning

2) Understand segmentation and targeting           
80 percent
 
Ethics

3) Understand the framework for ethical decision-making
80 percent

Consumer Behavior

4) Understand the consumer decision-making process overview
82 percent

Globalization

5) Understand the basic differences between domestic marketing strategy and global marketing strategy
77 percent

Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning (STP)

6) Understand the steps in the STP process
70 percent*

Marketing Information Systems/Market Research

7) Understand the differences between primary and secondary research
87 percent

Products and Brands, Product Strategy, Services

8) Understand the types of consumer products: convenience, shopping, specialty
83 percent

9) Key differentiators of products and services/ characteristics of services (4 Is)
83 percent

Pricing

10) Understand price elasticity of demand
76 percent

11) Understand basic pricing strategies: penetration, status quo, skimming
79 percent

Distribution

12) Understand basic distribution strategies:  intensive selective exclusive
75 percent*

Promotion

13) Understand why Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) is important/ 4 elements of IMC
81 percent

14) Understand the communication process
81 percent

15) Understand the AIDA model (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action)
83 percent

*The topics highlighted indicate areas targeted for improvement:
1)      Understanding the STP Process, and
2)      Understanding basic distribution strategies: Intensive, Selective, Exclusive


Indicator
Student Performance On Questions Embedded In Final Exams Of Business Law
Common questions are embedded in the final exams of multiple sections of BUAD 2301. Student performance on these questions across the various sections is an indicator of how well COBA students are learning the fundamentals of business law.

Criterion
Percentage Of Correct Responses On Embedded Final Exam Questions In BUAD 2301
Common questions embedded in the BUAD 2301 final exam cover the U.S. Constitution, the origins of our legal system, dispute resolutions, and torts. Students should be able to answer at least 70% of the questions correctly.

Indicator
Student Performance On Pre And Post Exams In Management Information Systems
All MGIS 3310 students will take exams at the beginning of the semester and then retake the same exam at the end of the semester. Multiple professors teaching multiple sections of MGIS 3310 administer the same exam. The combined results are an indicator of how well COBA students are learning the principles of management information systems.


Criterion
Improvement Measured As The Difference Between Pre-Test And Post-Test Scores In Management Information Systems
Students taking a pre-test and post-test in MGIS 3310 will earn a mean score significantly better on the post-test than on the pre-test.

Indicator
Student Performance On Embedded Exam Questions In Operations Management
MGMT 4370 students will take exams throughout the semester.  Multiple professors teaching multiple sections on MGMT 4370 administer the same exam questions.  The results are an indicator of how well COBA students are learning the operations management course learning objectives.



Criterion
Percentage Of Correct Responses On Embedded Exam Questions In Operations Management
Students should be able to answer 70 percent of questions correctly.


Finding
Student Performance On Embedded Final Exam Questions In Operations Management

Assessment was performed in two sections of MGMT 4370 (N varies from 61-64) using the following ten questions embedded in course exams. 

In aggregate, student performance was 84%, exceeding the desired 70% average.  On 8 of the 10 questions, students met the 70% standard, but on two questions (Questions 8 and 9), they did not meet the standard.  See the Actions section for information about improving the results in these two areas.  

1) Which of the following is not a key step toward improving productivity?
N - 64
Mean - 0.99
s.d - 0.13
S.e - 0.02

2) In an assembly operation at a furniture factory, six employees assembled an a...
N - 64
Mean - 0.94
s.d - 0.25
S.e - 0.04

3) The methods analysis chart which describes the overall sequence of operations...
N - 61
Mean - 0.92
s.d - 0.28
S.e - 0.04

4) The technique which can be used to estimate the percentage of time a worker o...
N - 61
Mean - 0.82
s.d - 0.39
S.e - 0.05

5) Quality planning and administration, quality training, and quality control pr...
N - 63
Mean - 0.96
s.d - 0.22
S.e - 0.03

6) Fixing a problem will often cost money; to minimize these costs it is best to...
N - 63
Mean - 0.97
s.d - 0.18
S.e - 0.03

7) The purpose of control charts is to:
N - 63
Mean - 0.91
s.d - 0.3
S.e - 0.04

8) The optimum level of inspection is where the:
N - 63
Mean - 0.58
s.d - 0.5
S.e - 0.07

9) Which of the following is not an element of the project management triangle?
N - 61
Mean - 0.64
s.d - 0.49
S.e - 0.07

10) Which of the following are advantages of PERT?(I) It is visual.(II) It is aut...
N - 61
Mean - 0.82
s.d - 0.39
S.e - 0.05

Mean across all questions - 0.84


Indicator
Student Performance On Questions Embedded In Final Exams In Business Analysis
Common questions are embedded in the final exams of multiple sections of BANA 2372 and BANA 3363. Student performance on these questions across the various sections is an indicator of how well COBA students are learning the fundamentals of business statistics.

Criterion
Percentage Of Correct Responses On Embedded Final Exam Questions In BANA 2372 And BANA 3363
Final exams in BANA 2372 and BANA 3363 will include embedded questions covering topics considered to be essential by all Business Analysis faculty. Each of these questions should have a 70% correct response rate or better.

Finding
Student Performance On Embedded Final Exam Questions In BANA 2372 And BANA 3363

BANA 3363 Fall 2013 Assessment Results
  

Five questions were embedded into the final exam of one section of BANA 3363 in Fall 2013 to represent each of the following learning objectives (n = xx students).  The percentage represents the proportion of students who got the question correct.

LO1: Understand the differences and similarities between hypothesis tests and confidence intervals and know when it is appropriate to use them (75.0% correct)
LO2: Be able to infer about parameter values in a single population (70.5% correct)
LO3: Be able to infer about parameter values in multiple populations (95.5% correct)
LO4: Understand regression analysis and be able to interpret regression output (79.5% correct)
LO5: Be familiar with how inferential statistics is used in business environments (45.5% correct)

BANA 2372 Fall 2013 and Summer 2014 Assessment Results

Ten questions were embedded into the final exam of xx sections of BANA 2372. The table below represents the results (n = 58 students in Fall 2013; 17 students in Summer 2014). The percentage represents the proportion of students who got the question correct.

Student Learning Outcomes - Fall 2013 

Profit Maximization - 65.5 percent
Sampling Distribution of sample mean - 51.7 percent
Use of Logarithms to solve exponential function - 63.8 percent
Use the CPI to restate values - 96.6 percent
Identify critical values - 65.5 percent
Calculate a joint probability - 94.8 percent
Calculate a conditional probability - 72.4 percent
Normal Probability calculation - 84.5 percent
Binomial Probability calculation - 39.7 percent
Linear functions - 79.3 percent

Student Learning Outcomes - Summer 2014 

Profit Maximization - 70.6 percent
Sampling Distribution of sample mean - 88.2 percent
Use of Logarithms to solve exponential function - 70.6 percent
Use the CPI to restate values - 100.0 percent
Identify critical values - 64.7 percent
Calculate a joint probability - 70.6 percent
Calculate a conditional probability - 58.8 percent
Normal Probability calculation - 70.6 percent
Binomial Probability calculation - 76.5 percent
Linear functions - 94.1 percent

Indicator
Student Performance On Questions Embedded In Final Exams In Economics
Common questions are embedded in the final exams of multiple sections of ECON 2302 and ECON 2301. Student performance on these questions across the various sections is an indicator of how well COBA students are learning the fundamentals of economics.

Criterion
Percentage Of Correct Responses On Embedded Final Exam Questions In ECON 2302 And ECON 2301
Common questions embedded in the final exams of ECON 2302 and ECON 2301 are used to measure BBA students' fundamental knowledge of economics. Students should attain an average of at least 70% on the questions.

Finding
Student Performance On Embedded Final Exam Questions In ECON 2302 And ECON 2301

ECON 2302 (Micro Principles) Fall 2013 Assessment Results


Ten questions were included on the final examinations of all instructors teaching ECON 2302 during Fall 2013. The assessment was designed to cover a broad range of general microeconomics topics. The questions were administered to a total of 308 students across multiple sections, delivered in person and online. Of twelve course objectives, the questions covered ten, omitting objectives related to economic efficiency (objectives 4 and 5). The course objectives are listed below.
 
The overall average (student-weighted, not instructor-weighted) was 6.0 correct answers (out of 10 questions). This is too low.

The correct response was chosen more than seventy percent (70%) of the time for two questions, #3 and #7. The correct response was chosen less than half the time for two other questions, #1 and #8. The variance of correct responses varied considerably across instructors, both on individual questions and in the aggregate.

The percentage of correct responses is listed below.

Question 1 (Objectives 1, 2) - 44.8 percent
Question 2 (Objective 3) -  60.5 percent
Question 3 (Objective 1) -  77.3 percent
Question 4 (Objective 6) -  61.9 percent
Question 5 (Objective 7) -  58.6 percent
Question 6 (Objectives 7, 8) -  67.4 percent
Question 7 (Objective 10) -  74.0 percent
Question 8 (Objective 9) -  41.5 percent
Question 9 (Objective 12) -  60.4 percent
Question 10 (Objective 11) -  54.3 percent

Average across all questions - 60.1 percent

ECON 2302 (Micro) Course Objectives

1. The student will understand the features of the perfectly competitive market.
2. The student will understand the concept of equilibrium and its application to price setting in the perfectly competitive market.
3. The student will understand how equilibrium responds to changes in supply-side or demand-side factors and be able to illustrate these changes on a graph.
4. The student will understand and be able to illustrate how the gains from trade in perfectly competitive market are distributed to consumers and producers.
5. The student will understand the efficiency properties of equilibrium in perfectly competitive markets.
6. The student will understand the concept of elasticity, which measures price responsiveness among consumers and producers.
7. The student will understand the economic perspective on costs, and be able to distinguish economic costs from accounting costs.
8. The student will understand incremental cost and revenue concepts in markets that are, and are not, perfectly competitive.
9. The student will understand the principles guiding firm behavior in perfectly competitive markets.
10. The student will understand how profits guide entry and exit decisions in the long run in the perfectly competitive market.
11. The student will understand a range of market types, or market structures, and be able to identify the key features of each and the pricing, entry, and output behavior observed in each.
12. The student will understand the basic mechanics of price setting in markets that are not perfectly competitive.


Action
Actions For Accounting Business Knowledge
ACCT 2301:
All findings but one exceeded the minimum criteria.  The findings for Objective 4 [i.e., recognize accounting information as essential to business decision-making] suggest that students have difficulty with that objective and more emphasis is warranted.  Last year's finding was 45%; this year's finding is 42%.  ACCT 2301 faculty will place additional emphasis on Objective 4, as well as consider other action as determined by faculty judgment.  ACCT 2301 faculty should continue to emphasize all other course objectives.


ACCT 2302:
All findings exceeded the minimum criteria.  ACCT 2302 faculty should continue to emphasize all course objectives.

 


Action
Actions For Operations Management Business Knowledge (MGMT 4370)
In aggregate, student performance on embedded exam questions was 84%, exceeding the desired 70% average.  On 8 of the 10 questions, students met the 70% standard, but on two questions (Questions 8 and 9), they did not meet the standard.

The Operations Management (OM) faculty have already met to discuss improvements and refinements in the assessment instruments and methodologies.  After reviewing this year’s results, the faculty  intend to make several changes to the instrument and sampling methodologies.  The faculty in OM will evaluate the instrument and the linkages with course learning objectives to investigate ways to improve student performance related to course learning objectives.  They will also expand the sample to ensure students in all course sections and students receiving instruction in all modalities are learning the course learning objectives.


Action
Actions For Marketing Business Knowledge (MKTG 3310)
*The topics highlighted in the findings section indicate areas targeted for improvement:
1)      Understanding the STP Process (Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning), and
2)      Understanding basic distribution strategies: Intensive, Selective, Exclusive.

A committee of Marketing faculty will:
1)      Review the success rates for all sections across the 15 Core Marketing Concepts, and
2)      Review specific results related to special efforts to improve the learning on the STP Process and the Basic Distribution Strategies.

Objective
Students Should Be Capable Of Effective Oral And Written Communication
Oral and written communication skills are essential to the modern business professional. The pace at which modern business is conducted necessitates that the communication of ideas take place accurately and quickly. Conducting business in a global environment also means that modern business professionals need to accommodate cultural differences in their communications.

Indicator
Written Communication
Degree candidates will respond in writing to a series of business scenarios during the required BUAD 3335 coursework. The composite performance of the students, as measured by a faculty developed rubric, will indicate the communication competency level.

Criterion
Writing Assessment
At least 80% of sampled students will score at least 70% on the business communication rubrics.

Indicator
Oral Presentations
BUAD 3335 requires students to give an oral presentation. Professors teaching the course use a common rubric to grade the presentations.

Criterion
Oral Assessment
At least 80% of sampled students will score at least 70% on the oral presentation rubric.

Objective
Students Should Possess Essential Critical Thinking And Problem Solving Skills
The business person must be able to recognize problems arising from the issues in their areas of responsibility , discriminate between the  relevant and irrelevant data , and apply  the appropriate concepts from the appropriate business discipline.


Indicator
Performance On Instruments In The Business Foundation Courses
Common embedded questions in business foundation courses will test critical thinking or problem solving skills or an evaluation of acceptable or unacceptable on writing assignments as defined by the following:

Critical thinking and problem solving consist of problem recognition followed by, differentiating between relevant and non relevant data, developing an argument or premise, and choosing of an appropriate concept, rule, formula, or strategy which is applied using  the relevant data resulting in a correct decision.


Criterion
Percentage Of Acceptable Use Of Critical Thinking Or Problem Solving On Written Assignments
Student performance in correct use of relevant data, analysis of the problem, application of concepts and solving the problem is an indicator how well COBA students are learning to critically think and solve problems. Student performance should achieve an average of 70% acceptable.

Criterion
Percentage Of Correct Responses On Questions Embedded In Exams In Courses In The Business Foundation
Common questions are embedded in the exams of business foundation courses. Student performance on these questions is an indicator of how well COBA students are learning to think critically and solve problems.  Students should achieve at least a 70% average on these questions.


Update to previous cycle's plan for continuous improvement ACCT 2301 faculty placed additional emphasis on Objective 4 (i.e., recognize accounting information as essential to business decision-making) in the Fall 2013 and Spring 2014 semesters.

Plan for continuous improvement ACCT 2301 faculty will place additional emphasis on Objective 4, as well as consider other action as determined by faculty judgment, e.g., increase the number of exam questions pertaining to Objective 4.