Search

Recent years have seen an increase in interest with regard to offering music industry undergraduate programs at institutes of higher learning. Such programs typically cover a mix of courses in both music and business areas. An emerging trend in the music industry is the rising application of digital technologies in all business aspects. This makes it necessary to enhance the curriculum with opportunities that familiarize students with various digital technologies and the possibilities they offer, so graduates are well-prepared for their future careers. This paper presents a case study conducted at the State University of New York--Fredonia. It revealed a need to enhance the school's Music Industry program, in terms of course content, with information and communication technologies. A proposal of novel courses to enhance music industry student acquisition of technology competencies resulted from the study. Additionally, opportunities for the possible enrichment of existing courses with material on digital technologies applications are provided. This work is aimed not only at music industry educators but also at instructors in other disciplines willing to make their students aware of the latest technological trends.

In all areas of human activity, decision-making based on data analysis is very important. As the availability of data grows, it becomes critical to educate not only traditional students but also those individuals who are now in the workforce, as many of them are expected to manage the complex data streams and to provide evidence and guidance for organizational action. We consider several technological tools that prepare the learners with data analytic skills. Among them are data analysis and visualization tools, Six Sigma, and operations research methods. We provide a survey of respective software systems suitable for a broad audience.

This article summarizes a case study on improving recycling behavior among college students. The study was conducted at the State University of New York at Fredonia and used Lean Six Sigma (LSS) methodology. The study found that adding and relocating recycling bins, creating engaging signage, and establishing a recycling competition among dormitories were effective solutions. The study also identified barriers to recycling on college campuses, such as lack of motivation and recycling knowledge, recycle bin contamination, and bin location and accessibility. The article acknowledges the limitations of the study and highlights the value of experiential learning for college undergraduates. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the implemented improvements have led to an increase in recycling, and formal measurement is scheduled to begin in the future. [Extracted from the article]

Almost half of full-time, first-time undergraduate students fail to finish their course of study within four years. To increase retention and graduation rates, a greater emphasis on academic advising is in order. The positive influence of an effective advising program on student success is well documented in the literature; however, there has not before been a systematic method of identifying the key drivers of an effective advising process suitable to a given college. This study applies "Quality Function Deployment," a method widely used in industry to provide high quality goods and services according to the customers' specifications and the producers' limitations, to advising in a business department at a public university. Our methodology can easily be emulated by other colleges to improve the advising of their own students.

With current enrollment decreases and increased cost pressures, recruitment and retention of students is critical. Introductory courses provide a vital platform from which a student may build a successful collegiate career. Introduction to Business (I2B) courses are such courses and provide a great way for even non-business students to gain useful skills. The study provides insight into historical developments and improvements of such courses, including the use of gamification, simulation, and reflection. It evaluates two I2B course designs, both of which employ a next generation simulation. One design is an online offering at a large institution; the second is a face-to-face offering at a small institution. The purpose of the evaluation is to determine if one design is superior to the other. Explanations for specific design features are provided. The outcome of the study demonstrates that both designs are effective in achieving defined goals, consistent with class size and modality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the atypical knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) used by accounting practices during the 2020 U.S. income tax season amidst the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown. We hypothesize that many accountants found themselves serving in atypical roles and that most accounting firms underestimated the pandemic's impact, leaving them unprepared to meet the challenge, and that some firm characteristics influence their state of preparedness. We emailed surveys to small, medium, and large accounting firms to investigate these hypotheses. We found that accounting firms used atypical KSAs significantly more often in 2020 than in previous years and that firms found these KSAs critical to their operations. Roughly 80% reported underestimating the impact of COVID-19. While firm size did not play a role in the usage of the KSAs we identified, there were differences in what firms rated highly important and easy to attain. We feel that these KSAs should be considered for ongoing professional development and in accounting curricula to support the sustainability of accounting practices in the face of future disruptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The revised ISO 9001:2015 quality management standard requires that organizations take a risk-based approach to operations within the scope of this accreditation. One important aspect of risk evaluation is the organization's supplier management process, as suppliers provide critical inputs impacting final product or service output integral to ISO Clause 8.4, "Control of Externally Provided Products and Services." The management of risk in supply chains has recently increased in importance, owing to several industry trends. To achieve accreditation and better manage their risks, organizations can benefit from a tool to categorize suppliers in terms of risk. Although the Supplier Positioning Matrix (also known as a Kraljic Matrix) relates the cost of purchasing to the total risk, it does not account for historical knowledge that organizations may have of their suppliers through previous relationships. This case study describes how the Kraljic Matrix was adapted by the author and used by a defense contractor to classify suppliers in terms of risk and historical knowledge, thereby facilitating ISO 9001:2015 compliance and more robust supplier management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the use of Six Sigma by operations management students at New York University to improve the school's academic advising program. The students reportedly implemented the define, measure, analyze, improve, and control method to identify problems in the program. It offers information on the program which assists students in various issues including how to pay back loans and job preparations.