Blog Archive MBA Admissions Myths Destroyed Class Visits Are Not A Factor!

Blog Archive MBA Admissions Myths Destroyed Class Visits Are Not A Factor! Some MBA programs â€" Chicago and HBS in particular â€" have gone on the record, stating that class visits are not a factor in their admissions decisions. But, does that mean that you have nothing to gain from visiting those campuses? Imagine you were buying a $250,000-$500,000 home. Wouldn’t you want to visit it before you bought it? Maybe you would turn on the taps, open and shut the doors and windows and walk around the yard? Well, your business school education   when you take into account tuition, living expenses and the opportunity costs of giving up your job â€" will probably cost you somewhere in that dollar range. So, don’t you think it is important for you to go and see if your home for the next two years (and a home that you may want to return to metaphorically for years) is right for you? Also, it is important to note that in the case of a home, if you find yourself in the wrong place, you can always move; but with an MBA program, you pretty much have to stick with it, whether your choice is the right or wrong one. So, we feel that it is crucial for you to visit and gain a firsthand perspective into the environment, pedagogy, quality of student and professor and much more at your target schools. Dollars spent on transportation and hotels are the MBA program equivalent of calling in a home inspector. To the extent that you have the budget and vacation days, visit your target schools, whether it helps you gain a letter of acceptance or not. It will help ensure fit and, indeed, your future. Share ThisTweet Admissions Myths Destroyed Harvard University (Harvard Business School) University of Chicago (Booth) Blog Archive MBA Admissions Myths Destroyed Class Visits Are Not a Factor! Some MBA programsâ€"Harvard Business School, for exampleâ€"have gone on record stating that class visits are not a factor in their admissions decisions. But does this mean that you have nothing to gain from visiting those campuses? Imagine that you are considering buying a $250â€"$500K home. Would you not want to visit it before purchasing it? Perhaps you would turn on the taps, open and close the doors and windows, and walk around the yard, making sure your planned investment would be a good one, right? Well, your business school educationâ€"when you take into account tuition, living expenses, and the opportunity costs of leaving your current jobâ€"will probably cost you somewhere in that dollar range. So, visiting your target school(s) to ensure that your potential “home” for the next two years is right for you is just as important. We feel that visiting the campus of the school(s) to which you plan to apply is a crucial step in the application process. Doing so allows you to gain a firsthand perspective into a program’s environment, pedagogy, facilities, student body, and professors. The dollars you will spend on transportation and lodging are the MBA program equivalent of hiring an inspector when buying a home. To the extent that your budget and available vacation days allow, make the effort to visit your target schools, whether doing so will help you gain a letter of acceptance or not. It will help ensure that the school you ultimately attend is a good fit and will increase your chances of a happy future there Share ThisTweet Admissions Myths Destroyed Blog Archive MBA Admissions Myths Destroyed Class Visits Are Not a Factor! Some MBA programsâ€"Chicago Booth and Harvard Business School, in particularâ€"have gone on record, stating that class visits do not factor into their admissions decisions. But does this mean that you have nothing to gain from visiting those campuses? Imagine that you are considering buying a $250â€"$500K home. Would you not want to visit it before purchasing it? Perhaps you would turn on the taps, open and close the doors and windows and walk around the yard, making sure your planned investment would be a good one, right? Well, your business school educationâ€"when you take into account tuition, living expenses, and the opportunity costs of leaving your current jobâ€"will probably cost you somewhere in that dollar range. So, visiting your target school(s) to ensure that your potential “home” for the next two years is right for you is just as important. We feel that visiting the campus of the school(s) to which you plan to apply is a crucial step in the application process. Doing so allows you to gain a firsthand perspective into a program’s environment, pedagogy, facilities, student body, and professors. The dollars you will spend on transportation and lodging are the MBA program equivalent of hiring an inspector when buying a home. To the extent that your budget and available vacation days allow, make the effort to visit your target schools, whether doing so will help you gain a letter of acceptance or not. It will help ensure that the school you ultimately attend is a good fit and will increase your chances of a happy future there. Share ThisTweet Admissions Myths Destroyed Blog Archive MBA Admissions Myths Destroyed Class Visits Are Not a Factor! Some business schoolsâ€"Harvard Business School, for exampleâ€"have gone on record stating that class visits are not a factor in their admissions decisions. But does this mean that you have nothing to gain from visiting those campuses? Imagine that you are considering buying a $250â€"$500K home. Would you not want to visit it before purchasing it? Perhaps you would turn on the taps, open and close the doors and windows, and walk around the yard, making sure your planned investment would be a good one, right? Well, your business school educationâ€"when you take into account tuition, living expenses, and the opportunity costs of leaving your current jobâ€"will probably cost you somewhere in that dollar range. So, visiting your target school(s) to ensure that your potential “home” for the next two years is right for you is just as important. We feel that visiting the campus of the school(s) to which you plan to apply is a crucial step in the application process. Doing so allows you to gain a firsthand perspective into a program’s environment, pedagogy, facilities, student body, and professors. The dollars you will spend on transportation and lodging are the MBA program equivalent of hiring an inspector when buying a home. To the extent that your budget and available vacation days allow, make the effort to visit your target schools, whether doing so will help you gain a letter of acceptance or not. It will help ensure that the school you ultimately attend is a good fit and will increase your chances of a happy future there. Share ThisTweet Admissions Myths Destroyed

Leadership

The World War I ( 1914-1918 ) - 854 Words

â€Å"World War I [1914-1918] brought about many significant changes in the aviation field. At the start of World War One, aircraft were very basic and crude. By the time World War One had ended, aircraft had become far more sophisticated and had differentiated into fighters, bombers and long-range bombers. The development of aircraft was stimulated by the war’s requirements, as was the way aircraft were actually used† (â€Å"Aircraft and World War One†). At the start of the war, aircraft was thought to be an insignificant asset. Because of this, planes were typically only used for monitoring, rather than attacking the enemy, as well as the world’s first ever aerial photography. If ever enemy aircraft came in contact, by chance, the encounter was typically crude due to lack of training, but deadly. By the end of WWI, though, there was no comparison in the aircraft going into and coming out of the war. At the beginning of the war, aircraft typically only held one passenger, sometimes two. In order for a bomb execution to take place, the pilot, and/or co-pilot, would simply drop a bomb in the general direction of the enemy in hopes of hitting the correct target. By the end of the war, what are known as long-range-bombers were introduced. These aircrafts were much larger and were known for their accuracy. This proves that what was thought to be an insignificant development turned into a great asset within only four years. Besides the significant changes in combat strategies, theShow MoreRelatedWorld War I ( 1914-1918 ) Essay1550 Words   |  7 Pagestime. World War means a war that affects the whole world; it specially involves and destroys the most powerful and biggest nations of the time. It is a war on such a huge scale that affects also countries of different parts of the world, it lasts for multiple years. So far only two events that happened on a huge scale that humanity has never seen before the 20th century and have been labeled as World War; those are World War I (1914-1918) and World War II (1939-1945). The term World War III isRead MoreWorld War I ( 1914-1918 )2472 Words   |  10 PagesWorld War I (1914-1918) was the first war to involve almost all of Europe; Austria-Hungary, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, and Russia all participated. The war wiped out a significant amount of the young generation and changed politics, economics and public opinion in Europe for decades to come. While many countries had a role in the war’s outbreak, Germany probably bore the greatest responsibility due to three factors. The Germans had pushed for war since the founding of the modern GermanRead MoreWorld War I ( 1914-1918 )2071 Words   |  9 PagesIntroduction World War I (1914-1918), as one of the most destructive global conflicts that ever happened in human history, has not only left 17 million hot-blooded idealistic young men returning home in urns of cold cremation ashes, buried in tears of their heartbroken parents, but also has left the post-World War I society haunted by people’s profound doubt towards the past as a source of barbarous and inhuman atrocities. Therefore, instead of looking back to the past that was significantly woundedRead MoreWar I ( 1914-1918 ) And World War II ( 1939-1945 )1407 Words   |  6 Pagesand most destructive wars human civilization had to see. World War I (1914-1918) and World War II (1939-1945). Both of these wars had massive impact on civilized world. It didn’t start in one day. In the beginning of 20th century there were a lot of things going on in Europe. Unfortunately people of the Europe and the rest of the world had to suffer for some country’s disbelieve. There wasn’t just one cause instead there were several causes that brought whole world into war. Militarism is one ofRead MoreWorld War I (1914-1918) Was A War That Changed World History1841 Words   |  8 PagesWorld War I (1914-1918) was a war that changed world history forever. The technological, industrial, social and political advances that took place at beginning of the 20th century paved the way for today s world. And the parties involved in World War I used those advances to create one of the first modern wars. For those reasons World War I is referred to as many things including, an industrial war, a war of attrition, and as a total war. These aspects is what makes the war so revolutionary andRead MoreWorld War I, Took Place Between The Periods 1914 To 1918.1437 Words   |  6 PagesWorld War I, took place between the periods 1914 to 1918. During this period, the British had already settled in India and were oppressing the local Indians. When the war broke out, they asked the Indian soldiers to take part in the war with a promise of Independence if they emerged victoriously. The Indians kept their word and sent their soldiers to war and even became successful, but the British did not keep their end of the deal. They failed to grant India their independence and continued to oppressRead MoreWorld War I ( Wwi )959 Words   |  4 PagesWorld War I (WWI) had many main events from 1914 – 1918. It was known as the Great War and the war to end all wars. It also introduced us to many new technology to including Barbed wire, machine guns, artillery, poison gas, airships, aircraft s, new naval vessels and tanks. All these wartime machines and equipment resulted in unprecedented carnage and destruction, with more than 9 million soldiers killed by the end of the war. This First World War or the Great War, was a global war centered in EuropeRead MoreThe First World War I Essay1144 Words   |  5 PagesThe First World War was a global war that start ed in Europe and lasted from 1914 to 1918. It was one of the deadliest war which caused many political changes including revolution in some of the countries involved. It all started when a Serbian nationalist assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. This was done in protest to Austria-Hungary having control over the region. Serbia wanted to take over Bosnia which led to Austria-Hungary declaring war on Serbia. This caused Russia to get involvedRead MoreThe Failure of the Schlieffen Plan and Its Effects on the German Defeat on the Western Front924 Words   |  4 PagesIts Effects on the German Defeat on the Western Front By the spring of 1914, imperial Germany was spoiling for war. Germany’s leaders were determined to break up the Triple Entente of Britain, France Russia that had isolated Germany in Europe thwarted its territorial ambitions. And when Arch-Duke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated on June 28 1914 it gave Kaiser Wilhelm the reason to declare war. In the diplomatic controversy growing out of the assassination, the KaiserRead MoreImpact Of World War I On Women s Roles1517 Words   |  7 PagesAsmeeta Singh Assess the impact of World War I on the role of women in Australian society. In assessing the impact of World War 1 on women’s roles in Australian society, it is clearly obvious that there was no great effect. Women took on a great deal of responsibility when men were at war and many aspects were discovered about women’s abilities and many injustices were also created, which revolved around women, their jobs and the rest of their daily lives. According to https://womenshistory.net

Befriending - 844 Words

Befriending By John Nicholson Social psychologists are used to hearing that their experiments are a waste of time because they just prove the obvious, and tell us what we always knew. But there is a very simple and effective riposte to this accusation. The trouble with folk-wisdom (what we always knew) is that it tends to come in pairs of statements, both of which are ‘obviously true, but which --- unfortunately --- are mutually exclusive. For example, we all know that too many cooks spoil the broth. But wait a minute: don t many hands make light workï ¼Å¸ Similarly with friendship: birds of a feather flock together, but what about the attraction of opposites? Experiments may not be as much fun as intuitions, but they sometimes tell†¦show more content†¦But although affiliative behaviour shares some of the properties associated with biological drives, I doubt whether our desire to make friends is really much influenced by adaptive considerations. And if we want to talk in terms of drives, it s just as plausible to suggest that we require a certain amount of stimulation, balanced between the predictable and the unexpected, which friends can provide. On this analysis, affiliation would be encompassed by a more general curiosity or exploratory drive. In fact, studies of friendship seem to implicate more complex factors. For example, one function friendship seems to fulfill is that it supports the image we have of ourselves, and confirms the value of the attitudes we hold. Certainly we appear to project ourselves onto our friends; several studies have shown that we judge them to be more like us than they (objectively) are. This suggests that we ought to choose friends who are similar to us ( birds of a feather ) rather than those who would be complementary ( opposites attract ) , a prediction which is supported by empirical evidence, at least so far as attitudes and beliefs are concerned. In one experiment, some developing friendships were monitored amongst f irst-year students living in the same hostel. It was found that similarity of attitudes (towards politics, religion and ethics, pastimes and aesthetics) was a good predictor ofShow MoreRelatedSocial Networing Sites: Befriending Identity Theft1126 Words   |  5 PagesSocial networking sites are increasingly becoming one of the internet most utilized activities. However, how often does one think that their Facebook site is hazardous to their identity. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, an estimated 11.7 million Americans were victims of identity theft in 2010 (U.S. Dept. of Justice). Identity theft is defined as a crime where someone illegally acquires and utilizes another person’s vital information to deceive for personal gain. That same year, the FederalRead MoreAdvantages And Disadvantages Of Social Media1742 Words   |  7 Pagestheir day. This type of sharing inevitably exposes themselves and their district to scrutiny. Therefore, when using social media to sh are about their day, educators should take caution: watching for breaches in confidentiality, over-sharing, and befriending students or school families. Situation: Mrs. A. a fifth grade teacher is an avid social networker. She often befriends school families through her page and vents about her day. At times, Mrs. A. refers to her students as the little monsters andRead MoreExplain The Importance Of Health And Inclusion988 Words   |  4 Pagespromote equality and inclusion or reinforce discrimination and exclusion. Last year befriending covered one area that we worked in. Predominantly white older people were our clients - I think the previous coordinator has the perception that those older people did not want befrienders unless they were 40 year old plus and white. This may have been the case in previous years. I do not know. However last year our befriending service expanded in to another area that we cover. Unfortunately the current amountRead MoreThe Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn By Mark Twain1423 Words   |  6 Pageshuman shouldn’t determine greeting or befriending another person was the message Mark Twain was trying to send was due to the struggles he seen a slave go through which was put into the book. The development of Huck, Jim, Tom Sawyer, and slavery, affected the development of the book and theme. Huck was not only a representation of Mark, but of America too. The Characterization of Huck, Jim, and Tom was a first hand connection on how Mark felt about befriending slavery. As a literature expert and philosopherRead MoreThe Themes Of Forgiveness In Boo By John Smith760 Words   |  4 Pageswalls† (Smith 163). Boo appears to appreciate his friendship with Johnny, and he despairs when Johnny is not around. Undoubtedly, Boo knows that he must first forgive himself, and learns to trust others in order to treasure this friendship. After befriending Johnny, Boo gradually becomes aware of his antisocial behavior as well as his inclination to isolation. As Boo visit Johnny in the jail, he starts to question himself, â€Å"Should I hug Johnny [?] I am usually allergic to hugs, but ought I make an exceptionRead MorePerceiving Dogs Equal Vs Inferior. Inferior1648 Words   |  7 Pagescombination of these elements builds a strong and healthy relationship that is rewarding for both characters. The interactions in the relationship between the narrator and the dogs express the advantage of not using a dog as a possession and befriending it. The narrator gains support, help, guidance, and even safety from the dogs. The first expression of their strong relationship is when the narrator describes her two dogs, Hailey and Jackson, as â€Å"my two best friends, my yin and yang of dogs† (HoustonRead MorePerceiving Dogs Equal Vs. Property1589 Words   |  7 Pagescombination of these elements builds a strong and healthy relationship that is rewarding for both characters. The interactions in the relationship between the narrator and the dogs express the advantage of not using a dog as a possession and befriending it. The narrator gains support, help, guidance, and even safety from the dogs. The first expression of their strong relationship is when the narrator describes her two dogs, Hailey and Jackson, as â€Å"my two best friends, my yin and yang of dogs† (HoustonRead MoreHally : Master Harold And The Boys By Athol Fugard892 Words   |  4 Pagesboys† by Athol Fugard is no exception. In the beginning of the play, Hally is presented as a typical â€Å"seventeen-year-old white boy† (Fugard 5) in high school. He seems sophisticated for his age and defies the norm of a white male in this era by befriending Willie and Sam, two African American workers employed by Hally’s family to work in their tea room. Although Hally’s character is introduced in this way, his behavior and feelings change greatly throughout the play. Through the use of dialogue, communicationsRead More The Changing Effects of One as told in Children on Their Birthdays1039 Words   |  5 Pagesher efforts with Rosalba Cat, Miss Bobbit forces the entire town to change their hatred for things they do not understand into an acceptance. The town’s insecurities of things that were different would quickly change at the sight of a white girl befriending a black girl. Changes in the mindset of the townspeople were vividly drawn through the character of Mrs. Sawyer. â€Å"She told Aunt El that it went against the grain to have a nigger lolling smack there in sight of her porch.† (188). Mrs. SawyerRead MoreIndians And Colonists Relations1234 Words   |  5 Pagesthe Native Americans, the fate of the Europeans rested in the hands of the Indians. Either from self-preservation, civility or curiosity, various American Indian tribes assisted the early European colonies through the sharing of resources, by befriending them as allies and, ultimately, by accepting them as permanent neighbors. The French were one of the first to explore the New World in the last half of the 16th century. King Henry IV of France sent an expedition, led by Samuel de Champlain

Deductive Versus Inductive free essay sample

An example of a classic valid argument would have the components of a subject and a predicate. An example of it would be in the form of: My pet Scarlett fetches the stick (premise), Dog’s fetch sticks (premise), My pet is a dog who fetches a stick (conclusion). In the case of Modus Ponens, will affirming the antecedent where Modus Tollens denies the consequent in the argument. An example of Modus Ponens is; If Tiffany is pregnant, she must be a woman. Tiffany will become a mother, so than Tiffany is a woman. The example of Modus Tollens; If Harley is mother, she is woman, however if Harley is not a women but a man, than Harley cannot be a mother. When moving into the Disjunctive Syllogism the use of denying the disjunctive that is the statement of the argument. Mumie is neither a firefighter nor paramedic. One thing we know is Mumie is not a paramedic. We will write a custom essay sample on Deductive Versus Inductive or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Therefore, Mumie is a firefighter. In a Hypothetical Syllogism is the first premise of a major proposition which can shows uncertain condition such as (if A, then B) or (either A or B; S and T cannot both be true). Therefore by doing this it can be properly resolved in a second premise so that a valid conclusion. Therefore, the resolution of the problem will always in the form of affirmation or denial argument. An example of it would be; Cindy went to the beach, she got sun- burned. However, she was not sunburned, so she must not have gone to the beach. Now moving into Conjunction, Simplification, and Addition, Conjunction is using the premise of this syllogism with two propositions, called conjuncts, and are presented, both of which cannot be true simultaneously. A cannot be both B and C, so A is B; therefore A is not C and with this premise proceeds with affirm the true conjunct and the conclusion then denies the remaining one or which must be false by definition. An example of this would be I cannot do my final paper and go out with my friends; and I must finish my final paper, so I cannot go out with my friends. Simplification is a premise (conjunctive) and often uses simplification in longer arguments It is usually straightforward, A and B implies B and A, one form of the argument can be used to derive the other. An example is: It is snowing and flurrying, therefore it is snowing. The final one is Addition, which a simple form of a valid argument which has one premise( A) and one unrelated proposition (B), A or B is true or A and B are true. The example of this would be; Joseph is a man, in this case, Joseph is a man, and the man is Joseph which both of these are true. The difference between deductive and inductive arguments deductive is an argument whose premises are claimed to provide conclusive evidence for the truth of its conclusion. An inductive argument that establish the truth of the it’s conclusion as probable or probably true. Therefore, informally at least, an inductive argument claims its conclusion follows with some degree of probability. Then analogy can be defined as a form of reasoning in which a similarity between two or more things is inferred from a known similarity between them in other respects. Therefore and example for the second part of the assignment would be as follows a inductive: All throughout history people repeat the same mistakes, so we can conclude that mistakes will be made in the future. This is a simple inductive reason with an absolute certain. Jenny is a woman. Jenny is 95 years old. Jenny cannot run a marathon. The premises Jenny could have older illness like arthritis or may be possible be in a wheelchair due to age and is unable to run a marathon. References Pojman, L. P. (2006) Philosophy: The pursuit of wisdom, (5th ed. ). Stamford, CT: Thomson-Wadsworth Retrieved on January 20, 2011

Sun Yat-Sen University Essay Example

Sun Yat-Sen University Essay This article was downloaded by: [Sun Yat-Sen University] On: 02 June 2013, At: 05:15 Publisher: Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK Accounting Education: An International Journal Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www. tandfonline. com/loi/raed20 Personal skills development in the accounting curriculum Bob Gammie , Elizabeth Gammie Erica Cargill Published online: 05 Oct 2010. To cite this article: Bob Gammie , Elizabeth Gammie Erica Cargill (2002): Personal skills development in the accounting curriculum, Accounting Education: An International Journal, 11:1, 63-78 To link to this article: http://dx. doi. org/10. 1080/09639280210153272 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Full terms and conditions of use: http://www. tandfonline. com/page/termsand-conditions This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae, and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand, or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material. Accounting Education 11 (1), 63–78 (2002) We will write a custom essay sample on Sun Yat-Sen University specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Sun Yat-Sen University specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Sun Yat-Sen University specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Personal skills development in the accounting curriculum B OB G A M M I E* , E LI Z A BE TH G A M M I E and ER I C A CA R G I LL The Robert Gordon University, Scotland Received: July 2001 Revised: September 2001 Accepted: October 2001 Abstract Downloaded by [Sun Yat-Sen University] at 05:15 02 June 2013 Today’s challenging economic situation means that it is no longer suf cient for a new graduate to have knowledge of an academic subject; increasingly it is necessary for students to gain those skills which will enhance their prospects of employment. For over a decade, a number of employers have been sounding warnings to the higher education sector that a ‘skills gap’ was emerging at the employer/graduate interface. This paper highlights one strategy that attempts to facilitate the development of transferable and managerial skills in an undergraduate accounting degree. Using a stakeholder approach the adequacy of current in-house provision, and a comparison of this with best practice in the sector, was undertaken. Analysis of the ndings resulted in the conclusion that skills development using an embedded delivery approach was insuf cient. Likewise, a dedicated skills module in Year 1 was also inadequate and an appropriate course needed to be developed and incorporated as a core module in Year 2 of the programme. The result of this has been the creation of a module entitled Business Enterprise Skills. Keywords: graduate skills, dedicated module Introduction and relevant literature Today’s challenging economic situation means that it is no longer suf cient for a new graduate to have knowledge of an academic subject; increasingly it is necessary for students to gain those skills which will enhance their prospects of employment. Graduates are being asked to display far more than subject-speci c knowledge. They need to provide evidence that skills development activity has occurred during their higher education experience. Harvey et al. (1997), concluded that: . . . employers . . . no longer recruit simply on the basis of degree status. A degree might be necessary or desirable but employers are looking for a range of other attributes when employing and retaining graduates. (Harvey et al. , 1997, p. 63) The UK Government has also acknowledged the requirement for graduate skills. The National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education reported in 1997 that all institutions should, over the medium term, identify opportunities to increase the extent to which programmes help students become familiar with work and help them re ect on such experience (Dearing Committee, 1997). The Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) (1997) has identi ed that employers frequently emphasize the importance of key * Address for correspondence: Bob Gammie, Aberdeen Business School, The Robert Gordon University, Garthdee Road, Aberdeen, AB10 7QE, UK. E-mail: r. [emailprotected] ac. u k Accounting Education ISSN 0963–9284 print/ISSN 1468–4489 online  © 2002 Taylor Francis Ltd http://www. tandf. co. uk/journals DOI: 10. 1080/0963928021015327 2 64 Gammie et al. Downloaded by [Sun Yat-Sen University] at 05:15 02 June 2013 skills in preparing people to be part of a exible and adaptable workforce. They further emphasize the part they have to play in the employability of individuals throughout their working lives. It is evident that the nature of accounting has changed considerably, largely because the organizational, economic and technological context in which this type of work is conducted has changed, in many cases, beyond recognition (Cooper, 1998; Adamson et al. , 1998). This is set to continue, and will manifest itself in many ways, perhaps most obviously through intensi cation of work practices. This has already radically changed the skills that accountants need in order to be effective in the changed context in which they have to operate. Worrall and Cooper (1997; 1998; 2001) argue that individual and business survival, and business and national competitiveness, will depend on how quickly and how well UK decision-makers develop new skills. A key question in this type of research is – who is the best judge of what future skills accounting graduates are likely to need? Nationally, and internationally, a number of studies have been performed to ascertain exactly what skills the employers want to see included in the graduate pro le (e. g. Nicholson and Moss, 1990; Abbott, 1993; AGR, 1995; CAES, 1997; O’Brien, 1997; Williams and Owen, 1997; Fallows and Steven, 2000). The overall feedback suggests that the following ‘groups’ of skills were the most sought after; communication, problem-solving, personal and interpersonal skills, responsibility and organizational ability. Williams and Owen (1997) found that the most common perceived graduate qualities are an ability to learn, intelligence, ideas and imagination, and good communication skills. Lewis and Gill (1999) further articulate much of the current thinking in this area: Transferable skills and key skills are simply code words for the kind of capability now being sought; ‘adaptability’ and ‘ exibility’ are indications of the kinds of disposition now required. These meta-skills . . . enable persons to deploy effectively a repertoire of generic and more speci c skills (Lewis and Gill, 1999, p. 1). Essentially employers have stated that they want students to be able to think laterally (Holmes, 1995a). They require students familiar with a problem-based approach to a situation and to take with them into employment the ability to come up with creative and original solutions. Personal and interpersonal skills encompass both communications and team work dynamics, thus the requirement for team players, as well as team-leaders (Holmes, 1995b). The ability of an individual to work successfully as an individual, or as a member of a group, forms an integral part of the graduate skills pro le (Rozien and Jepson, 1985). Graduates are expected to have a sense of ‘appropriateness’ for the ways in which they respond to people and to the tasks in hand. Employers desire graduates who are ‘self-con dent but recognize their own limitations’ (Harvey and Bowes, 1998). In a survey of small- and medium-sized enterprises, Harvey and Bowes (1998) noted that ‘employers want graduates to make an early contribution when starting employment’. This ability to handle responsibility and exhibit leadership potential is a widely sought after skill on a national level. Harvey and Bowes’ (1998) ndings indicated a preference for individuals who can display that they have the potential for leadership in a work environment. Previous effective leadership experience intimates a good team-worker, listener and motivator, and someone who has already shown himself to be worthy of the respect of his team. Organizational ability, for example, time keeping, effective planning Personal skills development 65 Downloaded by [Sun Yat-Sen University] at 05:15 02 June 2013 and strategic thinking are mandatory for the competitive graduate marketplace. Along with foreign language skills and ICT competencies these ‘meta-skills’ (Barnett, 1998) constitute the reported areas of skill de cit within the modern graduate pro le. The arguments put forward in relation to the demands and requirements of employers should not be accepted unchallenged. It is perhaps stating the obvious to make the point that all recruiters would like the graduates they take on to be as ready to contribute to the pro tability of the organization in as short a time period as possible. The logic is straightforward, the more ready the HE sector makes the individual to achieve work competency, the less time and resource the organization need to devote to achieving this. There is obviously a balance to be struck and it is equally evident that the more that the HE sector provides then the greater the extent to which the prospective employers will ask for. Indeed, the HE sector has a far wider remit than providing students with work-based skills, and it has to satisfy a range of stakeholders (Stewart and Knowles, 2001). Thus, feedback from employers must be analysed in this light; they are a group that is potentially never satis ed. Indeed, their requirements may be transient in nature as business conditions alter. It is important to consider in this light which skills should be incorporated within the education process and which should be facilitated outside the academic curriculum (Nabi and Begley, 1998). As Stewart and Knowles (2000) and Gubbay (1994) point out, universities are not surrogate employment and training agencies and, in an already squeezed curriculum, the clear bene ts of skills development have to be identi ed to substantiate their inclusion. Notwithstanding the above, it is evident from the literature that a range of transferable skills are essential for students leaving university and entering the world of work. Thus, part of the HE function in producing graduates is to provide them with the attributes necessary to be able to operate professionally within the environment required for the ‘learning age’ or ‘learning society’. This is entirely consistent with the Dearing Committee (1997) which noted that: . . . institutions of higher education [should] begin immediately to develop, for each programme they offer, a ‘programme speci cation’ which . . gives the intended outcomes of the programme in terms of: c the knowledge and understanding that a student will be expected to have on completion; c key skills: communication, numeracy, the use of information technology and learning how to learn; c cognitive skills, such as an understanding of methodologies or ability in critical analysis; c subject speci c skills. ’ Aim and context The aim of this paper is to examine from the perspective of relevant stakeholders a number of issues. It will examine the current provision in relation to skills development, question whether further development is required and, if so, what is the most appropriate model to facilitate this. The research has been undertaken within Aberdeen Business School (ABS), part of The Robert Gordon University. ABS maintains close links with industry, commerce and the 66 Gammie et al. Downloaded by [Sun Yat-Sen University] at 05:15 02 June 2013 public sector, the intention being to ensure, as far as possible, that the courses offered are tailored to the needs of graduate employers. In addition, the operation of thick sandwich degree programmes are central to the School’s portfolio, with students on the Accounting and Finance degree undertaking 12 months paid placement within an accounting environment during the third year of their studies. Current provision takes the form of a dedicated module in Year 1 of the undergraduate accounting degree. This is core to the programme and is awarded credit points accordingly. This is consistent with other provision across the sector where skills development falls almost exclusively within the boundaries of the rst year of degree studies. The question that has been posed in relation to this asks – is it realistic to expect students at the end of Year 1, to have reached a point where they take full responsibility for their skills development? Stewart and Knowles (2000) also suggested that consideration should be given to examining the requirement for modules at a higher level which dealt both academically and practically with the notions of careers, career planning and career development. This is a key feature of this paper: it looks beyond rst year studies and attempts to clarify and construct a model for skills development and enhancement in students’ second year of study. Methodological approach There is a number of stakeholders involved in this area and, if substantive progress is to be made in the development of enhanced skill levels, appropriate research needs to be undertaken to nd out what needs to be done and how this is best achieved. A number of groups were identi ed as being relevant – graduate employers, placement employers, Year 4 students who have completed a placement in the third year of their degree, current placement students, current provision elsewhere, and nally the views of the Course Team. Thus, a multifaceted approach was taken in an attempt to generate meaningful data from all the relevant parties. Approaches included a discussion forum, interviews and questionnaires. The intention here was to inform the argument from as many perspectives as possible to avoid simply appearing to be at the call of graduate employers and meeting their every demand. It is clear that their opinion is of relevance but this cannot be allowed to overshadow all others. Thus, in data analysis the Course Team was very much aware of the need for a balanced analysis and to take cognisance of all perspectives. Graduate and placement employers An examination of employers’ requirements needed to be contextualized within the environment in which the university is situated. Thus, although a number of generic skills have been identi ed, it was believed to be important to engage as many employers in the dialogue as possible. To this end a debate incorporating graduate and placement employers entitled ‘Graduates of the Future’ was held with the general aim being to elicit views on the potential for undergraduate course improvement. More speci cally, we sought to try and determine the changing requirements of accounting graduates, from the view of those who have in the past recruited Business School students – be it at graduate level, or for the one year period of industrial placement. The latter is often a student’s rst noncasual work experience; hence it is important that students possess suf cient knowledge and skills to operate in the current business environment described above. Personal skills development 67 During the discussions, frequent use was made of terms such as ‘practical skills’, ‘transferable skills’ and ‘nous’. It became evident that the main area in which employers felt there was room for improvement in our degree programmes was in the development of these ‘softer skills’. The focus was on skills that make new graduates immediately productive in the work environment and which are therefore most attractive to potential employers. Post-placement students Feedback was generated from students via post-placement questionnaires. Views were sought from 66 Year 4 undergraduate students on, inter alia, how well prepared they felt themselves to be when entering the work environment. The results con rmed the employers’ views: that although students believed they had the theoretical skills required at this stage, they felt ill-equipped in transferring these skills into the practical work situation. Provision within other universities Before embarking upon a possible solution to the above issues, information was sought from other UK Business Schools eliciting information on the teaching of the skills identi ed above, with a view to drawing on examples of best practice. A questionnaire was designed and distributed, using the BABSIP (British Association for Business Studies Industrial Placements) mailbase, to which 18 member institutions responded. The questionnaire examined current methods of placement preparation and teaching practical business skills, the adequacy of any provision, together with examples of good practice. (i) Current methods of placement preparation The majority of the respondents (67%, n 5 12) prepared students for their rst work experience with time slotted into the curriculum, with only 28% (n 5 5) of the sample running a speci c module for the purpose. The remaining respondent did not provide any preparation for placement within the curriculum, although it did undertake some extracurricular activities. Although 56% of respondents (n 5 10) felt that they had suf cient time allocated to them within the timetable to provide adequate preparation for placement, the number of hours of preparation considered suf cient by these respondents varied enormously from 10 hours to 150 hours of preparation. The 8 respondents who did not think they had suf cient time for placement preparation cited between 0–12 hours for this purpose. It is also interesting to note that all the respondents who indicated that they do not have suf cient time allocated to adequately prepare their students are dealing with over 150 students annually. In contrast, ve of the ten respondents who consider themselves to have adequate preparation time are dealing with fewer than 150 students, with two of these in the 0–50 students category. This may suggest that co-ordinating a successful programme becomes less manageable as student numbers increase – an important point in the context of the Aberdeen Business School provision, where annual student placement numbers exceed 250. Downloaded by [Sun Yat-Sen University] at 05:15 02 June 2013 68 Gammie et al. Downloaded by [Sun Yat-Sen University] at 05:15 02 June 2013 (ii) Teaching of practical business skills There appears to be a variety of teaching methods used for the development of practical business skills and preparation for placement by other Business Schools. The vast majority of institutions (77%, n 5 14) used one-to-one interviews, although two respondents admitted there was insuf cient time to see every student on a one-to-one basis and that interviews tended to be by request only. Other delivery techniques were used to supplement these interviews. One-third (n 5 6) of the respondents simply used lectures for the delivery of material and it is unsurprising that each of these respondents also stated that they had insuf cient time for placement preparation. The remaining respondents who undertook some preparation of students (n 5 11) used a combination of lectures and seminars. The ‘other’ methods cited by four respondents included: presentations by returning students, mock assessment centre, drop in sessions, video interviews with feedback provided. (iii) Examples of good ractice Several examples of good practice were offered and this generated some interesting ideas including: c c c c c use of professionally produced videos to teach interview techniques use of role-play involving groups of students carrying out mock interviews mock interviews conducted by post-graduate or 4th year students specializing in Personnel Management full day dedicated to placement preparation with visiting employers, former placement students, placement staff and academic staff all offering input focus groups to polish applications to certain companies, career-planning assignment, using the Careers Service produced ‘PROSPECT’ interactive computer package One BABSIP member admitted that a business skills module had been piloted this year but that it was unlikely this would be implemented due to a lack of resources. Table 1 further splits the analysis into those respondents who felt that they had adequately prepared students for placement, with those who did not. The table reveals that the majority of respondents are covering each of the identi ed skills. However, only 56% (n 5 10) of the respondents covered all of the skill areas highlighted and these were in fact the same group who were of the opinion that their placement preparation was adequate. These were predominantly covered within the hours timetabled for placement preparation but, if not, were covered elsewhere in the curriculum. This nding would appear to add weight to the argument for running a dedicated placement preparation/skills development module. The remaining 44% (n 5 8) all covered CV writing and interview skills within their speci c placement preparation but the remainder of the skills, if covered at all, tended to be covered on an ad hoc basis through the rest of the curriculum. Course team analysis of in-house placement preparation and skills development The Course Team also critically examined the current provision of skills development, and the preparation provided for the students about to undertake their rst working experience. Four areas (Table 2) that are central to the education of an undergraduate student were identi ed. Each of these areas requires development throughout the entire undergraduate Personal skills development Table 1. Skills identi cation Adequate (10) Skill CV writing Interview skills Job search skills Time Management Writing in business Practical research skills Presentation skills Team Working/dynamics Using IT in business Career planning Company culture Oral communication skills Health Safety Placement* 10 10 10 4 3 3 4 6 1 8 4 1 10 Curriculum – – – 6 7 7 6 4 9 2 6 9 – Not Adequate (8) Placement* 7 8 6 – – – 0 – – – – – 2 Curriculum – – – 2 0 2 – 4 3 – – 2 1 69 Total 17 18 16 12 10 12 10 14 13 10 10 12 13 Downloaded by [Sun Yat-Sen University] at 05:15 02 June 2013 Includes extra-curricular activities. experience. It was evident that the development of ‘softer’ skills was a central theme. Considerable effort had already been made by the Course Team to embed into the curriculum, throughout the duration of the programme, activities that would develop these skills. In addition students received speci c placement preparation activities which were extracurricular but compulsory for all students embarking on a placement. This included lectures from the Placement Director on the role of the placement within the respective degrees, together with the requirements for the completion of the relevant placement documentation. A Placement Away Day was also organized with advice on CV and interview preparation, and at which employers and post-placement students provided feedback on their experiences. Finally each student had a one-to-one interview with a member of the placement unit to discuss his/her career aspirations. Current placement student views Once analysis of the BABSIP questionnaire had taken place, one-to-one discussions with selected students followed up on some of the ideas generated. Five students who were currently out on placement were interviewed. The purpose of these interviews was to address some of the issues, which arose from the BABSIP questionnaire and to seek the students’ views on what they believed would improve their work performance and subsequent employability. Current Year 3 Undergraduate placement students were interviewed as the authors were of the view that they would easily recall their feelings of six months earlier when they commenced employment. They should therefore have opinions as to the skills they needed at that time but which perhaps they did not have. The students chosen to take part were all working in positions considered by the authors to be particularly demanding and challenging. The interviews took place on a one-to-one basis in the course of routine placement visits. Each student was asked the same set of questions although the interviews were informal and discussion was encouraged. 70 Table 2. Programme level learning outcomes Speci cation of the set of knowledge and understanding to be acquired in a particular programme at each level Key transferable Communication process skills that and presentation students are skills expected to develop Higher-cognitive Application (use skills that of knowledge and students are understanding in expected to actual situations) develop Knowledge and understanding that the students are expected to develop Knowledge (description of facts; criteria; de nitions; classi cation; data organizations; principles and theories) Numeracy and IT skills Understanding (preparation and demonstration of understanding of knowledge) Gammie et al. Learning skills Interactive and group skills Downloaded by [Sun Yat-Sen University] at 05:15 02 June 2013 Analysis (breaking down complex situations into component parts) Synthesis (combining elements to form new, coherent systems) Evaluation and problem solving (forming value judgements based on clear criteria and formulating solutions to actual problem situations) Subject-speci c skills that students are expected to develop Speci cation of the subject/ discipline related skills that students are expected to develop over the course of the programme of their studies The initial discussions focussed on the 13 skill areas examined in the questionnaire in an attempt to identify where the current preparation programme is strong and where it is weak. All ve students mentioned interview skills, career planning, oral communication skills and business writing as areas in which they would have bene tted from more assistance prior to entering the work environment. In discussions as to how these skills may be taught, the students favoured interactive sessions in addition to lectures and this was reinforced by the fact that they had little memory of their own pre-placement preparation which consisted of two one-hour lectures. Three of the students suggested that presentations by employers would have given them more information about what employers were looking for and what to expect once in the work environment. All the students agreed that they had not been fully aware of the career options available to them prior to their placement year and they felt that more information about types of organization and career options would be useful to students in the future. Finally, the Personal skills development 71 students were asked how long they had been working before they considered themselves more of a help than a hindrance to their employer. The responses ranged from three to six months, which is in line with the research undertaken in the AGR (1995) Report. Although a light-hearted question, the guidelines provided by the students can be used as a benchmark against which future course developments can be evaluated. The way forward The evidence from the above research provided a balanced view from a number of stakeholders. It appeared that the Business School was not doing enough to repare students for their rst work experience. It suggested that a dedicated module in this area was the most app ropriate way to facilitate student development. There was a strong view that, for the module to be seen as integral to the overall degree, it should form part of the curriculum, be formally assessed and receive the appropriate academic credit. The module entitled Business Enterprise Skills was therefore introduced as one of eight core subjects within the second year of the four-year Scottish degree programme. This module therefore had to replace a module that was already offered as the maximum number of modules in any one year is restricted to eight. After lengthy consideration it was decided to sacri ce the second year economics module as it was felt that one year of economics study was probably suf cient for accounting students. The paper will now outline how the development of the module proceeded. Initial development concentrated on an analysis of the Level Learning Outcomes, which are one level down from the Programme Level Learning Outcomes contained for the Accounting and Finance course in Table 2. The purpose of this was to identify exactly what the degree was attempting to achieve. The next phase was to locate where in the course these outcomes were being achieved. Subsequent to this it was clear to the development team what skills were not being fully addressed and where gaps were evident. Thus, the creation of the Business Enterprise Skills module had a clear vision at the outset of exactly the issues it was attempting to resolve. Thirteen themes were identi ed and are listed below and in Table 1. A number of studies (DfEE, 1997; Nabi and Begley, 1998; CAES, 1997) have attempted to classify skills into certain categories. The attribution of labels to a group of skills did not seem particularly relevant in this context, and no weighting was given to each to suggest a hierarchy of importance. c c c c c c c c c c c CV writing interview skills job search skills time management writing in business practical research skills presentation skills team working using IT in business career planning oral communication skills Downloaded by [Sun Yat-Sen University] at 05:15 02 June 2013 72 c c health and safety company culture Gammie et al. Downloaded by [Sun Yat-Sen University] at 05:15 02 June 2013 The rst stage in the creation of the module itself was to identify the aim of the module. In this particular context this can be subdivided into the short-term, which in this instance is to prepare students for their rst work experience, usually the placement, and also as a basis for further training and re ection within the student’s placement organization. It is envisaged that skills should be continually developed through on the job training and planned organizational experience. Indeed, the development of business skills is seen as a continual ongoing process throughout the career of the current day professional. Thus, if solid foundations can be laid at an early stage, this can only be for the bene t of the individual and future employers. An important point to note at this juncture is the underpinning that all students will have in this area before they arrive in Year 2 of the respective programmes. It is evident that the Business Skills module in Year 1 has been a success, based on feedback received. However, as we have seen from the research undertaken above, it has left students a little short in a number of key areas. Identi cation of the learning objectives of such a module is an imperative task if a coherent framework is to be created. The intention was to address the 13 key skill areas identi ed. However, to provide a pragmatic and transparent set of achievable learning outcomes, the Course Team restricted the learning outcomes to a total of ve. A consequence of this is that the learning outcomes had to be suf ciently broadly framed to cover the key skill areas but detailed enough to ensure that the objectives are speci c, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound (Ellington and Earl, 1996). A summary of the Business Enterprise Skills module can be found in Table 3. The rst column identi es the skills that the course team highlighted as requiring attention within the module. The second column then maps how the course content addresses each of these requirements, with the third column indicating how the content is delivered to the students. The nal column focuses on how each of the necessary skills is assessed. Student contact and delivery The student interviews and questionnaire suggested that interactive seminars and workshops would be more effective than lecture situations. However, consideration must also be given to the constraints upon academic modules imposed by the university. This means that a balance must be struck between formal delivery of information in lecture format and participative classes. The university standard is for each module to be allocated 150 hours in total, although this is t

My Last Duchess Questions for Discussion

My Last Duchess Questions for Discussion My Last Duchess is a famous dramatic monolog by poet Robert Browning. It first appeared in Brownings 1842 essay collection Dramatic Lyrics. The poem is written in 28 rhyming couplets, in iambic pentameter, and its speaker is a Duke talking about his late wife to the father of his second wife-to-be. They are negotiating the terms of the second marriage to come when the Duke reveals a portrait of his first wife (the Duchess of the title), which is hidden behind a curtain. And when the Duke begins speaking about her, what appears to be a poem about a man mourning his first wife becomes something else altogether by the end of My Last Duchess.   Discussion Questions Can you determine what the Duke is really saying to his future father-in-law?   Here are a few questions for study and discussion, to gain a better understanding of this important literary work:   How significant is the title of the poem toward our understanding of the Duke, and of his late wife?   What do we learn about the personality of the Duchess?   Is the Duke a reliable narrator? Why or why not?   How does Robert Browning reveal character in My Last Duchess? If you were going to describe the Duke, what adjectives would you use?   What are some symbols in My Last Duchess? How can we interpret the lines I gave commands/ Then all smiles stopped forever?   Was the Duke responsible for his first wifes death? If so, why would he admit this to his future father-in-law?   What is the theme of this poem? What was Browning trying to portray in the character of the Duke? Would you let your daughter marry this Duke?   How does the poem compare to other works from the Victorian period? How is My Last Duchess similar or different from Brownings other poems?