How has the emergence of information and technology impacted decision-making processes for IT managers globally?
That's the question posed by two Anaheim University MBA faculty members in their latest joint research project.
Dr. Andrew Honeycutt, Dean of Anaheim University's Akio Morita School of Business, and Dr. Jay Edwards, MBA professor, have surveyed at least 100 IT managers employed by a major beverage distribution company within the US and abroad to research the effects of information technology on decision-making processes.
The research, which began in September last year, investigates three kinds of decision making - rational, logical, and linear - and takes into account such factors as a manager's age, longevity of employment, marital status, and education.
Dr. Edwards said he selected this topic, because of the way technology is impacting organizations; either you adjust and embrace technology to be competitive or you get left behind.
The joint paper, Emerging Technology: Leadership & Decision-Making, will be presented at the Eighth Annual International Business & Economics Research (IBER) and College Teaching & Learning (TLC) Conference in Las Vegas in October. The conference provides a forum for faculty to present research on business and economics, and share proven and innovative methods in teaching at the college level.
Dr. Honeycutt will also be presenting at the conference with Dr. Craig S. Cleveland, of Shorter College. Their joint paper The Influence of Criminal Justice Professors on Narco-Terrorism Policies explores the impact of leadership and managerial decision making within the Drug Enforcement Administration since September 11, 2001. A web-based questionnaire was used to survey criminal justice professors from randomly selected college and universities in the southeast and southwest United States.
At last year's conference, Dr. Honeycutt also made two presentations: The Implications of Leadership on Narco-Terrorism Policy Management (presented with Dr. Craig S. Cleveland, Shorter College); and A Comparison of Management Student Task Performance and Satisfaction in Traditional Courses and Online Courses: A Review of the Literature(presented with G. Sherrie Lewis, Argosy University).
Dr. Honeycutt, who holds a Doctor of Business Administration in Marketing from Harvard University has been with Anaheim University since 2005. Dr. Edwards joined Anaheim University last year and teaches the Innovation and Entrepreneurship course. He has a Ph.D. in Organization and Management from Capella University.
Anaheim University's Provost Dr. William Hartley has helped select some of the top research papers to be presented at the largest annual gathering of management scholars in the world.
Acting as a referee for the professional association the Academy of Management, Dr. Hartley reviewed and critiqued five research papers in the fields of Human Resource Management, Strategic Management, and Management Education and Development. The papers are being considered for presentation at the Academy's annual meeting, which is expected to attract up to 6,000 people when it is held later this year from August 8 to August 13 in Anaheim, California.
Said Dr. Hartley: Research is an extremely important activity by the members of the Academy of Management since the discovery of better ways to structure and manage organizations is critical to their long term success especially in these times of international competition. All of the research papers to be presented at this meeting have been selected after careful review and critiquing from the large number submitted for consideration so they represent the very best in the field.
The Academy is a professional association for scholars dedicated to creating and disseminating knowledge about management and organizations. Founded in 1936 by two professors, the Academy today has more than 17,000 members from 104 nations.
Its annual meeting, which this year is on the theme of The Questions We Ask, provides a forum for sharing research and expertise in all management disciplines including presentations, panels, symposia, workshops, distinguished speakers, and special programs for doctoral students.
Dr. Hartley, who has been an Academy member since the 1980s, has also been invited to chair one of the presentation sessions for the Management Education and Development division at the meeting. As Chair, he will moderate the presentation and discussion of research papers in that division.
Dr. Hartley has served in various roles at Anaheim University including Vice President for Student Affairs, and he continues to teach in the MBA program. He holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in Economics from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley. His professional background is comprised of a combination of education, private sector work, teaching and consulting positions from administrative manager of the R&D division of a Fortune 500 company to the executive training program at Ford Motor Company in Detroit, Michigan, as well as owning and operating an art gallery.
Anaheim University's leading edge online MBA in Sustainable Management, nicknamed "The Green MBA", focuses on three main areas - namely People, Planet and Profit. The goal of the MBA in Sustainable Management is to provide students with the knowledge and skills to allow their companies to be accountable for their financial bottom line (Profit), as well as the environment (Planet) and the community (People).
"We have reached a time in history where corporations must take a serious look at the impact they are having on the environment and take action to reverse the damage that is being caused by industry," stated Dr. William Hartley, President of Anaheim University. "Corporate Social Responsibility [CSR] goes beyond accurate record keeping, reporting and transparency. CSR departments should begin preparing themselves to become accountable for not only their own company's well being, but also the well being of the community around them and the global environment. The new MBA in Sustainable Management is a program that will help CSR division employees obtain the latest knowledge required to stay on top of environmental issues. Not only the CSR division employees will benefit from this MBA program, but all managers in the organization will benefit since these issues impact all facets of the organization's operation and must be addressed in an organizational wide effort."
Anaheim University launched the Green MBA program through the Anaheim University Kisho Kurokawa Green Institute on January 31st, 2008 targeting students from various backgrounds ranging from public servants and CSR personnel to marketing professionals who realize the need to stay up to date with the latest trends. The institute was conceived by and named in honor of the late eco-minded architect Kisho Kurokawa, who was a strong supporter and founding Executive Advisory Board member of Anaheim University.