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TO AVOID FINES return on or before date due. ———————__=————-——T__————- DATE DUE DATE DUE DATE DUE _. j ,3; I) MSU Is An Affirmative ActiorVEquel Opportunity Institution cMmS-q .»...u. .I a, ..4 t... ;,_,‘,..4 «« rev? S» .{IQd-cv:s1.~3iv£u(wfroe~ .... J I . .rccqsurqfitfufi. and»? «9);... .... x... r: u ... . ..FII... II“.- ..Ii. Aloylmin J ......- Ifl... I w .4. AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE PERCEPTIONS OF GRADUATES OF AN EXECUTIVE MBA PROGRAM by Eugene D. Geromel, Jr. A DISSERTATION Submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department of Educational Administration 1993 ABSTRACT An Investigation into the Perceptions of Graduates of an Executive MBA Program by Eugene D. Geromel, Jr. Purpose: to determine if graduates of Michigan State University's Advanced Management Program believe that their career and family life have been enhanced by their MBA degrees? Also, to what degree did they feel the program met their expectations? Lastly, were the principles of adult education applied in the program; and, if so, did this enhance their educational experience? et od ea c : questionnaires were sent to 1980 and 1985 graduates of the Advanced Management Program. Of the class of 1980, 18 graduates responded. In the class of 1985, 27 responded. Marx: 1. Overall, respondents believed their expectations were met. They entered the program more to gain skills and continue their education than to further their careers. Eugene D. Geromel, Jr. 2. The respondents did not believe that the degree had a positive effect upon their marriage or family lives. They also felt that the time spent in the program caused a significant burden on their families. 3. There were differing perceptions between the two classes as to whether the degree had a positive effect upon their careers. Overall, the older class had a lower mean score (less satisfaction) for each question relating to career advancement than did the younger. Newer graduates perceived a greater boost to their careers than those who graduated five years earlier. 4. Students appreciated those aspects of the program that reflected the principles of andragogy. Of special importance was the power of the cohort group to educate and motivate. W: 1. That on-going course evaluations, of present and past students, be routine. 2. That faculty be encouraged through in-service training to better understand the principles of andragogy. 3. That student orientation programs discuss both career plateauing and the effect of programs on marriage and family life. Eugene D. Geromel, Jr. That the faculty visit with students in their work environment. That further research is needed in the following areas: course relevance, effect of MBA programs on family life, faculty perceptions of adult and non-traditional education, comparison study of AMP and other graduate programs on career satisfaction; and difference between career satisfaction of male and female graduates. Copyright by EUGENE D. GEROMEL, JR. 1993 List of I lunar Cit-KP . u- CHAPTE mmJI-MOOV‘I CHAP'I E mwrvHHnH TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Tables . CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION . Background of the Study . Rationale for the Study . Importance of the Study . Statement of the Problem Research Questions Research Methodology Assumptions . . . Delimitations Limitations . . . Definition of Terms . Summary . CHAPTER II: SELECTED LITERATURE REVIEW The Importance of an MBA Degree . Criticisms of MBA Degrees . Career and Life Satisfaction . . Effect upon Marriage and Family Life Andragogical Considerations . . . Statistical Considerations Summary . CHAPTER III: PROCEDURES . Introduction . . Context of the Study Instrumentation . The Population Data Collection . Data Analysis . Summary . iii 13 13 15 19 25 26 30 33 34 34 34 35 37 37 38 39 CHAPTER IV: PRESENTATION OF THE FINDINGS Introduction Population Respondent Characteristics- Demographic Variables Marital status Children Years worked Age . Gender Educational background Current income Research Question One . Reasons for Entering Program . Course Relevance . . Most Enjoyable Courses . Most Helpful Classes Least Enjoyable Least Helpful Program Satisfaction Carnegie Study . . . Commitment to lifelong education Understanding the characteristics of one’s own industry . Organizational culture and values Industrial Changes . Science and Technology . Innovative Work Styles . Communication Negotiations . Changing Role of Work Force Humanize the Corporation . Development of Subordinates Ethical Implications . Summary . Research Question Two . Burden on Family Life . Meaningful and Fulfilling Marriage . Other Facets of Life . Positive Relationship with Their Children Summary Research Question Three . Career Advancement . Income . . Positions which are challenging and exciting . iv 40 40 41 41 41 42 42 43 44 45 46 47 47 49 55 56 57 57 58 6O 6O 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 77 77 78 80 81 82 83 Career Progression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Meaningful Assignments . . . . . . . . 85 Flexibility to Seek Other Employers . . . . . 86 Expectations . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Research Question Four . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Reason for Entering Program . . . . . . . . . 89 Employer Support . . . . . . . . . 89 Professors Respected and Utilized Student Skills . . . . . . 90 Immediate Application . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Group Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Time with Other Students . . . . . . . . 93 Work and Life Experiences of Fellow Students . . . . . . . . . 94 Family Understanding . . . . . . . . . 95 Informal Discussions with Faculty . . . . . . 96 Problems at Work . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Summary of Andragogical Questions . . . . . . 98 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 CHAPTER V: SUMMARY OF RESULTS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Summary of Findings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Research Question One . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Research Question Two . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 Research Question Three . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Research Question Four . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 Research Question One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Course Value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Carnegie Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Research Question Two . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 Research Question Three . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 Research Question Four . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 Professors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 Programs . . . ‘ . . . . . 121 Educational experience and course relevancy . . . . . . . 121 Marital and family satisfaction . . . . . 122 APPEXDI BIBLIO< Career satisfaction . Andragogy . . . . Areas for Further Research . Reflections . The Study Personal . APPENDIX . BIBLIOGRAPHY . vi 123 123 124 125 125 ’ 128 131 141 .10 .ll .12 .13 .10 .11 .12 .13 .14 LIST OF TABLES Survey Response Data Marital Status During Program . Number of Children Work Experience of Students Before Entering the Program Ages of Respondents . Female Respondents' Marital Status During the Program and Dependent Children Undergraduate Majors of the Respondents Graduate Education of the Respondents Reasons for Participation . Most Enjoyable Courses Least Enjoyable Courses . Most Helpful Courses Least Helpful Courses . A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, ”The Program Met My Expectations” . Items which Correlated at .05 Level with the Statement, "The Program Met My Expectations” . . . . . . . vii 42 43 43 44 44 46 46 48 49 51 52 54 59 59 I'll] 4.15 6 l 4 ., I 4.1' 4.18 ‘ - A 4.20 4.21 2 4.2 3 4.2 4.2:. .15 .16 .17 .18 .19 .20 .21 .22 .23 .24 A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "I Have Learned How to Learn and Have Gained a Commitment to Continuing Lifelong Education" A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, ”I Understand the Character- istics of My Own Industry and Can Assess the Forces Affecting My Company . A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, ”I Understand Different Cultures and Their Value Orientation" A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, ”I Understand the Changes Likely to Occur in the Future of My Industry and Can Adjust to Them" A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, ”I Better Understand the Development of Science and Diffusion of Technology" A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, ”I Am More Innovative in My Work" A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, ”I Have Improved My Ability to Communicate" . . . . . . A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "I Have Improved My Negotiation Skills, Thus Reducing and Resolving Conflict Without Recourse to Litigation" A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, ”I Appreciate the Changing Role of the Work Force" . . . . . A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "I Learned to Humanize the Corporation Rather than Corporatize the Family" . . viii 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 Ant-TIC! Ii 5 6 I GO 9 0 1 2 3 [4 2 2 ML 2 2 3 ..J 3 3 3 .25 .26 .27 .28 .29 .30 .31 .32 .33 .34 A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "I Accept the Responsibility for Assisting in the Development and Life Orientation of My Subordinates and Fellow Manager" . A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "1 Understand the Ethical Implications of the Management Decisions I Make" Summary of Carnegie Results . A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "As I Look Back on the Time I Spent Pursuing My Degree, I Realize that It Placed a Significant Burden on My Family Life" . . . . . . . . A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, ”One of the By-Products of My MBA Is a Marriage which Is More Meaningful and Fulfilling" . . . . . . . . . . A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "Because of My MBA, Other Facets of My Life Are More Fulfilling" A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, ”Having an MBA Has Had a Profound Effect upon My Relationship with My Children" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A Summary of Those Items which Correlated at the .05 Level with the Four Items in Research Question Two . . Summary of Graduates' Response for Questions Related to Marital and Life Satisfaction A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "Because of My MBA, I Believe I Have Advanced Further in My Career than I Would Have Without It” ix 71 72 73 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 4.35 4.36 4.37 4.40 4.1.1 4.42 4.43 4.44 4.45 .35 .36 .37 .38 .39 .40 .41 .42 .43 .44 .45 Items which Correlated at the .05 Level with the Statement, ”Because of My MBA, I Believe I Have Advanced Further in My Career than I Would Have Without It" A Tabulation of the Graduates' Responses to the Statement, “My Income Is Substantially Higher than It Would Be Without My MBA" A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "Because of My Degree, I Have a Position which Is Challenging and Exciting” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Graduates' Responses to the Statement, "My Career Has Progressed as I Planned" A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "My Degree Made It Possible to Attain Assignments which Used My Skills and Abilities" . . . . . . . . . . A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "The Degree Provides Me with the Flexibility to Seek Other Employers" Summary of Items Related to Career Satisfaction A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "The Professors Respected and Utilized the Experience, Background, and Skills which I Brought into the Program" A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, ”The Coursework Immediately Gave Me a Way to Solve Problems at Work" A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "The Time I Spent with Other Students on Group Projects Was a Valuable Part of My Education” A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, ”The Time I Spent Informally with Other Students Was a Valuable Part of My Experience” 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 90 91 92 93 4.46 4.46 4.47 4.48 4.49 4.50 A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "The Work and Life Experiences of My Fellow Students Added Greatly to My Education” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, ”The Faculty Understood that I Had Commitments at Work and at Home" A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, ”Informal Discussions with My Professors Were a Valuable Part of My Education" A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, ”My Participation in the MBA Program Caused Me More Problems at Work" Summary of Andragogical Questions xi 94 95 96 97 98 card to d6gree j success advance: Ph.D...1 far the Detroit adVaHCe; CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Background of the Study No other degree seems to have the prestige or power of the Master of Business Administration (MBA). It is considered a magic card to success, riches and happiness. In the popular press, this degree is described with awe and respect. It is the road to career success and personal happiness. "And women who've invested in advanced education--especia11y if they've earned an MBA or Ph.D.--have reaped rich rewards. In fact, studying business is by far the move women most wish they had made" (Ciabattari, 1987) A Detroit News headline read: "The MBA degree is seen as ticket for advancement" (Kaskovich, 1989). Yet, common wisdom would tell us that not all programs are equal. The creme de la creme of the MBA world are those programs known as executive or advanced management programs (Van Doren, Smith & Biglin, 1970). These programs are slotted for those individuals who are already on the fast-track. The Advanced Management Program of Michigan State University (MSU) is the second oldest executive MBA program in the United States. Since it was formed in 1964 it has been supported by over 350 employers and has graduated more than 1,400 graduates. The campus is located in Troy, Michigan at the Management Education Center. It is taught by tenured faculty of MSU. The principle purpose c responsit current i Executiv. Stu signific manager; nominati taVe ha hiU‘po in the IEflEct to SUP] Elploy. purpose of the program is to prepare managers for top-level responsibilities in the organization in which they work. As the current director has stated, "We are seeking to educate future Chief Executive Officers (CEOs).” Students accepted into the program are expected to have significant business and professional experience. They must have had at least ten years' work experience which reflects senior level management or professional responsibilities. Applicants must be nominated and sponsored by their employers. They are expected to have had extensive work experience, above-average job performance, a high potential for future advancement and the expectation of staying in the area for the duration of the program. These requirements reflect a willingness of both applicant and sponsoring organization to support the applicant and to pursue and complete the program. Employers obviously make a strong commitment to those they nominate. Many sponsors not only pay total tuition and fees but also see to it that the student has the necessary equipment to aid study. For instance, students from General Motors, Ford and Chrysler have been provided with personal computers. The course of study encompasses two years. The school year is divided into three terms. Participants attend class two nights per week, taking two classes per term. These classes are held on Tuesday and Thursday of every week. Students must maintain a grade point average of 3.0 to remain in the program where 4.0 equals "A." Students begin each evening with dinner beginning at 5:45 PM. This allows them the opportunity to socialize with fellow students and faculty. course I Acc in sever are exp: on team the stu. dynamic known , courses encoura 1? degree, faculty. Classes begin at 6:45 and end at 10:45 PM. A list of course requirements is found in the appendix. According to administrators, learning is expected to take place in several ways. In addition to lecture by the faculty, students are expected to learn from each other. A strong emphasis is placed on team projects. During the orientation program, students choose the study group with which they will work. A specialist in group dynamics helps lead the orientation program so that the choices made will be beneficial to all. Students, or executives as they are known, begin the program together. They follow the same sequence of courses and educational experiences together. It is assumed, and encouraged, that they will work as a fully functioning team. Those who successfully complete the program receive the MBA degree. They are considered the elite. But do these individuals believe that the degree has met their expectations? Rationale for the Study Business week ran a cover story, October 26, 1992, on Business Schools. "These days, the business of business schools is change. Not tinkering, tweaking alterations, but radical, revolutionary experimentations." The article not only ranked ”the best business school,” but it reflected on the types of changes in curriculum and philosophy (Byrne, 1992). Yet, the same literature review which discovered this article found a dearth of recent scholarly articles on the effectiveness of MBA programs, their effect on career satisfaction and marital satisfaction. As Chapter II has shown, there h effecti 1950's were me schools over-re to r me have ma suggest of .EA (Chorpa Program the foe dearth pr°8raz iSSues 1990) r It “aYS in helprI amploye to ask perCept. third w( there have been studies and commissions examining the purpose and effectiveness of MBA programs for several decades. In the late 1950's Gordon & Howell, and Pierson contended that business schools were merely vocational. In reacting to this criticism business schools made drastic changes. A strong emphasis was placed on quantitative courses, operations research and behavioral science (Behrman & Levin, 1984, p. 141). These authors felt that an over-reaction had occurred. They made a number of recommendations to remedy these perceived short comings. Since then other authors have made recommendations to improve MBA programs. It has been suggested that a decision must be made concerning whether the goal of MBA programs should be to produce specialist or generalist (Ghorpade, 1990). A panel of experts has suggested that MBA programs will face "professional irrelevance" unless they sharpen the focus of their programs (Evangelaud, 1990). Yet, there is a dearth of recent material investigating the outcomes of these programs. Those studies that have been done appear to investigate issues of gender and race (Cox & Nkomo, 1991; Schneer & Reitman, 1990) rather than the value and effect of the program in general. It was believed by the researcher that there were three general ways in which one could examine the issue of the effectiveness and helpfulness of an MBA. The first would have been to contact the employers for whom the graduates worked. The second would have been to ask the professors and administrators of the program their perceptions of the usefulness and relevancy of the program. The third would have been to ask the graduates their perceptions concern marital The lat had a g was als greater Program Uh executi individ is know Pr Vide needs 0 Student Gilbert CEIEer . they ha- concerning the helpfulness of the program on their career and marital and family life as well as evaluate the program in general. The latter was chosen as a method of investigation. The researcher had a greater access to the graduates than to their employers. It was also felt that their perceptions and evaluations would be of greater future use to the administration of the Advanced Management Program. Importance of the Study While the popular wisdom is that an MBA, especially an executive MBA (Van Doren, Smith & Biglin, 1970), will enable an individual to achieve career and therefore personal success, little is known as to whether or not this proves to be true. Does the MBA provide career success? Do the courses actually meet the perceived needs of ”future chief executive officers”? Are there costs to the student's family life during the program? (McRoy & Fisher, 1982; Gilbert, 1982). After graduation do the students believe that their career and personal life are better than they might have been if they hadn't pursued the program? Such perceptions are important for a number of reasons. It is important for administrators and professors to know whether or not the course content actually meets the needs of executives. Future students will want to know if the possible benefits of the degree-~financial, personal and to career--are worth the costs. Former students should be given the opportunity to examine the benefits and costs of having committed two years of their 11 or not 5 develop: To other gr learner. not onl; student. wh0 per work Q: reason their life to the pursuit of the degree. The knowledge of whether or not student expectations were met will assist in the future development of management programs. To a more limited extent this study should provide insight into other graduate and undergraduate programs geared to the adult learner. Is there a cost to the marriage and family of those who not only work full-time but also are part-time or full-time students? Are those who perceive educational programs which deal with practical, everyday problems at work more satisfied than those who perceive education as purely ”theoretical"? Does an increase in work experience enhance the educational experience? What are the reasons adults pursue difficult and challenging degrees? §_§tement of the Problem This researcher seeks to discover to what degree do graduates of an executive MBA program believe that their career and family life has been impacted by participating in the program? Intimately related to this is to what degree they felt the program met their expectations. In examining the program it shall be ascertained the degree to which the principles of adult education were applied in the program. Research Questions Four research questions were developed. These reflected the primary concerns of this research project. The research questions are the following. pa ec‘ pa It be sa pa CO The rest descriptive {I A quest: M’maéermsnt p: much help the Whole, benefi device Such a 34), the form themselx,e s Vh fer 1°0king a. 1, RES; Pro! Unic 1. To what degree did the graduates perceive that participation in the program was a positive educational experience? 2. To what degree did graduates perceive that their participation in the program affected family relations? 3. To what degree did the graduates believe, that because of the program, they have higher career satisfaction than they would have without having participated in the Advanced Management Program? 4. Were principles of andragogy used in the program and, if so, did graduates perceive that they added to the quality of the program? Research Methodology The research methodology used in this study reflected a descriptive approach. A questionnaire was sent to graduates of the Advanced Management Program. This questionnaire asked them to evaluate how much help the courses were and how they perceived the program, as a whole, benefited their career and life. While a self-reporting device such as a questionnaire has certain limitations (Cronbach, p. 34), the former students should be best able to determine for themselves whether or not the program met their expectations. The population surveyed consisted of those who graduated in 1980 and those who graduated in 1985. There were several reasons for looking at two different classes. 1. Responses from any single class might reflect program strengths or weaknesses which might be unique to that class. Tht Years bl Perspec Classes factor Th These q StUdy . It is possible that it takes a number of years to get over the possible marital stress incurred by the commitment demanded by intense study. On the other hand, marriages may last five years beyond but perhaps the strain of study affects the marriage between the fifth and tenth year. If one assumes that the program actually benefits a relationship, it may take several or more years for that to become apparent. No matter which of these assumptions may be true it seems prudent to look at two classes with a number of years between them. Perhaps the potential effect upon career is only fleeting after an initial flurry of possible career advancement. Or it might be possible that advancement and satisfaction are not immediate, but occur after a number of years of struggle and disillusionment, or it may not happen at all. Therefore, two classes were surveyed with a period of five years between the date of graduation in hopes that a broader perspective was gained. It was also hoped that the study of two classes might lessen the possibility of an individual incident or factor contaminating the survey. The items on the questionnaire fell into five categories. These questions directly related to the research questions of the study. 1. The first general area focused on demographic information. While this was not directly related as a whole to any one research question each question augmented the information needed to analyze the major research questions. The second grouping of questions focused on course relevance and other areas of educational experience. These questions asked former students whether or not a specific class actually met their needs as an executive. Since education also takes place outside the classroom--in study groups and other work with students as well as discussions with professors-~questions were developed which relate to educational experiences other than formal classes. The EPPIOpria this anal In: The third group of questions revolved around marriage and family life. To what degree did participation in the program affect family life of participants both during the program and since? The fourth group of questions focused on the graduates' work life. Did they believe that the degree has had a positive effect upon their career, its satisfaction and advancement. They were also asked whether or not they believed that their studies took its toll upon their work-life while in the program. The survey results were analyzed by means of standard and appropriate statistical analysis. The statistical program used in this analysis was SPSS-PC (Statistical Package for Social Science). Assumptions In conducting the study the following assumptions were made: 1. The participants' responses to the questionnaire reflect their perception of the effect the MBA program had on their life and therefore is a reality for them. What individuals perceive to be truth, is truth for them. (Schein, pp. 26-30) The process of questionnaire construction, the material contained therein and pilot testing were appropriate for the research. If the graduates believe that the program had an effect upon their marriage, career or life satisfaction, whether positive or negative, then that perception is to be taken seriously in spite of other unknown and untested factors which may have affected that area of life. Respondents from the classes of 1980 and 1985 are representative of graduates of AMP. 10 Qelimitations 1. This study included those graduates of the Michigan State University off campus Advanced Management Program who graduated in either the class of 1980 or 1985. 2. The results of this study do not necessarily apply to all executive management programs or other MBA programs. Therefore, one could generalize only in a limited fashion from this study. 3. While there were minorities in both classes, no attempt was made to analyze these subgroups. Limitations 1. The economic changes since 1980 could have an impact upon the responses. 2. The graduates who responded to the questionnaire gave a self-report of their perceptions. Definition of Terms Andragogical Principles--Refers to the study of the teachings of adults. The principles of adult education would include the belief that adults bring with them a wealth of experience and knowledge; that they learn from each other; that they have a life outside the classroom; and that they are problem-centered as opposed to subject-centered. Advanged Management Progrem--Refers to a specific type of program which leads to a Master's of Business Degree. It is designed for individuals who have already proven themselves to be competent managers with extensive experience. The term Executive Managemegt_£;ggram is synonymous with Adxanged Management Program. the indi terns th the care should b m (it D) (V Ad‘v'ancec’. indivi du‘ the it 01-" The experienc 1’ 11 In this paper, unless specifically stated, the terms Executive Management Program, Advanced Management Program and MBA Program will be used interchangeably. All will refer to the program, unless otherwise stated, at Michigan State University. Career Satisfaction--Refers to the belief or perception that the individual's career is fulfilling and satisfying. In practical terms they believe that he/she has progressed satisfactorily upon the career ladder, that the pay and work challenges are as they should be. Executive--This is what students are referred to in the Advanced Management Program. Life Satisfaction-~Refers to the belief or perception that the individuals find their life fulfilling and as they would want it to be. Marital Satisfag;ion--Refers to the belief or perception that the individuals find their marriage to be fulfilling and happy, by their own definition. 5.5mm The Advanced Management Program of M80 seeks to educate experienced executives and professionals to assume top-level responsibilities in their organization. Graduates receive the much coveted to be a Through percept progra: initia: they we also ma studyin will as student review I of the of the 1 0f the 1 12 coveted Master's of Business Administration degree. It is believed to be a degree which paves the way for promotion and success. Through the use of this study the researcher has examined the perception of graduates as they determined the degree to which the program assisted them in their work. Research procedures also were initiated to determine graduate's perceptions as to how satisfied they were in their career and personal life. An exploration was also made into the cost, in terms of both career and family life, of studying in the program. It is hoped that the results of this study will assist in future curriculum development and guidance of students so that their expectations of such study will be fulfilled. In Chapter II a review of literature shall be found. This review covers pertinent areas of research. In Chapter III a review of the research methodology is given. In Chapter IV a presentation of the research findings is given. In Chapter V a summary is made of the findings as well as a presentation of conclusions, recommendations and reflections. in this be presented management p material tha the foil :1 degree; car the effects andragogic Processes "In 1 ticket f0I MBA, they. one fast, diploma of you,” got percePEIOn; rePorted b) indusrrial the popular CHAPTER II SELECTED LITERATURE REVIEW In this chapter a review of selected pertinent literature shall be presented. While there is very little research about executive management programs, there is a significant amount of related material that is important for this study. In the following pages the following areas will be explored: the importance of the MBA degree; career and life satisfaction; criticisms of MBA programs; the effects of graduate level education on marriage and family; andragogical considerations; and an examination of the statistical processes used. The Importance of an MBA Degree "In recent years, the MBA has gained acceptance as a necessary ticket for corporate advancement. Students said that without an MBA, they're likely to be passed up. And they feel the need to get one fast. The bachelor's degree today is like the high school diploma of the past. Everybody's got one. To distinguish yourself, you've got to have a master's degree” (Kaskovich, 1989). These are perceptions of students at Wayne State University's MBA program as reported by the popular press. No matter how academic and industrial critics may pan and question the relevance of the degree the popular perception of many is that it is a degree which is a 13 must. It is just student Personnel Pr ' I as saying, get IBIS" (ll press it may All? live in as iupo tan: Um 'blg th: “And Wt thel'WE ear studying bu (Ciabattari Study conch rePresent the POPUIa: Success. p 'Education degrees ar. inStance, 1 P1115 categ( 90). One 1: Suggestions pedestal, S 14 must. It is a ticket for corporate advancement. However, it is not just students who believe this to be true. George Cook, Director of Personnel Programs and Management Development at Chrysler, is quoted as saying, ”There's a lot of thrust inside the company for people to get MBAs” (Kaskovich). While this article appeared in the popular press it may have relevance for this study. Those who attend the AMP live in the general area of this paper's circulation area. Just as importantly, many of the students in the program work for one of the 'big three' auto makers. ”And women who've invested in advanced education--especially if they've earned an MBA or Ph.D.--have reaped rich rewards. In fact, studying business is by far the move women most wish they had made" (Ciabattari, 1987, p. 87). This is one of the conclusions made in a study conducted of 6,676 women in the work force. While it does not represent a necessarily reliable survey, it does further enforce the popular notion that an MBA degree is vital to career and life success. In the same article a chart appears with the title, ”Education: the more you learn, the more you earn." Once again, MBA degrees are mentioned as the best way to earn the most money. For instance, the chart shows that if one wishes to be in the $45,000 plus category the best strategy is to have an MBA (Ciabattari, p. 90). One might question the statistical appropriateness for such suggestions, but the fact remains that many hold this degree on a pedestal, somewhat higher than other Master's degrees. 15 C iticisms 0 De rees Since they have begun, Business Schools have met with intense criticism. This criticism has come from academe, the corporate world and even former students. Some such criticisms as that by McCormack (1984) are found in popular magazines and McCormack (1984b) has also written a popular and long-standing paperback on the subject. The popular conception of an MBA graduate is that his/her career will run smoothly and take on meteoric proportions. However, not all graduates experience career advancement and recognition. In a very telling article (AMBA Executive, 1976), an anonymous graduate discusses the difficulty she had in her first assignment. While many of the employees in the department where she worked had undergraduate degrees, none, including her supervisor, had an MBA. She felt that they resented her ”because I was a woman coming in at a higher salary than most of them. I was going to be there only a short time and would be promoted faster. Eventually they would work for me." Her own analysis was that because of this she was treated hostilely and eventually she resigned. Undoubtedly, there could be many explanations as to what actually occurred in this situation-~because of her MBA she felt superior and unwilling to become part of the corporate culture or others actually resented this "fast tracker," perhaps even a mixture of both--but one can speculate that such an experience indicates that not all MBA graduates experience fast promotions and happiness. 16 Perhaps the greatest criticism of MBA programs is found among those who teach in them. In 1959 two landmark studies (Gordon & Howell, 1959; Pierson, 1959) contended that business schools were merely vocational. They believed that too much emphasis was placed on what business did yesterday and had too little emphasis on mathematics and social science. They contended that little actual research was done and that which did exist did not appear in curriculum design or current teaching. At the time of their report most professors did not have earned doctorates and they were educated in either economics or business. Business schools appear to have heeded this criticism quickly. ”By the early 1960's business school curricula showed a large increase in the number of quantitative courses such as management science and operations research on the one hand and behavioral science on the other" (Behrman & Levin, 1984, p. 141). According to Behrman and Levin, the trend became too technical and narrow. "In less than ten years, 50 new Ph.D. programs in business administration sprang up” (Behrman & Levin, p. 141). In that same decade more than ten new journals appeared. "Worse, the schools hiring of new Ph.D.s focused on just those attributes of narrow specialization that reflect an ability to fill vacant publication niches" (Behrman & Levin, p. 141). It is clear that their criticisms reflect a belief that business schools have overly focused on highly technical and esoteric areas of interest to a professional academic community with little relevance to the 17 business world. They offer a number of suggestions to remedy the problem In as they perceive it. Students should learn how to learn and gain a personal commitment to continuing lifetime education and development. They need to understand the characteristics of their own industries and be able to assess the forces affecting their own companies. Further, they should understand different cultures and their value orientations. Students must acquire a sense of the sweep of history, the development of management, the shifting structure of industry, and changing economic institutions to be able to understand and adjust to changes likely to occur in the future. To become more innovative students should understand the development of science and the diffusion of technology. Students must learn to improve communication and negotiation skills so as to reduce and resolve conflicts without recourse to litigation. Their courses should help them to appreciate the changing role of the work force and to accept responsibility for assisting in the development and life orientation of their subordinates and fellow managers. Finally, they should learn to humanize the corporation rather than to corporatize the family or the individual and they must understand the ethical implications of every management decision they make. (Behrman & Levin, p. 141) the Myth 9f the Well-Educated Manager, Livingston (1971) contends that there is no direct relationship between doing well in school or training programs and success in management. "Managers are not taught in formal education programs what they most need to know to build successful careers in management" (Livingston, 1971, p. 79). Professor Gordon L. Marshall (1964) found that there was no 18 correlation between the grades received and career success in a study of nearly 1000 graduates of the Harvard Business School except in the cases of elective courses. "Clearly, what a student learns about management in graduate school, as measured by grades he receives, does not equip him to build a successful career in business” (Livingston, 1971, p. 80). At the Harvard Business School the primary focus of teaching is on case studies. Livingston believes that there are several weaknesses in this andragogical method. The preoccupation with problem solving may over-develop an individual's analytical ability, but underdevelops their ability to take action and get things done. Such analysis has limited practical application because they are only required to defend their reasoning, not carry out their decisions or even plan to carry them out. "Results in business," Peter F. Drucker reminds us, "are obtained by exploiting opportunities, not solving problems" (Livingston, 1971, p. 83). Another criticism Livingston levels at Business School education is that students do not learn to discover their own natural management style. ”What they learn about supervising other people is largely secondhand" (p. 84). Discussion revolves around what others would do. The analysis is frequently done by scholars who observe but have never taken responsibility for business decisions. "Since taking action and accepting responsibility for the consequences are not part of their formal training, they neither discover for themselves what does-~and what does not--work in l9 practice nor develop a natural managerial style that is consistent with their own unique personalities" (pp. 84-85). Lastly, Livingston (1971) believed that business education did not develop a capacity for empathy. He would define empathy in practical terms, ”the ability to cope with the emotional reactions that inevitably occur when people work together in an organization" (p. 87). He continued, ”Many men who hold advanced degrees in management are emotion-blind. As Schein has found, they often are 'mired in the code of rationality' and as a consequence, 'undergo a rude shock' on their first jobs" (Schein, p. 92). Other authors, both academic and business, have been critical of what is taught in MBA programs. In a study on the competencies needed by managers, Ghorparde (1990) found that most Business school administrators believed that a generalist approach is more appropriate than a specialist approach. A panel of business educators and executives declared that MBA programs could face "professional irrelevance" unless they sharpen their focus and change their admission requirements (Evangelauf, 1990). A former academic turned businessman believes that the management job, as taught to MBA students, is made unnecessarily complicated, (Bonoma, 1992). MW Bardwick (1986) contends the following. Our work creates our present time and doing it well becomes an anchor for who we are and how we feel about ourselves. For those whose careers are going toward something, our work largely creates our sense of 20 having a future and moving into it. Where else but in our work can we make decisions that change the course of events, even if those events are limited to our department, our organization, or our field? Where but in our work do we have the formal authority and thus the power to make things happen? And if we do work we can regard as important, what we accomplish in our work is, in a sense, our immortality. Work, then, is where we want to know that we have accomplished, learned, grown, made our mark, made a difference, gained more freedom, made bigger decisions, had a bigger budget, gained more power, were judged by others as winners so we could judge ourselves as winners. In work we have the opportunity to fulfill-- or to frustrate--very central ways of how we feel about ourselves. (PP. 84-85) In this passage Bardwick reminds us of the integral place work has with satisfaction in life. Several times in her book she reminds us that the second thing a man will tell about himself, after his name, is where he works. Man's identity and sense of self-worth are interwoven with his work. As previously stated, it is the general and popular conception that the attainment of an MBA will bring not only career success but satisfaction in life. In this sub-section a review of pertinent literature will be made. Edwin Locke defines job satisfaction as ”a pleasurable or positive emotional state resulting from the appraisal of one's job or job experience" (p. 1300). However, such a definition may not be specific enough for a study. While most industrial psychologists accept the definition, at least by implication, in practice it is common to find them using ”operational definitions" of the concept. That is, ”job satisfaction" is whatever my (arbitrarily chosen) measure of its measure. (Locke, 1976, p. 1300) 21 While the general definition of what is job satisfaction may be clear, for the purpose of study it is obvious that the researcher defined what constitutes satisfaction in the working place. This does not mean that there are not a number of items which indicate job satisfaction. However, it is important to recognize that these measures of job satisfaction are in many ways subjective. They are subjective on the part of the researcher and they are determined by a subjective response from subject. (While this will be discussed later in this study under the section dealing with statistical analysis, it also needs to be examined here.) Indirect evidence can be obtained from employee morale studies and from statements of job applicants and employees with regard to relative importance of facts which are commonly assumed to be significant determiners of job satisfaction. Although it may be contended that such statements do not get to the root of the motivational problem because they are limited to conscious beliefs, such statements are nevertheless important in the industrial setting and business situation. What employees believe to be true is frequently of greater importance than what is actually true. (Jurgensen, 1947, p. 553). But what are some of the criteria which constitute job satisfaction? Salary is one which is most often written about. Other items such as promotion or advancement are mentioned frequently. In his 30 year study Jurgensen mentioned ten items which he believed constituted job satisfaction. While not all these will be examined in this study, it is important to acknowledge what others have done. Over a 30 year period, 57,000 applicants of a public utility ranked the importance of 10 factors that make a job good or bad. The order for men is security, advancement, type of work, company, pay, co-workers, 22 supervisors, benefits, hours, and working conditions. .Type of work has gradually replaced security as the most important factor. (Jurgensen, 1978, p. 267) Certainly, this criteria is for the general population. At the risk of sounding elitist, it is safe to assume that those with an MBA might not be looking for the same challenges as a lineman. Gutteridge feels that some MBA's are troubled if certain elements are missing at work. ”MBA's feel they are under employed and that their work activities do not provide sufficient job challenge" (Gutteridge, 1973, p. 295). In DePasquale and Lange's study on MBA job-hopping they found that when certain factors were missing from a job it led to job dissatisfaction. "The major influences are what MBA's perceive to be limited advancement opportunities, poor expectations of substantial job responsibilities, under utilization of their MBA training and inadequate salary growth" (DePasquale & Lange, 1971, p. 8). Certainly, this reflects more Herzberg's motivation factors than hygiene factors (1969). Promotion appears to be a central issue among those who see themselves as upwardly mobile or fast-trackers. Promotion is frequently seen as the most precise measure of success. "Promotion, or the lack of it, is profoundly significant because, for many it involves the core of our identity and foundation of our future." (Bardwick, 1986, p. 49). An organization can reward good work in lots of ways, but promotion is the most valued. Unlike verbal praise or symbolic pat on the head, it's a put-up or shut-up response; either you get it or you don't. It's also the only reward that can affect the organization. It's the essence of recognition and affirmation because it results in more power. As you rise higher and higher promotion is ig_reality the response that says, 23 "you're really good. In fact, you're so good that we'll let you make bigger decisions that involve more money and more people. You're so good that we'll let you get involved in strategy and policy. We've watched you and assessed you and you belong with us. You're in the club.” (Bardwick, pp. 47-48). Salary is another item which appears frequently in the literature. For many it is seen as one of the more important factors in job satisfaction, certainly under Taylor's concept of scientific management (Taylor, 1911). But salary is often seen as a status symbol. It is seen as a measure of appreciation. In this sense, it would reflect Herzberg's (1968) theory of motivation. There is also the issue, pertinent to this study, as to whether or not MBAs actually do make more than those without the degree. We note initially that our findings confirm the belief that salary is not the prime motivation in the acceptance of a particular job offer after graduation. . However, continued salary growth does become a greater concern over time. Those who change jobs cited dissatisfaction with earnings more and more frequently as they moved from employer to employer. (DePasquale & Lange, 1971, p. 9) This study would indicate that salary has a value as a dissatisfier. But do MBAs command a higher salary than those without the degree? The literature is inconclusive. After five years the mean salary of the MBA group was significantly higher than the non-MBA group. Similarly, for level of position in their firms. There were no initial differences but significant differences later in favor of the MBA group. (Orpen, 1982, p. 154) Professor Lewis B. Ward (1968) who found that median salaries for alumni of the Harvard Business School plateau approximately 15 years after they enter business, and, on the average, do not increase significantly thereafter. Livingston (1971) concludes that "while the income of a few MBA degree holders continue to rise dramatically, the career growth of 24 most of them levels off just at the time men who are destined for the top management typically show their greatest rate of advancement." (Gutteridge, 1973, p. 294. March, 1973) One of the questions this study will explore is whether or not the MBA graduates believe that because of their degree they have a higher salary than their peers who do not possess an MBA. There are other issues which might predict career success. Some researchers have found that the age when entering the graduate program has a direct result upon ”success." "Age at graduation was significant in predicting 5 year but not 10 year earnings." (Harrell, Harrell, McIntyre, & Weinberg, 1977, p. 636) To some extent this may not apply to this study since applicants to the MSU program must have several years working experience. How well one does in course work is also a possible predicting factor. In many fields, authors have tried to find a correlation between grade point average and ”success." Harrell, Harrell, McIntyre, and Weinberg found that grade point average in the second year of graduate school was a significant predictor of "success" (p. 636) An interesting finding in this study was that while grade-point average for undergraduate courses fell short of significant correlation with the success criteria, there was a significant correlation between grades on elective graduate courses and salary. (Williams & Harrell, 1964, p. 167) It is apparent that predictors of success are as difficult to find as are criteria for success. 25 e u an am' 'fe Studies have attempted to examine the effect of graduate school education upon the marriage of those involved in the program. Many of the studies focused on the effect upon women students in particular. Gilbert (1982) concluded that the experience of graduate school produced familial stress and that it is potentially destructive to family life, especially married female students. Gerson (1985) found that while students experience greater gratification from their multiple roles they also experience greater stress than those women who were solely housewives. Scott and King (1985) found that wives received greater support for their educational pursuit if they continued to meet all or part of their family needs than when they neglected them. Berkove (1979) found that women students reported little change in traditional division of labor at home and noted increased stress. McRoy and Fisher (1982) found that couples where only the husband was the student reported lower levels of marital adjustment as indicated by consensus and affection than marriages in which both partners were engaged in schooling. All these studies indicate that going to school produces a strain upon marriages, especially for wives. No studies have been found which examine whether or not the marriages improve after graduation. It should be noted that few studies were found which investigated the issue of the relationship between marital and family satisfaction and attainment of an MBA degree. 26 Andragogical Considerations Andragogy is premised on at least four crucial assumptions about the characteristics of adult learners that are different from the assumptions about child learners on which traditional pedagogy is premised. These assumptions are that, as a person matures, (a) his self-concept moves from one of being a dependent personality toward one of being a self—directing human being, (b) he accumulates a growing reservoir of experience that becomes an increasing resource for learning, (c) his readiness to learn becomes oriented increasingly to the developmental tasks of his social roles, and (d) his time perspective changes from one of postponed application of knowledge to immediacy of application, and accordingly his orientation toward learning shifts from one of subject centeredness to one of problem centeredness. (Knowles, 1970, p. 39) The approach to adult education will be via the route of situations, not subjects. Our academic system has grown in reverse order: subjects and teachers constitute the starting-point, students are secondary. In conventional education the student is required to adjust himself to an established curriculum; in adult education the curriculum is built around the student's needs and interests. Every adult person finds himself in specific situations with respect to his work, his recreation, his family-life, his community-life, et cetera--situations which call for adjustments. Adult education begins at this point. Subject matter is brought into the situation, is put to work, when needed. Texts and teachers play a new and secondary role in this type of education; they must give way to the primary importance of the learners. (Lindeman, 1926, p. 8-9) Andragogy is based to a large measure on the developmental growth of adults. It is assumed that to a large extent age makes individuals move from dependency to independence. At least, two studies point out the importance of work experience and age at graduation as a correlate of job success. Significant predictor variables included Harrell's High Earner's Scale, and second year grade point at graduation was significant in predicting 5-year but not lO-year earnings. (Harrell, Harrell, McIntyre, p. 636) 27 In the author's study of MSIA (Master's Degree from School of Industrial Administration) career patterns, Alumni with full-time work experience prior to entering the masters program exhibited above average progress as compared with those whose pre-MSIA experience was confined solely to summer jobs. (Gutteridge, 1973, p. 301) It is for this reason that a number of MBA programs, including MSU's AMP, require a few years work experience. Maturity and experience not only affect how well individuals do when they leave school but what they bring to the program. Andragogy proponent's believe that adults contribute to their own education and the education of their fellow students. Pedagogy, the traditional way college has been taught, manifests itself in the professor being the dispenser of all knowledge and insight. Pedagogy would contend that the experience of the student is of little worth in "actual education." Andragogy is problem-centered, whereas pedagogy is subject oriented (Knowles, 1978, p. 110). ”Experience is the richest resource for adults' learning: therefore, the core methodology of adult education is the analysis of experience" (p. 31). The issue of the experience of adults, both work and home, is a two-edged sword. Those who work and have families find that those commitments interfere with their classroom work. One of the implications of andragogy for teaching is that the other roles of adults (i.e., parents, workers, spouses, children of aging parents, etc.) frequently interfere with the time they are able to devote to ”education.” 28 The developmental cycle also has a dramatic impact upon the times in which adults enter particular education programs. Life causes adults to go through transitions. Schlossberg (1984, p. 43) defines a transition as ”an event or non-event resulting in change." A woman who goes through a divorce will find that life is different. She may be forced to go on welfare or continue her education so that she might support herself. A man who does not receive a counted on promotion (non-event) might decide that he needs an MBA to be able to compete. In both these examples there was a trigger event. A trigger is that which has started the transition. In the above examples, both the divorce and the non-promotion were trigger events. Frequently, trigger events are the impetus to continuing education. Frequently, adults enter or re-enter the educational setting for very practical reasons. These 'practical reasons' often relate to the transitions an adult is experiencing. The necessity to adapt to changing circumstances of life . . . constitutes a powerful motivating force for learning. Some changes are almost universal and represent the phases of the life cycle: first job, marriage, children, increasing responsibility on the job and in the community, retirement and so forth. Other changes may be sudden and traumatic: loss of job, divorce, illness, death of spouse. Research on the life cycle and on life changes that "trigger” learning shows that at some periods in life the motivation for learning is exceptionally high. Havighurst (1972) has called these I'teachable moments." (Cross, 1986, p. 144) Facilitators are attuned to the existential concern of the adult learners. The sequence of adult learning is organized around problem areas. The learner and the facilitator negotiate the design of learning experiences. (Behymer & Schafer, 1990, p. 10) 29 The majority of adults participate in learning because of some trigger event in their lives: a divorce, a new job, a lost job, a new baby, loss of a loved one, moving to a new location . . . The idea of a "teachable moment” appears to come into play. Just preceding or immediately after a significant trigger occurs is prime time for people to seek learning related to this trigger event. The majority of adults participate in adult education because of a relationship to vocation. They want to improve on their current job, they seek a promotion, they want a different job. (Apps, 1991, p. 41) Houle has suggested that there are three types or groups of adult learners. The first are "goal-oriented learners." They learn so that they might gain a specific goal. The second group he calls "activity-oriented learners." They are interested in the activity itself. Frequently, this relates to social needs. Lastly, there are those who are ”learning-oriented.” They are interested in pursuing learning for its own sake. (Houle, 1961). Undoubtedly those who enter the AMP do so for one of the above reasons. The teaching strategies and basic assumptions of andragogy are quite different from what is conventionally perceived as education. The adults bring with them a vast background of knowledge and experience. The role of the instructor is not to impart knowledge, rather to facilitate the sharing of knowledge and then build upon it. A commonly accepted axiom in education is that learning is best accomplished when there is a need for the learning and when it is built upon former learning and knowledge.- From these observations we can conclude that most learning, contrary to popular belief, is not the responsibility of teachers, but of learners. Faculty, as facilitators, however, can utilize the above principles to ease the learning task of students. 30 The ideal situation, of course, is one in which both the need and former knowledge are in proper perspective. (Greive, 1988, p. l) Certainly there is a tension between meeting the needs of the students and being faithful to the discipline. Andragogy must take into account not only that which is of interest to the student but that which must be taught. The fourth implication is that facilitators are attuned to the existential concerns of adult learners. The sequence of adult learner and the facilitator negotiate the design of learning experiences. Learners are not given free rein to pursue any task in whatever way they desire. Business educators believe that answers to questions regarding content and process should be based upon valid research . Facilitators have an active, initiating and constructivist role according to Brookfield and "must be open and honest with learners concerning the constraints, limitations and contradictions inherent in working in a self-directed mode within an educational institution that is established for the purposes of public certification and accreditation.” (Behymer & Schafer, 1990, p. 10) Statistical Considerations This study will be based solely upon the personal perceptions or ”self-report" of former students of the executive management program. While this is a frequently used method it is not without its limitations. Questionnaires are used to obtain such reports. The crucial problem in self-report, if it is to be interpreted as a picture of typical behavior, is honesty. If the person tries to give the best possible picture of himself instead of a true description, the test will fail of its purpose. Even when he tries to be truthful, we cannot hope that he is a really detached and impartial observer of himself. His report is certain to be distorted to some degree. (Cronbach, 1960, p. 34) 31 Mehrens and Lehmann discuss twelve characteristics of this form of measurement, several of which are important for this study. -- Attitude scales, like any affective instrument, are beset with a multitude of methodological problems that make their interpretation dubious. -- Attitudes are evaluative and can be represented on some continuum of ”favorableness." -- Attitudes vary in intensity (strength of feeling) and direction. Two persons may have the same attitude toward abortion but they may differ in how strongly they feel about the issue. Or they may be at completely opposite ends of the ”favorableness” continuum but with the same degree of intensity. -- Despite the variety of problems associated with affective measurement, despite the fact that the validity and reliability of attitude scales are lower than for cognitive measures, and despite the reluctance of many teachers to pay appropriate attention to affective instructional/learning objectives, attitude scales can often be used effectively by the classroom teacher to obtain a better understanding of pupils. The results obtained from attitude scales can be useful in educational planning and evaluation. Acquisition of desirable attitudes is one of the major goals in our schools. Without knowledge of the prevailing attitudes of the pupil, class or school, it would be difficult to plan accordingly. (Mehrens & Lehmann, 1987, pp. 376-377) Another issue of difficulty with a self-report instrument is what is known as prestige bias. "And then there is prestige bias. Households, for example, are known to overstate expenditures but understate income. Old people are prone to overstate their age and so on” (Des, 1972, p. 121). Certainly, this study is dealing with a population which is reported to have an interest in prestige. But it is important to note that the same criticisms would apply to a self-report given by the graduates' employers. They have invested a 32 great deal of time, commitment and money in the graduates. By sending them to AMP they have given them "their stamp of approval." They might be as biased, if not more so, than the graduates. Having decided upon a self-report questionnaire, taking into account the strengths and weaknesses of such an instrument, that questionnaire must be developed and tested. Questions were developed "operationally" (Locke, 1976, p. 1300). They then needed to be tested for content and face validity. "Content validity is related to how adequately the content of, and responses to, the test samples the domain about which inferences are to be made" (Mehrens & Lehmann, p. 76), People sometimes use the term face validity, but it should not be confused with content validity. Face validity is not really validity at all in the technical sense of the word. It simply refers to whether the test looks valid 'on the face of it'. That is, would untrained people who look at or take the test be likely to think the test is measuring what it's author claims? Face validity often is a desirable feature of a test in the sense that it is useful from a public acceptance standpoint. If a test appears irrelevant, examinees may not take the test seriously, or potential users may not consider the results useful. (Mehrens & Lehman, p. 83) One of the ways to test both the content and face validity is to give the questionnaire to a selected group and ask for their feedback and comments. ”Questionnaires should be pre-tested on a small group of people before the actual survey is performed, this gives the experimenter an opportunity to observe error and shortcoming (Scheaffer, Mendenhall & Ctr, 1979, p. 28). 33 For the purpose of this study a modified Likert scale will be used. This is a system which has been used for a number of years and which built upon the work of Thurstone. The Likert scoring system consisting of five categories of agreement-disagreement was applied to each item. From the Thurstone scale value it was known in what direction to apply the new scoring method so that a low total score would represent the dissatisfied end of the scale and a high total score the satisfied end. (Brayfield & Rothe, 1951, p. 308) Summary In this chapter a review of selected pertinent literature was presented. Those areas reviewed were: the importance of an MBA degree; criticisms of MBA programs; career satisfactions; effect upon marital and family satisfaction; andragogical considerations; and statistical considerations. The next chapter concerns the research methodology and procedures that were used in this study. CHAPTER III PROCEDURES W This study was undertaken to enable the researcher to determine the degree to which the attainment of an MBA from an executive management program had an effect upon career and life satisfaction of its graduates as perceived by graduates. In this chapter the procedures, the methodology and analysis processes used will be presented. Context of the Study The study involved graduates of two classes of Michigan State University's Advanced Management Program (AMP). The AMP program was initiated in 1964 and it is the second oldest executive program in the nation. It has been supported by over 350 employers and has more than 1,400 graduates. The campus is located in Troy, Michigan. The principle purpose of the program was/is to prepare managers for top-level responsibilities in the organization in which they work. Students accepted for this program were expected to have significant business and professional experience. They must have at least ten year's work experience that reflects senior level management or professional responsibilities. 34 35 Instrumentation The initial step in the development of the instrument used in this research was a review of literature. Studies by Gilbert (1982), Ghoparde (1990), and Knowles (1990) were especially important in considering items for inclusion in the research instrument. A questionnaire was devised which consisted of four parts. Section one solicited basic demographic information from the respondents. An evaluation of specific courses constituted the second section of the instrument. Respondents were asked to list the top three courses which they perceived to have been most helpful. Additionally, students responded to the three courses which they enjoyed the most, enjoyed the least and the three that they perceived to be least helpful since graduation. The third part of the instrument focused upon the perceived andragogical activities of the program and the graduates were asked to respond to a four point Likert scale for each item where 4 — Strongly Agree and l - Strongly Disagree. Section four of the questionnaire solicited responses to items which were directed toward determining the degree to which the AMP met the graduates' expectations and the impact of program participation on the overall life of the graduate. Data were gained from responses to a four point Likert scale where 4 - Strongly Agree and 1 - Strongly Disagree. The second step in the process was to present the survey questionnaire to a panel of experts. Members of the panel were 36 selected from the administration of the AMP and from the researcher's doctoral guidance committee. The panel was asked to evaluate the instrument for format, clarity, and content. A fifth section was added to the questionnaire as a result of the deliberations of the panel. This section contained items gleaned from the Carnegie Report on graduate education as cited in Behrman and Levin (1984). Respondents answered items via a four point Likert scale where 4 - Strongly Agree and l - Strongly Disagree. A field test of the survey questionnaire was conducted with ten graduate students. The field test was conducted to determine content validity. As a result of the field test a number of items were modified and 15 items were added. Content validity involves a systematic examination of the test material to see if it is really a representative sample of the behavior domain to be measured. This is not a mere inspection, but involves a thorough evaluation of the content in relation to the behavior that is to be measured. Quantitative evidence of content validity is often not obtainable, so content validity is usually subjectively estimated. It is especially important to have good content validity in achievement or proficiency measures, but it is not as important in estimates of aptitude or attitude (Brown, Berrien, Russell, p. 208) The revised questionnaire was approved for use by the University Committee on Research Involving Human Subjects at Michigan State University. The questionnaire can be found in Appendix A. 37 The Population The population for the study was drawn from the graduates of Michigan State University's off campus Advanced Management Program. Graduates of the class of 1980 and 1985 were selected for inclusion in this study. Two classes were selected to help assure some representation and to reduce the possibility of developing conclusions which might be based upon program strengths or weaknesses unique to a single class. The population consisted of 108 graduates from two classes. Of those returned, 18 were in the class of 1980 and 27 in the class of 1985. 'Data Collection The questionnaire was mailed to the population to be surveyed. The names and addresses were found in the AMP Alumni roster. A cover letter explained the purpose of the study and importance for future classes. This cover letter was sent on AMP stationary under the signatures of both the executive director and the researcher. A stamped, self addressed envelope was included with the questionnaire. Initially very few surveys were returned. The researcher then attempted to call every member of both classes. Unfortunately a number of graduates were no longer living at the address given. The researcher called fellow classmates as well as former and current employers. A number of graduates could not be located. Alas, a number had also died in the intervening years. 38 Table 3 . 1 Survey Response Data Class of Class of 1980 1985 Total Total Graduates 51 57 108 Those for whom the 35 47 82 school had an address (correct or incorrect) Deceased 3 O 3 Total for whom 31 46 77 correct addresses could be found Total returned 18 27 45 Return rate (2) 35% 47% 41.7% of total graduat- ing class Return rate (2) 581 58.61 58.4% of surveys mailed Data Analysis The central problem which provided direction for the researcher was to determine the impact of Michigan State University's Advanced Management Program on the professional and personal lives of graduates as perceived by those graduates of the program. Data on respondent demography were tabulated. Data gathered from those items requiring a response to a four point Likert scale were analyzed utilizing the Statistical Package for the Social Science at Michigan State University. Means, standard deviations, and percentages were derived. 39 A weighted value was used in ranking those courses identified by graduates as being the most helpful, least helpful, most enjoyable and least enjoyable. The weighting was accomplished by assigning a value of three to all first choices, a value of two to all second choices and a value of one to all third choices. A tabulation of all the values on each item gave the weighted value which was used in rank ordering the experiences. Summary The researcher examined a variety of methods which would be appropriate for examining the professional and personal outcomes of participation in MBA programs. This chapter has provided an overview of the methods utilized which have included the context of the study, instrumentation development, and data collection. Chapter IV presents the findings of the research. CHAPTER IV PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS Introduction In this chapter the results of the data collected in the questionnaires shall be presented and summarized. These surveys were completed in accordance with the procedures suggested in the previous chapter. The data were collected through a survey of the students of the Advanced Management Program class of 1980 and 1985. The respondents for the class of 1980 were 18 graduates. The respondents for the class of 1985 were 27 graduates. This represented a return rate of over 501 of students with known addresses. The participants completed a survey (see Appendix A) and mailed the survey to the Advanced Management Program in a self-addressed stamped envelope. The graduates responded by means of a modified Likert scale, rank order and/or open ended questions. These returned surveys were scrutinized by means of computer analysis using the SPSS-PC (Statistical Package for Social Science). There were five general areas examined in this study. The first dealt with demographic information. The other four general areas reflected the research questions. They are: 40 41 1. To what degree did the graduates perceive that participation in the program was a positive educational experience? 2. To what degree did the graduates perceive that their participation in the program affected family relations? 3. To what degree did the graduates believe, that because of the program, they have higher career satisfaction then they would have without having participated in the Advanced Management Program? 4. Were the principles of andragogy used in the program and if so did graduates perceive that they added to the quality of the program? In the following pages a presentation of the findings of this study will be made. For the sake of clarity the findings will be presented in the general categories of the five areas previously discussed. Population The population for this study consisted of graduates of the AMP. Two classes were surveyed. The first consisted of those who graduated in 1985 and the second those who completed the program in 1980. There were approximately sixty students in each class. - e a Va 1 les Throughout the questionnaire there were a number of items which provided insight into the sample. Ma;1§gl_§§a§p§. Among the class of 1980 respondents, 17 were married when they entered the program. One was not married. Six members of the class of 85 respondents were not married when they 42 entered the program. Less than six percent of the class of 1980 respondents were single as opposed to the 222 of the class of 1985 respondents. Table 4.1 Marital Status During Program Class Married Unmarried 1980 17 1 1985 21 6 Respondents indicated the number of years they had been married. In the class of 1980 the years ranged from 6 to 35 years. In the class of 1985 the years married ranged from 2 to 28. Of those who entered the program married, two in the class of 1980 and one in the class of 1985 became divorced sometime after graduation. Childzep. The respondents were asked the number of children they had when they entered the program. Of the class of 1980 four (232) were childless. Of the class of 1985 nine (33%) were childless. For those who had children, the breakdown follows. zeagg wgpked. The respondents were asked how many years work experience they had before entering the program. For the class of 1980 the work experience ranged from 7 to 22 years. For the class of 1985 work experience ranged from 5 to 23 years. While the ~ ‘ 43 official policy of the program is that one must have 10 years work experience prior to entering the program exceptions were made. Table 4.2 Number of Children Number of Children gigss of 1980 Class of 1985 0 4 9 1 3 0 2 7 ll 3 3 6 4 0 l 5 l 0 Table 4.3 Work Experience of Students Before Entering the Program Years Worked Before Enteripg Ihe Program Qigss of 1980 Class of 1985 5 - 10 22% 37% 11 - 18 521 41% 19 - 281 222 Age. The current mean age of the respondents (at time of. questionnaire--June of 1991) was 45.91. The median age, for both classes, was 45.00 and the modal age was 40.00. 44 Table 4.4 Ages of Respondents (Given are the range and median age at time of survey.) glass of 1980 Class of 1985 Range 42 - 59 37 - 53 Median Age 49.8 43.2 Gender. There was one woman respondent in the class of 1980 out of a total of 18. In the class of 1985 there were 7 women who responded. Table 4.5 Female Respondents Marital Status During the Program and Dependent Children Class of 1980 glgss of 1985 Female Respondents 1 7 Married 1 4 Those with Children 0 2 The median age for the women in the class of 1985 was 43.57 (the median age for the total class was 43.2). The median age, at time of survey, for the class of 1980 was 49.8. The one female graduate in the class of 1980 was 46 years of age at the time. The female graduates held various positions. Their job titles were President, Teacher, Manager-Systems Branch, Director of '15 Id 535 45 Finance, Manager of Marketing Research, Manager of EFT Services, and Director of Branch Store Promotions. Educational background. All of the respondents had an undergraduate degree and 30 had graduate degrees when they entered the program. The degrees were classified by majors as follows: Business/Management, Engineering, Science/Math, Liberal Arts, and other. This classification of academic majors was used for both undergraduate and graduate degrees. On an undergraduate level for the class of 1980 35.3% had Engineering degrees. Both Business/Management degrees and Liberal Arts were each represented in 23.52 of the respondents. Of the class of 1980 11.2% had majored in Science/Math and 5.9% (one respondent) majored in other. In the class of 1985 on an undergraduate level 48.1% of the respondents majored in Business/Management. The next highest major for this class was Liberal Arts with 25.91. Those who majored in Engineering accounted for 14.81 of the respondents. Slightly over 112 of the class majored in Science/Math. A number of respondents had graduate degrees in other fields. These ranged from Engineering to Education, International Affairs to ‘English at a Master's Level. The class of 1980 had one graduate who attained a Ph.D. in Chemistry and another who had Doctorates in Law and Dentistry. 46 Table 4.6 Undergraduate Majors of the Respondents Help; _l§ss of 1980 gigss of 1985 Business/Management 4 13 Engineering 6 4 Science/Math 2 3 Liberal Arts 4 7 Other 1 Table 4.7 Graduate Education of the Respondents ijp; glass of 1980 Class of 1985 Business/Management 12 12 Engineering 2 1 Science/Math 1 Liberal Arts 1 Other 1 Cp;;gp;_ippgme. The graduates were asked their current income. The income ranges were: $31,000 to $45,000; $46,000 to $60,000; $61,000 to $75,000; $76,000 to $90,000; and $91,000 and above. Unfortunately, due to the researcher's naivete about business salaries, the upper limit was far too low. Over 651 of the male respondents made $91,000 or more. 560 litre 47 There was a difference in the income levels between that of the male graduates and female graduates. One of the women made $91,000 or above. Four of the eight women made between $46,000 to $60,000. Whereas only one of the men fell within that category. Five of the eight women made less than $60,000. Research Question One: To what degree did the graduates perceive that participation in the program was a positive educational experience? In this category a number of issues were examined: the relevance of the courses taken, the graduates perception of the educational experience, whether or not the educational experience reflected the recommendations of the Carnegie report. sons or Enteri Pro ram The graduates were asked to respond to the question, "I entered the program for the following reasons." They were asked to rank order the three most important reasons for entering the program. Those reasons given as options were: prestige, promotions, increase in salary, skill development, social interaction with peers, career change, gain employment, and opportunity to continue learning. They were also offered to respond to the open ended choice of "other.” For statistical purposes a first choice was given a weighted value of three, a second choice two and a third choice one. The first, second and third choices for each reason for entering the program were then added together, thus giving a total weighted value score. 48 Table 4.8 Reasons for Participation Reason Weighted Weighted for Rank Order Value for Rank Order Value for Partici- for Class Class of for Class Class of patiop pf 1980 of 1980 of 1985 of 1985 Skill 1 37 l 36 Contin- 2 27 3 20 uing Education Promotion 3 l9 2 30 Career 4 8 4 18 Change Prestige 5 7 6 4 ~Sa1ary 6 6 5 11 Social 7 2 7 5 Employ- 8 0 8 0 ment Students entered the program for a variety of reasons, however the primary reasons seem to have been to develop skills and to continue their education. To a lesser degree the students also sought to improve their careers. Those entering the program were interested in promotions and career change. On a second and third choice level they were also concerned with their careers. Gaining employment was not an issue for these students. 49 gaugaa Relevance The students were also asked to reflect upon the courses they had taken in the program. They were asked which courses they enjoyed the most and the least. They were also asked which courses were of the greatest help and the least help to them since they left the program. While it was possible to present these data in a number of ways, it shall be presented by class under the categories of the most enjoyable, least enjoyable, most helpful and least helpful. It should be noted that weighted scores were again used for the tables. A first choice was given a value of three, a second choice a value of two and a third choice a value of one. For each course a weighted value was derived by adding together the total weighted scores . Table 4.9 Most Enjoyable Courses ("t” indicates a tie) Rank Rank Order Order Overall for Weighted for Weighted Rank Class Value Class Value for of for Class of for Class Both 99315; 1280 at 1280 1985 of 1985 Classes Managerial l 24 5 14 4 Accounting Personnel 2 20 3 20 3 and Human Relations Management t14 0 9 5 t12 Programming and Control .u .5 a e F I ”M 1w KM 50 Table 4.9, continued 901.1; SE Management/ Organiza- tion Theory Marketing Management Financial Management Problem Analysis Interna- tional Study Industrial Relations American Economy Economics and Public Policy Business and Legal Environment Emerging Issues Material/ Logistics Management Administra- tive Policy Rank Order for Weighted Class Value of for Class 1980 of 1980 4 8 3 l9 tll 2 t5 6 9 5 t5 6 t5 6 t5 6 tl4 0 10 4 tl4 0 tll 2 Rank Order for Class of l9_8§ t12 10 t12 15 t12 10 Weighted Value for Class of 1985 12 32 37 17 Overall Rank for Both Classes 6 15 th tlo C12 14 51 Table 4.10 Least Enjoyable Courses (where "1” is the least enjoyable course) Rank Rank Order Order Overall for Weighted for Weighted Rank Class Value Class Value for of for Class of for Class Both gourse 1980 of 1980 1985 of 1985 Classes Managerial t4 8 5 10 4 .Accounting Personnel 10 2 12 l t13 and Human Relations Programming t4 8 2 35 2 and Control Management/ t4 8 10 3 9 Organiza- tion Theory Marketing 9 3 13 0 tl3 Management Financial 2 14 t6 8 3 Management Problem t12 1 t6 8 11 Analysis Interna- 10 2 l3 0 15 tional Study Industrial 3 12 9 4 t5 Relations American t12 l 3 l4 7 Economy Economics 15 0 8 5 l2 and Public Policy Table 4.10, continued Rank Rank Order Order Overall for Weighted for Weighted Rank Class Value Class Value for of for Class of for Class Both Qppgaa 1980 pf 1980 1985 of 1985 Classes Business 8 6 5 10 t5 and Legal Environment Emerging t12 1 4 l2 8 Issues Material/ 1 24 1 36 1 Logistics Management Administra- 7 7 10 3 10 tive Policy Table 4.11 Most Helpful Courses Rank Rank Order Order Overall for Weighted for Weighted Rank Class Value Class Value for of for Class of for Class Both ,Qppgag 1989 of 1980 1985 of 1985 Classes Managerial 4 l4 2 26 2 Accounting Personnel 1 21 1 40 1 and Human Relations Management 19 2 ll 5 11 Programming and Control Management/ 6 9 3 18 4 Organiza- tion Theory Table 4.11, continued Rank Rank Order Order Overall for Weighted for Weighted Rank Class Value Class Value for of for Class of for Class Both Course 1980 of 1980 1985 of 1985 Classes Marketing 2 18 4 16 3 Management Financial 3 15 t6 10 5 Management Problem 5 ll t13 1 t7 Analysis Interna- t12 0 5 12 t7 tional Study Industrial 7 7 9 7 6 Relations American t12 0 tl3 1 15 Economy Economics 8 4 15 0 l3 and Public Policy Business t12 0 10 6 l2 and Legal Environment Emerging ll 1 12 3 13 Issues Material/ t12 0 t6 10 t9 Logistics Management Administra- t9 2 8 8 t9 tive Policy 54 Table 4.12 Least Helpful Courses Rank Rank Order Order Overall for Weighted for Weighted Rank Class Value Class Value for of for Class of for Class Both goupaa 1980 of 1980 1985 of 1985 Classes Managerial 8 5 t8 6 t7 Accounting Personnel tl4 0 l3 1 15 and Human Relations Management t5 6 2 29 2 Programming and Control Management/ t5 6 t14 0 12 Organiza- tion Theory Marketing t5 6 tll 2 10 Management Financial t12 3 t14 0 14 Management Problem t9 4 4 9 6 Analysis International t12 3 tll 2 13 Study Industrial 3 8 6 8 5 Relations American t9 4 10 4 10 Economy Economics t14 0 4 9 9 and Public Policy Business t9 4 7 7 t7 and Legal Environment 55 Table 4.12, continued Rank Rank Order Order Overall for Weighted for Weighted Rank Class Value Class Value for of for Class of for Class Both Qgggse 1980 of 1980 1985 of 1985 Classes Emerging , 4 7 3 23 3 Issues Material/ 1 28 1 36 1 Logistics Management Administra- 2 13 t8 6 4 tive Policy Most Enjoyable Courses It should be noted that two members of the class of 1980 ranked International Study as a second choice, yet it was not part of the program at the time. It is obvious that they had something else in mind. The three courses with the highest weighted values are Managerial Accounting, Personnel and Marketing. The means for these items are 2.5, 2.4 & 2.1 respectively. Three courses had a weighted value of zero, Management Programing and Control, Business & Legal Environments, and Materials-Logistics. The items which had the highest weighted values for the class of 1985 were: International Study, Marketing, and Personnel. They had mean scores of 2.57, 1.8 and 2. It is obvious that the class found the International Study an enjoyable addition to the program. One course that had a weighted value of zero was Economics and Public Policy. 56 A weighted value was taken combining the scores for both classes. This gave a total weighted value and a total rank order. The three courses with the highest weighted values were: Marketing Management, International Study, and Personnel. Financial Management and Material-Logistics had the lowest weighted values. Most Helpful Classes The graduates were asked which courses were of the greatest help as opposed to most enjoyable as was asked in the previous question. Obviously there is a difference in the implication. What is helpful may not be what is most enjoyed. For the class of 1980 the questions with the highest weighted values are Personnel, Marketing and Financial Management. They have a mean score of 1.72, 2.54 and 2.14 respectively. There were three with weighted values of zero. They were the American Economy, Business and Legal Environment and Materials-Logistics. Personnel and Human Relations had the highest weighted value, highest frequency and highest mean score for the class of 1985. This was followed by Managerial Accounting and Marketing, respectively. Economics and Public Policy received no responses, thus attaining a weighted value of zero. A combined value was taken for both classes which provided a total weighted value. These were placed in rank order. Personnel and Human Relations ranked first. It was followed by Managerial Accounting and Marketing as most helpful courses. The American Economy ranked 15th. 57 Lesa; Enjoyable The graduates were asked to rank order three courses that were least enjoyable while they were in the program. For the class of 1980 the course with the highest weighted value was Materials- Logistics. The course with the second greatest weighted value was Financial Management. Industrial relations had the third highest weighted value. For the class of 1985 there were several courses that had high weighted values. Materials-Logistics had a weighted value of 36 and a mean score of 2.4. Management Programming and Control had a weighted value of 35 and a mean score of 2.23. The third highest weighted value was the American Economy. A weighted value was taken for the combined classes of 1980 and 1985. Material-Logistics Management had the highest weighted value for the course which was of least enjoyed. Management Programming and Control and Financial Management ranked second and third. LaesLflelnful The graduates were asked to rank order the three courses that were least helpful in the program. For the class of 1980 Materials-Logistics had the highest weighted value. The next highest weighted values recorded were for the courses Administrative Policy and Industrial Relations. For the class of 1985 Material-Logistics Management had the highest weighted value for least helpful course. Management iii 58 Programming and Control and Emerging Issues in Business ranked second and third. For the combined classes, Material-Logistics Management had the highest weighted value. It was followed by Management Programming and Control and Emerging Issues in Business. It is obvious that certain courses were deemed to be of both help and enjoyment by the graduates and others were seen as being of less help or enjoyable. The students were asked at the end of these four questions "why?” However, there seemed to be universal reasons as to why a course was considered helpful or not helpful, enjoyable or not enjoyable. The one word that came up repeatedly was ”applicable." If a course could be applied to "the real world" it was deemed helpful or enjoyable. If it could not be applied, then it was considered least helpful or enjoyable. There were other factors which students mentioned. The competence of the instructor was an important factor. The professor's personality and flexibility were also considered important in determining whether or not the student found the class to be a positive experience. Pppgram Satisfaction The graduates were asked to respond to a very simple question. ”The program met my expectations?" The graduates were asked to respond to the question via a Likert scale. It should be noted that the mean score for both classes was approximately 3.5. This is one of the highest mean scores for all the questions asked in this survey. It is safe to conclude that in 59 spite of any criticisms or shortcomings the graduates believed that the program met their expectations. Table 4.13 A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "The Program Met My Expectations." (Also given are the mean and standard deviation.) glass of 1980 Class of 1985 Not applicable 0 l Strongly agree 9 15 Agree 9 10 Disagree 0 l Strongly disagree 0 0 Mean 3.5 3.46 Standard deviation .5 .57 Table 4.14 Items which Correlated at .05 Level with the Statement, "The Program Met My Expectations" Level of Correlation Program provides flexibility to seek other employers .5922 Career progressing as expected .4714 Marriage which is meaningful and fulfilling .4599 .Attainment of assignments that utilized graduates' skill and ability .4851 Number of promotions -.3356 60 Ca Stud A number of recommendations were made by the authors of the Carnegie Foundation Study on ways to improve MBA programs. Twelve questions were asked in this study that reflected the recommendations of the Carnegie Study. The students were asked to respond to the questions via a modified Likert scale. The charts for each question reflect their answers as well as the mean score (X) and standard deviation. They were asked to answer the questions in light of their experience in the AMP--"Because of my participation in the program." Commitment to lifelong education. The graduates were asked to respond to the statement, ”I have learned how to learn and have gained a commitment to continuing lifelong education." The foundation's study recommended that any MBA program should instill in its graduates a sense that education is a lifelong pursuit. Over 66% of the class of 1980 and 552 of the class of 1985 responded in the positive. In other words, the majority of students felt that the program did instill such values in them. However, a significant minority of both classes disagreed. One student wrote that, while he had a strong commitment to lifelong education, the program did not give him that commitment. It should also be noted that a number of students entered the program primarily to continue their education, thus indicating that it was a value they already possessed. 61 Table 4.15 A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "I Have Learned How to Learn and Have Gained a Commitment to Continuing Lifelong Education.” (Also given are the mean and standard deviation.) Class of 1980 Class of 1985 Not applicable 0 l Strongly agree 4 3 Agree 8 12 Disagree 5 11 Strongly disagree 1 0 Mean 2.83 2.69 Standard deviation .83 .67 Understanding the characteristics of one's own industry. The graduates were asked to respond to the statement, "I understand the characteristics of my own industry and can assess the forces affecting my company." The foundation's report hoped that future MBA programs would enable students to understand the industry in which they worked. Over 882 of the class of 1980 and 962 of the class of 1985 agreed with the statement that because of the program they understood the characteristics of their industry and the forces affecting it. It is obvious that the vast majority of graduates believe that the program met this need. 62 Table 4.16 A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "I Understand the Characteristics of My Own Industry and Can Assess the Forces Affecting My Company.” (Also give are the mean and standard deviation.) Class of 1980 Class of 1985 Not applicable 1 0 Strongly agree 7 10 Agree 9 l6 Disagree 1 l Strongly disagree 0 0 Mean 3.35 3.33 J Standard deviation .59 .54 Ozgapiaational culture and values. The graduates were asked to respond to the statement, ”I understand different cultures and their value orientation." This question sought to elicit from the students whether or not the program provided them with information concerning corporate cultures and their value systems. Eighty-eight percent of the respondents of the class of 1985 believed that the program provided them with an understanding of corporate cultures, whereas only 551 of the class of 1980 felt this way. One reason for this is that it is possible the strong interest in corporate cultures did not occur until the eighties and by then the earlier class in the study had graduated. However, it should also be noted that the recommendations of the commission, from which this question is formulated, predated the earlier class. 63 Table 4.17 A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "1 Understand Different Cultures and Their Value Orientation." (Also included are the mean and standard deviation.) glass of 1980 Class of 1985 Not applicable 2 0 Strongly agree 3 0 Agree 7 l6 Disagree 6 1 Strongly disagree 0 2 Mean 2.81 3.11 Standard deviation .726 .81 Item The graduates were asked to respond to the statement, "I understand the changes likely to occur in the future of my industry and can adjust to them." The commission felt that management education should prepare students for the future and not just teach them the history of past practices. The class of 1980 and 882 of the class of 1985 believed that the school fulfilled this recommendation. It is clear that a significant majority of the students could agree with this 3 tatement . 64 Table 4.18 A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "1 Understand the Changes Likely to Occur in the Future of My Industry and Can Adjust to Them.” Also given are the mean and standard deviation. glass of 1980 Class of 1985 Not applicable 1 0 Strongly agree 6 7 Agree 9 17 Disagree 2 3 Strongly disagree 0 0 Mean 3.23 3.14 Standard deviation .79 .59 Scieppe and Iechpology The graduates were asked to respond to the statement, "I better understand the development of science and diffusion of technology." It was also important to the commission that the manager had an appreciation of technology. This question sought to examine whether or not the program provided this appreciation. Over 662 of the graduates in the class of 1980 and 51% of the class of 1985 were in agreement with this statement. The mean scores of 2.82 and 2.6 suggest a certain uncertainty over this 'matter. These are the lowest mean scores of this section. 65 Table 4.19 A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "1 Better Understand the Development of Science and Diffusion of Technology." (Also given are the mean and standard deviation.) glass of 1980 Class of 1985 Not applicable 1 0 Strongly agree 2 3 Agree 10 11 Disagree 5 13 Strongly disagree 0 0 Mean 2.82 2.6 Standard deviation .04 .67 Innovat ve Work Styles The graduates were asked to respond to the question, "I am more innovative in my work." Through this item the researcher sought to discover if the program taught individuals to think in more creative and imaginative ways. Over 83% of the class of 1980 and 811 of the class of 1985 were in agreement with the statement. It can safely be said that a majority of graduates believed that the program enabled them to be more innovative at work. 66 Table 4.20 A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "1 Am More Innovative in My Work.” (Also given are the mean and standard deviation.) glass of 1980 _iass of 1985 Not applicable 0 0 Strongly agree 4 - 8 Agree 11 14 Disagree 3 5 Strongly disagree 0 0 Mean 3.05 2.81 Standard deviation .61 .75 Communication The graduates were asked to respond to the question, "I have improved my ability to communicate.” A major portion of a manager or leader's job is to communicate effectively with superiors, subordinates and peers. Did the AMP assist the student in developing this important characteristic? For the class of 1985 this was the highest mean score response. For the class of 1980 it was one of the higher scores of this section. In both classes' 88.8% of the respondents agreed with the statement that because of the program they are better communicators. 67 Table 4.21 A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "I Have Improved My Ability to Communicate." (Also given are the mean and standard deviation.) glass of 1980 Class of 1985 Not applicable 0 0 Strongly agree 8 l4 Agree 8 10 Disagree 2 3 Strongly disagree 0 0 Mean 3.33 3.40 Standard deviation .68 .68 Nagogiapiops The graduates were asked to respond to the statement, "I have improved my negotiation skills thus reducing and resolving conflict without recourse to litigation." The authors of the report believed that a well-trained manager would possess skills that would enable them to avoid conflict through the use of negotiations. Over 882 of the class of 1980 agreed with the statement. However, only 66.6% of the class of 1985 were in agreement with the Statement . 68 Table 4.22 A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, ”1 Have Improved My Negotiation Skills Thus Reducing and Resolving Conflict Without Recourse to Litigation." (Also given are the mean and standard deviation.) Class of 1980 Class of 1985 Not applicable 0 0 Strongly agree 5 6 Agree 11 12 Disagree 2 8 Strongly disagree 0 1 Mean 3.16 2.85 Standard deviation .6 .62 I Chapging Role of Work Force The graduates were asked to respond to the statement, I appreciate the changing role of the work force." The commission felt that it was important for managers and leaders to comprehend the ways in which the work force would be different. While the mean scores for both classes and their standard deviations were fairly close, the percentage of those in agreement represented nearly a 20 point spread. Over 771 of the class of 1980 and 96% of the class of 1985 were in agreement with the statement. tyn- No learn, full: Eifgir iuesti my 6( 69 Table 4. 23 Ii Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "1 ltppreciate the Changing Role of the Work Force." (Also given are the mean and standard of deviation.) glass of 1980 Class of 1985 riot applicable 1 0 S trongly agree 3 6 Agree 11 20 Disagree 3 l Strongly disagree 0 0 Mean 3.0 3.18 Standard deviation .42 .47 Humapiae ghe Coppopation The graduates were asked to respond to the statement, "I learned to humanize the corporation rather than corporatize the family." One respondent questioned what "humanize" meant in the margin. However, in spite of the jargon, it is a rather clear question. Over 771 of the class of 1980 agreed with the statement while only 601 of the class of 1985 found itself in agreement. Four members of the class of 1985, in fact, found themselves in strong disagreement with the statement. C?) m ‘ 'E‘Je] mo. g A for t 31 0?. ‘kfl. 70 Table 4.24 A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "I Learned to Humanize the Corporation Rather than Corporatize the Family." (Also given are the mean and standard deviation.) glass of 1980 Class of 1985 Not applicable 2 1 Strongly agree 2 4 Agree 12 ll Disagree 2 S Strongly disagree 0 4 Mean 3 2.62 Standard deviation .5 .94 Development of Subordinates The graduates were asked to respond to the statement, "I accept responsibility for assisting in the development and life orientation of my subordinates and fellow managers." The authors of the report believed that a manager or corporate leader had a responsibility to aid those who work with them in growing professionally and personally. One member of the class of 1980 wrote in the margin that 'everyone was responsible for their own destiny.’ However, the majority of both classes did believe that they had a responsibility for the continued development of employees and that the program helps them in this pursuit. Over 85% of the class of 1985 and 66% of the class of 1980 were in agreement with the statement. ‘LI 5. ... b 71 Table 4.25 A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "1 Accept the Responsibility for Assisting in the Development and Life Orientation of My Subordinates and Fellow Manager.” (Also given are the mean and standard deviation.) glass of 1980 Class of 1985 Not applicable 1 O Strongly agree 5 12 Agree 7 11 f—‘ Disagree 4 4 Strongly disagree 1 0 Mean 2.94 3.29 Standard deviation .87 .71 Ethical Implications The graduates were asked to respond to the statement, "I understand the ethical implications of the management decisions I make." The knowledge of what is right and wrong was believed by the authors to be an important aspect of management. For the class of 1980 this was the highest mean score. For the class of 1985, the mean score for this question was the second highest for the section. Over 771 of the class of 1980 and 88% of the class of 1985 were in agreement with the question. ’." U I?- file. tha‘ ful: 72 Table 4.26 A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "1 Understand the Ethical Implications of the Management Decisions I Make." (Also given are the mean and standard deviation.) Class of 1980 Class of 1985 Not applicable 2 O Strongly agree 8 l3 Agree 6 ~ 11 Disagree 2 3 Strongly disagree 0 0 Mean 3.37 3.37 Standard deviation .69 .69 Summary A grand mean was taken of the scores for all questions. The mean score for the 12 questions for the class of 1980 was 3.07. For the class of 1985, the mean score was 3.03. While individual questions had different levels of agreement, it is safe to conclude that on average the graduates of both classes believed the program fulfilled the hopes of the Carnegie report. 73 Table 4.27 Stzmmary of Carnegie Results. (The rank order and mean scores are given for both classes.) Rank Mean Rank Mean Order Score Order Score for for for for Class Class Class Class of of of of Carnege Questions 1980 1980 1985 1985 Ethical Implications l 3.37 2 3.37 (Iliaailracteristics Industry 2 3.35 3 3.33 Ab ility to Communicate 3 3.33 l 3.40 Future Changes 4 3.23 6 3.14 Ne gotiation 5 3.16 8 2. 84 Innovative 6 3.05 9 2.81 Changing Role of Work Force 7 3.00 5 3.18 nunuanize Corporation 8 3.00 11 2.62 De\7elopment of Subordinates 9 2.94 4 3.29 Sc 1ence and Technology 10 2.82 12 2.60 commitment to Life-Long Education 11 2.83 10 2.69 Understand Different Culture 12 2.81 7 3.11 \ ea es 10 0: To what degree did the graduates perceive that their participation in the program affected family relations? Through this study the researcher sought to discover the effect the program had on marital and family satisfaction. As has already been stated in a previous chapter there were very few divorces among the respondents. In the class of 1980 respondents, there were two 74 divorces; and in the class of 1985 respondents, there was only one. In the class of 1980, the mean number of years married was 23, while in the class of 1985 the mean was 16.51. Four members of 18 of the class of 1980 were childless when they entered the program. Nine members of 27 of the class of 1985 were childless when they entered the program. In the class of 1980, the mean number of children was 1 - 72 and in the class of 1985 it was 1.62. There were four questions which the researcher asked the graduates to reflect upon. These items concerned the effect their degrees and programs had upon marital and family satisfaction. "As I look back on the time I spent pursuing my degree, I realize that it placed a significant burden on my family life," was the one que stion in this section that related to what occurred while they were in the program. \Burden on Family Life It is obvious that there was agreement that the program did Cause a significant burden on the family life of students. There were three of the respondents who were divorced in the study; one petson contended that participation in the program was a t‘—<>t1tributing factor . :‘ (I (I) 75 Table 4.28 A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "As I Look Back on the Time I Spent Pursuing My Degree, I Realize that It Placed a Significant Burden on My Family Life." (Also given are the mean and standard deviation.) Class of 1980 Class of 1985 Not applicable 0 O Strongly agree 7 9 Agree 8 10 F-i Disagree 3 8 Strongly disagree 0 0 Me an 3.22 3.03 Standard deviation .71 .79 -. \ \ eahi ul and ulfillin arria e A second question asked by the researcher concerned marriage. OI one of the by-products of my MBA is a marriage which is more meaningful and fulfilling." Was there a relationship between having the degree and a fulfilling marriage? 76 Table 4.29 A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "One of the By-Products of My MBA Is a Marriage which Is More Meaningful and Fulfilling.” (Also given are the mean and standard deviation.) Class of 1980 Class of 1985 Not applicable 2 3 S trongly agree 1 1 Agree 3 8 .. D i sagree 8 11 T S trongly disagree ' 4 4 Me an 2.06 2.25 S t andard deviation . 83 . 77 I \ \ The modal response to this question for both classes fell wi thin the ”agrees" category. The mean is one of the lowest in the study. It is obvious that the majority of the respondents did not believe that attainment of the degree aided their marital relationship. It should be noted that the not applicable category s'tlows a total of five responses. This does not tally with the t'l~\-11nber not married while in the program. Some undoubtedly married after graduation and may have interpreted the question in light of the ir present marriage. 77 Other Facets of Life The graduates were asked to respond to the statement, "Because of my MBA, other facets of my life are more fulfilling." Did the degree make their lives more fulfilling? The mean scores suggest that most of the responses fell closer to agreement with the statement than disagreement. Over 772 of the class of 1980 and 741 of the class of 1985 were in agreement with the statement. E Table 4.30 A Tabulation to the Graduates' Responses to the Statement, "Because of My MBA, Other Facets of My Life Are More Fulfilling." (Also given are the mean and standard deviation.) 11W _l§ss of 1980 Class of 1985 Not applicable 0 2 Strongly agree 1 3 Agree 13 15 Disagree 4 6 Strongly disagree 0 1 Mean 2.83 2.80 Standard deviation .50 .81 WWW The graduates were asked, via the questionnaire, to reflect upon the relationship with their children and attaining the degree. “Having an MBA has had a positive effect upon my relationship with my children.” 78 Table 4.31 A Tabulation of Graduates' Responses to the Statement, "Having an MBA Has Had a Profound Effect upon My Relationship with My Children.” (Also given are the mean and standard deviation.) glass of 1980 Class of 1985 Not applicable 3 10 Strongly agree 2 1 Agree 2 4 Disagree 9 12 Strongly disagree 2 0 Mean 2.26 2.23 Standard deviation .85 .60 In both classes over 701 of those responding, excluding those who responded "not applicable,” disagreed with the statement that the degree had a positive effect upon their relationship with their children. The mean scores were slightly below the agreed cut—off point. 52mm While there will be further discussion of all the findings in the next chapter, it should be mentioned that if there is a relationship between a fulfilling marriage and family life and the attainment of a degree, it cannot be said to be a positive one. Once again, it should be remembered that very few of these couples seek divorce. The graduates were asked to write the ways in which 79 their spouses supported them in the program. A number of issues were mentioned: taking care of housework and chores, reduced social activities, encouragement, care of children, understanding and moral support, and help with course work. Table 4.32 A Summary of Those Items which Correlated at the .05 Level with the Four Items in Research Question Two Other Facets Positive Burden Mean- More Relation to ingful Ful- with Family Marriage filling Children Increase in Income .5145* Because of Degree Greater Number .5854 of Advancements Because of Degree Program Met .4599 Expectations Positions which .4169 Were Challenging Flexibility to Seek .4428 Other Employers Assignments which .4036 Allowed Use of Skills Faculty Understood .4929 Outside Commitments Number of -.3983 Promotions *correlation figures Table 4.33 80 Summary of Graduates' Response for Questions Related to Marital and Life Satisfaction. each graduating class.) (Given are rank order and mean by question for Program was Signifi- cant Burden on Family Positive Effect on Other Facts of Life Positive Effect on Relationship with Children A Marriage which Was Fulfilling Hwa - strongly agree agree disagree Rank Order for Class of 1980 strongly disagree Mean Score for Class of 1980 3.22* 2.83 2.26 2.06 Rank Order for Class of 1985 Mean Score for Class of 1985 3.03 2.80 2.23 2.25 Total 3.11 2.81 2.25 2.18 e ee: To what degree did the graduates believe that, because of the program, they have higher career satisfaction than they would have without having participated in the advanced management program? It is believed by the popular press that having an MBA will greatly enhance one's career. A number of the questions in this survey were designed to examine the issue of career satisfaction. The graduates were asked to respond, via modified Likert scale, to these questions. 81 W ”Because of my MBA, I believe I have advanced further in my career than I would have without it.” The researcher sought to examine the graduates' perceptions concerning career advancement as it directly related to their attainment of an MBA. The mean score for the class of 1985 (3.37) was higher than that for the class of 1980 (2.88). This seems to substantiate the contention by some authors that career advancement for MBAs peaks after five years. It should be noted that 33.3% of the 1980 graduates disagreed with the statement while only 18.52 of the class of 1985 disagreed. In the class of 1980, 11.12 strongly disagreed with the statement. Table 4.34 A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "Because of My MBA, I Believe I Have Advanced Further in My Career than I Would Have Without It." (Also given are the mean and standard deviation.) Class of 1980 Class of 1985 Not applicable 0 0 Strongly agree 6 l7 Agree 6 5 Disagree 4 5 Strongly disagree 2 0 Mean 2.88 3.37 Standard deviation .99 .79 82 The mean score for the class of 1985 (3.37) was higher than that for the class of 1980 (2.88). This seems to substantiate the contention by some authors that career advancement for MBAs peaks after five years. It should be noted that 33.3% of the 1980 graduates disagreed with the statement while only 18.51 of the class of 1985 disagreed. In the class of 1980, 11.11 strongly disagreed with the statement. Table 4.35 Items which Correlated at the .05 Level with the Statement, "Because of My MBA I Believe that I Have Advanced Further in My Career than I Would Have Without It." tem Level of Correlation Burden to Family .4345 Flexibility to Seek Employment .5447 Career Progressed as EXpected .6504 Attained Challenging Assignments .6490 Number of Promotions -.6767 11192112 The operant word in this question was substantially. In the class of 1980 over 55% of the class agreed with the statement while 671 of the class of 1985 agreed with the statement. Once again it appears that those from the senior class felt strongly about the effect of the degree upon career satisfaction. 83 Table 4.36 A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "My Income Is Substantially Higher than It Would Be Without My MBA." (Also given are the mean and standard deviation.) Class of 1980 Class of 1985 Not applicable 0 0 Strongly agree 6 10 Agree 4 8 'h- Disagree 6 8 Strongly disagree 2 1 Mean 2.77 3.00 Standard deviation 1.03 .90 Positions which are challenging and exciting. The graduates were asked to respond to the statement, "Because of my degree, I have a position which is challenging and exciting." Does an MBA allow its recipient to attain positions that challenge their ability and provide them with assignments that are exciting? The majority of the class of 1980 disagreed with this statement (55.1%). On the other hand, a majority of the class of 1985 agreed with the statement (62.92). The mean scores for both classes were the lowest for all the questions of this section. 84 Table 4.37 A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "Because of My Degree I Have a Position which Is Challenging and Exciting." (Also given are the means and standard deviation.) glass of 1980 Class of 1985 Not applicable 0 1 Strongly agree 5 7 Agree 3 10 Disagree 8 8 Strongly disagree 2 1 Mean 2.61 2.88 Standard deviation 1.11 .84 a ee ress n The graduates were asked to respond to the statement, "My career has progressed as I planned." In their marketing class these students were asked to write and ”package” their career goals. Therefore, they had a clear idea of where they wanted to be in five and ten years. This question sought to discover whether or not their career progressed as they had hoped. In the class of 1980 over 33% disagreed with the statement while in the class of 1985 gnly 111 disagreed with the statement. On the positive side 89% of the class of 1985 agreed and 66% of the class of 1980 did likewise. 85 Table 4.38 Graduates' Response to the Statement, ”My Career Has Progressed as I Planned." (Also given are the mean and standard deviation.) glass of 1980 _i§ss of 1985 Not applicable 0 O Strongly agree 3 8 Agree 9 16 r- Disagree 6 3 Strongly disagree 0 0 Mean 2.83 3.18 Standard deviation .69 .75 1. { Meaningful Assignments The graduates were asked to respond to the statement, "My degree made it possible to attain assignments which used my skills and abilities." It is assumed that because of the MBA graduates have a greater probability of receiving assignments that challenge their ability and skills. In both classes only 22.21 of the graduates disagreed with this question. It is clear that they believed that because of the degree they were given assignments that challenged their skills and abilities. 86 Table 4.39 A Tabulation of the Graduates’ Response to the Statement, "My Degree Made It Possible to Attain Assignments which Used My Skills and Abilities." (Also given are the mean and standard deviation.) Class of 1980 Class of 1985 Not applicable 0 0 Strongly agree 4 10 Agree 10 11 F‘ Disagree 4 4 ; Strongly disagree 0 1 Mean 3.00 3.15 Standard deviation .66 .81 Elexibiiity to Seek Other Employers Did having an MBA from an executive program give the graduate the flexibility to seek other employers? In other words, did it make them more marketable? Only 111 of the class of 1980 and 71 of the class of 1985 disagreed with this statement. In fact, for this section, this question had the highest mean scores. It is rather obvious that the graduates in the main believed that having an MBA from this institution enabled them to seek other employment if they wished. 87 Table 4.40 A Tabulation to the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "The Degree Provides Me with the Flexibility to Seek Other Employers." (Also given are the mean and standard deviation.) glass of 1980 Class of 1985 Not applicable 1 0 Strongly agree 6 14 Agree 9 11 *r“ Disagree 2 4 Strongly disagree 0 0 Mean 3.24 3.44 Standard deviation .64 .63 X ecta 0115 "The program met my expectations." This question was discussed in the section on course value. It is important to remember that the vast majority of both classes believed strongly that the program met their expectations. The mean score for the class of 1980 was 3.5 and 3.46 for the class of 1985. A 4.0 would be a "perfect" score in terms of strongly agreeing with the statement. my»: There is one final factor of note. The grand mean for the class of 1980 was 2.88 while for the class of 1985 was 3.17. This suggested that there is a difference in perception between the senior class and the younger class concerning the effect of an 88 executive MBA on career satisfaction. There may well be other factors for which this study did not take into account that might effect the graduate's perception of career satisfactions. Certainly, the economy, especially in the State of Michigan, was undergoing changes when this survey was completed by the respondents. Many large corporations were downsizing at the very same time. Table 4.41 Summary of Items Related to Career Satisfaction. rank order and mean for each item by class.) (Given are the Rank Mean Rank Mean 3 Order Score Order Score for ‘ for for for Class Class Class Class of of of of Question 1980 1980 1985 1985 Flexibility to Seek 1 3.24 1 3.44 Other Employers Assignment which Used 2 3.00 4 3.15 Skill and Abilities Advanced Further in Career 3 2.88 2 3.37 Career Progression 4 2.83 3 3.18 Higher Income 5 2.77 5 3.00 Career which Is Challenging 6 2.61 6 3.00 Grand Mean for All Questions 2.88 3.17 8W1: graduates perceive that they added to the quality of the program? Were the principles of andragogy used in the program; and, if so, did 89 Of prime concern for this study was the analysis of andragogical factors. Andragogy is the teaching of adults. As previously noted there are certain principles contained in the philosophy of andragogy. Questions were developed around these principles and the graduates were asked to respond to them. Reason Enter n ro ram This question was discussed in the section on course value. It should be noted that the primary reasons for entering the program revolved around andragogical considerations. The students were interested in skill development and continuing education. This was not a question in which the students were asked to respond on a Likert scale, rather they rank ordered their various reasons for entering the program. Employe; Supporp "List the three most important ways in which your employer supported your participation in the program." The primary manner in which students felt supported by their employer was financially. The employers, in the main, paid full tuition. Students also mention that employers gave them assignments that would "piggyback" with class projects. They scheduled travel time so that it did not interfere with school. Some employers allowed the student to do school work at work. Many also mentioned that they felt morally supported by their employer. 9O Professors Respected and Utilized Student Skills ”The professors respected and utilized the experience, background and skills which I brought into the program." A major principle of andragogy is that adult students bring a wealth of experience with them to the classroom. Whether or not this background is used in the classroom setting is in large measure up to the professor. The students responded by means of a modified Likert scale. Over 831 of the class of 1980 and 851 of the class of 1985 agreed with this statement. It is obvious that a significant majority of the class felt that their experience and background were respected and utilized by their professors. Table 4.42 A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "The Professors Respected and Utilized the Experience, Background and Skills which I Brought into the Program.” (Also given are the mean and standard deviation.) glass of 1980 Class of 1985 Not applicable 1 0 Strongly agree 5 5 Agree 10 18 Disagree 2 3 Strongly disagree 0 1 Mean 3.17 3.00 Standard deviation .62 .66 91 Immediate Application The graduates were asked to respond to the statement, "The coursework immediately gave me a way to solve problems at work." Another major tenet of andragogy is that adult students want to be able to apply what they learn. It must be practical and offer them assistance in solving problems. Table 4.43 A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "The Coursework Immediately Gave Me a Way to Solve Problems at Work." (Also given are the mean and standard deviation.) Class of 1980 Class of 1985 Not applicable 0 2 Strongly agree 3 5 Agree 11 13 Disagree 4 7 Strongly disagree 0 0 Mean 2.94 2.90 Standard deviation .84 .69 W An important aspect of the AMP education is working in groups. Therefore one of the items placed in the questionnaire was "The time I spent working with other students on group projects was a valuable part of my education." 92 Table 4.44 A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "The Time I Spent with Other Students on Group Projects Was a Valuable Part of My Education. (Also given are the mean and standard deviation.) glass of 1980 Class of 1985 Not applicable 0 0 Strongly agree 17 21 Agree 1 5 Disagree 0 1 Strongly disagree 0 0 Mean 3.94 3.74 Standard deviation .23 .52 One hundred percent of the class of 1980 and 96.32 of the class of 1985 agreed with the statement that group projects were a valuable part of the program. No other question elicited such a high mean score as this one. It should be obvious that all but one of the graduates found these projects a valuable part of their education. 93 ime w t 0 e tudents ”The proponents of andragogy hold that the informal time of an adult student's life is from an education perspective as important as the formal time allotted for 'instruction.'" The researcher sought, through the use of one item on the questionnaire, to examine how helpful the graduates found the time they spent with other students. One hundred percent of the class of 1980 and 96.31 of the class of 1985 agreed with the statement. It is apparent that the graduates not only enjoyed the time they spent in group projects but also the time they spent informally with their fellow students. Table 4.45 A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "The Time I Spent Informally with Other Students Was a Valuable Part of My Experience.” (Also given are the mean and standard deviation.) glass of 1980 Class of 1985 Not applicable 0 O Strongly agree 12 15 Agree 6 11 Disagree 0 1 Strongly disagree 0 0 Mean 3.66 3.51 Standard deviation .47 .57 94 Work and fe x e ence of e low tudents Adult students bring with them a wealth of experience, skills and background to the classroom. The researcher sought, via the questionnaire, to discover whether or not the graduates found this to be an important part of their education. In both classes only one respondent disagreed with the statement. This means that over 942 of the class of 1980 and over 961 of the class of 1985 agreed with the statement. E‘“ '1 Table 4.46 A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "The Work and Life Experience of My Fellow Students Added Greatly to My Education." (Also given are the mean and standard deviation.) a Qigss of 1980 Class of 1985 Not applicable 0 0 Strongly agree 11 12 Agree 6 14 Disagree 1 1 Strongly disagree 0 0 Mean 3.55 3.41 Standard deviation .60 .56 95 Faculty Understanding Adult students have a life outside the classroom. It is a basic principle of andragogy that the instructor must take into account the outside commitments of their students. The researcher sought to examine the graduate's perception of the degree to which the faculty understood this element of adult education. Over 27% of the class of 1980 and 402 of the class of 1985 disagreed with this statement. Only 221 of the 1980 class and 18% of the class of 85 strongly agreed with the statement. Table 4.47 A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "The Faculty Understood that I Had Commitments at Work and at Home." (Also given are the mean and standard deviation.) glass of 1980 Class of 1985 Not applicable 1 0 Strongly agree 4 5 Agree 8 11 Disagree 5 11 Strongly disagree 0 0 Mean 2.94 2.77 Standard deviation .72 .74 96 nfo a Discussions with Facult Proponents of andragogy would contend that the informal time students spend with their professor is of equal or greater value than the ”formal” time they spend together. It was therefore important to examine how the graduates of the program felt about the value of the informal time they spent with the faculty. It should be noted that a weakness of this question is that it failed to distinguish between whether or not the professor actually allowed such time or whether or not that time was valuable. Over 32% of the class of 1980 and 40% of the class of 85 disagreed with this statement. Fl _‘hli.I Table 4.48 A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "Informal Discussions with My Professors Were a Valuable Part of My Education." (Also given are the mean and standard deviation.) _i§ss of 1980 Class of 1985 Not applicable 1 1 Strongly agree 4 3 Agree 7 12 Disagree 4 10 Strongly disagree 1 1 Mean . 2.82 2.65 Standard deviation . .85 .71 97 Pppplems a; Eppk Did the time and commitment devoted to the program cause problems at work. Since so much was expected from the students, who also work full time, it is important to discover if this had a negative effect upon their work It should be noted that in this question a negative answer would fall within the Strongly Agree or Agree columns. Approximately 902 of the class of 1980 and 802 of the class of 1985 disagreed with the statement. Table 4.49 A Tabulation of the Graduates' Response to the Statement, "My Participation in the MBA Program Caused Me More Problems at Work." (Also given are the mean and standard deviation.) glass of 1980 Class of 1985 Not applicable 0 0 Strongly agree 1 2 Agree 1 3 Disagree 13 14 Strongly disagree 3 8 Mean 2.22 1.96 Standard deviation .70 .84 1515:: 98 umma o d a o ica ues ions A mean average was taken of all the means of the Andragogy section. For the class of 1980 the mean was 3.13 and for the class of 1985 it was 3.04. It should be noted that this includes question 28 where a positive answer was scored negatively. It is safe to conclude that the principles of andragogy, when applied, were a positive aspect of the program. Table 4.50 Summary of Andragogical Questions. (Given are rank order and mean score for each item by class.) Rank Mean Rank Mean Order Score Order Score for for for for Class Class Class Class of of of of Question 1980 1980 1985 1985 Group Project 1 3.94 l 3.74 Informal Time with Students 2 3.66 2 3.51 Work and Life Experience 3 3.55 4 3.41 of Other Students Program Met Expectations 4 3.50 3 3.46 Immediate Application 5 2.38 6 2.90 Professors Respected and 6 3.17 5 3.00 and Utilized Student Skills Faculty Understood Students' 7 2.94 7 2.77 Outside Commitments Informal Discussions 8 2.82 8 2.65 with Professors Program Caused 9 2.22 9 1.96 Problems at Work 99 Summary In this chapter a presentation of the pertinent data has been made. While the data is interrelated for the sake of clarity the chapter was divided into several sections. The first section examined the educational experience of the students and the relevance of the courses that they took while in the program. The second section examined the marital and family satisfaction of the graduates and its relationship to the program. The third section examined the career satisfaction of the graduates. The last section explored the issue of andragogy and its relationship to the program in general. In the next chapter, a summary of the data will be provided, conclusions will be drawn, and analysis as well as reflections will be shared. f CHAPTER V SUMMARY OF RESULTS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS introduction In this study the researcher examined the perceptions of the graduates of the Advanced Management program of Michigan State University. Students of this Master's of Business Administration program entered the program on the recommendation of their employers. They must have had experience in the business world before they entered the program. The focus of the program was to educate future leaders in American business. Those entering the Advanced Management Program were selected by their organization because they had shown the leadership and ability to move up the "corporate ladder." There were four research questions which served to focus the investigation. 1. To what degree did the graduates perceive that participation in the program was a positive educational experience? 2. To what degree did the graduates perceive that their participation in the program affect family relations? 3. To what degree did the graduates believe that, because of the program, they have higher career satisfaction then they would have without having participated in the Advanced Management Program? 100 ' Y'l- 101 4. Were the principles of andragogy used in the program and if so did graduates perceive that they added to the quality of the program? Summary of Findings Research Qpestion One: To what degree did the graduates perceive that participation in the program was a positive educational experience? It is from the response to the statement, ”The Program met my expectations," that one could conclude that the Advanced Management Program met the expectations of the graduates who responded. However, this does not mean that the survey reflected an overall student satisfaction. There were certain courses that had a consistent positive approval rating: Marketing and Personnel were both enjoyed and found to be helpful in later years. There were also some classes that were deemed to be of little help and of equally low enjoyment: Material-Logistics, Managerial Programming, & Emerging Issues. The survey also examined the respondents' reasons for entering the program. It was found that the primary reason for entering the program was the attainment of skills. It should also be noted that the need for Continuing Education was the second most important reason for the class of 1980 and the third most important reason for the members of the class of 1985. Promotion was the second most frequent reason given for entering the program by members of the class of 1985. It was the third most important reason given by the class of 1980. 102 The last general area examined under this research question was whether or not the program fulfilled the recommendations of the Carnegie Foundation report. These recommendations suggest specific ways in which MBA programs might be improved. These recommendations were developed into questions. The respondents were asked whether or not they believed the program helped them gain a better understanding of these issues. A grand mean taken of all the mean scores in this section suggests that the class members felt positively about how the program fulfilled these needs. For the class of 1985 the mean score was 3.03 and for the class of 1980 it was 3.07. A mean of 4.0 would show that all respondents "strongly agreed” with the statement. The three issues that had the highest mean scores were related to: ethical implications; understanding the characteristics of one's industry; and the ability to communicate. Those issues that had the lowest scores (implying that these issues were met in a less satisfactory fashion than the others) were: a lifelong commitment to education; understanding of different corporate cultures; and an understanding of science & technology. ese e : To what degree did Graduates perceive that their participation affected family relations? The graduates were asked if the program was a burden on family life. The results of the analysis suggested a strong agreement with the statement that the program placed a significant burden on their family life. It should be noted that among the respondents, no 103 couple divorced during the schooling and only three couples eventually divorced. This a lower average than the norm. However, there is no indication that having participated in and completing the program had a positive effect upon either their marital relationship or their relationship with their children. In fact, the data suggests that they would disagree with the statement that it had a positive effect upon either element of their personal life. Ei-7 Research Qpestion Ipree : To what degree did the graduates believe that, because of the program, they have a higher career satisfaction then they would have without having participated in the Advanced Management E Program? .F.' This question allowed the researcher to examine the effect of having an MBA upon career satisfaction. A grand mean score was taken of all the means in this section. For the class of 1980 the mean score was 2.88 and for the class of 1985 the mean score was 3.17. This suggests a difference in perception between the eldest class and the younger class. There were five questions on the questionnaire which enabled the researcher to examine this area. The graduates responded to a question regarding whether they felt that, because of their degree, they have advanced further in their career. The mean score for the class of 1985 was 3.37 and for the class of 1980 it was 2.88. The graduates were asked, via the questionnaire, if they believe that their income was substantially higher because of their degree. With a score of 2 indicating disagreement and a score of 3 104 indicating agreement, the class of 1980 had a mean score of 2.77 and the class of 1985 a score of 3. The third question posed was whether they believed that, because of their degree, they had positions that were challenging and exciting. The mean score was 2.61 for the class of 1980 and 2.88 for the class of 1985. When ranked by mean scores this was the question that had the lowest scores. The fourth question dealt with whether their career progressed as planned. For the class of 1980 the mean score was 2.83 and for the class of 1985 it was 3.18. The fifth question was designed to examined the issue of meaningful assignments. Because of the degree did they feel that -ww they were given more meaningful assignments? The class of 1980 had a mean score of 3.0 and the class of 1985 had a mean score of 3 15. The last question of this section covered the issue of whether the graduates believed that having a degree made them more flexible in seeking other employers. The answer was yes. The mean score for the 1980 class was 3.24. The mean score for the class of 1985 was 3.44. For both classes the question that they agreed with most strongly was this one. Having an executive MBA made them marketable in their own eyes. es u : Were the principles of andragogy used in the program and if so did graduates perceive that they added to the quality of the program? The final section examined the andragogical content of the program. Except for question 2, the students were required to 105 respond via a 4 point Likert scale with four equalling strongly agree and one equalling strongly disagree. To gain the mean score for each class these scores were weighted. The students were asked to respond to questions about the program that would reflect aspects of andragogy via the questionnaire. A rank order was attained by calculating mean scores. Five of the nine questions for both classes had the same rank order. The other four were within one rank of one another. This suggests a high consistency of response. The andragogical aspects that had the highest responses were the group project and informal discussions with other students. Working with other students was a positive aspect of the program. On the more negative side, the students have lower scores when responding to questions concerning the professors. Informal discussions with the professors and faculty understanding of a life outside school rank 8th and 7th respectively out of 9. These two items had means ranging from 2.94 to 2.65. As mentioned previously, the reasons the students entered the program revolved around skill development and continuing education with promotions coming in close. This would strongly reflect the principles of andragogy. Adult students seek to develop skill. When asked directly whether or not the program met their expectations, the graduates responded overwhelmingly in the affirmative. While that might be the ”bottom line," it does not tell us in what ways the program has affected their lives in both personal and professional ways. It doesn't reveal which courses they believed were of value and which were not. It certainly 106 doesn't provide us with insight into how well this education met the needs of the adult learner. In the following pages some conclusions shall be reached concerning the four areas examined in this dissertation. Reseazch Qpestion One: To what degree did the graduates perceive that participation in the program was a positive educational experience? There were three main issues examined in this section. The first dealt with why individuals entered the program. The second, with which courses were most helpful and enjoyable and which weren't enjoyable or helpful. The last section examined the recommendations of the Carnegie foundation. Conclusions concerning the last two areas will be discussed in this section. The reasons individuals entered the program will be dealt with in the last section on andragogy. Couzse Vpiue Any course can be liked by some students and hated by others. The same course can be taught by two different people with differing results. In some cases it is known by the researcher that the same professor taught the subject to both the class of 1980 and 1985. There is no doubt that the students found some courses both helpful and enjoyable, some were one of the above and some were neither enjoyable nor helpful. For instance, in the class of 1985 the students enjoyed the international study. Yet, few found it helpful after graduation. 107 There are several courses of which the students had a negative view. Materials-Logistics, Managerial Programming and Emerging Issues fall into this category. No matter how one looks at the data these courses were not enjoyed nor perceived as beneficial in later years. Some courses were difficult to interpret. For instance, Managerial Accounting ranked second for the least enjoyable course that the class of 1985 took. Yet, it ranked 11th as least helpful and 5th as the most enjoyed and most helpful. This ranking was based on mean scores as opposed to frequency. There were other courses that were both enjoyed and found helpful in later years. On the basis of frequency, Marketing ranked first for both categories to the class of 1980 and most enjoyed by the class of 1985. It ranked 3rd most helpful to the class of 1985. One can find no course that was not enjoyed yet was deemed helpful years later. For instance, the class of 1980 rated Materials-Logistics the least enjoyed by frequency. Yet, it is rated 15th (by mean) out of 15 for both most enjoyed and most helpful. It would be difficult for anyone to make a case that unpleasant courses are helpful ones! Ca 1 Before the class of 1980 entered the doors of the Advanced Management Program the Carnegie Foundation made certain recommendations to improve the quality of business programs. These .. «a 108 recommendations were worked into questions the graduates were asked to respond to via a Likert scale. On the basis of rank order the general area that was highest was that of ethics for the class of 1980. It was the second highest for the class of 1985. ”I understand the ethical implications of the management decisions I make.” There was no ”ethics” course per se. Yet, this was the highest category! Whether intentionally or unintentionally, the students leave the program with a concern for business ethics. The second highest category, for the class of 1980, concerned an understanding of the characteristics of the industry in which they worked. It was the third highest for the class of 1985. The graduates could respond positively to the statement, "Because of my participation in the program I understand the characteristics of my own industry and can assess the forces affecting my company." Whether this knowledge was gained in a specific course or in other ways cannot be assessed, based on the data, but it has been achieved in the program. The third highest category for the class of 1980 and the highest for the class of 1985 was that of communication. "Because of my participation in the program I have improved my ability to communicate." Again, there is no course on communication. But it appears that the nature of the program and its requirements enable students to improve this important area of business. There were some areas that the program was not as successful in fulfilling. For the class of 1980 the 10th ranked question (out of 109 12) concerned science and technology. For the class of 1985 this ranked 12th. "Because of my participation in the program I better understand the development of science and diffusion of technology." The Advanced Management Program was started in large measure to assist the Big Three auto makers develop leaders. In an industry as dependent on science and technology as the auto industry, this is a rather disturbing finding. Or, it could be these knowledge/skills were attained on the job or were already present. The 11th ranked category for the class of 1980, 10th for 1985, concerned an appreciation of life long education. "Because of my participation in the program I have learned how to learn and have gained a commitment to continuing lifelong education." It should be remembered that one of the prime reasons students entered the program was because of an interest in continuing education. Yet, phe gtudents do not perceive that because of their participation in the program this commitment has been fostered. Why this might be is not known. Perhaps it is assumed that all one needs is the degree? Perhaps it is taken for granted? Or maybe they perceived they were concerned about lifelong education prior to the MBA. For the class of 1980 the category ranked last was that of understanding different corporate cultures. For the class of 1985 this ranked seventh. ”Because of my participation in the program I understand different cultures and their value orientation." The only conclusion one can reach is that in the intervening five years this became an area that was covered in the program or their 110 business lives. Certainly, the study of corporate cultures came into its own during the eighties. While there are areas of strength and weakness regarding the achievement of the recommendations of the Carnegie report it should be noted that, in the main, the students responded positively to, or in agreement with, the questions. The mean score for the class of 1980 was 3.07 and for the class of 1985 it was 3.03. n - Research Question Two: To what degree did graduates perceive that their participation affected their family relations? The first item in this section allowed the researcher to ask im‘ the graduates the effect the program had on their marriage while they were in the program. The rest of the questions examined the effect of having attained the degree had upon their marital and family life. They were asked if the time spent pursuing the degree placed a significant burden on their family life. The word significant was chosen intentionally. Over 70% of the class of 1985 and 832 of the class of 1980 agreed that a significant burden was incurred. It is safe to conclude that during the program the family is placed under strong pressure. For the comments section it is obvious that family members, especially spouses, had to make adjustments. Perhaps one of the most interesting findings concerned the relationship between this question and a similar question on the effect the program had on the students' work lives. The graduates perceived that their participation in the program did not have a 111 negative effect upon their work life! In other words, while participation in the program took time and energy away from their families, their work remained a priority. In another item the students were asked to respond to the statement, ”One of the by-products of my MBA is a marriage which is more meaningful and fulfilling.” Both classes responded to this negatively. The majority of both classes disagreed with the statement. They were asked to respond to the statement, "Having an MBA has had a positive effect upon my relationship with my children.” Once again, the majority of graduates disagreed with this statement. The mean fell within the negative range. The graduates were also asked if, because of the MBA, other facets of their life were more meaningful. While a majority of the graduates agreed with this statement, the means for both classes were approximately 2.8 out of a possible 4.0. A 4.0 response would have indicated strong agreement. It is obvious that the graduates did not perceive the degree as being of benefit to their marriage. There could be several reasons for this. They entered the program for reasons relating only to career and, hence, did not expect their families to benefit. Or possibly the family and marriage were kept in boxes quite separate from the box for work. Or they are so career-centered that little consideration is given to the family. After all, the marriage was ”put on the back burner,” not the job. One could not conclude from this study that having an executive MBA is of benefit to marriage or 112 family life. It is even safe to conclude that, during the program, the family will experience added stress. Research Question Three: To what degree did the graduates believe that, because of the program, they have higher career satisfaction than they would have without having participated in the Advanced Management Program? It is assumed (in the popular press) that having an MBA will aid one's career. Therefore this researcher sought to examine whether or not the graduates believed that their MBA aided their career and granted them an additional measure of career satisfaction. There were six questions that related to this research question. The first item the graduates were asked if they believed that because of their degree they advanced further in their career then they would have without the degree. A score of 4 would mean that they strongly agreed with the statement and a score of one would reflect strong disagreement. For the class of 1980 the mean score was 2.88 with 33.32 of the respondents disagreeing with the statement. For the class of 1985 the mean score was 3.37 with only 18.5% of the class disagreeing with the statement. It should be remembered that one of the projects in the marketing class was to market themselves and project where their career would be in the future. The class of 1985 obviously believed that their degree enhanced their career advancement. The class of 1980 was less certain. In fact, 11% strongly disagreed with the statement. It 113 can be concluded that in the first few years following graduation there is a perception that the degree aids career advancement. Another factor in career satisfaction is salary. Do the graduates believe that because of their degree they have higher salaries than they would have had without the degree? This was one of the items in the survey. In the class of 1980 the mean score was 2.77 with 551 of the class in agreement with the statement. For the class of 1985 the mean was 3.0 with 672 in agreement with the statement. It should also be noted that the salaries for the women graduates were substantially lower than those of the men graduates. There may be several factors contributing to this, such as differences in age or positions. Therefore it can be safely concluded that men who recently attain an MBA degree receive salaries higher than if they did not have the degree. The further one gets from graduation the lower a graduate's perception of increased income becomes. Another aspect of career satisfaction is whether one has a position that is challenging and exciting. The graduates were asked to respond to a question that reflected this aspect of career satisfaction. For the class of 1980 55.12 disagreed with the statement. On the other hand, 62.9 I of the 1985 graduates agreed with the statement. For both classes the rank order of this question was 6th out of six questions. The mean score for both classes was the lowest for all questions in this section. Once again there is a difference in perception and, perhaps, experience between the two. The older class is less likely to believe that 114 because of the degree they have a position that is challenging and exciting. Yet, in general, those with this degree in both groups do not have a strong belief that challenging and exciting positions are theirs. Another issue examined in this section was career progression. The class of 1980 ranked this issue fourth and the class of 1985 third. Only 112 of the class of 1985 disagreed with the statement and 331 of the class of 1980 disagreed. The majority of graduates believed that their career progressed as they had intended. Career progression is one important measure of career satisfaction. They were also asked, via the survey, whether they believed that because of their degree they attained assignments that used their skills and abilities. In both classes only 22.21 of the graduates disagreed with the statement. It is safe to conclude that graduates believe that having the degree gave them the means to use their skills and abilities, which is a valuable part of career satisfaction. The last issue examined by the researcher concerned the graduate's perception of whether or not their degree made them marketable. This item ranked first for both classes. Only 11% of the class of 1980 and 71 of the class of 1985 disagreed with this statement. It is obvious that the graduates of this program felt their degree made them marketable and gave them the freedom to seek employment elsewhere. When one looks at the significant correlations, several conclusions can be reached. The issues of increased income and 115 number of advances correlated strongly with the issues of: number of subordinates; use of skills; position that was challenging and career progressing as expected. It appears that the prime criteria for measuring a successful degree were income and advancement. Individuals judge their success by such standards. One issue that must be contended with is the appearance that, even with this MBA, the career will still plateau. The rise in advancements and income will slow. It appears that somewhere between the fifth and tenth year following graduation this occurs. It would also explain the consistent findings that the class of 1980 always had a lower mean score for these questions than did the class of 1985. The newer graduates had greater career satisfaction than b the class of 1980. It should also be noted that this was the only section where there were significant differences between the two graduating classes. In the other three research questions one had a sense that the responses from both classes were similar. But the differences in years between these two classes caused a difference in perception on the issue of career satisfaction. c st ur: Were the principles of andragogy used in the program and if so did graduates perceive that they added to the quality of the program. The program involved a number of educational components. There were formal lectures, group projects, and informal time with both professors and other students. The graduates were asked to respond to nine questions reflecting various aspects of andragogy or the 116 teaching of adults. The students responded via a modified Likert scale. The responses were weighted and mean scores were derived. The mean scores were then placed in rank order. The rank order for the two highest means and the three lowest means was the same for both classes. Those questions ranked third, fourth, fifth and sixth were within one rank of the other class. In other words, there was great similarity of response and prioritization for both classes. It should also be noted that the grand mean for both classes was within one-tenth of a point (3.13 versus 3.04). The item that ranked first based on mean scores was group projects. The exact wording of the question was, "The time I spent working with other students on group projects was a valuable part of my education.” The second rank item was, "The time I spent informally with other students was a valuable part of my education." As graduates looked back on the educational components of the program, they ranked the time they spent with other students as being the most valuable. Of those items directly related to andragogical considerations the lowest-ranked question related to the informal time students spent with their professors. The second lowest-ranked item related to the faculty's understanding of the student's lives outside the classroom. The students did not have a sense that this was of concern to their professors. The students also felt that the work and life experience of their fellow students added greatly to their educational experience. 117 They also had an appreciation that the professors did respect and utilize their experience. In terms of content, they found immediately applicable information to be of great help. Although there was a negative correlation between immediate application and years married and number of children. This suggests that the older and more experienced the student was, the less they felt that the professors provided real work application. Conclusions On the basis of this study, the following conclusions can be made. 1. Overall, the program met the expectations of the respondents. 2. The respondents entered the program primarily to gain skills and continue their education. 3. There were differing perceptions between the respondents of the two classes as to whether or not the degree had a positive effect upon their careers. More recent graduates perceived a greater boost to their careers than those who graduated five years earlier. This reinforces other research (Gutteridge, 1973, p. 294) which suggests that with time the value of possession of the degree lessens. 4. Respondents in both classes surveyed believed that the degree gave them the flexibility to seek other employers. So long as employers perceived the degree to be important, employment opportunities will be open to graduates. 5. The income of female respondents was lower than the income of the male respondents. 6. The possession of the degree and participation in the program did not have a positive effect upon the respondent's relationship to their spouse or their children. 118 7. Participation in the program was a burden to their families. 8. Where the principles of andragogy were followed the respondents perceived their educational experience to be a positive one. Whereas, when the principles of pedagogy were applied they felt less positive about the experience. 9. The most important andragogical finding concerned the power of the cohort group. Respondents benefited most from the exposure and interaction with their fellow students. The cohort group working together proved a strong motivator and teacher! Recommendations In this section the author will make recommendations based on the information found in this study. For the sake of simplicity these recommendations will fall under the categories of the students, the professors, the program & further areas of study. In some instances a recommendation might actually fall within more than one category. Students Students entered the program for a number of reasons. It is obvious that they wanted to gain skills and continue their education. But there were also career-related issues. One has a sense that they believed that it would have a positive effect upon their careers. Alas, there is enough data to show that, while the degree did help them early in their career, it did not provide a continuous upward momentum. Future MBA students need to realize that relying on this degree as a ticket to success may only lead to 119 disappointment. However, if they focus on skill enhancement and an opportunity to continue their education, they will find those expectations justified. It is obvious in obtaining this degree that there was little or no benefit to marital or family satisfaction. While other aspects of their life might be perceived as having been helped by the degree, there was no benefit to family life. In fact, the time involved in gaining the degree provided a significant stress to family relations. While this may be true of most graduate work, students should be under no illusions as to the cost of working on the degree and what realistic future benefits they can expect. Before someone enters the program such information should be made available to them. The students also need to realize from the beginning that the most fulfilling educational experience will not be found in the lecture hall; rather, it will be in found in group projects and informal time with other students. While the faculty of the Advanced Management Program is heralded as one of the finest in the nation, it would help students to know at the very beginning that their predecessors found time with other students to be of paramount importance. Enigma If this report is critical of anything, it is of the faculty. It should be noted that the study examined perceptions. A graduate's perception could be influenced by many factors--lack of 120 career progress, difficulty of family life or even just romanticizing the program over the years. Yet, one has a strong sense that where andragogical principles prevailed, as opposed to pedagogical, the students perceived that the education was more meaningful and beneficial. The faculty needs to be cognizant of the principles of andragogy. It is important for them to realize that, while students enter the program for career advancement, their prime concern is gaining skills and continuing their education. They are seeking immediate application and they strongly appreciate the work and life experience of their fellow students. This is not the place for pedagogy! While it may be a red herring, it is obvious that the students did not feel that they had quality informal time with the faculty. Dinner together may not provide enough informal content. Undoubtedly the faculty only have a limited amount of time to present the material that they believe to be important. Neither the faculty nor the students live "on campus.” Nor are faculty members responsible for students who do not seek them out. Yet, it would behoove the faculty to find ways in which to find informal time to be with their students. It might be helpful for the professors to visit the students in their place of work. This would not only allow them to spend time with their students but it also would provide them with the opportunity to gain an insight into the problems and challenges of their student's work life. 121 Km Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the faculty and administration to improve the program and make policy changes. Four research issues were examined in this study. They revolved around: the educational experience and course relevance; the effect upon marriage and family; the effect upon career satisfaction; and the application of the principles of andragogy. Educational experience and course relevappy. It is obvious that certain courses had lasting value to the graduates and some did not. Several courses were found to be wanting from the student's perspective. Materials-Logistics--Management was the course that seemed to have troubled the students the most. The study did not examine why an individual course was found wanting. Frankly, there was a dearth of responses when asked why. Of those responding, Irzaegative courses were deemed boring, poorly taught or not .Eajpplicable. Only further examination will help find the actual <:=£iuse(s). Such further investigation is necessary. On-going course evaluation, both by present and past students, would be important. The students entered the program for reasons that differ from a‘==¢::epted wisdom. We have seen they want skill development, especially with immediate application, and continuing education. It 1:11 glit be helpful to focus the program on these expectations. If s tudents knew that these needs will be met, satisfaction might be gIrediter. Such a focus might even have an implication for marketing the program both to employers and future students. 122 It might be helpful to focus on realistic career goals before the students enter the program. During the orientation program perhaps an “expert" could discuss the issues of career plateauing--even with an MBA. The program already does an excellent job of team building and assessment during the orientation. It might also be helpful to discuss realistically what the future might hold for the graduates. The Carnegie report suggests a number of areas that needed to lae covered in any MBA program. In the main, the Advanced Management 1?rogram did well in fulfilling these expectations. Yet, certain areas fell short of the mark. For instance, why did the students t>£31iewe that the program failed to give them a commitment to life l1—<>Img education? In an area where technology is so important, why did the students believe that they did not understand the infusion of science and technology on their industry? It is possible, lfil<2>1irever, that these issues were met elsewhere and therefore they C11 dn't give the program credit for them. These are issues that need to be examined in greater depth. Magigai and family aatisfaction. The issue of the effect of the program on marriage and family life is a significant one. currently, time is spent with spouses only during spouse orientation an): ing the first quarter. Perhaps this could be expanded. It might be helpful to have an onogoing program. Perhaps time could be tDtt>Vided for husbands and wives to spend time together throughout the year. If the students find informal time with other students so 123 helpful, then meeting the families of their fellow students might be of help also. Certainly, the student work groups can encourage family participation amongst themselves. It is not solely the responsibility of the program to encourage family participation. Career satisfaction. Certainly, the program is not responsible for future career satisfaction. They do not give work assignments or promotions. Yet, career development and guidance have always loeen part of the ”normal” educational process. Perhaps in assuming that the students admitted to this program would be "fast-trackers" a disservice has been done. Andragogy. While the faculty are obviously experts in their field they do not appear to be very knowledgeable about the Principles of andragogy. It might be helpful if they were given regular in-services in adult education. New faculty members could 13’f'being overwhelmed with data! This led to frustration and a feeling of being disorganized. The second had to do with contacting the students. The author Was led to believe that the program kept track of their graduates. This was far from the case. Gaining a response rate of over 50% was InZILI'L‘aculous. A number of the students could not be found. In spite of phone calls to former employers and queries made to fellow a tudents, some seem to have virtually disappeared. For over a mghth numerous long distance calls were made. Perhaps more 126 tragically was the fact that a number were no longer living. Yet, they were still on the roster. The author called one graduate whose daughter answered the phone. She quickly handed over the phone to her mother. I was then informed that the graduate had died the year before!. This was unpleasant, to say the least. Perhaps most disheartening, at least for a priest and marriage counselor, was the graduates' perceptions of marriage. There was no sense that the program that they spent so much time in had any positive effect on their marriage. They felt that the program made them better negotiators or communicators and taught them to "humanize" the corporation, but they had no sense that these skills were transferable to their marriage or relationship with their children. Was their education so technical and business-oriented that applications could not be made to the rest of their life? Is ‘not one of the purposes of an education to provide men and women wvith the tools and philosophical foundation to find meaning in life? IIndustry spends a great deal of time and effort in seeing to it that tihe spouses of new hires are comfortable. They may offer employment aSSistance or help in finding a house. This is done because an unhappy spouse has a negative effect upon the work performance of an elillployee. Should not an educational institution, and its sponsoring ‘=“¢>lnpanies, take seriously the burden the AMP places upon the marital ‘E‘Irletter able to set priorities. While I can empathize with my Students as they write their project thesis at Spring Arbor I also Iiirve a better appreciation of the goals and expectations of the research project. Looking at the results of this dissertation has also given me some new ideas to teach management. I hope, after a short hiatus, t9 begin work on a text book on management. 130 On the whole, it has been a most helpful experience. I trust that I have a much better understanding of the intricacies of research. Most importantly, a better understanding of the needs of my students. APPENDIX First Year UL DESCRIPTION EalLl‘erm MANAGERIAL ACCOUNTING. Examines accounting's use in managerial decision making. Decision areas include financial planning, performance evaluation, cost control, pricing, and relevant costing. Concepts emphasized are contribution margin analysis, cost behavior, long- term and short-term cost patterns, costing systems, cost control tools, budgeting, and internal performance measures for motivation and control. PERSONNEL AND HUMAN RELATIONS. Deals with human problems in industry. Topics include motivation, individual differences, individual behavior, and the problems of producing behavioral change in individuals and groups. INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS. Looks at collective bargaining, labor law, labor contract negotiations and administration, grievances, labor disputes, wages and fringe benefits, and concession bargaining problems. Problem areas are approached primarily from the management viewpoint in terms of its long- and short-run policies. THE AMERICAN ECONOMY. Explores national income, employment, inflation, and the rate of economic growth. Probes national economic goals. Presents a theoretical framework for considering thee problems and evaluating policy alternatives. Examines the relationship between foreign and trade balances and the income level. Winter Term MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION AND THEORY. Emphasizes planning, directing, coordination, control, and the fundamentals of managerial decision-making. Highlighted are skills and attitudes affecting the organization. Various organization models assist the executives in perceiving their organizational role. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT. Emphasizes policy adaptation to the financial environment. Topics include financial planning and capital budgeting, cost of capital, short- and long-term financing, capital markets, measurement of the cost of capital, dividend policy, and problems involved in mergers and acquisitions. MANAGERIAL ECONOMICS AND PUBLIC POLICY. Presents economic analysis as a framework for management decisions. Explores analysis of demand, costs, pricing, and the use of resources. Competition is analyzed, both as a part of the firm's environment and as a national economic goal. 132 BUSINESS AND THE LEGAL ENVIRONMENT. Critical examination of the legal environment in which business operates. Analysis of the component elements of the legal environment of business and the structural framework in which the law functions. Analysis and evaluation of policy reasons for many of the areas of government regulation together with a consideration of business-related ethical issues. Spring Term MANAGEMENT PROGRAMMING AND CONTROL. Applies quantitative techniques to the decision- making process. Special emphasis is placed on problem formulation and developing appropriate solutions via systematic analysis and model development. The computer in modern management is taught from the two aspects of problem analysis and decision support. MARKETING MANAGEMENT. Examines the factors that should determine a company's marketing strategy including market delineation, consumer and industrial motivation, product policy, pricing policy, physical distribution, market cultivation, communication and advertising, management of the sales force, manufacturing-dealer systems and relationships, marketing organizations, and research. MATERIALS-LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT. Develops framework for the acquisition, conversion, and distribution process. Uses materials, requirement planning (MRP) framework to illustrate information and material flows and linkages between customers, manufacturing, and vendors. Topics include source selection and evaluation, production planning, manufacturing management, distribution and transportation, inventory management, and facility location. ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY. This strategy course integrates the entire curriculum. It addresses problems of broad strategic concern which enables the organization to deal with environmental forces. Use is made of comprehensive cases calling for general management decisions. 133 Summer Intepp Agtivities PROBLEMS IN EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT. Each student analyzes a significant management problem under the supervision of a senior faculty member. Results are submitted in a formal written report. OR INTERNATIONAL STUDY OPTION. As an extra cost option, students may elect to participate in an international study course in place of the "Problems in Executive Management" course. Students study business structure and management practice sin selected foreign countries. Formal class sessions are followed by a 10-14 day visit to businesses in selected countries. EMERGING ISSUES IN THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT. This is a special colloquium to examine significant current issues in relation to business policy and decision making. Outside speakers from business, government and education address the class on subjects appropriate to the issue. Student groups conduct research and prepare written reports and formal presentations. 134 WWWW 915a}.- .205. E—u'i ‘3' < EXECUT! E- . thB__ - PROGRAM Dear Advanced Management Program Graduate: The enclosed questionnaire is part of a doctoral dissertation Fr. Gene Geromel is doing in the Department of Adult and Continuing Education at MSU. It concerns the advanced management program and its effect upon your lite, both while you were in the program and in the years since graduation. The results o1 this survey will rexlect your perceptions. It is hoped that the results will help program developers and protessors better understand the ways in which your MBA affected ‘V‘c. you, your career and your lite in general. it will also ask you to reflect back on your experience in the program. Unless you choose otherwise, all questionnaires will be anonymous. It is being sent to only two classes and theretore it is important that we receive as many responses as possible. There is room at the bottom ot page 6, and on the last page, for you to expand upon any answer or make any comments that you might wish. We want to thank you in advance tor your assistance. Sincerely yours, Is. Lorna I, Lathe Fr. Gene Geromel SSC P.S. We would appreciate it the questionnaires could be returned by June 7, 1991 in the self-addressed ehclosed envelope. awmmfimwmam (hmmfimnaummummamm Iamtanmnu. M0481" 135 ...: received my MBA from nichigan State in 19 2.I entered the program for the following reasons. (Please rank order the top 3, with 1 being the most important reason.) rarsrm}: socziu. Irrmcrzon wzrn rm: Paouorzons __canrn canon moans: Ill sun! can whom $1:th nmmrmr orronmzr! ro courzm trauma OTHER, please indicate and rank 3 I was married when I entered the program. YES NO 4. I have been married for years. 5. I had number of children when I entered program. 6. List the three most important ways in which your spouse supported your participation in the program:l. 2. 3. 7. List the three most important ways in which your employer supported your participation in the program: 1. 2. 3. Since attaining my degree I have had _____ promotions. (This would aJSo.include job changes which you believe were a promotion. or a change in title which you perceive to be a promotion.) 9. How many people report directly or indirectly to you? employee's. 10. My current job title is ll. Please list the major for each of the degrees you have received: 3e‘e/Be5. H.l./H.S. Ph.D./Ed.D. H.D. 12. I had years full-time work experience before I entered the 13?. 13. My current age is . 14. SEX HALE FINALE 15. My current income range per year is: Less than $30,000 $31 - $45,000 546 - $60,000 _$61 - $75,000 $76 ~890,000 $91,000 and above 136 A. Managerial Accounting 3. International Study Option 3. Personnel and Human Relations I. Industrial Relations c. nanagement Programing and Control 3. The American Economy D. ”3‘9““: Organisation “‘3 1'5“”? x. Managerial Economics and Public Policy E. Marketing Management L. Business and the Legal Environment 5. financial Management 3. Emerging Issues in Business 6. Problem Analysis Paper N. hatarials-Logistics-flgmt. o. Administratiwalblicy —- --c.- -—.. QUESTIONS 16 - 19 CONCERN 733 COURSES YOU TOOK WHILZ’IN THE PROGRAM. 73232 COURSES CAN BE POUND ABOVE. IN RANK ORDERING PLEASE CONSIDER NUMBER 1 TO BE THE "TOP" NUMBER AND 3 TO 32 T32 "LOW" NUMBER. 16. The three courses I enjoyed the most while in the program were: 1. 2. 3. Why? 17. The three courses which have been of the greatest help to me since graduating are:1. 2. 3. why? 18. The three courses which I enjoyed the least while in the program 'were: 1. 2. 3. ‘ Why: 19. The three courses which have been of the least help since graduation arezl. 2. 3. why? The following questions relate to your educational experience in the Advanced Management Program. The options of responses range trom strongly agree to strongly disagree. There is also a not applicable column. Please check the circle which best characterizes your response to each question. NOT STRONGLY STRONGLY APPLICABLE AGREE AGREE DISAGRE! DISAGREE 20. The professors re8P¢¢t0d and utilized the experience. background and skills which I brought into the program. 0 0 O 0 O 21. The coursework immediately Gave me a way to solve problems . at work. 0 0 O o 0 137 NOT STRONGLY STRONGLY , APPLICABLE AGREE AGREE DISAGREE DISAGREE 22.The time I spent working with other students on group projects was a valuable part of my education. 0 O O 0 O 23. The time I spent informally with other students was a valuable part of my educational experience. 0 O O O O 24.The work and life experience of my fellow students added greatly to my education. 0 O O O O 25. The faculty under- stood that I had commitments at work and at home. 0 O O O O 26. Informal discussions with my professors were a baluable part of my education. 0 O O O O The following questions relate to your experience in the Advanced Management Program and its subsequent effect on your career and life. The options of responses range from strongly agree to strongly disagree. There is also a not applicable column. Please check the circle which best characterizes your response to each question. NOT STRONGLY STRONGLY APPLICABLE AGREE AGREE DISAGREE DISAGNEE 27. The program met my expectations. 0 O O O O 28. My participation in the NBA Program caused me more problems at work. 0 O 0 O O 29. Because of my MBA I believe I have advanced further in my career than I would have without it. 0 O O O O 138 NOT STRONGLY APPLICABLE AGREE AGREE 30. My income is substantially higher than it would be without my MBA. O O O 31. Because of my degree I have a position which is challenging and exciting. O O O 32. As I look back on the time spent pursuing my degree I realize that it placed a significant burden on my family life. 0 O O 33.The degree provides me with the flexibility to seek other employers. O 0 O 34. My career has progressed as I planned. 0 O O 35. One of the by-products of my MBA is a marriage which is more meaningful and fulfilling. O O O 36. Because of my MBA other facets of my life are more fulfilling. O O 0 3?. fly degree made it possible to attain assignments which used my abilities and skills. 0 O O 38. Saving an NBA has had a positive effect upon my relationship with my children. 0 o o STRONGLY DISAGREE DISAGREE o o o o o o o 0 Re 0' o o o o o o o o o 139 NOT STRONGLY APPLICABLE AGREE AGREE Because of my participation in the program: 39. I have learned how to learn and have gained a conmitment to continuing lifelong education. 0 O O 40. I understand the characteristics of my own industry and can assess the forces affecting my company. 0 O O 41. I understand different cultures and their value orientation. 0 O O 42. I understand the changes likely to occur in the future of my industry and can adjust to them. 0 O O 43. I better understand the development of science and the diffusion of technology. 0 O O 44. I am more innov tive in my work. 0 O O 45. I have improved my ability to communicate. O 0 O 46. I have improved my negotiation skills thus reducing and resolving conflict without recourse to litigation. 0 O O 47. I appreciate the changing role of the work force. 0 O O 48. I learned to humanize the corporation rather than corporatize the family. 0 O O DISAGREE STRONGLY DISAGREE 140 NOT STRONGLY APPL I CABLE AGREE AGREE 49. I accept responsibility for assisting in the development and life orientation of I! subordinates and fellow managers. 0 O 0 SO. I understand the ethical implications of the management decisions I make. 0 O O OPTIOIIL NOULD too It NILLING TO BE urnvrawxn? NAME DISAGREE STRONGLY D I SAGREE ADDRESS PHONE BIBLIOGRAPHY Bibliography Allio, R. J. (1984, Summer). Executive retraining: The obsolescent MBA. Bugiggss and Sggigtx Rgview. American Psychological Association. (1983). tio manual of thg_A£A, third edition. Washington, DC. Anderson, R. E. (1974, April). Sampling the market for trained administrators. College and Univgrgigx Buginess. Apps, J. W. (1991). e e e . Malabar, FL: Kreiger. Bardwick, J. M. (1986). Ihe plateaging tzgp. New York: AMACOM. Bartol, K. M., & Martin, D. C. (1987, March). Managerial motivation among MBA students: A longitudinal assessment. Journal 9f Occupational Psycholggx. Behrman, J. N., & Levin, R. I. (1984, January/February). Are business schools doing their job? flarvard Business Review. Behymer, J., & Schafer, J. (1990, March). Andragofy: Implications for business education for the 19905 and beyond. 51 s E o Berkove, G. F. (1979, October). Perception of husband support by returning women students. 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