Empirical Study of Theory Application balance in core business courses

An Empirical Study of Business Students’
Perceptions on the Proper Balance of Theory
and Practice in Business Core Courses
Dr. Don Daake, Professor Emeritus, ONU
Dr. Kathleen Mays, East Texas Baptist
University (ETBU)
Mariah Garratt, May ONU graduate
Daake, Mays & Garratt April 19, 2017

Purpose of Current Study
• Explore student perceptions on how they believe core business courses
are currently taught and how they should be regarding theory and
application/practice balance.
• Exploratory in nature in terms of group differences by majors; schools, etc.
• Refine instrument for further research.
• Start developing a rigorous approach to what theory ACTUALLY means to
students and faculty.
• Develop initial exploratory hypotheses on casual relationship
Faculty background balance of theory and practice

Dynamic tension between theory and practical
application especially at undergraduate level
• Extension of Dr. Mays 2009 Dissertation “THE ROLE OF UNDERGRADUATE
MANAGEMENT EDUCATION IN BRIDGING THE THEORY-APPLICATION GAP: A
QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS”
• Mays, Kathleen W. & Daake, Don. (2013, Winter “Bridging the Theory
Application Gap in Undergraduate Management Education,” Journal of
Higher Education Theory and Practice, 12(4)
• Original study was done on University professors at small to mid size
Colleges and Universities CIC Schools- n=1100 surveys sent- completed
229 22%

Can we rightly assert?
• Students don’t fully understand the nature and role of theory
vs. application
• Professors who have more rigorous doctoral work- especially
Ph.D’s and DBA’s are likely to emphasize theory more.
• Professors (particularly adjunct- non-Ph.D. or DBA degrees)
may be not fully equipped to be “knowledge brokers” of
current theoretical research.
• Well not quite yet, but study suggests
need for future research in these areas!

Can we rightly assert?
• Professors with lots of practical work experience are more
likely to use practical/applications more effectively.
• Graduate level MBA programs likely need much more
emphasis on cutting edge research and need to be taught by
Ph.D. or equivalent professors.
• Well not quite yet, but study suggests
need for future research in these areas!

Our sample
• Students in upper division strategy classes over the last 5 years
• N=424 351 (ONU-83%) 73 ETBU (18%)
• Sophmore-3; Juniors 33; Senior 380 (some are first semester)

IMPORTANT CAVEATS
• DESCRIPTIVE STUDY
• RESULTS ARE NOT NORMATIVE/PRESCRIPTIVE
• IN OTHER WORDS WHAT IS, IS NOT NECESSARILY
WHAT SHOULD BE!
• OPEN UP A DISCUSION WITH FACULTY AND
STUDENTS ABOUT THE APPROPRIATE BALANCE

IMPORTANT CAVEATS
• First Author in fact has significant concerns about the
lack of research and theoretical contributions among
faculty at NON-Research Institutions
• This PRESENTATION implies the issue needs to be
addressed at ONU and other CCU institutions

Just what is theory?
• A tested and widely accepted model that helps
explain and predict natural facts and which is based
on observations, experiments and reason. In order for
a business or scientific theory to develop credibility, it
must be subjected to the stringent test of a thorough
peer review performed by experts in the same field.

The Dynamic Balance between Theory and
Practice challenges the Academy!
• “If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts.”
Albert Einstein
• “Experience without theory is blind, but theory without
experience is mere intellectual play.” Immanuel Kant
• “Ultimately, we need a synthesis of theory and practice if
we are to prepare thoughtful practitioners” Raelin
• “Nothing Is Quite So Practical as a Good Theory”
ANDREW H. VAN DE VEN

Dr. Karl E. Weick
in studying human behavior he concludes…
• “Some do, Some don’t, and the Differences
aren’t that great.”

Overview of general results
• About a third of t-test comparisons between ONU and ETBU show significant
differences which needs further explanation.
• Virtually no statistical differences between Majors that are
QUANITATIVE and QUALITATIVE- SURPRISING RESULT!
• Virtually no differences between those who say they intend to pursue
MBA or equivalent (70% or likelihood) vs those who don’t’-
Again Surprising!

Student Perceptions Regarding Theory-
How Actually Taught (Q1)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1= VERY LITTLE 7= GREAT DEAL

Student perceptions Regarding
Application (Q2) Actually Taught
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

Student Perceptions- Preference should be
placed on Theory (Q3)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

Student Perceptions- Preference should be
placed on Application (Q4)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

DIRECT COMPARISON- ACTUAL (Q1) VS.
PREFERENCE ON THEORY (Q3)

PREFERENCE ON THEORY (Q3)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
ACTUAL PREFERENCEDaake, Mays & Garratt April 19, 2017

PREFERENCE ON APPLICATION (Q4)

PREFERENCE ON APPLICATION (Q4)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
ACTUAL PREFERENCE

PREFERENCE THEORY TO APPLICATION
1=THEORY 7=APPLICATION MID-POINT 4

PREFERENCE THEORY TO APPLICATION
1=THEORY 7=APPLICATION MID-POINT 4
1.00
2.00
3.00
4.00
5.00
6.00
7.00
Theory vs. Application
preference
SCORE MIDPOINT

Theory or Application Type of Person-Our
Student Sample

Theory or Application Type of Person-our
Sample (faculty)

Students: Type of person you see yourself
as…
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
CONSIDER YOUR SELF TYPE OF PERSON
1 =TOTALLY THEORY; 10 =TOTALLY APPLICATION

QUANITATIVE VS. QUALITATIVE MAJORS

How should various techniques balance
theory & practice

Follow-on research and questions
• Just what is theory in the minds of students and faculty?
• Does it vary from university to university?
• What constitutes “The Literature” of a field?

Follow-on research and questions
• To what degree are students challenged to read actual empirical
theoretically based research?
• To what degree do professors themselves read the literature of the field?
• To what degree do professors engage in and contribute to their professional
fields?
• How are MBA course taught differently regarding theory and practice?

Selected References
• Burke, Lisa A., & Rau, Barbara. (2010). The research-teaching gap in
management. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 9(1), 132-
143.
• Carter, C. R. (2008). Knowledge production and knowledge transfer: Closing the
research-practice gap. Journal of Supply Chain Management: A Global Review
of Purchasing and Supply, 44(2), 78-82.
• Duncan, J. W. (1974). Transferring management theory to practice. Academy of
Management Journal, 17(4), 724-738.
• Hughes, Tim, Bence, David, Grisoni, Louise, O'Regan, Nicholas, & Wornham,
David. (2011). Scholarship that matters: academic-practitioner engagement in
business and management. Academy of Management Learning and Education,
10(1), 40-57.
• Koontz, H. (1961, Dec.). The management theory jungle. Journal of the
Academy of Management, 174 188.

Selected References
• Mintzberg, H. (2004). Managers, Not MBAs. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler.
• Pettigrew, A. M. (2001). Management research after modernism. British Journal of Management, 12
(Supplement 1), S61-S70.
• Pfeffer, J., & Fong, C. T. (2003). The end of business schools? Less success than meets the eye. Academy of
Management Learning and Education, 1(1), 78-95.
• Porter, L. W., & McKibbin, L. E. (1988). Management Education and Development: Driftor Thrust into the
21st Century? New York: McGraw-Hill.
• Raelin, J. A. (2007). Toward an epistemology of practice. Academy of Management Learning & Education,
6(4), 495-519.
• Rynes, S. L., Bartunek, J. M., & Daft, R. L. (2001). Across the great divide: Knowledge creation and transfer
between practitioners and academics. Academy of Management Journal, 44 (2), 340-355.
• Rynes, S. L., McNatt, D. B., & Bretz, R. D. (1999). Academic research inside organizations: inputs, processes,
and outcomes. Personnel Psychology, 52, 869-898.
• Starkey, K. & Madan, P. (2001). Bridging the relevance gap: Aligning stakeholders in the future of
management research. British Journal of Management, 12, (Supplement 1), S3-S26.

Selected References
• Theroux, J. (2009). Real-time case method: analysis of a second implementation. Journal of Education for Business,
84(6), 367-373.
• Theroux, J. and Kilbane, C. (2004). The real-time case method: a new approach to an old tradition. Journal of
Education for Business, 79(3), 163-167.
• Van de Ven, A. H., & Johnson, P. E. (2006). Knowledge for theory and practice. Academy of Management Review,
31(4), 802-821.
• Weatherbee, Terrence, Dye, Kelly, & Mills, Albert J. (2008). There's nothing as good as a practical theory: The
paradox of management education. Management and Organizational History, 3(2), 147-160.
• Wren, D. A., Atherton, R. M., & Michaelson, L. K. (1980). Theory and applications in management pedagogy: An
empirical study. Journal of Management, 6(1), 21-31.
• Wren, D. A., Buckley, M. R., & Michaelsen, L. K. (1994). The theory/applications balance in management pedagogy:
Where do we stand? Journal of Management, 20(1), 141-157.
• Wren, D. A., Halbesleben, J. R. R., & Buckley, M. R. (2007). The theory-application balance in management
pedagogy: A longitudinal update. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 6(4), 484-492.

• Thank you for your attention
• Presentation available- Google Don Daake Slideshare

Empirical Study of Theory Application balance in core business courses

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (19)

Similar to Empirical Study of Theory Application balance in core business courses

Similar to Empirical Study of Theory Application balance in core business courses (20)

More from Dr. Don Daake, Ph.D.

More from Dr. Don Daake, Ph.D. (12)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Empirical Study of Theory Application balance in core business courses