Ana Beatriz Hernández-Lara

Comparing student competences in a face-to-face and online business game

In todays globalized environment, universities and business schools need to incorporate elements and tools to obtain high-performance capabilities. Curricular schooling can benefit from the usage of educational business games. We analyzed the evolution and performance of two group of students who have followed a business simulation during some academic semesters. Data from a questionnaire answered by 146 students were analysed and compared with the European Tuning Project competence ranking. The results showed that the level of generic and specific competences obtained using business games is quite high. Moreover, the study have found that the assessment of competences acquired by students with a business game is not the same in the case of on-campus students than in the case of online students, in most cases the online group values specific competences higher than the face-to-face group. Our results suggest that the use of business games and can be considered a useful tool to improve students achievements and to foster a good level of competences.

Categorizing the Spanish Accommodation Sector Does Firm Size Influence Economic Profitability

This work aims at clustering Spanish accommodation firms into representative groups and at determining the firm size indicators that characterize each group. By doing this, we strive to explain the different groups’ profitability by their firm size indicators, and conclude how such firm size indicators are useful to explain firms’ economic sustainability. We apply clustering and logistic regression analyses using year 2008 data from 197 firms to group Spanish accommodation firms in terms of their economic profitability and to determine the firm size indicators that characterize each group. These analyses show three groups of accommodation firms in Spain. Companies in the first group have a positive relationship of profits with operating revenues and assets, but a negative relationship of profits with the number of employees. Companies in the second group have profits positively influenced by the number of employees and negatively affected by assets. Finally, companies in the third group show a negative influence on profits exerted by operating revenues but are positively affected by the number of employees and assets. These findings can serve as a guide to know companies’ categories in the accommodation sector in terms of their economic profitability. This work also provides managers with useful information to improve the economic sustainability of these companies. This information could support strategic decisions about the competitive position of their firms and the volume of competitors with a similar economic profile.

Professional Identity Development in Higher Education: Influencing Factors.

Purpose In the last few years, the interest on professional identity development (PID) and the factors that influence PID has become central in higher education (HE) literature. However, the knowledge developed in this domain has focussed on a factor at a time and on a degree or discipline, thus being difficult to have a general picture of all the factors that influence the development of professional identity in HE. The purpose of this paper is to try to go further by proposing a systematic and integrative conceptual framework on the factors that influence PID of HE students. Design/methodology/approach To identify the influencing factors on PID the authors used primary and secondary data sources. In particular, the authors first conducted a thorough literature review to identify the influencing factors on PID already studied, and second the authors conducted a qualitative pilot study through four Focus Groups to identify new factors not acknowledged before. Findings The resulting integrative conceptual framework considers the following categories of influencing factors on PID: social experience, educational context, perceived congruence with the profession, demographic characteristics, professional image, professional experience, personal development and self-engagement. Research limitations/implications The proposed framework constitutes a roadmap for future research on career development and counselling to develop in order to enhance PID at university. Nonetheless, this proposed conceptual framework needs to be validated with empirical data. Originality/value This paper integrates all the existing knowledge on the influencing factors on PID from different disciplines by constructing a conceptual framework to be validated with further research.

Spanish business investment in China from the perspective of the consulting firm Garrigues

Purpose – This article aims to analyse the reasons for Spanish companies to invest in China and the factors that influence the success or failure of the venture during the implementation process.Design/methodology/approach – This paper is based on an interview held with the two partners of the Garrigues office in Shanghai, Francisco Soler and Manuel Torres. Francisco Soler was responsible for opening and subsequently managing the office from 2005 through to August 2011, when he handed over the reins to Manuel Torres.Findings – The main reason for investing in China is its market. It is worth mentioning here that there has been a paradigm shift whereby China has gone from being the “worlds factory” to the “worlds market”, not just because of its size but also because of the dizzying speed at which it continues to grow. To minimise the risks of investing in China, the interviewees pointed out the crucial importance of the company committing a significant amount of all kinds of resources to the venture. Th...

Applying learning analytics to students’ interaction in business simulation games. The usefulness of learning analytics to know what students really learn

Abstract Nowadays, different ways of communication and interaction among multiple actors are dominating learning processes. However, there are critical opinions that question the contribution of student interaction to real learning. This study applies learning analytics and data mining techniques to explore the online discussion forums of 362 business students at the bachelor and master levels, who participated in business simulation games between 2011 and 2016. The findings revealed that the most frequent contents in the students’ online discussion forums were related, firstly, to the parameters and features of the business simulation game, and, secondly, to elements that fostered the students’ learning process, while small talk or regular conversation did not appear to be relevant. In addition, the contents with predictive power over learning results were related to uncertainty, time, interaction, communication and collaboration, although none of these elements influenced teacher assessment of student learning. This study reveals the usefulness of learning analytics tools to gain a more wide and holistic view of the learning process of students, discovering new aspects that affect students’ learning results.

Service quality and economic performance in the US airline business

AbstractThe purpose of this paper is to determine the effects of service quality on US airlines’ economic performance.In order to cover this goal, four quality indexes related to the airline industry, and two economic performance indicators, revenues and return on investment (ROI), have been considered. Data from American airline companies from 2006 to 2013 have been used to determine if airlines’ profitability increases when service quality improves.Considering the effects on airlines’ profitability, the results confirm the positive and significant influence of service quality on the ROI of the US airline companies. A non-significant effect was found for airline revenues in relation to quality.No previous research in this area has been done so these findings could encourage airline companies to invest in quality, since this policy can have a positive return on their profitability.

Analysis of the profitability of the Spanish business sector with investment presence in China

Purpose – This article aims to compare the average profitability by sector for companies that have invested in China during 2008-2011, with the average profitability for Spanish firms from the same sector. Design/methodology/approach – Analysis done through Analysis System of Iberian Balances (SABI) database. Findings – The results show that companies that invest in China gain economic rewards that are greater than those that do not invest in China, with the most profitable sectors comparatively being the metallurgy and the wholesale trade. Originality/value – We have not found previous analysis in this way.