Darrin Kass

Giving MBA Programs the Third Degree.

Many critics of management education believe that MBA programs are facing a crisis because their curricula fail to adequately address the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) that students must acquire in order to succeed in the business world. Because the traditional approaches to MBA curriculum development have failed to identify these KSAs, a new approach is needed. This article proposes a step-by-step guide to implementing such an approach, called “the proactive mission-based approach,” that will better provide graduates with KSAs valuable to them and employers.

Problem-solving therapy to improve depression scores among older hemodialysis patients: a pilot randomized trial.

AIMS Depression is common among dialysis patients and is associated with adverse outcomes. Problem-solving therapy (PST) is effective for treating depression in older patients with chronic illness, but its effectiveness has never been reported in hemodialysis (HD) patients. We investigated the feasibility and satisfaction of PST and its impact on depression scores among older HD patients. METHODS Patients at least 60 years of age receiving maintenance HD at a single outpatient dialysis center were eligible for the study. Randomized patients received either 6 weeks of PST from a licensed renal social worker or usual care. This study modeled the staff-patient ratio standard of most dialysis clinics, and therefore only one social worker provided the interventions. Study outcomes included feasibility (successful completion of 6 weekly sessions) and patient satisfaction with PST as well as impact on depression scores (between-group comparison of mean Beck depression inventory (BDI) and Patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scores at 6 weeks, and of mean change-from-baseline scores). RESULTS The recruitment rate was 92% (35/38). All subjects randomized to the intervention arm (n = 17) and who initiated PST (n = 15) completed the study, and all reported overall satisfaction with the intervention. 87% reported that PST helped them to better solve problems and improved their ability to cope with their medical condition. At 6 weeks, there were no significant differences in mean BDI and PHQ scores between the usual care and the intervention group (BDI 11.3 vs. 9.3, p = 0.6; PHQ 5.7 vs. 3.3, p = 0.1). Mean change-from-baseline depression scores were significantly improved in the intervention group relative to the control group (change in BDI 6.3 vs.- 0.6, p = 0.004; change in PHQ 7.2 vs. 0.3, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The results demonstrate that PST is feasible in the dialysis unit setting, acceptable to patients, and may positively impact depression among maintenance hemodialysis patients.

The GMAT as a Predictor of MBA Performance: Less Success Than Meets the Eye

Consistent with previous research, the authors found that the combined use of undergraduate grade point average and the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) verbal and quantitative sections successfully predicted performance in a master of business administration (MBA) program. However, these measures did not successfully predict the competencies that underlie managerial effectiveness, including communication, teamwork, decision making, leadership initiative, and planning and organizing. These competencies were better predicted, albeit imperfectly, by the analytical writing section of the GMAT. These findings are discussed with regard to the curriculum of MBA programs.

Learning to Lead at 5,267 feet: An Empirical Study of Outdoor Management Training and MBA Students' Leadership Development

This study examined the leadership development of MBA students enrolled in an Organizational Behavior course. Students enrolled in either an in-class section or a section that included an intensive, outdoor training component called Leadership on the Edge. Results from Kouzes and Posner’s Leadership Practices Inventory (2003) showed that students in the outdoor training section demonstrated greater improvements in leadership practices over the course of the semester. Reflective comments from students in the outdoor section indicated it was a transformative personal experience that is unlikely to be emulated in a classroom. Implications for leadership educators are discussed.

Evaluating the Value-Added Impact of Outdoor Management Training for Leadership Development in an MBA Program:

This study examined the benefits of Outdoor Management Training for the leadership development of students enrolled in an MBA-level Organizational Behavior course. Students enrolled in one of two experiential courses. Both were identical, except one included an intensive outdoor training component called Leadership on the Edge. The quasi-experimental design indicated that students in both sections increased levels of self-efficacy, leadership motivation, and emotional intelligence over the course of the semester. Students in the outdoor training section did not show greater improvements than those in the experiential classroom section. Implications for leadership educators are discussed.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND THE LAW: COURT STANDARDS FOR ASSESSING HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT CLAIMS

This article reviews case law dealing with sexual harassment claims of hostile environment filed under the Civil Rights Act. The article is intended to provide employers with a better understanding of how the courts adjudicate these types of cases. The information reported in this article was gleaned by reviewing all 28 hostile environment cases decided at the circuit court level during the period of May 2002 to April 2003. The first section of the article identifies the types of evidence plaintiffs need to substantiate their claims of hostile environment sexual harassment. The article concludes with a discussion of the managerial implications suggested by the case law. Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act (CRA) prohibits sex discrimination at the workplace. The Supreme Court’s 1986 decision in Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson [1] made it quite clear that sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination and is therefore unlawful [1]. Since this ruling, the number of reported cases of sexual harassment has steadily grown. In 1992, 10,532 charges of sexual harassment were filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). By 2002, this number had risen to 14,396. The number of actual incidents of sexual harassment could be as high as 150,000 per year, given the fact that only about 10% of sexual harassment victims ever file a formal complaint [2, 3].

Using Problem-Solving Therapy to improve problem-solving orientation, problem-solving skills and quality of life in older hemodialysis patients

ABSTRACT Objectives: To determine the effectiveness of Problem-Solving Therapy (PST) in older hemodialysis (HD) patients by assessing changes in health-related quality of life and problem-solving skills. Methods: 33 HD patients in an outpatient hemodialysis center without active medical and psychiatric illness were enrolled. The intervention group (n = 15) received PST from a licensed social worker for 6 weeks, whereas the control group (n = 18) received usual care treatment. Results: In comparison to the control group, patients receiving PST intervention reported improved perceptions of mental health, were more likely to view their problems with a positive orientation and were more likely to use functional problem-solving methods. Furthermore, this group was also more likely to view their overall health, activity limits, social activities and ability to accomplish desired tasks with a more positive mindset. Conclusions: The results demonstrate that PST may positively impact mental health components of quality of life and problem-solving coping among older HD patients. Clinical Implications: PST is an effective, efficient, and easy to implement intervention that can benefit problem-solving abilities and mental health-related quality of life in older HD patients. In turn, this will help patients manage their daily living activities related to their medical condition and reduce daily stressors.

Assurance of Learning in an MBA Program: Exploration of the Value Added by the Graduate Major Field Test in Business

The use of standardized tests as a piece of outcomes assessment has risen in recent years in order to satisfy external accrediting bodies such as the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International. The authors explore the value added by the Graduate Major Field Test in Business (GMFT-B) for assurance of learning in a master of business administration (MBA) program. The results indicate that the GMFT-B can be considered a valuable tool for outcome assessment because it provides enough unique information above that of MBA grade point average and GMAT scores. However, the GMFT-B should be used in conjunction with other assessment methods because it had little relationship to the competencies associated with effective management.

JUSTIFYING PREGNANCY-RELATED EMPLOYMENT DECISIONS UNDER THE PREGNANCY DISCRIMINATION ACT

This article provides an overview of recent court cases involving adverse employment actions that were influenced by an employee’s pregnant condition. It is intended to provide employers with a better understanding of how the courts adjudicate these types of cases so that they will be better able to make employment decisions that comply with the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. The information reported in this article was gleaned by reviewing all cases decided at the circuit court level and published from January 1999 to June 2004. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) prohibits pregnancy discrimination at the workplace. Enacted in 1978, the law states that “women affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions shall be treated the same for all employment related purposes . . . as other persons not so affected but similar in their ability or inability to work” [1, p. 1]. Because this law defines pregnancy discrimination in very general terms, it does not provide employers with a clear guide for implementing specific policies and practices. Such guidance is better provided by the case law. That is, an employer should refer to past court decisions when trying to determine the legality of an adverse employment action taken against a woman who is protected by the PDA.