AACSB International 2005 Deans Conference

Pursuing Innovation:
Challenges and Opportunities
Tuesday, February 8, 2005
10:30 a.m. - Noon
Panelists
• Patricia Greene, Dean, Undergraduate School, Babson
College
• Anne McCarthy, Dean, Merrick School of Business
University of Baltimore
• Mark Rice, Dean, F. W. Olin Graduate School of Business,
Babson College
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 THE OPPORTUNITY

Transform Core Curriculum of

Babson’s Evening MBA Program –
Introduce Integrative Cluster Courses

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 THE SITUATION

• In 2001 Babson had the dominant part-time MBA program

in the greater Boston market with approximately 1/3 of part-
time students (top-ranked in New England by US News
and World Report)
• BUT, the curriculum was traditional “plain vanilla”
• Students were clamoring for the same kind of curriculum
innovation that had been implemented in the full-time
program
• .Faculty had tried twice but failed to achieve commitment to
change.
• New Dean (yours truly) arrived half way through the third
attempt – when the forces of resistance were fully
mobilized.
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 Integrated 1st Year of Full-Time MBA:
A Radical Innovation in Curriculum Design

MODULE I MODULE II MODULE III MODULE IV

Creative Assessing Designing & Growing &
Management in Business Managing the Renewing
Dynamic Opportunities Delivery System Businesses
Organizations

BCAP Assessment Exercise BCAP Consulting Project

October - December January - May

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 CHALLENGES

• Keeping the graduate faculty decision making body (GDMB)

focused on bringing the task to successful closure.
• Pass the “test.” Stay the course. (“If you blink…. Bill Lawler)
• Work through “real” issues. Communicate, communicate,
communicate. (Kent Jones)
• Don’t be distracted by the “un-real” issues. (political posturing)
• Know the decision-making policies in the faculty handbook.
• Achieving real improvement in the curriculum.

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 OUTCOMES

• The two chairs of the feuding division worked diligently with me

as a facilitator – but could not reach a mutually successful
compromise.
• During the GDMB meeting at which the deciding vote would be
cast, one of the division chairs completely capitulated.
• The original curriculum redesign was approved 7 – 0.
• The new curriculum has been implemented with mixed results –
and is currently under review by a GDMB task force. Integrative
Clusters: Fin’l Acctg and Finance; OB/IT; Managerial Acctg and
Ops; Markets and Marketing
• The success in this initiative laid the groundwork for a major
overhaul two years later of the core curriculum for the One Year
MBA Program.

6
 KEY INSIGHTS

• Communication, honesty, transparency, and goodwill are

essential to overcoming all but the most determined resistance.
• Leadership involvement is critical.
 Understanding the issues.
 Conveying clarity of vision.
 Being persistent.
 Sustaining the intensity to bring the process to closure.
• Old wounds from previous battles are hard to overcome.
• If it’s the right thing to do, it needs to get done.
• Respect for faculty concerns is important.
• So too is respect for the right of students to get the best possible
education.
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The Opportunity - Integrating ERP in the
curriculum at the University of Baltimore
• The university was implementing PeopleSoft as its
ERP system

• The consultant approached the Merrick School of

Business about the PeopleSoft On Campus program

• Such a gift would require a proposal with specifics on

how integration would take place in the classroom

• PeopleSoft was also willing to allow us to do some

entry level training as a source of revenue

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The Situation
• Information Technology was one of the 3 key areas for
the business school in the 1990s

• However, MIS enrollments at both the graduate &

undergraduate level were undergoing a major slump

• Common complaint – our courses were out of date

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Challenges
• Four budget cuts by the State of Maryland in my first
year – resources were extremely scarce
• MIS faculty members were resistant to the idea
• Increased emphasis on research productivity for
AACSB reaffirmation in two years – so faculty were
feeling stretched
• New president, new dean – how long are these people
really going to be around?

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Outcomes
• Received the $4M gift from PeopleSoft for the 4 basic
modules; next year received an additional gift of
$400,000 for the advanced financial module
• ERP concepts are being taught using PeopleSoft in
HR, finance, accounting and MIS
• New MIS course – online – this semester looking at
the integration of several modules
• HR director at GE recently contacted us about
internships & employment for students familiar with
the HR component

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Key Insights
• Faculty champions make the difference
• Faculty training is critical even when resources are
scarce
• Clinical instructors are often the most innovative
• Don’t rely on campus technology office – need to
create own shop
• Communicate with students! Not just faculty.
• Make the president look good

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 THE OPPORTUNITY

Develop a way to support and

advance (fund) new initiatives from
the Deans

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 THE SITUATION

• New opportunities are identified throughout the

individual schools (undergraduate, graduate,
executive) on a regular basis by a very entrepreneurial
set of faculty, staff, and students
• Dean’s discretionary funds are never large enough
• Many of the new opportunities have the potential to be
revenue generating
• The financial infrastructure have previously not
provided for revenue sharing by the three schools
• Desire to practice what we preach

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 Dean’s Venture Capital Fund

Opportunity Identification and Not Accepted – Regroup and Review

Business Plan Development

Accepted – Launch Program

Presentation to VC Committee

Specific Contribution Distribution

40% Repay Fund
30 Originating Dean
20 The College
10 Dean of Faculty

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 CHALLENGES

• Identification of appropriate revenue generating opportunities

• Faculty and staff support of new programs
•Expressive Support
•Instrumental Support (Capacity)
• Managing portfolio of programs

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 OUTCOMES (Current State)

• First business plans delivered by the deans

• First business plans accepted by the committee
• Undergraduate plan
•Entrepreneurial management education program for
undergraduate
liberal arts majors
•Pilot program – Summer 2005
• Graduate plan
• Executive plan
• Further development of business model - tactics

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 KEY INSIGHTS

• Academic units do have potential opportunities for additional

revenue
• The development of systems to develop those opportunities
involves a great deal of careful negotiation
• Funding is not a zero sum game
• Students appreciate seeing what they learn in action
• Faculty don’t always appreciate seeing what they teach in action
• Communication
• Collaboration

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