I became a professor after 20+ years as a corporate figure--first as a worker bee and eventually the boss. I think I showed initiative, drive, and independence from the get-go and I think those attributes were the rungs on my ladder of success. As I moved into managerial roles I expected the same of my new hires and existing employees--simply, getting things done without being prodded or beaten-up. If you showed initiative, you got ahead, if you waited until you were told what to do or you needed deadlines to get things done, well, you were not my kind of employee.
I brought that same view here 12 years ago. I think I'm right. The folks who are going to get a job, keep a job, and advance in a career are those who get things done. They go so far as to pull the company rather than being pulled by the company into doing things. Not sure you agree? Look in the help wanted ads or ask your boss about the importance of initiative, being a self-starter, taking responsibility, working independently. I would be very surprised if your boss didn't rate each of these as more important for an employee than specific technical skills. I'll go so far as to tell you I know companies who hire new grads with these attributes and NO specific job skills. It's that important.
So, I manage my classes the way I would manage in corporate. I see you as "employees" and I'm hoping to give you the opportunity to prove yourself. My rationale is that you need the opportunity to practice these attributes I've mentioned. Fail here, if you must, but don't fail on the job. If I continue to TELL you what to do you will miss the opportunity to do things on your own.
But, this is not exactly working. Most of you are behind on using the tech tools and writing your reflections. For the my undergraduate students I found I needed to establish some hard deadlines. I haven't done that with the graduate students, but I am certainly being pushed in that direction. So, in a period of self-reflection I ask "Are my expectations out of whack?"
Some theorists believe we're all lazy and the only way to get us to do things is to bring out a big club. Maybe we're not lazy, just busy? Maybe you're too young or too busy smelling the roses. Maybe we don't know what to do and are afraid to ask? Maybe we don't see WIIFM (What's In IT For ME?). Maybe we don't see the link to being hired, starting salary level, salary increases, and the like. Maybe my easy-going manner confuses my seriousness about my expectations of you and my grades for you. I'm curious--what do you think the explanation is?
I have a little secret--I'm an easy grader. I have another secret--my grades are among the lowest of the 40+ faculty in my department. What gives? Well, when I look back at my grades for past semesters I see a distinct pattern: the low grades were not GIVEN by me, but rather EARNED by the student not handing in assignments! In my view, as your employer, not handing in assignments is akin to refusing to do work assigned to you by your boss. At work it's called insubordination. We don't have a name for it here, but it sure is disheartening--and frustrating--for me. Look, to be perfectly frank with you, I made a ton of money in business. I know what it takes and I know how to get you there. And, I can't imagine that my goals for you are not akin to your goals for you.
So, again, are my expectations out of whack?
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
More on Retention Rates
There was more than usual reaction to my blog on 6-year graduate rates (62%) so I thought I would add to the picture. Consider these facts:
The 4-year graduation rate (% of entering students who graduate in 4 years) = 31%
The 5-year rate == 55%
A big part of the problem is that we lose students from year to year:
The second-year retention--students who come back for a second year = 82%
For a 3rd year = 74%
For a 4th year = 68%
While we lose 8% between sophomore and junior years and 6% between junior and senior year, the main problem is keeping students for the second year. 18% drop out. Is college too hard? To expensive? Are they ill-equipped for college studies? What else?
One more thing--and no surprise here--men and women drop out after the first year at about the same rate (17% for females and 19% for males), by the end of the second year the difference shows: 75% of females vs 71% of males make it to the junior year, and 73% of females vs 61% of males make it to their 4th year.
Any thoughts?
The 4-year graduation rate (% of entering students who graduate in 4 years) = 31%
The 5-year rate == 55%
A big part of the problem is that we lose students from year to year:
The second-year retention--students who come back for a second year = 82%
For a 3rd year = 74%
For a 4th year = 68%
While we lose 8% between sophomore and junior years and 6% between junior and senior year, the main problem is keeping students for the second year. 18% drop out. Is college too hard? To expensive? Are they ill-equipped for college studies? What else?
One more thing--and no surprise here--men and women drop out after the first year at about the same rate (17% for females and 19% for males), by the end of the second year the difference shows: 75% of females vs 71% of males make it to the junior year, and 73% of females vs 61% of males make it to their 4th year.
Any thoughts?
Luddities Are Wrong, Too!
I saw this news item in BusinessWeek
The point of the article is that every invention has had its distractors, people that scoffed at the "latest and greatest" thing. Socrates thought the invention of writing would reduce memory, Thoreau thought there was no need for the telegraph, the telephone was originally rejected because it provided no permanent record of a conversation the way the telegraph did, and the New York Times thought the typewriter would create too many would-be authors. So, when we scoff at Twitter and its limiting 140 characters, or the next thing after that, beware.
That said, how--or maybe when--do we know that an emerging technology is the next thing? Mostly, I think, it has to do with adoption rate, the speed with which the technology is embraced by an ever-growing number. I remember when when not having a fax was a sign your company was not very well established. That same attitude never made it to instant messaging. Sure, IM is sometimes used inside a company, but I see few people using IM today. Twitter, FB, maybe Skype, and some other techs have replaced it.
My quick read is that FB and LinkedIn are hear to stay, blogs are going to diminish except for professional bloggers, Skype will be big in the international phone niche, collaborative sites (e.g. Google Docs and wetpaint) will grow as bridging sites. How do you see it?
The point of the article is that every invention has had its distractors, people that scoffed at the "latest and greatest" thing. Socrates thought the invention of writing would reduce memory, Thoreau thought there was no need for the telegraph, the telephone was originally rejected because it provided no permanent record of a conversation the way the telegraph did, and the New York Times thought the typewriter would create too many would-be authors. So, when we scoff at Twitter and its limiting 140 characters, or the next thing after that, beware.
That said, how--or maybe when--do we know that an emerging technology is the next thing? Mostly, I think, it has to do with adoption rate, the speed with which the technology is embraced by an ever-growing number. I remember when when not having a fax was a sign your company was not very well established. That same attitude never made it to instant messaging. Sure, IM is sometimes used inside a company, but I see few people using IM today. Twitter, FB, maybe Skype, and some other techs have replaced it.
My quick read is that FB and LinkedIn are hear to stay, blogs are going to diminish except for professional bloggers, Skype will be big in the international phone niche, collaborative sites (e.g. Google Docs and wetpaint) will grow as bridging sites. How do you see it?
Bowling Alone
In 2000 Robert Putnam published "Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community" in which he argued that many traditional civic, social, and faternal organizations--typified by bowling leagues--had changed over the year, declining in membership, while bowling had increased dramatically. Why is it, he wondered, that people were, at the same time, more active and less social. Putnam described two kinds of social capital: bonding capital in which people socialize with those who are the same age, same race, same religion, and so on; and, bridging capital capital, as in when we make friends with people who are not necessarily like us, but who may have a common interest with us such as football or Michael Jackson.
I wonder if we can think of Facebook as creating bonding capital and LinkedIn as creating bridging capital? We have different purposes for these sites and we hope others do as well. How many of you have said that employers should not look at your Facebook?
In this vein, Google Docs and Wiki are bridging technologies as they seek to create a common ground around a document or subject. Interestingly, in these two tech tools we hardly use the profile section and I am generally surprised when someone asks me to be their "friend" from the wetpaint site.
I'm curious if you think bonding vs bridging capital is a useful distinction.
BTW,"capital" in this sense is the value you build up by connecting to and sharing with others. The more capital you have in the "bank," the more likely folks are to respond positively to you. It is both the quantity of your network and the quality of it--whom do you know?
I wonder if we can think of Facebook as creating bonding capital and LinkedIn as creating bridging capital? We have different purposes for these sites and we hope others do as well. How many of you have said that employers should not look at your Facebook?
In this vein, Google Docs and Wiki are bridging technologies as they seek to create a common ground around a document or subject. Interestingly, in these two tech tools we hardly use the profile section and I am generally surprised when someone asks me to be their "friend" from the wetpaint site.
I'm curious if you think bonding vs bridging capital is a useful distinction.
BTW,"capital" in this sense is the value you build up by connecting to and sharing with others. The more capital you have in the "bank," the more likely folks are to respond positively to you. It is both the quantity of your network and the quality of it--whom do you know?
Sunday, September 27, 2009
The Value of College
First, thanks for the great comments on my blogs, especially the personal brand blog. I am absolutely delighted when we engage, mano-a-mano, so to speak, and grapple with these issues. Keep it going.
Now, on to me thought for today. Actually, it started on Friday when the chairs of all the academic departments of the university got together for a meting with President Cole. One of here themes was persistence to graduate--meaning the graduation rate--of undergraduates. An amazing statistic, only 66% of entering freshmen graduate after 6 years! That's about the national average. (Sorry, no graduate statistics available, but I imagine they are quite higher.) After six years in college, almost no one graduates.
Today I read in the NY Times that the value of undergraduate education in terms of median salary per year is about $20k MORE for college graduates than high school graduates--$47k for college grads vs. $27k for high school only grads. Do the math and $20k more per year over a 30+ ear career and it runs into a few bucks--perhaps enough for early retirement, a house at the beach, or whatever other indulgence you like. Even including the cost of college, it's a really good deal!
So, I'm wondering why 1) students wouldn't try to get out sooner to get the extra salary and, more critically, 2) what it might be that derails 34% of the students from ever getting a degree. I'm also wondering what I can do to help students be more persistent to a degree. In my classes I've tried being kind, being mean; being demanding, being laisse-faire; having stretch goals, having almost no class hurdles. Still, I can't say any one thing has worked over another. I still have 2-3 students who fail my class every semester. I'm not proud of that. In fact, it pisses me off (okay, I'm a little less professional here) when the truth is that if you try--hand in anything--you'll get some credit. I've found that these students who failed generally did not do the work; it was not because they did the work badly.
So, I ask again, what can I do to help my students graduate in 4 or even 6 years?
Now, on to me thought for today. Actually, it started on Friday when the chairs of all the academic departments of the university got together for a meting with President Cole. One of here themes was persistence to graduate--meaning the graduation rate--of undergraduates. An amazing statistic, only 66% of entering freshmen graduate after 6 years! That's about the national average. (Sorry, no graduate statistics available, but I imagine they are quite higher.) After six years in college, almost no one graduates.
Today I read in the NY Times that the value of undergraduate education in terms of median salary per year is about $20k MORE for college graduates than high school graduates--$47k for college grads vs. $27k for high school only grads. Do the math and $20k more per year over a 30+ ear career and it runs into a few bucks--perhaps enough for early retirement, a house at the beach, or whatever other indulgence you like. Even including the cost of college, it's a really good deal!
So, I'm wondering why 1) students wouldn't try to get out sooner to get the extra salary and, more critically, 2) what it might be that derails 34% of the students from ever getting a degree. I'm also wondering what I can do to help students be more persistent to a degree. In my classes I've tried being kind, being mean; being demanding, being laisse-faire; having stretch goals, having almost no class hurdles. Still, I can't say any one thing has worked over another. I still have 2-3 students who fail my class every semester. I'm not proud of that. In fact, it pisses me off (okay, I'm a little less professional here) when the truth is that if you try--hand in anything--you'll get some credit. I've found that these students who failed generally did not do the work; it was not because they did the work badly.
So, I ask again, what can I do to help my students graduate in 4 or even 6 years?
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Your Brand
Hi,
I was in a meeting the other day with a consultant who is helping the SBUS with its brand. In this case, we probably have one, but it is unclear, not well known, changing, and not very leveragable in terms of attracting students or prospective employers of our students. We are not Harvard, Warton, or Darden. But, we are known--at least in the region. The question is, what are we known for? Cheap? Quality? Convenient? Value? That's the task of the consultant, to figure out what it should be and plaster it everywhere. Why? Because brands matter. We DO reach for the Budweiser rather than the Rolling Rock as we have been told that Bud is the one to have: it's more refreshing, cooling, and "in" with almost anyone who is, them self, "in." When students are reaching for an MBA or employers an MBA graduate, we want them to reach for us, take Montclair State off the shelf. (I copied a few paragraphs from Wikipedia and pasted them at the end of this blog to give you some intellectual grounding on branding.)
Well, the whole conversation got me to thinking about individual branding--Your brand. What are your attributes? What do employers think about you when your name is mentioned? That mostly depends on how you have branded yourself. You don't think you have? Of course you have by the way you talk, dress, the quality and timeliness of your work, who you hang out with, roles you have played--either personally or at work, and a host of other ways. You see, you and I tag you and that becomes your brand. Part of my brand is a suit and tie (How many of your other professors "dress up?") The executive look is such a part of my brand that a former student made an emoticon of a tie for me that I included with my email address for a few years. I'd be surprised if one of your descriptors of me was not "corporate." Am I right?
Facebook and LinkedIn are brand creators. Readers tag you by what's on your wall, who your friends are, what groups you belong to, etc. My second cousin got nearly 1600 on the SAT (she took it before the scores changed). A near-perfect score and a sure scholarship to Princeton, Harvard, or wherever she wanted to go. NOT! She was rejected everywhere and barely got in to a state school in WA where she lives. I was not at the table where these decisions were made but I did go to her FB page. Surprise, surprise, according to her friends she was a really party girl. If I'm the admissions officer at Princeton do I want a very smart party girl or a student a little less capable that seems a little more serious?
So, here are some questions to ponder:
1. What brand do you want to be? If you're not sure, look around at the colleagues your respect and see what brand they have.
2. What brand do you have a the moment? Ask a friend--not your close friend and definitely not your significant other--what brand they see in you at work or from your social networking sites?
3. Are you satisfied with your brand? Will it get you what you want? Where you want to go?
4. If yes to #3, you're done! Congratulations. If not, you may want to work on your brand a bit. Not all at once, but a little at a time.
Or, maybe you think this branding stuff is a pile of s***. You are who you are and we can take it or leave it. In this case, I have little to say except "good luck!"
_____________________
From Wikipedia:
I was in a meeting the other day with a consultant who is helping the SBUS with its brand. In this case, we probably have one, but it is unclear, not well known, changing, and not very leveragable in terms of attracting students or prospective employers of our students. We are not Harvard, Warton, or Darden. But, we are known--at least in the region. The question is, what are we known for? Cheap? Quality? Convenient? Value? That's the task of the consultant, to figure out what it should be and plaster it everywhere. Why? Because brands matter. We DO reach for the Budweiser rather than the Rolling Rock as we have been told that Bud is the one to have: it's more refreshing, cooling, and "in" with almost anyone who is, them self, "in." When students are reaching for an MBA or employers an MBA graduate, we want them to reach for us, take Montclair State off the shelf. (I copied a few paragraphs from Wikipedia and pasted them at the end of this blog to give you some intellectual grounding on branding.)
Well, the whole conversation got me to thinking about individual branding--Your brand. What are your attributes? What do employers think about you when your name is mentioned? That mostly depends on how you have branded yourself. You don't think you have? Of course you have by the way you talk, dress, the quality and timeliness of your work, who you hang out with, roles you have played--either personally or at work, and a host of other ways. You see, you and I tag you and that becomes your brand. Part of my brand is a suit and tie (How many of your other professors "dress up?") The executive look is such a part of my brand that a former student made an emoticon of a tie for me that I included with my email address for a few years. I'd be surprised if one of your descriptors of me was not "corporate." Am I right?
Facebook and LinkedIn are brand creators. Readers tag you by what's on your wall, who your friends are, what groups you belong to, etc. My second cousin got nearly 1600 on the SAT (she took it before the scores changed). A near-perfect score and a sure scholarship to Princeton, Harvard, or wherever she wanted to go. NOT! She was rejected everywhere and barely got in to a state school in WA where she lives. I was not at the table where these decisions were made but I did go to her FB page. Surprise, surprise, according to her friends she was a really party girl. If I'm the admissions officer at Princeton do I want a very smart party girl or a student a little less capable that seems a little more serious?
So, here are some questions to ponder:
1. What brand do you want to be? If you're not sure, look around at the colleagues your respect and see what brand they have.
2. What brand do you have a the moment? Ask a friend--not your close friend and definitely not your significant other--what brand they see in you at work or from your social networking sites?
3. Are you satisfied with your brand? Will it get you what you want? Where you want to go?
4. If yes to #3, you're done! Congratulations. If not, you may want to work on your brand a bit. Not all at once, but a little at a time.
Or, maybe you think this branding stuff is a pile of s***. You are who you are and we can take it or leave it. In this case, I have little to say except "good luck!"
_____________________
From Wikipedia:
A product identity, or brand image are typically the attributes one associates with a brand, how the brand owner wants the consumer to perceive the brand - and by extension the branded company, organization, product or service. The brand owner will seek to bridge the gap between the brand image and the brand identity.[3] Effective brand names build a connection between the brand personality as it is perceived by the target audience and the actual product/service. The brand name should be conceptually on target with the product/service (what the company stands for). Furthermore, the brand name should be on target with the brand demographic. [4] Typically, sustainable brand names are easy to remember, transcend trends and have positive connotations. Brand identity is fundamental to consumer recognition and symbolizes the brand's differentiation from competitors.
Brand identity is what the owner wants to communicate to its potential consumers. However, over time, a products brand identity may acquire (evolve), gaining new attributes from consumer perspective but not necessarily from the marketing communications an owner percolates to targeted consumers. Therefore, brand associations become handy to check the consumer's perception of the brand.[5]
Brand identity needs to focused on authentic qualities - real characteristics of the value and brand promise being provided and sustained by organisational and/or production characteristics[6], [7]. Managing the whole organisation to this purpose is called Integrated Marketing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brand#Individual_branding
Friday, September 4, 2009
We're off to a Good Start
Hi,
Well, I think things went pretty well last night in INFO 503. I believe we set some goals and reasonable expectations, outlined a plan of work, and started to create the kind of atmosphere that will foster the intellectual development of each of us. My thanks to you!
I can't tell you how passionate I am about what I do and how seriously I take my responsibilities. I certainly am not always right in the decisions I make or the ways I choose to communicate them, but I sure as hell try to be. Remember Rodrigo y Gabriella? The point? We each need to do things with passion and a self-imposed criterion of excellence. Anyone can do shoddy work--and likely stay with the masses and their $33k. Working hard and working smart gets one to the 20%---and to the 5% and 3% and 1%.
I saw in most of you the willingness to try out things. That's going to be key to our class. Get intimate with each of the tools we want to evaluate and le the tools speak to you. You'll be surprised that their potential--or lack of--will become apparent.
I'm going to reinstall the RSS feed app. and then write about it so you have some guidance. This would be a good tool to do now so our blogs are pushed to you rather than you having to go to sites and pulling them to your computer. Also, as a way of introducing yourself to the class and finding out about others, this would be a good time to get involved with Facebook and LinkedIn. Be sure to "befriend" me on Facebook and invite me on LinkedIn.
My own experience with FB and LinedIn. I have been at MSU in the MIS area since '96. I have lots of former students with whom I want to continue to communicate. Problem is, as they change jobs or e-mail addresses it became very hard to stay in touch. This summer I se up FB and LinkedIn profiles and began searching for and inviting former students. It's been great so far. I've found many, caught up with their lives, been invited to 2 weddings, and renewed their love for Montclair State. We're even thinking about having our own MIS reunion.
Let me know what you think of my blog.
Dr. P.
Well, I think things went pretty well last night in INFO 503. I believe we set some goals and reasonable expectations, outlined a plan of work, and started to create the kind of atmosphere that will foster the intellectual development of each of us. My thanks to you!
I can't tell you how passionate I am about what I do and how seriously I take my responsibilities. I certainly am not always right in the decisions I make or the ways I choose to communicate them, but I sure as hell try to be. Remember Rodrigo y Gabriella? The point? We each need to do things with passion and a self-imposed criterion of excellence. Anyone can do shoddy work--and likely stay with the masses and their $33k. Working hard and working smart gets one to the 20%---and to the 5% and 3% and 1%.
I saw in most of you the willingness to try out things. That's going to be key to our class. Get intimate with each of the tools we want to evaluate and le the tools speak to you. You'll be surprised that their potential--or lack of--will become apparent.
I'm going to reinstall the RSS feed app. and then write about it so you have some guidance. This would be a good tool to do now so our blogs are pushed to you rather than you having to go to sites and pulling them to your computer. Also, as a way of introducing yourself to the class and finding out about others, this would be a good time to get involved with Facebook and LinkedIn. Be sure to "befriend" me on Facebook and invite me on LinkedIn.
My own experience with FB and LinedIn. I have been at MSU in the MIS area since '96. I have lots of former students with whom I want to continue to communicate. Problem is, as they change jobs or e-mail addresses it became very hard to stay in touch. This summer I se up FB and LinkedIn profiles and began searching for and inviting former students. It's been great so far. I've found many, caught up with their lives, been invited to 2 weddings, and renewed their love for Montclair State. We're even thinking about having our own MIS reunion.
Let me know what you think of my blog.
Dr. P.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
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