Discussion: View Thread

I'm setting up an Intranet for some business classes and would like to
know what you all would consider key success factors.

I have a short list that you may comment or build upon....

1) Integrate the Intranet into the teaching method (require students to
connect)
2) Don't expect students to read on-line what is available in hard copy.
3) Material that CAN be printed and read WILL be printed and read and
SHOULD be
4) Use the Web for increased student-student student-prof communication
5) Insert bookmarks for students to visit that pertain to required
coursework
6) .....

Your turn !

Dan

Dr. Daniel S. Evans
de@escead.fr
ESCEM-Poitiers, France
(33) 5 49 60 58 00

Hi Daniel:

That's a great list.

About your first and fourth points: Yes, exactly. I ask students to be
responsible for making contributions to the class's learning process,
and I grade this (some instructors call it class participation, but I
like to emphasize quality over quantity, contribution over
participation). Overall, individual contributions to the class learning
process usually count for 30% or so of the grade in an upper division
seminar type class. In evaluating these contributions, I count
participation in class and on our threaded listserv equally.

There are a lot of advantages to having two venues. First, some students
are shy and have a difficult time jumping into a large group discussion,
no matter how well facilitated it is. For them, the listserv is an ideal
medium for expression. Second, for a large number of my students,
English is a second language. The listserv gives ESL students an
opportunity to compose what they want to say. Third, many of my students
have jobs during the week and do a lot of reading and studying on
weekends. If an insight happens to occur on Saturday afternoon, they can
log on and share it while it's still fresh. The structure of the
listserv allows them to go back and insert a comment, or leapfrog ahead,
and comment on a topic that the rest of us haven't gotten to yet.
Fourth, because the listserv remains intact during the term, students
can go back and review what's been said about any given subject, it
proves to be helpful around exam time. Finally, I participate as
coach/facilitator on the listserv, and we often discuss cases before
they are due to be presented in class. In effect, I seed the listserv
with clues as an incentive to students to keep up with it. This
pre-discussion raises the quality of the case analysis that is
ultimately presented later in class.

On two and three, we have budgetary constraints, and it's less expensive
to put handouts on the website than have everything printed in the
duplication center. We use the money saved in other, more productive
ways.

A couple of things that have been necessary to ensure the success of our
processes here:

1) be sure that every student has reasonable convenient access to the
web with a current browser. We have computer labs and so on, and I make
sure that students know where they are and to log on.

2) provide at least some instruction/demonstration in how to use the
technology and the navigation of the specific website that we use.

3) use some current information technology cases, such as HBS's "Living
on Internet Time", and others with similar content, to reinforce the
in-class use of the technology.

Evans Daniel Scott wrote:
>
> I'm setting up an Intranet for some business classes and would like to
> know what you all would consider key success factors.
>
> I have a short list that you may comment or build upon....
>
> 1) Integrate the Intranet into the teaching method (require students to
> connect)
> 2) Don't expect students to read on-line what is available in hard copy.
> 3) Material that CAN be printed and read WILL be printed and read and
> SHOULD be
> 4) Use the Web for increased student-student student-prof communication
> 5) Insert bookmarks for students to visit that pertain to required
> coursework
> 6) .....
>
> Your turn !
>
> Dan
>
> Dr. Daniel S. Evans
> de@escead.fr
> ESCEM-Poitiers, France
> (33) 5 49 60 58 00

Dan,

Regarding your point 5. My site has been used in conjunction with an I/O
Psychology class on two occasions. The professor reported that it was the
most popular aspect of the class with his students.

It worked like this:
Students were asked to take a "field trip" to my site and review the whole
system. Then they were to read a "virtual lecture" I had prepared at the
site. Finally, they commented back to the professor about their experience.
Students were also given the opportunity to contact me via E-mail with
questions or comments.

Some students did contact me and the professor E-mailed me many of their
comments. I enjoyed the whole process as did the students. I should point
out that this class is taught entirely via computer, however, I don't see
why it wouldn't work well in conjunction with classroom based teaching.

I think this is a great way to put students in touch with practitioners and
there is no cost involved, providing the site owner is willing to
participate for free.

If interested, you can review the system at http://208.199.113.56. My
virtual lecture is available on the opening page menu.

----------
> From: Evans Daniel Scott <DE@ESCEAD.FR>
> To: MG-ED-DV@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU
> Subject: [MG-ED-DV] Success-Factors : Classes via Intranet
> Date: Monday, September 21, 1998 2:32 AM
>
> I'm setting up an Intranet for some business classes and would like to
> know what you all would consider key success factors.
>
> I have a short list that you may comment or build upon....
>
> 1) Integrate the Intranet into the teaching method (require students to
> connect)
> 2) Don't expect students to read on-line what is available in hard copy.
> 3) Material that CAN be printed and read WILL be printed and read and
> SHOULD be
> 4) Use the Web for increased student-student student-prof communication
> 5) Insert bookmarks for students to visit that pertain to required
> coursework
> 6) .....
>
> Your turn !
>
> Dan
>
> Dr. Daniel S. Evans
> de@escead.fr
> ESCEM-Poitiers, France
> (33) 5 49 60 58 00

Good evening,

I did my dissertation on Critical Succes Factors and
found that it is often less than satisfactory to try
to identify general CSF. I developed a general process
by which a manager/professor could identify contextually
specific CSF and the measures to track yourself to make
sure you were successful in meeting all the CSF.

Jim Dobbins

Evans Daniel Scott wrote:
>
> I'm setting up an Intranet for some business classes and would like to
> know what you all would consider key success factors.
>
> I have a short list that you may comment or build upon....
>
> 1) Integrate the Intranet into the teaching method (require students to
> connect)
> 2) Don't expect students to read on-line what is available in hard copy.
> 3) Material that CAN be printed and read WILL be printed and read and
> SHOULD be
> 4) Use the Web for increased student-student student-prof communication
> 5) Insert bookmarks for students to visit that pertain to required
> coursework
> 6) .....
>
> Your turn !
>
> Dan
>
> Dr. Daniel S. Evans
> de@escead.fr
> ESCEM-Poitiers, France
> (33) 5 49 60 58 00

At 07:37 PM 9/21/98 -0400, you wrote:
>Good evening,

I am currently a graduate student in Office Systems Technology and as an
assignment, the class is to discuss class lectures, papers, and opinions
using the web. I feel using the web, as a communication device, is an
excellant idea to expand an individuals intellect.

Curt Woodford


Good evening,
>
>I did my dissertation on Critical Succes Factors and
>found that it is often less than satisfactory to try
>to identify general CSF. I developed a general process
>by which a manager/professor could identify contextually
>specific CSF and the measures to track yourself to make
>sure you were successful in meeting all the CSF.
>
>Jim Dobbins
>
>Evans Daniel Scott wrote:
>>
>> I'm setting up an Intranet for some business classes and would like to
>> know what you all would consider key success factors.
>>
>> I have a short list that you may comment or build upon....
>>
>> 1) Integrate the Intranet into the teaching method (require students to
>> connect)
>> 2) Don't expect students to read on-line what is available in hard copy.
>> 3) Material that CAN be printed and read WILL be printed and read and
>> SHOULD be
>> 4) Use the Web for increased student-student student-prof communication
>> 5) Insert bookmarks for students to visit that pertain to required
>> coursework
>> 6) .....
>>
>> Your turn !
>>
>> Dan
>>
>> Dr. Daniel S. Evans
>> de@escead.fr
>> ESCEM-Poitiers, France
>> (33) 5 49 60 58 00
>
>

There's a little more to it than that-look at http://
horizon.unc.edu/ts/cases/1998-06.asp

Charles,

In your paper you write ....
"Students with groupware were able to meet electronically in an "any
time, any place" mode and were able to use the groupware to write their
report. Results showed that case study groups with groupware
significantly outperformed traditional face-to-face groups."
How much of the performance was due to the fact that groupware,
Intranet, etc. are NEW methods. I agree that these methods can improve
performance of a team but the question is whether or not this improved
performance is due to the desire to try something new ' a discovery
factor' or due to inherent elements in the method which will last beyond
any intital period of 'discovery'.
One of the students said ""No one ever misses an electronic meeting."
Why is this ??? Because the user is discovering something "new" and is
ready to invest more time ??
We run electronic meetings with students and we have the same results as
you ... more students attend videconferencing lectures. But will this
be the case in 5 or ten years ?
Students integrating into a traditional school setting see the on-line
teaching method as different than the 'norm'. It stands out. Soon
students will see it as the 'norm'.
Studies show that students that integrate into pure on-line learning
(ex. distance MBA programs...) have a 'higher' level of performance.
However, this, I suggest, is most likely due to a self-selection
mechanism. Students that are willing to learn on-line are probably
pre-disposed to be 'excellent' students independent of the method
(traditional or on-line).
I would like to see if the 'discovery' factor diminishes over time.
Maybe what we need to concentrate on (as teachers) is the idea of always
changing our teaching methods. What is true is that the Internet opens
up many new possibilities that will allow for a greater degree of
flexibility/innovation in teaching.


> -----Message d'origine-----
> De: Charles Morrissey [SMTP:CMorrissey@AOL.COM]
> Date: mardi 22 septembre 1998 05:26
> À: MG-ED-DV@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU
> Objet: Re: [MG-ED-DV] Success-Factors : Classes via Intranet
>
> There's a little more to it than that-look at
> http://horizon.unc.edu/ts/cases/1998-06.asp

Thank you for the thoughtful response-hopefully this dialog will be joined by
others since it is one of the most important topics facing mgt.ed.
Your speculations are all researchable-and as you will note-there is very
little going . If groupware truly enhances learning, why isn't it
being utilized throughout mgt. ed. (or other higher ed programs?)

For example, there are a number of implications to "no one ever misses an
electronic meeting" and to "task focus" as dispersed teams in corporate
America are learning very quickly.

Chuck Morrissey, Pepperdine

on: Mon, 21 Sep 1998 09:32:57 +0200
From: Evans Daniel Scott <DE@ESCEAD.FR>
wrote:
"I'm setting up an Intranet for some business classes and would like to
know what you all would consider key success factors.

I have a short list that you may comment or build upon....

1) Integrate the Intranet into the teaching method (require students to
connect)
2) Don't expect students to read on-line what is available in hard copy.
3) Material that CAN be printed and read WILL be printed and read and
SHOULD be
4) Use the Web for increased student-student student-prof communication
5) Insert bookmarks for students to visit that pertain to required
coursework
6) .....

Dan,
Good list.

Here are some more

1. Clear and concise information focused on practical information need in
job.
2. Clear and concise information about how to use the web site and
navigate the course requirements.
3. Ability to interact with others taking same or similar topic courses.
4. Easy access to the course instructor and quick answers to student
questions.
5. activities and assignments that help student learn and apply new
concepts.
6. Quick access to the site and fast download times so the student does
not have to wait for the materia.

Hope this helps

Russ

C.W. Russ Russo, Author
Interpreting ISO 9000 for Services: Lessons from Registered Organizations
Quality Resources Press, Inc. NYC (Oct 1998)
mailto:russ@charropubs.com

_____________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com
Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]

Chuck,

You are right at the edge. Should I include you in my
Entrepreneur internet experience from France next May?

Joe

Joseph E. Champoux, Ph.D.
Professor of Management
The Robert O. Anderson Schools of Management
The University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131
USA
(505) 277-3237; (505) 277-7108 (FAX)
(505) 856-6253

TO: Jim Dobbins

I am very interested in your work on critical success factors. Do you
have materials that can be sent through the mail? Or forwarded via
email?

Edryce Reynolds

On Mon, 21 Sep 1998 19:37:18 -0400 Jim Dobbins <jdobbins@NISHANET.COM>
writes:
>Good evening,
>
>I did my dissertation on Critical Succes Factors and
>found that it is often less than satisfactory to try
>to identify general CSF. I developed a general process
>by which a manager/professor could identify contextually
>specific CSF and the measures to track yourself to make
>sure you were successful in meeting all the CSF.
>
>Jim Dobbins
>
>Evans Daniel Scott wrote:
>>
>> I'm setting up an Intranet for some business classes and would like
>to
>> know what you all would consider key success factors.
>>
>> I have a short list that you may comment or build upon....
>>
>> 1) Integrate the Intranet into the teaching method (require students
>to
>> connect)
>> 2) Don't expect students to read on-line what is available in hard
>copy.
>> 3) Material that CAN be printed and read WILL be printed and read
>and
>> SHOULD be
>> 4) Use the Web for increased student-student student-prof
>communication
>> 5) Insert bookmarks for students to visit that pertain to required
>> coursework
>> 6) .....
>>
>> Your turn !
>>
>> Dan
>>
>> Dr. Daniel S. Evans
>> de@escead.fr
>> ESCEM-Poitiers, France
>> (33) 5 49 60 58 00
>

_____________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com
Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]

Chuck:

What about the Hawthorne effect? It seems to me that most of the studies
like yours don't take this into account. And sample bias: Were the
students randomly assigned to the two groups, or did they volunteer? In
my experience, the sharper students are more web savvy and would be more
likely to volunteer for the asynchonous learing situation.

Rick

Charles Morrissey wrote:
>
> There's a little more to it than that-look at http://
> horizon.unc.edu/ts/cases/1998-06.asp

The thread on Success Factors in Internet classes is very illuminating and
intriguing. I have been teaching an Online Course on "Internet Based
Teaching" (http://www.esocrates.com/cgi-bin/socrates.cgi?wshop001) in which
I have participants from Arab Emirates, Australia, Canada, Finland, Japan,
New Zealand and USA. It is truly a global classroom. In order to prepare
for it, I collated so called "success factors" from nearly 30 educational
listservs that we monitored. And ofcourse we tried to use these in this course.

But here is the intriguing thing. We found that virtually every success
factor (including the ones posted on this list) has an opposite that is
equaly true. Let me give just one example - "the easy accessibility of
anytime anywhere learning/materials/communications will make learners
participate in peer discussions and review materials in a timely manner"
This is pointed to as both an advantage of and justification for Internet
based classes.

But in reality, I constantly find students (even those with excellent
Internet access) simply do not start learning at any time and from any where
or in a timely manner? It seems they have pre-structured learning plans
(some are different from the class schedule we offer them) that they pursue.
One of my student (from New Zealand, registered for the course, thanked me
for the intro email, then went of on a 3 week family vacation (without her
computer). I think this flexibility is good, but it does not contribute to
timely ongoing discussions, or peer conversations.

So I am proposing that we reconsider the idea of "universal success
factors", and think instead about "contingency theories" of success within
different online learning environments. What works where, when, under what
conditions. What are the important structural parameters, content
characteristics, learning needs etc. that make online classes effective?



************************************************
Dr. Paul Shrivastava
Howard I. Scott Professor of Management, Bucknell University, and
President, Environmental Intelligence, Inc.
Tel: 717- 523-0030; Fax: 717-523-0067
Mail: 425 Pheasant Ridge Road, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA
http://www.esocrates.com
**************************************************

The many interesting, provocative, and thoughtful contributions to ideas
and questions about key success factors has prompted me to contribute to
the conversation in < I hope, a useful way.

When I teach strategy to my students, the concept of "fit" is oftened
discussed. The "fit" I stress is between the Key Success Factors in the
industry/market segments the firm competes in (i.e., what a firm must do
well to succeed -- in essence these determine what the common competencies
between successful firms are likely to be) and the firms distinctive/core
competencies (i.e., what the firm does better than it competitors). It is
the "fit" between the KSFs and the firm's CCs that provide a bases for
developing a competitive strategy.

By analogy, it may be argued that while there are certain common
competencies found in across managerial jobs or required for leadership
positions (See Stogdill, 1974, Handbood of leadership, or House & Batz in
Research on Organizational Behavior, JAI Press for a review on leadership
"traits"), recent arguments and research would suggest that the critical
success factors that a manager/leader must possess is situational, i.e.,
the set of competencies needed to be successful in one environment is
likely to be different in another environment (see Yukl, Leadership in
Organizations, 4th Ed). Thus, what a manager needs is self-awareness in
terms of his/her's strengths and weaknesses, a capacity to develop relevant
skills that are deficient, and a capacity to compensate for weaknesses
(often by surrounding themself with subordinates/cohorts who have
complementary strengths).

This suggests that training and developmental programs need to be both
universal (in developing common core competencies) but unique to assessing
and responding to the particular demands facing managers/leaders in their
roles, in their organizations.

Among current theories of leadership, I find Robert Quinn's Competing
Values Theory of Leadership (Beyond Rational Management, Jossey-Bass) a
useful starting point because: it focuses on 24 different roles that
managers/leaders play, it discusses the many inherent conflicts in these
roles; and argues that the master managers must be able to carry out these
conflicting roles while maintaining integrity. Such leader's are
behaviorally complex. (This brief description does not do justice to
Quinn's theory or approach).

In closing, I remember in High School Physics the concept of equifinality,
i.e., there are many paths to the same point. I think the same is true of
leadership. While some paths are more heavily traveled (possibly reflected
in our discussion of the search for managerial competentcies), there are
usually alternatives is one path get blocked. I have the social graces
and political instincts of most academics that's why I not an executive.

Regards, Kim Boal







At 08:18 AM 9/24/98 -0400, you wrote:
>The thread on Success Factors in Internet classes is very illuminating and
>intriguing. I have been teaching an Online Course on "Internet Based
>Teaching" (http://www.esocrates.com/cgi-bin/socrates.cgi?wshop001) in which
>I have participants from Arab Emirates, Australia, Canada, Finland, Japan,
>New Zealand and USA. It is truly a global classroom. In order to prepare
>for it, I collated so called "success factors" from nearly 30 educational
>listservs that we monitored. And ofcourse we tried to use these in this
course.
>
>But here is the intriguing thing. We found that virtually every success
>factor (including the ones posted on this list) has an opposite that is
>equaly true. Let me give just one example - "the easy accessibility of
>anytime anywhere learning/materials/communications will make learners
>participate in peer discussions and review materials in a timely manner"
>This is pointed to as both an advantage of and justification for Internet
>based classes.
>
>But in reality, I constantly find students (even those with excellent
>Internet access) simply do not start learning at any time and from any where
>or in a timely manner? It seems they have pre-structured learning plans
>(some are different from the class schedule we offer them) that they pursue.
>One of my student (from New Zealand, registered for the course, thanked me
>for the intro email, then went of on a 3 week family vacation (without her
>computer). I think this flexibility is good, but it does not contribute to
>timely ongoing discussions, or peer conversations.
>
>So I am proposing that we reconsider the idea of "universal success
>factors", and think instead about "contingency theories" of success within
>different online learning environments. What works where, when, under what
>conditions. What are the important structural parameters, content
>characteristics, learning needs etc. that make online classes effective?
>
>
>
>************************************************
>Dr. Paul Shrivastava
>Howard I. Scott Professor of Management, Bucknell University, and
>President, Environmental Intelligence, Inc.
>Tel: 717- 523-0030; Fax: 717-523-0067
>Mail: 425 Pheasant Ridge Road, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA
>http://www.esocrates.com
>**************************************************
>
--------------------------------
Kim Boal
College of Business Administration
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, TX 79409
(806) 742-2150
KimBoal@ttu.edu

Paul's response is very helpful in again pointing out the need for more
-empirical research in this field. Some of the answers lie in studying key
variables such as the complexity of the task (which subjects?) and the
importance of the task (grades?)-this is a fertile field for continued study-
but very little is in process. The recent alliance in presentations between
the MED and OCIS divisions of the Academy certainly recognizes how these two
fields have some important common objectives. The technology continues to
provide more opportunities -and threats-every day.

I have concluded- after directing six workshops for AACSB meetings over the
past eighteen months-that biz schools are unable-unwilling?- to develop an
organizational structure to deal with this dramatic change in their delivery
systems. The "war" stories and costs are piling up-- I suspect that the same
is true for other professional schools as well.

Again we struggle with practicing what we teach.

I agree. We have been running a major competency-based program in hard copy by
distance and are about to put it on the net. This program is aimed solely at the
adult learner here and overseas and if there is any single consistant in the hard
copy distance program it is the fact that there is no single consistant. We have
over 350 students in one program and I swear there are no universal rules governing
how they conduct their learning.

Keep it up. This is an extremely interesting topic and one that I believe a lot of
our futures is relying on.

Phil Rutherford
Lecturer and Academic Director
University of New England
Competency-based systems specialist
robnphil@ozemail.com.au
(Watch this space for a new URL)


Paul Shrivastava wrote:

> The thread on Success Factors in Internet classes is very illuminating and
> intriguing. I have been teaching an Online Course on "Internet Based
> Teaching" (http://www.esocrates.com/cgi-bin/socrates.cgi?wshop001) in which
> I have participants from Arab Emirates, Australia, Canada, Finland, Japan,
> New Zealand and USA. It is truly a global classroom. In order to prepare
> for it, I collated so called "success factors" from nearly 30 educational
> listservs that we monitored. And ofcourse we tried to use these in this course.
>
> But here is the intriguing thing. We found that virtually every success
> factor (including the ones posted on this list) has an opposite that is
> equaly true. Let me give just one example - "the easy accessibility of
> anytime anywhere learning/materials/communications will make learners
> participate in peer discussions and review materials in a timely manner"
> This is pointed to as both an advantage of and justification for Internet
> based classes.
>
> But in reality, I constantly find students (even those with excellent
> Internet access) simply do not start learning at any time and from any where
> or in a timely manner? It seems they have pre-structured learning plans
> (some are different from the class schedule we offer them) that they pursue.
> One of my student (from New Zealand, registered for the course, thanked me
> for the intro email, then went of on a 3 week family vacation (without her
> computer). I think this flexibility is good, but it does not contribute to
> timely ongoing discussions, or peer conversations.
>
> So I am proposing that we reconsider the idea of "universal success
> factors", and think instead about "contingency theories" of success within
> different online learning environments. What works where, when, under what
> conditions. What are the important structural parameters, content
> characteristics, learning needs etc. that make online classes effective?
>
> ************************************************
> Dr. Paul Shrivastava
> Howard I. Scott Professor of Management, Bucknell University, and
> President, Environmental Intelligence, Inc.
> Tel: 717- 523-0030; Fax: 717-523-0067
> Mail: 425 Pheasant Ridge Road, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA
> http://www.esocrates.com
> **************************************************

Kim,
You have just described a competency-based learning system. The idea is that the
skills and knowledge needed to achieve goals and objectives (in wherever they are
applied) are the catalyst for all training and education endeavours. They drive
the training, and are not driven by it, because - as you say - the skills and
knowledge can be learned anywhere. And we are not just talking about the
cognitive skills but those that underpin all effective and successful
performance.

Regards


Phil Rutherford
Lecturer and Academic Director
University of New England
Competency-based systems specialist
robnphil@ozemail.com.au
(Watch this space for a new URL)

Kim Boal wrote:

> The many interesting, provocative, and thoughtful contributions to ideas
> and questions about key success factors has prompted me to contribute to
> the conversation in < I hope, a useful way.
>
> When I teach strategy to my students, the concept of "fit" is oftened
> discussed. The "fit" I stress is between the Key Success Factors in the
> industry/market segments the firm competes in (i.e., what a firm must do
> well to succeed -- in essence these determine what the common competencies
> between successful firms are likely to be) and the firms distinctive/core
> competencies (i.e., what the firm does better than it competitors). It is
> the "fit" between the KSFs and the firm's CCs that provide a bases for
> developing a competitive strategy.
>
> By analogy, it may be argued that while there are certain common
> competencies found in across managerial jobs or required for leadership
> positions (See Stogdill, 1974, Handbood of leadership, or House & Batz in
> Research on Organizational Behavior, JAI Press for a review on leadership
> "traits"), recent arguments and research would suggest that the critical
> success factors that a manager/leader must possess is situational, i.e.,
> the set of competencies needed to be successful in one environment is
> likely to be different in another environment (see Yukl, Leadership in
> Organizations, 4th Ed). Thus, what a manager needs is self-awareness in
> terms of his/her's strengths and weaknesses, a capacity to develop relevant
> skills that are deficient, and a capacity to compensate for weaknesses
> (often by surrounding themself with subordinates/cohorts who have
> complementary strengths).
>
> This suggests that training and developmental programs need to be both
> universal (in developing common core competencies) but unique to assessing
> and responding to the particular demands facing managers/leaders in their
> roles, in their organizations.
>
> Among current theories of leadership, I find Robert Quinn's Competing
> Values Theory of Leadership (Beyond Rational Management, Jossey-Bass) a
> useful starting point because: it focuses on 24 different roles that
> managers/leaders play, it discusses the many inherent conflicts in these
> roles; and argues that the master managers must be able to carry out these
> conflicting roles while maintaining integrity. Such leader's are
> behaviorally complex. (This brief description does not do justice to
> Quinn's theory or approach).
>
> In closing, I remember in High School Physics the concept of equifinality,
> i.e., there are many paths to the same point. I think the same is true of
> leadership. While some paths are more heavily traveled (possibly reflected
> in our discussion of the search for managerial competentcies), there are
> usually alternatives is one path get blocked. I have the social graces
> and political instincts of most academics that's why I not an executive.
>
> Regards, Kim Boal
>
> At 08:18 AM 9/24/98 -0400, you wrote:
> >The thread on Success Factors in Internet classes is very illuminating and
> >intriguing. I have been teaching an Online Course on "Internet Based
> >Teaching" (http://www.esocrates.com/cgi-bin/socrates.cgi?wshop001) in which
> >I have participants from Arab Emirates, Australia, Canada, Finland, Japan,
> >New Zealand and USA. It is truly a global classroom. In order to prepare
> >for it, I collated so called "success factors" from nearly 30 educational
> >listservs that we monitored. And ofcourse we tried to use these in this
> course.
> >
> >But here is the intriguing thing. We found that virtually every success
> >factor (including the ones posted on this list) has an opposite that is
> >equaly true. Let me give just one example - "the easy accessibility of
> >anytime anywhere learning/materials/communications will make learners
> >participate in peer discussions and review materials in a timely manner"
> >This is pointed to as both an advantage of and justification for Internet
> >based classes.
> >
> >But in reality, I constantly find students (even those with excellent
> >Internet access) simply do not start learning at any time and from any where
> >or in a timely manner? It seems they have pre-structured learning plans
> >(some are different from the class schedule we offer them) that they pursue.
> >One of my student (from New Zealand, registered for the course, thanked me
> >for the intro email, then went of on a 3 week family vacation (without her
> >computer). I think this flexibility is good, but it does not contribute to
> >timely ongoing discussions, or peer conversations.
> >
> >So I am proposing that we reconsider the idea of "universal success
> >factors", and think instead about "contingency theories" of success within
> >different online learning environments. What works where, when, under what
> >conditions. What are the important structural parameters, content
> >characteristics, learning needs etc. that make online classes effective?
> >
> >
> >
> >************************************************
> >Dr. Paul Shrivastava
> >Howard I. Scott Professor of Management, Bucknell University, and
> >President, Environmental Intelligence, Inc.
> >Tel: 717- 523-0030; Fax: 717-523-0067
> >Mail: 425 Pheasant Ridge Road, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA
> >http://www.esocrates.com
> >**************************************************
> >
> --------------------------------
> Kim Boal
> College of Business Administration
> Texas Tech University
> Lubbock, TX 79409
> (806) 742-2150
> KimBoal@ttu.edu