MBA for Working Professionals

Hello.  I am attempting to have a 'professionally clean break' from my obligations to the MBA for Working Professionals program prior to my sabbatical (which starts after this semester ends).

If you have ACCT 5301 final grade concerns of any kind, please  read this message (just over one page). 

If the preceding message applies to you, there are potentially two assignments that you might want to complete.

NOTE: FA09 grades are not available at this point (see the preceding hyperlinked message).

The Big Assignment (available to all cohort members in the Group A, Group E, and the most recent block program who took A5301 from me).

Instructions: send your three page (or less) assignment to me at  steve.buchheit@ttu.edu (please put FINAL BIG ASSIGNMENT in the subject header).

The Small Assignment (only available to (1) past cohort members who have not completed an in-class test &  (2) Group A members who would like a second attempt at the AOL / Barnes Catering type of test).

Instructions: Answer the circled questions from the Ferris and Wallace textbook (click the hyperlink on 'the small assignment', above).   My notes 'under the circles' represent maximum response lengths.  My notes in the text of the small assignment hyperlink limit the amount of work required by each question.  If you elect to complete this assignment, send your response to steve.buchheit@ttu.edu (please put FINAL SMALL ASSIGNMENT in the subject header).

Examples of past Big and Small Assignments ("how they will be graded")

Small Assignment, Group A Example: Barnes Catering Problem.  The benchmark for performance assessment is current Rawls College undergraduates.  The grade distribution will fall into the attached spectrum: Graded Undergraduate Responses.  If you have completed an in-class test AND you haven't heard from me specifically, please do no complete the small assignment.  If you were unable to attend class (regardless of cohort) and you have not completed tests given during class, please complete the assignment.

Big Assignment, Cohorts prior to Group A: each assignment was specific to a personal work experience (typically your current employer).  For somewhat obvious reasons, these assignments CANNOT be publicly posted.  A necessary innovation for Group A was to create a big assignment based on publicly available information.

The first Group A big assignment was based on Blockbuster, Inc (using only publicly available information).  Group A's final class meeting included extended discussion of Blockbuster, and a 'benchmark case' was established in terms of separating A from B letter grades for assessment purposes.  This benchmark case can be characterized as (1) heavy on financial information but (2) relatively light on 'story' compared to other top performing cases.

Multiple optional assignments were then made available (each used the Blockbuster model). 

If you have not completed the Blockbuster (or alternate) big assignment, please DO NOT submit the Blockbuster assignment (after publicly discussing a case study, the ability to fairly assess performance is hindered). 

If you need to or would like to complete a large assignment, please complete the current Big Assignment.

Final Note (largely to Groups A & E):  The IMBA for Working Professionals program continues to move forward nicely... if you are interested, please send me an email (please put IMBA in the subject header).

Best regards,

 Steve Buchheit (11/13/09)