Proposed Title: Amalgamation of SAP R3 In MBA: Topic Wise Insertion of SAP R3 Modules Throughout MBA Subjects to Develop an Industry Endorsed Standardized Global Curriculum that Can Meet The Standards And Needs of the Industry.
ABSTRACT
There has been a considerable increase and importance of enterprise systems in, several universities worldwide since there are 79 countries around the world have incorporated SAP R/3 into their business school curriculum. SAP R/3 in business curriculum is value addition to MBA students, which expresses an integrated virtual view of the firm and the efficient and effective performance of business processes to achieve organizational goals.
The objective for selecting this as a subject matter of investigation is mainly because there is considerable fluctuation in demand for graduate-level management degrees worldwide (Graduate Management Admission Council, 2013). This research will bring about a revolution in the MBA curriculum. Time and again critiques launched during the mid 1980’s have challenged schools of business to become more relevant and accountable to market needs; Keys & Wolfe, 1988; Osbaldeston & Barnham, 1989; Porter & McKibbin, 1988).
Introduction
There is continual pressure to re-examine the MBA curriculum (Avison, 2003). A prevailing MBA curriculum model is almost universally accepted in the United States. Several critics asserted that business schools encourage a preference for analytical detachment (Muller, et al., 1991) while others called for increased attention on integrating art and science in management education (Boyatzis, Cowen, & Kolb, 1995).
Systeme, Anwendungen und Produkte in der Datenverarbeitung ("Systems, Applications and Products in Data Processing"). SAP in short form is ERP (Enterprise Resourcing Planning) Software used in many Multi-national firms. Demand for trained enterprise resource planning professionals has motivated a number of universities to join alliances with ERP software vendors such as SAP.
Let’s assume that a South Africa-based salesperson for a U.S. multinational computer firm prepares a quote for a customer using an ERP system. The quote specifies a legally binding product configuration, price, delivery date, shipping method, and so forth, all determined in real time from the system. When the customer accepts the quote (via the Internet, let’s say), a sales order is recorded. The system schedules the shipping (including shipping points and truck routes), then works backward from the shipping date to reserve material availability, order needed parts from suppliers, and schedule the computer assembly in manufacturing. The customer’s credit limit is checked. The sales and production forecasts are updated. Material Requirements Planning (materials needed to produce the product and the sequence in which they need to be available) and bill-of-materials lists are created. The salesperson’s payroll account is credited with the correct commission, and his or her travel account credited with the expenses of the sales call. Actual product cost and profitability are calculated. The division’ s and firm’ s balance sheets, accounts payable and receivable ledgers, cost center accounts, cash levels, and any other relevant finances are automatically recalculated in an instant. Virtually every information transaction resulting from the sale of the computer is taken care of except for the impact on the company’ s stock price. (Davenport, 2000)
This is evident since The University Alliances Program (UAP) opens up the world of SAP to 1,4280 universities/b-schools in 79 countries worldwide. Country wise distribution is shown in the below table compiled from the data retrieved from the following link http://uaaroundtheworld.informatik.tu-muenchen.de/overview(bD1lbiZjPTEwMQ==)/start.htm as on 31/05/2014 where names of universities/b-schools is also provided. This program provides the materials and facilitates training and finally after a stipulated period of training provides participation certificate to students.
- S.NO.
| COUNTRY | NUMBER OF UNIVERSITIES /B-SCHOOLS ASSOCIATED WITH SAP |
1 | ARGENTINA | 04 |
2 | AUSTRALIA | 28 |
3 | AUSTRIA | 147 |
4 | BAHARAIN | 03 |
5 | BANGLADESH | 01 |
6 | BELARUS | 03 |
7 | BELGIUM | 04 |
8 | BOSNIA-HERZ | 01 |
9 | BOSTWANA | 02 |
10 | BRAZIL | 17 |
11 | BULGARIA | 03 |
12 | CANADA | 33 |
13 | CHILE | 09 |
14 | CHINA | 47 |
15 | COLOMBIA | 05 |
16 | COSTA RICA | 03 |
17 | DENMARK | 04 |
18 | EGYPT | 02 |
19 | FINLAND | 23 |
20 | FRANCE | 53 |
21 | GERMANY | 328 |
22 | GHANA | 01 |
23 | GREECE | 08 |
24 | HONG KONG | 03 |
25 | HUNGARY | 07 |
26 | INDIA | 84 |
27 | INDONEASIA | 09 |
28 | IRELAND | 13 |
29 | ISRAEL | 03 |
30 | ITALY | 08 |
31 | JAPAN | 13 |
32 | JORDAN | 02 |
33 | KAZAKHSTAN | 02 |
34 | KENYA | 04 |
35 | LATVIA | 01 |
36 | LEBANON | 02 |
37 | LIECHTENSTEIN | 01 |
38 | LEXEMBOURG | 01 |
39 | MACAU | 02 |
40 | MALAYSIA | 16 |
41 | MAURITIUS | 01 |
42 | MEXICO | 07 |
43 | MONGOLIA | 01 |
44 | MOROCCO | 02 |
45 | NAMIBIA | 01 |
46 | NETHERLANDS | 10 |
47 | NEW ZEALAND | 03 |
48 | NIGERIA | 02 |
49 | NORWAY | 02 |
50 | OMAN | 04 |
51 | PAKISTAN | 03 |
52 | PALESTINE | 01 |
53 | PANAMA | 01 |
54 | PERU | 03 |
55 | PHILLIPPINES | 15 |
56 | POLAND | 16 |
57 | PORTUGAL | 02 |
58 | QATAR | 03 |
59 | ROMANIA | 05 |
60 | RUSSIAN FED. | 31 |
61 | SAUDI ARABIA | 16 |
62 | SERBIA | 01 |
63 | SINGAPORE | 09 |
64 | SLOVENIA | 04 |
65 | SOUTH AFRICA | 10 |
66 | SOUTH KOREA | 03 |
67 | SPAIN | 08 |
68 | SWEDEN | 10 |
69 | SWITZERLAND | 20 |
70 | TAIWAN | 08 |
71 | THAILAND | 12 |
72 | TUNISIA | 02 |
73 | TURKEY | 14 |
74 | UNITED KINGDOM | 33 |
75 | URUGUAY | 01 |
76 | USA | 248 |
77 | UAE | 11 |
78 | VENEZUELA | 02 |
79 | VIETNAM | 03 |
Literature review:
The literature on the relationship between work experience and academic achievement was limited in scope and failed to support the work experience requirement. (Ryan, 2004).
According to Hanover Research 2013 prepared for ProQuest LLC An MBA Roundtable survey revealed that 94 percent of respondents have changed their curriculum. The disparity between the need for managers to accomplish their ends through people, and the dearth of people-skills in the traditional curriculum was noted (Whetten & Clark, 1996). A well-balanced combination of technical, procedural, and social competencies will give the MBA students a sound basis for their careers. An important aspect of management education is what has been called "management by action"(R.S.Staiton, 1981). It was argued that business schools have failed to teach students to grapple with complex, multi-layered issues faced by managers in global markets (Bennis & O’Toole, 2005).
Admissions to Masters in Business Administration/Management Programs(MBA/MP) is in a decline stage as suggested by various surveys conducted in 2013.In this backdrop and after intense discussion with mangers from various industry and countries who agreed that there is a need for standardized global syllabus since different Universities and Colleges have different syllabus.
Hanover Research 2013 findings highlights, in light of the recent financial crisis, many business schools have developed an increased focus on business ethics. Harvard University and the University of California-Berkeley have begun to supplement their case-study method of instruction with substantial coursework devoted to ethics and teamwork, while the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School has also recently instituted additional coursework dealing with financial risk.
ERP systems provide a lot of benefits in a business school curriculum. ERP system is an important point for incorporation of knowledge across functional areas.
Based on my experience of training more than 200 students through the University Alliances Program and discussions with academicians, subject experts and people from industry it has been found that that SAP should be given with the MBA subjects so as to make it more effective rather than giving as a separate stand-alone SAP Modules.
For example in SAP MM Module there is topic Purchase cycle this can be subdivided as Procurement part with Purchase management subject and Goods receipt and invoice verification with Warehouse management subject.
Likewise this research will identify the areas and topics in MBA subjects where amalgamation of SAP is possible to design a new curriculum for MBA with SAP.
As we begin to consider ways in which MBA selection systems may be better implemented, we must acknowledge that every type of work experience should lend itself to systematic analysis and explanation. (Ryan, 2004).
Objective of the Study
- To develop a Global MBA curriculum through integrating SAP R3 throughout the curriculum so as to emphasize the skills desired by the industry.
Methodology
A methodology is “The theory of how research should be undertaken, including the theoretical and philosophical assumptions upon which research is based and the implications of these for the method or methods adopted” (Saunders M. L., 2003). Selecting the most appropriate research method is one of the most difficult problems facing a doctoral researcher. The research will start with a review of existing literature on the MBA curriculum. Critical Incidents Technique (Edvardsson, 2001; Flanagan, 1954) is chosen since it is a well-proven qualitative research approach that offers a practical step-by-step approach to collecting and analyzing information.
At second stage the survey questionnaire consisting of questions, which respondents are, required to complete in order to qualify, as a survey participant will be developed so as to collect the information from key stakeholders mainly from industry and academicians. All survey questions might not be applicable to all responding programs. The survey will be conducted using social media and wherever possible through hard copies. Survey data will be analyzed and tabulated using SPSS.
The following broad classification of graduate management programs will be used:
The MBA is represented by full time two year MBA including international MBA and two year PGP, Full time one year MBA including one year International MBA and one year PGP. Part -time or professional MBA, Flexible MBA, Executive MBA and Specialized master’s programs are represented by several majors, including Master of Accounting and Master of Taxation Master of Finance Master in Management and International Management Master in Marketing and/or Communication Master of Information Technology or Systems and other master level programs, in business fields.
World geographic classification, which will be used in this research, is based on the following categories:
Asia -Pacific (APAC): Australia, Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong (SAR of China), India, Japan, Korea (Republic of, South), Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam.
Canada: Canada
Europe: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Ireland,
Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Russian Federation, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Latin America: Brazil, Columbia, and Mexico
Middle East/Africa: Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Turkey, UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman.
United States: United States of America and its territories
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