Dr. Emanuel Xavier-Oliveira (SBE) and other professors of economics from universities such as Purdue and Yale were asked by the financial web site WalletHub to comment on growth strategies that state economies can adopt in order to improve or return to full capacity. It was part of a WalletHub report just released on the states with the best and worst economies. News of the report has been picked up by Forbes and CBS News, among others.
Dr. Dana Johnson was honored for her contributions in Quality this spring by the American Society for Quality. She received ASQ’s 2016 Gryna Award for co-authoring the paper, “SEM of Service Quality to Predict Overall Patient Satisfaction in Medical CLinics: A Case Study,” published in 2015 in Quality Management Journal, Vol. 22, No. 4 pp. 18-36. The ASQ Gryna Award is for the largest single contribution to the extension of understanding and knowledge of the philosophy, principles, or methods of quality management. Dr. Johnson’s co-author, Dr. Roberta S. Russel, is a Professor of Business Information Technology at Virginia Tech. Both authors thank Elizabeth MacInnes, V.P. Quality, UP Health Systems Portage and James Bogan, UP Health Systems Market President for providing access to the data necessary to complete this research.
About ASQ
ASQ is a global community of people dedicated to quality who share the ideas and tools that make our world work better. With millions of individual and organizational members of the community in 150 countries, ASQ has the reputation and reach to bring together the diverse quality champions who are transforming the world’s corporations, organizations and communities to meet tomorrow’s critical challenges. Celebrating 70 years in 2016, ASQ, with its world headquarters in Milwaukee, Wis., USA, operates regional centers in the U.S. and Canada, North Asia, South Asia, Latin America and Middle East and Africa. Learn more about ASQ’s members, mission, technologies and training by visiting the ASQ webpage.
Dr. Mari W. Buche, director of the Data Science Graduate Program and associate professor of Management Information Systems (SBE), attended the 11th Annual Midwest AIS conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin May 19-20. The theme for this year’s event was “Bigger, Smarter, Safer: Game Changers for Information Systems.”
Buche participated on a panel entitled “Privacy, technology and surveillance in the digital age: the Big Brother scenario.” The panel focused on redefining privacy expectations and generational gaps in fundamental interpretations of information security. Reference material for this panel was Can ‘Big Brother’ watch us?
Buche also presented a research-in-progress paper entitled “The influence of Outcome-Oriented Security Policy on Security Perceptions and Intentions,” co-authored with Jeff Wall (SBE). The study investigates expected improvements when corporations enhance traditional checklist-oriented information security policies (ISPs) with an outcomes-oriented policy. Intrinsic motivation and employee commitment will be measured in an experimental design study.
An entry from Michigan Tech’s School of Business and Economics (SBE) has been named a finalist in the iOme Challenge, a national competition.
The SBE’s entry was an essay written by Jerrid Burdue. Emaneul Oliveira (SBE) is the faculty advisor. The official announcement of the ultimate winning team will be June 6.
This is the fourth time SBE has participated in the iOme competition with our team reaching the finals each time they competed. SBE did not participate in 2015 because the competition changed the time frame from the Fall to Spring semester.
The iOme Challenge is coordinated by WISER (Women’s Institute For A Secure Retirement), in Washington D.C. and sponsored by entities such as the American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries, Financial Planning Association, Prudential, Experian, among others.
The winning team will go to Washington June 28 and 29 and present their essay to members of Congress, policy-makers and others who are interested in this policy issue.
A top prize of $5,000 will be awarded to the winning student team and $1,500 to the team’s faculty advisor.
More information can be found on the iOme Challenge and WISER web sites.
– Tech Today
By Mark Wilcox | Published May 3, 2016
Through the Robinsons’ philanthropy, the SBE will see significant improvements both academically and in the physical state of its building. What was initially an idea for renovation, ended up as a major improvement to the Academic Office Building, home of the SBE, and a planned bequest for the Edward and Betty Robinson Endowed Faculty Fellow in accounting. The bequest will fund what will be known as the “Robinson Fellow.”
Eric Halonen, Michigan Tech’s assistant vice president for advancement, said students are the beneficiaries of the Robinsons’ service and philanthropy.
“Ed and Betty are building the School of Business and Economics through two facets, with both a building renovation and the faculty fellow position,” he said.
Dean Johnson, interim dean of the SBE, noted Robinson’s past dedication to the school, particularly his work as chair of the Tidwell Center Endowment Campaign. Named after the legendary late accounting professor Sam Tidwell, the Tidwell Center consists of endowment funds to support scholarships and direct student services.
“Ed’s guidance and his generous gift will ensure a lasting bond between legendary faculty like Sam Tidwell and those who will have the honor of serving as the Robinson Fellow,” Johnson said.
Ed Robinson said he and Betty want to continue to help the School that has given so much to them.
“We want to do our small part in helping SBE on to greater achievements for the benefit of students now and into the future.”Ed Robinson
“Sam Tidwell and other SBE faculty were a great inspiration to me,” he said. “We want to do our small part in helping SBE on to greater achievements for the benefit of students now and into the future.”
Betty Robinson also acknowledges Tidwell’s influence on her husband’s success. “Fifty years ago, Michigan Tech invested in my husband’s quality education. … He blames Professor Sam Tidwell for steering him into a public accounting career. From that investment by Michigan Tech, he enjoyed years in public accounting.”
Betty Robinson said her husband spent 22 years in public accounting and became Deloitte’s National Industry Director-Transportation as a partner. He also became chair of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Transportation Committee.
“In his career, he went on to become the chief financial officer of two regional railroads in the Midwest from their inception and continues to serve in that capacity,” Betty said.
Noting that faculty are key to student success, Johnson went on to say, “Ed’s gift will support and attract high-quality faculty who are the interface for the next generation of accountants.”
Johnson said the gifts are doing more than looking out for the future of the SBE.
“The Robinsons are making additional annual gifts in order to have an immediate impact,” he said. “As a result, renovations in the Academic Office Building have recently been completed. We anticipate filling the Robinson Fellow position in the near future.”
In addition to the Robinsons’ philanthropy, Ed Robinson continues to serve on the SBE Dean’s Advisory Council and the Accounting Advisory Council and is a member of the School of Business and Economics Academy.
The Robinsons are members of the McNair Society and the 1885 Society, and Ed is a life trustee of the Michigan Tech Fund, as well as a current member of the President’s Advancement Council.
“The Robinsons are a true ‘Michigan Tech family,’” Halonen said. “Ed and Betty’s son, Decha, is a 2006 graduate of the School of Business and Economics as well. Their service and philanthropic spirit are matched by only a very select few.”
Betty Robinson said it’s only fair they give to back to the institution that has meant so much to them.
“The investment by Michigan Tech paid off, and now it is time we returned a payback to the School of Business and Economics at Michigan Tech,” she said.
