THE USE OF CONCEPT MAPPING IN TEACHING STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT Developments in Business Simulation and Experiential Learning, Volume 25, 1998 “The Use of Concept Mapping in Teaching Strategic Management” Illinois State University Douglas L. Micklich ABSTRACT Traditionally the capstone business course has been one that attempts to successfully tie together concepts or topics that are presented in other courses throughout a student’s undergraduate career. A technique called “concept mapping” is used whereby pictures or maps are constructed of those topics that show not only the relationships among the concepts or topics but also of the relationships of the elements that comprise these topics. The relationships illustrated by the maps help to reinforce how various areas of a firm are affected by elements used in constructing a strategic plan. The use of this technique has shown to increase both individual performance and the class’s level of understanding as a whole and as it relates to the cohesiveness of the class project. INTRODUCTION A challenge in teaching the concepts contained in a business capstone course is to show the interrelationships between these concepts as well as those introduced through other courses. Concept mapping is one technique that can be used to visually represent the meaningful relationships between concepts to help gain a better understanding or perspective of the “big picture” of strategic management and in seeing the dimensionality of the strategic decision-making process. Concept mapping is a type of structural conceptualization which can be used by individuals or groups to develop a conceptual framework which can guide evaluation or planning and that produces an interpretable pictorial view (concept map) of ideas and concepts and how these are interrelated. This better perspective can be seen in the level of understanding displayed through both exam scores and the cohesiveness of a semester-long class project. The objectives of the exercise are to 1) draw an image of the relationships, simple and complex, that comprise strategy development, and 2) to be able to understand these relationships and the dynamics of the variables that comprise the strategic decision-making process when constructing a cohesive strategic plan for an organization. THE MAPPING EXPERIENCE This exercise was conducted in three parts, the first being a total in-class activity and subsequent parts relinquishing more control to the student over the utilization of the exercise and the interpretation of the maps. The first part was conducted after the first exam. A word list was given to the students containing topics that were covered prior to the first exam. The second part is an out-of-class activity conducted prior to the second exam. Students were required to return the updated maps with the second exam. The third part consisted of students updating the maps, but not being required to turn them in. In the latter two parts, updated lists were distributed to students that included topics covered to-date. The primary purpose of using concept mapping is to determine the existence of a better (greater) level of understanding of the course material as displayed by the level of cohesiveness of the class project and through exam scores. The level of cohesion is displayed by the ability to properly define an issue and to trace its line-of-thought through the various departments and Levels of strategy. Secondary considerations were: 1) for exam scores, we would expect to see an increase in the mean scores and, 2) we would also expect to see a decrease in the standard variation of the scores when using the mapping technique. METHODOLOGY A paired samples t-test was conducted to determine the significance and effect the mapping experience had on both the mean test score and the standard deviation of the score. Looking at paired exams 1-2 273 Developments in Business Simulation and Experiential Learning, Volume 25, 1998 from Tables I - 3 and Exams I and 2 from Table 4, we see the mean scores did increase while the standard deviations of those scores decreased. We also can observe a moderate degree of correlation as a result of the mapping experience. When considering paired exams 2 - 3 from Tables 1 -3 and exam scores from Table 4, a decrease in exam scores is noticed along with an increase in the standard deviation of those scores, and either small or large changes in the correlation of those scores. Paired exams 1 - 3 from Tables 1 - 3 and exams 1 and 3 from Table 4 show the effect of the mapping technique over the course of the term and the student’s responsibility for completing the exercise. Although the effects are still of a positive nature, they however are not as great as when the exercise is conducted under a more controlled environment. The level of cohesion displayed in the class project is in one sense a subjective measure of the level of understanding, but also in some respects related to exam scores. Those sections that had shown greater increases in mean scores and smaller standard deviations also displayed better cohesion through the class project. CONCLUSION These results would tend to support the alternative hypothesis that there is a difference in mean scores and standard deviations as a result of using this technique and that this difference results in a positive effect. This effect, when not reinforced in a controlled environment, has a tendency to diminish as evidenced by the decrease in mean scores and associated increases in the standard deviation and falls to either at or below pre-treatment levels. This would also signify (and support) a notion of the existence of (other) extraneous (intervening) variables such as time lapse between treatments or parts, and learning characteristics of the class. Table 1 Spring 1997- Section 1 Paired Paired Differences 2-tail Exams Mean SD SE t-value Corr Sig 1 to 2 -10.19 13.83 2.713 -3.76 0.138 0.001 2 to 3 17.15 15.84 3.108 5.52 0.401 0.000 1 to 3 6.96 18.64 3.656 1.9 0.199 0.068 Table 2 Spring 1997- Section 2 Paired Paired Differences 2-tail Exams Mean SD SE t-value Corr Sig 1 to 2 -18.76 14 2.556 -7.34 0.473 0.000 2 to 3 17.5 14.31 2.612 6.7 0.469 0.000 1 to 3 -1.266 22.38 4.086 -0.31 0.022 0.000 Table 3 Spring 1997- Section 3 Paired Paired Differences 2-tail Exams Mean SD SE t-value Corr Sig 1 to 2 -0.709 7.506 1.348 -0.53 0.609 0.602 2 to 3 15.322 16.33 2.932 5.23 0.124 0.000 1 to 3 14.612 16.37 2.941 4.97 0.229 0.000 Table 4 Spring 1997 - Mean Scores/Standard Deviations Section Exam 1 2 3 Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD 1 121.88 11.58 114.23 15.84 133.25 9.31 2 132.07 9.3 133.00 8.5 133.96 6.67 3 114.92 17.08 115.50 16.16 118.65 15.74 REFERENCES [1] Trochim, William, M.K., (1989a), An Introduction to Concept Mapping for Planning and Evaluation, and Program Planning, 12, 1, 1-16 (online) http://trochim.human.comell.edulkb/conmap.htm 274 Table of Contents Volume 25, 1998 Marketing Goes to the Movies Bringing Experiential Learning to a Principles of Marketing Course Investment Analysis Application Using In-house Spreadsheet Models SugarCoated Statistics: An Exercise for the First Day of Class Improving Undergraduate Student Involvement in Management Science and Business Writing Courses Using the Seven Principles in Action Establishment and Funding for Interuniversity / Multidisciplinary Student experiences The Prospects of Creative Teaching: A Discussion with Patricia Sanders The Simulation and Classroom Assessment Techniques Developments of Management Skill Assessment Games as Instruments of Assessment: A Framework for Evaluation The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Business Curricula Threshold Solo Competitor: A Management Simulation (V1.0) a Windows-Based. Play Alone, Total Enterprise Simulation and Assessment Instrument Toward An Understanding of One's self-concept Total Enterprise Simulations and the Internet: Improving Student Perceptions and Simplifying Administrative Workloads The Expatriate an Assignment Orientation Game An Expatriate's Nightmare: An Experiential Exercise in Coping with Overseas Assignments Analyzing Experiential Exercise: Using the Scientific Method for Problem Solving The Second Component to Experiential Learning: A Look Back at How ABSEL has handled the Conceptual and Operational Definitions of Learning Predictive Models of Learning: Participant Satisfaction of Experiential Exercises in Business Education Accelerating Moral Development through Use of Experiential Ethical Dilemmas Ethical Dilemmas to use with Business Simulations to Teach Ethics The Class Approach in Behavioral Simulation in a Business Policy/Strategic Management course: A Progression toward Greater Realism An Exploration of the Emergence of Process Prototypes in a Management Course Utilizing a Total Enterprise Simulation How Organizations Are Improving Their Performance Utilizing Electronic Commerce: Examples From The Internet The Market Access Planning System (Maps): A Computer-Based Decision Support System For Facilitating Experiential Learning In International Business An Excel Workbook For Student Planning And Interface With A Simulation Game Design Of Multi-Media Based Pedagogy For Leadership Training Panel Discussion On Using The Internet For Courses Valuing And Enhancing Teaching: Sharing Tips Via The Web The Buddy Project: A Semester Long Project Aimed At Developing An Appreciation For Diversity Enhancing The Excitement And Learning Retention In The Classroom: The Power Of Magic The Supervised Management Internship: A Job Or Learning Experience Team Ware™ An Online Moderated Class Discussion Facility And Beyond A Neophyte Distance Educator's Experience Learning Management By Practicing Management: A Report Of Significant Student Service In 1997 Integration Of Academic And Service Learning: Students' Perceptions About Its Effects And Outcomes The Value Of Incorporating A Service Learning Component Into Course Content: A Presentation And Roundtable Discussion Business Games Teach: Thoughts on the Sources of Conflicting Conclusions on their Effectiveness Antecedents Of Learning In The Simulation: A Replication Using Student Journals To Enhance Learning From Simulations Technological Change And Intertemporal Movements In Consumer Preferences In The Design Of Computerized Business Simulations With Market Segmentation Integrating The Marketing Curriculum Using Collaborative Learning Teaching Time Management In A Sales Program: The Application Of A Computer Simulation Game Adapting Interactive Computer Simulations For Content Based Esl Instruction Multimedia And Student Expectations Synthesizing Data For Media Simulations Composing A Team Health Promoting Behaviors-A Decision Making Exercise Does it really Work? An Application of the Group Interaction Framework Administering the MIT Beer Game: Lessons Learned A Paperless Economy? Instructing Students on the Aspects of Successful Electronic Commerce Maximizing Learning Gains in Simulations: Lessons from the Training Literature Observing General Ability in a Total Enterprise Gaming Simulation FReach Teach: A Computer-Based System for Teaching Advertising Media Planning An Integrated Business Instruction System An Experiential Exercise you can Tinker With Experiential Exercises or Computer Simulations? Cash Flow Statements: Are They Important in Business Simulations? Holistic Cognitive Strategy in a Computer-Based Marketing Simulation Game: An Investigation of Attitudes Towards the Decision-Making Process Barnga: A Game on Cultural Clashes The Many Faces of Culture: Understanding Country and Corporate Culture Students' View of the Use of Business Gaming in Hong Kong Assessing General Management Interest What is the Future of Business Gaming? Starting a Small Music Trivia Business Exercise and Other Innovative Icebreakers An Integrated Approach to Behavioral Skill Development Career Focus: A Student and Business Learning Experience The Use of Concept Mapping in Teaching Strategic Management An Experiential Approach to Developing Mission Statements Business Games in Brazil-Learning or Satisfaction A Simulation within a Simulation: Job Layoff's and Emotional Reactions