Bissett professor Nicole Edge has paper accepted at the Qualitative Accounting Research Symposium
Bissett school of Business would like to congratulate Assistant Professor, Nicole Edge for having her paper titled: “The Goffman Gospel According to Accounting: Maintaining Business Beliefs” accepted for the Qualitative Accounting Research Symposium sponsored by the Canadian Academic Accounting Association.
The Symposium, taking place November 28 – 29, at the University of Guelph, “brings together researchers and accounting faculty who share an interest in qualitative accounting research from diverse methodological and theoretical perspectives”.
Bissett Instructor Kris Hans keeping busy with speaking engagements and mentoring
In addition to teaching Business Communications here at Bissett, Kris is described as an ideas generator and a social entrepreneur. Kris’s passion is working with student and start-up ventures to help grow their businesses and diversify the Alberta Economy.
Kris Hans recently presented an informative cyber security seminar on MRU campus this past October, titled: Artificial Intelligence: Sci-Fi vs. Reality -Think that artificial intelligence is limited to robots of the future that will threaten humanity? Think again. Artificial intelligence is already here and being used in products all around us. Kris explains what artificial intelligence really is, how it is being used, how it is impacting our privacy and what should concern us about its use in the future.
Kris will also be a part of the Pinnacle Leadership Challenge Workshops. His workshop with the Pinnacle series will focus on Personal Branding; ensuring one’s digital footprint is effective in showcasing who you are. The next workshop is on Thursday, November 21, 12 pm at the Programming and Volunteer Room, 2nd floor of Wyckham House (Z204).
Bissett Associate Professor, Paul Varella presents paper at conference in St. Petersburg at the GSOM Emerging Markets Conference
Bissett School of Business would like to congratulate Associate Professor, Paul Varella on the acceptance and presentation of his paper titled: Institutionalization of External Environmental Governance of Firms a Microfoundation Study.
Abstract:
This paper introduces a qualitative study that investigates microfoundational processes for
external green governance of corporations, societal external governance onto firms for
issues associated with the natural environment. The study investigates the agency of
professionals working in corporations and eNGOs and the related social structures
associated with green governance. We then evaluate, through a series of propositions, how
agency and social structures recursively overtime help shape the institutions aimed at
governing corporate sustainability. The content analysis of the interviews with 24 senior
level professionals in this study offers additional insights to how agency and social
structures interface, as institutions evolve into establishing different governing approaches
to corporate action with sustainability relevance. The study is relevant to help understand
institutionalization processes related to the natural environment, which is a critical aspect
to the sustainable growth of economies of emerging markets.
The presentation was on the topic of Business in Society: a Change of Paradigm. That conference track was organized by the Graduate School of Management (GSOM) of St. Petersburg University, on October 4, 2019. The conference was organized by GSOM in cooperation with the Academy of Business and Society (ABIS).
Bissett professor Jim Fischer busy mentoring students in the annual Stock Market Competition and with his research projects
Bissett professor Tashfeen Hussain active in various research projects
Bissett School of Business congratulates Assistant Professor, Tashfeen Hussain for being selected to contribute a chapter to the upcoming book titled, “Corporate Fraud Exposed”. The title of the chapter that Tashfeen will be writing is “The Spillover Impact of Corporate Fraud on Peer Firms”. The selection process has been quite intensive. The book will be edited by Dr. Kent Baker, Dr. Lynnette Purda and Dr. Samir Saadi. The book will be published by Emerald Publishing. Tashfeen expects to have the final draft of the chapter ready by June, 2020. The book is intended to be used at PhD programs in Finance.
As part of the faculty’s Apaat tsi kani takiiks initiative, Tashfeen and Associate Professor Allan Dwyer have had their proposal approved for developing a teaching case focusing on indigenous related issues. The focus of the case will be “Estimating the cost of capital for an indigenous business and evaluating strategies to reduce the cost of capital”.
“The Apaat tsi kani takiiks project is an initiative from Bissett School of Business and the School of Communications that aims to produce and promote Indigenous-centered curriculum and programming for the next generation of leaders, working to increase access to education for Indigenous students in an attempt to address reconciliation. The three-year initiative began in May 2017 as a continuation of the Suncor Aboriginal Business Education pilot project”. – MRU Media
2nd Annual MRU RMA Commercial Lending Case Competition was a huge success
The Risk Management Association of Alberta, in conjunction with the MRU Financial Student Organization (FSO) hosted the second edition of the MRU RMA Alberta Commercial Lending Case Competition this past September. The competition is modeled after RMA competitions held in the United States and MRU is currently the only western Canadian University to offer a case competition in this format.
Building upon the success of last year’s inaugural event, the organizers were happy to report a 40% increase in student involvement for this year. This year’s competition seen 10 teams comprised from 38 Bissett BBA student participants plus six student volunteers to handle the logistics throughout the event. There were also nineteen RMA commercial credit professional-executives and ten faculty and senior management members in attendance. Each of the teams were provided with a dedicated industry mentor to give individualized advice on their analysis.
“It was an outstanding few days of learning, mentor-ship and networking! ” – Cathy Roy-Heaton
Each team was evaluated on their written and oral summary, identification of key risks, mitigation of risks, key ratio and financial analysis of the case, as well as their ability to professionally and concisely communicate their findings and defend their recommendations. The teams were extremely competitive as all ten teams placed within 15% of the first place team and there was only 1.2% differential between the 1st and 3rd placed team!
“Many of the students thanked me for the opportunity to be engaged in this experience. No question this is at the heart of what we stand for in the Bissett School of Business. Thank you for making this an impactful learning experience for our students” – Dean, Elizabeth Evans
Bissett professors Mohammed El Hazzouri and Leah Hamilton have papers published
Congratulations to Associate Professors Mohammed El Hazzouri and Leah Hamilton for having their paper published in the Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, titled: “Why Us?! How Members of Minority Groups React to Public Health Advertisements Featuring Their Own Group”. The research press release was published in The Conversation Canada and several other venues.
Abstract: This research investigates how members of minority groups respond to public health advertising that features models who belong to their own group. Results of three experiments show that ethnic minority individuals report lower intentions to take the advice solicited by widely distributed public health advertisements when the advertisements feature models who belong to their own ethnic group (as opposed to white models). This effect is driven by the fact that, for ethnic minorities, featuring one’s own ethnic group in public health advertising creates perceptions of being negatively stereotyped by the advertisers. This outcome is pronounced for those with average and high stigma consciousness. These effects were generalized in a fourth experiment in which participants with obesity reacted negatively to public health advertising featuring obese models. Public health advertising featuring minorities does not generate this backlash effect when the advertising appears in community-based publications mostly read by the featured group.
Additionally, Mohammed El Hazzouri and colleagues (Kelley Main and Donya Shabgard) published a paper in the Journal of Business Research titled: “Reminders of the sun affect men’s preferences for luxury products”.
Abstract: Evolutionary psychology has established that humans have a fundamental motive for mating, and that men buy luxury products to attract mates. Absent from this body of work is an investigation of how nature-related variables influence mating motivations, and thus affect preferences for luxury products. Using an evolutionary lens, our research examines how reminders of the sun affect men’s preferences for luxury products. The results of four experiments show that, when reminded of the sun, men become more sexually motivated, exhibit a more positive mood, and thus show higher preferences for luxury products.
7th Annual JMH LaunchPad Pitch Competition another huge success!
The JMH LaunchPad competition is in its seventh year of recognizing and rewarding MRU student entrepreneurs. Hosted by the Institute of Innovation an Entrepreneurship, the annual competition has become a 300 seat sell-out event filled with investors, students, and community members who come to see the student entrepreneurs pitch their ventures for a chance at $80,000 in start-up funds (cash and in-kind services). The student entrepreneurs at Mount Royal University continue to impress and lead in Calgary’s entrepreneurial community.
Participating students were: Gio Moros, E-Cash; Silvia Bezzi, Arielle Fitzgerald, Marc Nzojibwami, Mooch; Gurpartap Baidwan, Move N’Store; Luke Morstad, Outlier Surf & Adventure Co; Tarandeep Singh Kainth, Sharyeo; Kevin Wojcial, Venure Tech Innovations VR; Vladimar Taikov, WorkMore.
Congratulations to all of our student entrepreneurs! A complete list of results can be found here.
Bissett Assistant Professor, Tashfeen Hussain completes oral defense for his PhD
Congratulations to Assistant Professor Tashfeen Hussain who recently completed his oral defense of his thesis! Tashfeen’s thesis has been approved without revision through the Smith School of Business, Queen’s University. The title of the thesis: “Implications of firms’ interactions with debt markets”.
Tashfeen has also been selected to write a chapter on an upcoming book on Corporate fraud. The chapter is titled: “The spillover impact of corporate fraud”.
Venture Design Studio Winners
As part of the Innovation and the Entrepreneurial experience course (ENTR 2301), Venture Design Studios, students identify a problem and find an innovative solution using the Lean Startup methodology. Throughout the year, approximately 45 external experts provide feedback and insight to 500 participating students.
At the end of the semester there is Venture Design Studios finals where the top 7 teams pitch their ideas. This semester, the winning venture and people’s choice was Safe Stir, an innovative and discrete stir stick that could identify whether a substance has been put into a drink.
The Venture Design Studio is a great example of an experiential course that seeks to drive the entrepreneurial skill-set of our students. Congratulations to these innovative students!