Among the many issues with ranking schools, one of the most glaring is incorporating the input of those who are impacted by the result. Students reporting on MBA programs or University presidents ranking schools all put people influenced by the result in a position to influence the results. This creates quite the incentive problem.
Recent evidence comes from the rankings of schools (pdf) provided by University of Florida President Bernie Machen. The surveyed rankings are an integral part of the U.S. News ranking formula, and were obtained by the Gainesville Sun in a public records request. Other Florida university presidents were shrewd enough to “lose” theirs.
Continue reading »Ranking journals is a popular pastime among academics. Each of us has a favorite ranking, largely chosen by the results fitting with our favorite publication outlets. There are more debates over the methodology of journal rankings than of ranking business schools. There may be no universal agreement on the right method but there certainly is a wrong one.
Continue reading »Preparing for my upcoming Canada trip, I initiated an online chat with a Sprint rep to find out the roaming voice and data rates. Sending an average-length email would, according to the agent, cost somewhere between a few cents and a few hundred dollars. Transcript below the jump.
Continue reading »This Thursday, Nashville votes whether to prohibit public business from being conducted in any language other than English.
In an impassioned speech, Councilman Eric Crafton contends that newcomers to foreign lands must learn the local language. Strangely, this sentiment was not expressed in Cherokee, Iroquois, or Choctaw! Exhibiting his penchant for irony, Crafton delivered the speech in a recently adulterated dialect of the imperialist powers that, for effect, I adopt in this blog post.
Crafton, fresh off a three year crusade affirming Jesus Christ legislatively, is still not content wasting his time in Metro Council on such mundane issues as schools or zoning.
But there’s a positive side to this bill if it passes. If English is to be mandated, every time Crafton begins a sentence with “If I was” he can be held in contempt, and required to attend a lecture on subjunctive mood.
At an online forum for aspiring MBA students, participants are discussing an application essay (400 word limit) for a top ten program:
Applicant 1: Quick question guys! How stringent is the word limit? I am at 423 words.
Applicant 2: I wouldn’t worry about it. I’ve been following the +10% max rule.
Applicant 3: mmm… it’s not like they count the words right? I’m thinking if you don’t push it too much, they won’t even notice.
A suggested essay topic for the above applicants: “Discuss the importance of corporate ethics, respect for the law, and sound editing skills. Compare the above applicant statements to the principles displayed in recent accounting and financial scandals.”
The actual essay topic in question: “What is your greatest example of leadership and what personal qualities helped you succeed in that role? (400 word limit).” How about a 500 word essay on thinking outside the box?