ERIC Number: EJ1374169
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023-Apr
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1540-4595
EISSN: EISSN-1540-4609
Business Analytics Competition (BAC@MC): A Learning Experience
Decision Sciences Journal of Innovative Education, v21 n2 p52-67 Apr 2023
Over the past few years, academics have undertaken initiatives to bridge the gap between theory and practice in the ever-growing field of business analytics, including implementing real-life student projects in all shapes and forms. Every year since 2015, Manhattan College has invited student teams from across North America and elsewhere in the world to its campus in order to participate in an intercollegiate business analytics competition (BAC@MC). This well-received event and the objectives behind it are described in this article. The program is shown to serve as an effective experiential learning adventure for the undergraduate students as it hones their data analytic skills in the context of an engaging real-world business problem. The roles various stakeholders play in this high-impact practice are highlighted. Furthermore, an example of a recent competition question is presented (along with a summary of the analytical approaches attempted) by the student teams. Descriptive visualizations, regression, and cluster algorithms implemented using python, R, Excel, or Tableau are among the typical analyses utilized by participating students. As witnessed by the students, faculty advisors, and the industry practitioners who attended the event, competitions such as BAC@MC can be rewarding, community-building, and transformative experiences for undergraduate students who will soon become tomorrow's business analysts.
Descriptors: Business, Data Analysis, Business Administration Education, Intercollegiate Cooperation, Competition, Experiential Learning, Undergraduate Students, Problem Solving, Visualization, Regression (Statistics), Multivariate Analysis, Algorithms, Programming Languages, Spreadsheets
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2191/en-us
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A