New faculty: Lori Whisenant

It’s all fun and games with Lori Whisenant, a new lecturer at the University of Kansas School of Business, from the University of Houston.

Whisenant taught at UH for 12 years and served as the director of business law and ethics studies for the past seven years. She worked in public accounting in the Big Four in the tax area prior to that position.

Whisenant is happy to join a university and town with so much school spirit. 

“My husband, Scott, also joined KU. It was the perfect fit for both our professional and family goals,” Whisenant said. “We have two young boys, and really liked the opportunity to raise them in such a wonderful environment like Lawrence.”

While at UH, Whisenant and a former faculty member at UH developed an online business ethics game for undergraduate students.  

“The game is a simulation that allows a student to make decisions in ten ethical dilemmas, all of which take place while the student is in college,” Whisenant explained.  “The goal is to end with relative balance in the student’s life, which is measured by scores related to money, academics, health and reputation.”

The game covers obstacles a student will encounter during college such as cheating, lying on a resume and responding to multiple offers for employment. At the end of the game the student’s scores related to money, academics, health and reputation determine whether the student receives a great job offer, stays in the same job the student had during college, or is without a job at the end of the game.

In 2011, the game was recognized by the National Association of College and Employers (NACE). Whisenant and her partner were finalists in the NACE’s Innovation Excellence Award.

Currently, Whisenant is developing an additional level of the game. In this level the students are new employees of an organization and are asked to navigate various ethical dilemmas that one may find in business. The student’s decisions made in Level I will affect the outcomes in Level II.

“We wanted to emphasize that bad decisions in life sometimes come back to haunt you,” Whisenant said.

This semester Whisenant is teaching Business Writing for Accountants and Tax Research. Next semester Whisenant will teach Accounting Ethics and plans to implement components of the game within the context of the course.

“I love teaching subjects that I'm passionate about, and writing and ethics are at the top of the list,” Whisenant said.

Whisenant attended University of Texas at Tyler where she received a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. At the University of Oklahoma she received Master of Accountancy and Juris Doctorate. At Georgetown University she received a Master of Laws in taxation.

KU School of Business research presented at annual conference

In early August, before another school year strapped them down, 11 highly dedicated researchers from the University of Kansas School of Business made a memorable trip to Boston.

Faculty and doctoral students at the School of Business presented their works at the largest annual conference of management scholars in the world, the 2012 Academy of Management (AoM). The conference was held in Boston, August 12 and 13.

The conference theme was "The Informal Economy." Business managers and scholars from different countries were invited to examine organization and management questions on the informal economy by identifying and using concepts and theories through qualitative and quantitative research.

In their research, "A Multiplex View of Conflict and Team Performance," by Jay Lee, Daniel Gregory Bachrach and Anthony C. Hood, the team developed and tested a multiplex theory of conflict. The research addresses how these relationships are impacted when intragroup conflicts could be damaging to team performance. They studied 12 teams engaged in conflict. Four-month business simulation indicated that task conflicts occurring between friends were negatively associated with team performance. In comparison, non-friend task conflicts were positively associated with team performance. Lee is an associated professor and teaches Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management at the School of Business.

"Corporate Social Responsibility and Employee Outcomes: Toward an Employee-Centered Model of CSR," by Young Kyun Chang, Douglas May and Jong-Seok Cha, focused on the two potential roles of employees through their interpretation of corporate social responsibility (CSR). There are two potential roles of the employee, an evaluator or a recipient. The results revealed how employees' CSR perception affects organizational commitment. An individual thrives at work through organizational identification and interactional justice, in addition to meaningfulness and gratitude. The research expands on current theorizing and presents an in-depth description of the employees' perception of CSR. Chang is a doctoral student at KU. May is a professor and director of KU's International Center for Ethics in Business. Cha is a KU professor.

"I Like What I See: How CEO Service on Other Firms' Boards Influences R&D Spending," by Won-Yong Oh and Vincent L. Barker, examines how Chief Executives at public companies that spend money on R&D tend to have selective copying patterns. The study states that these particular firms do not copy the spending patterns of large firms and unprofitable firms, because their CEOs serve as board members. Oh is a KU doctoral student. Barker teaches at the MBA level in strategic management and Implementing Strategy, in addition to teaching at the undergraduate level in General Management Processes & Change and Business Policy & Strategy.

"It's Not Only Wins and Losses, It's When You Play the Game: Chief Executive Dismissal in the NFL," by Clinton Chadwick and Donald J. Schepker, was conducted to study how context affects factors that lead to top management dismissal. The research compares how head coaches in the National Football League (NFL) were dismissed before and after the institution salary cap in 1993. Chadwick is an associate professor at KU, who has taught human resources management and strategy classes at the undergraduate and MBA level. Schepker is a recent KU doctoral program graduate.

"The Effect and Antecedents of New Product Development Motivation: A Process Model of Strategic Orientation, HRM Practices, Motivation, and New Product Development Performance," by Jane Zhao and Clinton Chadwick, addresses how firm-level employee motivation and innovation combined knowledge is critical to developments of a new product. The significance of motivation in innovation has been overlooked because of focus on knowledge management and capabilities. Zhao is a KU professor who has taught classes at the MBA level in strategic management, management of technology, the study abroad program, and undergraduate level business policy and strategy.

"The Relationship between HR Functional Investments, HRM Practices, and Organizational Outcomes," by Mahesh V. Subramoney, John Dooney, James Guthrie and Andrew Mariotti, examines the "returns" in association with investment in the HR department regarding budget and employees. The research pinpointed that these investments could potentially yield reductions in employee turnover, leading to improvement in productivity. The effectiveness of HR practice could be enhanced by investments in HR departments, especially practices that emphasize an internal labor market. Guthrie teaches undergraduate, MBA and Ph.D. coursework at KU in human resources management.

"Toward a Multilevel Framework of Engagement and Performance at Work," by Matthew Luth and Douglas May, analyzed the employee engagement process across organizational levels, which links to important attitudinal outcomes. It studies the individual and group perspectives on engagement to develop and test a multilevel model of engagement and performance in groups. Group work engagement was found to be distinct, but also positively related to personal engagement, which included proficiency, adaptivity and proactivity. Individual engagement outcomes included performance, organizational citizenship performance and pro-social rule breaking. Luth completed his doctoral degree at KU last spring. May is a KU professor and director of International Center for Ethics in Business.

As the largest annual gathering of management scholars in the world, the AoM features research and expertise to be shared through various events such as competitive paper sessions, panels, symposia, workshops, distinguished speakers and speaker programs for doctoral students.

"Participation by our Management Area faculty and doctoral students in the Academy of Management is vital," said Ron Ash, area director of management.

New faculty: Lei Li

“The University of Kansas is one of the strongest academic institutions in the Midwest and in the upper tier of public universities in the U.S.,” said Lei Li, a new assistant professor at the School of Business for finance. 

Li previously taught calculus for a year at Brown University while he earned his Master of Science  in mathematics and master’s in economics. He also worked as a teaching assistant for several years at Boston College while pursuing his doctorate in finance. Li was eager to join the business school staff as a passionate finance scholar with deep curiosity about financial intermediation and financial intermediaries. 

“I’m looking forward to enjoying the gorgeous campus life here: the beautiful hilltop campus, classic stone buildings, and of course basketball games at the best arena in the country, Allen Fieldhouse,” Li said. 

This fall Li teaches Financial Markets (FIN 430) and Intermediaries and Analysis of Financial Intermediaries (FIN 710).

“I hope my classes are interesting and fun, and that students leave the classroom with a better understanding of the function and management of financial institutions and a new perspective on how to analyze what is happening in the financial markets,” Li said. 

Li is currently working on research projects studying financial institutions, financial crisis and risk management.

New faculty: Brad Goldie

Get lost in numbers with Brad Goldie, a new assistant professor in the finance area at the University of Kansas School of Business , from Pennsylvania State University.

“I embrace my true inner math nerd,” Goldie said, “but that’s why my wife says she married me.”

Goldie previously worked as a teaching assistant at Bringham Young University while working on his bachelor’s degree. He received his doctorate degree from Pennsylvania State University where he also taught classes.

When he did the math, Goldie knew KU was the best fit for him. 

“I really considered options at other universities, but the more I thought about my experiences visiting the various campuses, I realized the faculty here were people I wanted to work with,” Goldie said. 

He is currently working on a study for hedge fund investments in merger deals. He studies how the relationships between financial institutions affect their investment behavior. 

For his first semester as a professor, Goldie teaches Investments (FIN 410) to undergraduate students. 

What he’s most excited about as a Jayhawk: “Allen Fieldhouse. I’ve heard so much about the atmosphere that I want to see it for myself.”

New faculty: Noelle Nelson

Noelle Nelson, a new assistant professor from the University of Minnesota, joins the University of Kansas School of Business marketing area with warning: “I drink a lot of coffee … the school should probably stock up.”

Originally from Hot Springs, South Dakota, Nelson earned her bachelor’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Minnesota, where she also taught for four years.

Becoming a Jayhawk was an easy adjustment for Nelson because her hard work is respected.

“When I interviewed with KU, it was clear that, not only could I engage in the level of research I had hoped to achieve, but my teaching would also be valued,” Nelson said. 

This semester, Nelson teaches Consumer Behavior classes, both to undergraduate and MBA students.

Nelson is currently conducting research that primarily focuses on how working memory processes information that enters perception through various modalities. One project examined how music can affect how people perceive and remember ad claims. She has also conducted studies of negative emotion and its impact on consumer learning, and also how aging consumers react to negative life events.

What to expect to learn in her class: “The importance of understanding not only how consumers behave from a marketer’s perspective, but gaining insight into their own behavior. I hope that the students will become more informed people and consumers who make good decision regarding both life and products.”

What she’s most looking forward to at KU: “Experiencing the school spirit and the sense of unity KU has. Maybe, more importantly, figuring out what ‘Rock Chalk’ means.”

New faculty: Jessica Li

Jessica Li, a new assistant professor from Arizona State University, joins the school’s marketing area with enthusiasm.

“This is an exciting time for the KU marketing area, as it continues to expand and make a name for itself as a place of innovative and cutting edge research,” Li said.

Li is currently working on research that studies how social ecology affects consumer behavior, judgment and decision-making. Situations under investigation include how motivations, such as the desire to impress others, affect willingness to pay for different products.

Next semester Li will teach Integrated Marketing Communications.

One of the hopes Li has is that her students will learn the ability to think critically and to look at things from multiple perspectives.

“I like talking about ideas and my door is always open for anyone who wants to stop in and chat,” Li said.

Li received her undergraduate degree at Cornell University and her master's and doctorate degrees at Arizona State University.

Cornhusker by birth, Jayhawker by association

by Dan Dutcher

Prof. Tom Kubick

Growing up in Lincoln, Neb., home of the former Big 12 Cornhuskers, gives Tom Kubick an obvious interest in football. In fact, he has almost no idea what it’s like to be at a school with a basketball team of championship caliber.

Kubick, the new assistant professor of accounting and information systems, has a good feeling about the University of Kansas School of Business.

“My colleagues have been successful,” Kubick said. “The ability to work with people who are very good at what they do, both in the classroom and in research, is very important. It’s a very inspired academic environment.”

Kubick has a bachelor's degree in management, a master’s in professional accountancy and a doctorate in business with a concentration in accounting. He received all of these degrees from the University of Nebraska. Nearly all of his family attended the University of Nebraska which makes it a special place to him. 

So why did he choose to come to KU?

“KU has always been viewed, in my mind, as a great school,” Kubick said. “I feel very fortunate to be close to home in such a well respected academic environment. I’m excited to be here.”

Kubick teaches tax but has a professional background in financial planning. This led him to research the crossroads of the two areas. Most of his research is on tax avoidance, which he says is a new and very active area of research. Kubick has also added several professional certificates to his resume over the years. Although he’s not using them directly right now, he says that it does provide value to students interested in earning the same certificates.

In addition to teaching and research, Kubick is excited to learn about KU basketball.

“I’ve always enjoyed watching Kansas teams over the years,” Kubick said. “I’m looking forward to my first KU basketball game.”