No abstract

No abstract

With the increase in online courses and programs and constant changes in the online learning environment, it is important for distance learning administrators and academic advisors to be aware of the factors affecting student success and enrollment in online classes, especially as they uniquely relate to specific disciplines. This study uses a survey of students enrolled in online Accounting Information Systems (AIS) and EDP Auditing classes to analyze the factors affecting student success, paying special attention to the role of computer knowledge, previous online experience and demographic variables as determinants of these results. The results show that previous online experience and computer knowledge do not affect student success; however, age and race are important factors in determining student success.

The sine qua non of laissez-faire leaders is that they do nothing. Despite many managers belief that doing nothing does not impact performance, managers change employee behavior by their inaction as well as their action. Management nonresponse to desirable or undesirable employee performance changes future worker behavior for the worse. Some managers seem incapable of expressing their gratitude and appreciation to those employees who perform well and act as if their feedback philosophy should be one of no news is good news.Conversely, some supervisors hesitate to challenge employees needing corrective counseling and appear to endorse a see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil management approach. Both practices lead to poor performance and supervisors who do nothing substantially damage their firms. Firms pay a high price for supervisors who do nothing.To do nothing is within the power of all men.

Purpose Recently, organizational scholars and social scientists began emphasizing the importance of compassion and altruism and called for increased demonstrations of assistance, giving, empathy and other prosocial conduct toward those in need. Generally, we assume that help is beneficial to those who receive it, and current research on these positive behaviors primarily focuses on the advantages to those who provide it. Despite recent calls for increased levels of aiding the needy and underprivileged, helping may have downsides and adaptive costs to those who receive support that are frequently overlooked. The purpose of the study is to bring to light the potential harm in helping those who lack commitment to improvement, having “skin in the game”. Design/methodology/approach In addition to a literature review, the authors present a model to explain how support in response to human pain and suffering can sometimes result in negative effects on aid recipients. The model specifies two mechanisms, including participation of affected beneficiaries of assistance in the actual aid process and duration of help as factors that may expose vulnerable populations to more risk. Findings The literature strongly suggests that in some instances, helping can be detrimental, to the point where helping can even result in dependency. The authors do not suggest casting a blind eye to those in need, but rather to provide assistance that leads to self-sufficiency. Research limitations/implications Additional research – especially over the long-term – can provide researchers with more detailed results of this approach. Practical implications The findings of this paper can serve as a model approach to provide help that does not create dependency. Social implications Using this approach could provide the ideal method to address long-term social issues that would break the cycle of dependency. Originality/value The authors believe that this approach to helping based upon the two-stage model could become the primary effective method for providing assistance to those in need without creating dependency in the long run.