MBA 230: Behavior Science Applications in Management

Reflection on Integrating Community Engagement into Academic Career: 3-stage Action Plan

I plan to implement case research in a management course. Students will not only learn from and about case studies, but also apply fundamentals of case research and develop their own case studies in collaboration and partnership with community organizations of Sacramento State. The course and the case studies will focus on management topics, such as human resource management, organizational behavior, team management, and leadership, and can include research questions related to DEI management, AI management, crisis communication and many other current management research questions that are intriguing for students, community organizations, and the case research community. The community partners can include for-profit businesses, nonprofit organizations, individual entrepreneurs and managers, and state agencies.

This project is mutually beneficial because the partner organizations will also benefit from the applied research approach. Specifically, an important part of case research is the application of research frameworks and theories to the observed context and gathered data. This means, students will organize important information about the partner organization, and then identify and apply scholarly tools to analyze the information. The results of these analyses will then in turn be shared with the community partners that will leverage the findings to inform their practice.

My 3 goals that I would like to accomplish in the upcoming semesters are:

Explore opportunities to develop case studies with existing community partners.
Redesign course to provide context and a foundation for community-engaged research.
Implement community-engaged research project in collaboration with students and partner organizations.

Community-Engaged Case Research
Example #1	Example #2	Example #3
Western Casewriters Association	3-Stage Plan	Sac State's Community

Moving Forward

Moving forward, I will adjust and adapt this plan using the resources provided by this FLC, including exploring different funding opportunities. I will also focus on research topics that are relevant to the practice of the community partners and career-relevant for the students.

Faculty Biography

Dr. Franziska M. Renz is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Management and Organizations, College of Business. She is also a SHRM Senior Certified Professional. Her teaching and research focus on human resource management and organizational behavior.

Funding
This work was supported by:	Logos
The Community Engagement Center, the Career Center, and the Anchor/Community-Engaged University Collaborative

Equal Opportunity and Excellence in Education and Employment

All University programs and activities are open and available to all regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin.