How to Survive and Thrive: Educating the Technologically Adept for Success in the Twenty-First Century

The world economy has changed drastically from past decades through technological innovation and the vast increase in globalization (Hilton 2008; Kedia and Harveston 1998). These changes have drastically influenced the way business is conducted globally, how products are manufactured, and the logistics of delivering products to end customers. Factors such as rising fuel prices and the increasing risk of terrorism also impact businesses by changing the way goods are packaged, shipped, and stored (Allcot and Wozny 2012; Rose, Oladosu, and Liao 2007; Czinkota et al. 2010; Michel-Kerjan and Pedell 2005; Wicks, Visich, and Li 2006; Martin 2006). Prior research suggests that with technological advances and economic shifts came a decline in the manufacturing sector and the rise of the service sector in the United States (Ellram, Tate, and Billington 2007). Recent statistics show that the service sector accounts for t wo-thirds of the gross domestic product in the United States (Ellram, Tate, and Billington 2004, 2007; Roth and Menor 2003). Many scholars have noted this shift from a dominant manufacturing economy to a primarily service-oriented one; however, the research does not sufficiently address how these changes are being addressed by business schools in terms of preparing their graduates for success in the workplace upon graduation.